Fly Tying a Bird's Eye Soft Hackle, Wet Fly Trout Pattern

From the Federation of Fly Fishers Fly Pattern Encyclopedia, this tiny soft hackle looks like a cross between a North Country Spider, and a black gnat. An easy-to-tie fly pattern, this could be useful as a trailer to a larger soft hackle or as the second fly on a two-nymph rig.
Hook: #16-18 wet fly
Thread: Black 12/0
Body: Peacock herl (small)
Rib: Extra-small wire
Hackle: Starling
This fly can be found in The Federation of Fly Fishers,
Fly Pattern Encyclopedia: amzn.to/34U0rUe
Savage Flies is a project with the mission of encouraging and teaching fly tying to as many people as possible. The channel is named after one of my western Maryland homewaters, the Savage River. I've been uploading at least three new videos a week (usually Monday, Wednesday, Friday and Saturday).
Thanks for stopping by. Please let me know in the comments if you have any tying tips you would like to share or if you have any patterns you would like to see tied here.

[@innovativeatavist159]

Starling and Herl! It's a pretty old North Country pattern! Does a decent job of looking like aquatic beetles, drowned terrestrials like house/horse flies, and even midges. I tie them dry fly or 3x strong hooks depending on whether I'm fishing surface film or a bit deeper, and I also throw in that black x-small wire rib. Bluegill candy. Accidentally caught a decent smallmouth on a size 12 one on my little 2 weight rod while casting to spawning longear. That was a blast.

[@marshallbaldwin8960]

A very cool fly. If I can see this small of a hook, I may give it a try. Thank you Sir Matt. You’re the Best!

[@martyrothman3933]

Thanks Matt another good one

[@SavageFlies]

Appreciate it Marty!

[@pablogarza4793]

Nice fly, we are making small flies. I like the way you make it easy to follow, thanks for the Channel and being able to go back. Thanks Keep it Tying

[@SavageFlies]

Thanks Pablo! Appreciate your support my friend!!

[@michaelmerlino6753]

Nice simple tie.Should be effective on picky fish.

[@SavageFlies]

Thanks Michael. Yeah, I'm sometimes surprised when a #14 Prince gets ignored and the #18 or 20 zebra midge on a dropper does well. I expect it may be the same with these tiny soft hackles.

[@jeffreystone7327]

Matt, I salute you Sir. Unbelievable how great you make these tiny flies look. Great video. I watched this in total astonishment. When it comes to fly tying, you are a “Bad Man”. Thank you.

[@jamesvatter5729]

Matt, I know that fly as the "starling and peacock". It can certainly catch fish.

[@SavageFlies]

Good call Jim! I just looked that up, and sure enough, there are a lot more references to Starling and Peacock out there. Plus a Peacock and Partridge that looks similar enough as well. It does make me wonder how this one got the name "Bird's Eye" in the pattern encyclopedia. Maybe because it was recommended to use one of the herls just under the eye of a peacock feather? Maybe...

[@johnwalker6603]

Simply awesome! Thanks for the video

[@SavageFlies]

Thanks John; appreciate you watching my friend!

[@michaelrollins1370]

Cool pattern matt. Really enjoy the channel

[@SavageFlies]

Thank you! Always appreciate you watching. Also- I just took a picture of the horsehair nymph. Will email in a bit. (Looks like it calls for mane hair.)

[@easttnflyfreak2870]

thanks Matt

[@SavageFlies]

You bet James; appreciate you watching!

[@TERRYBIGGENDEN]

My kind of fly. It's perfect for anywhere as far as I"m concerned.. :-)

[@SavageFlies]

Thanks Terry! If you like this, here's another soft hackle style you might like. It's unique in that it has a bead behind the hackle. kzbin.info/www/bejne/i5CndpKenNdlb6s Obviously you don't have to use Krystal Flash for the body, but it's a neat style of soft hackle.

[@TERRYBIGGENDEN]

@@SavageFlies Thanks.I often think about adding a small bead to some of my flies. Sort of wet fly/nymph for the faster water. I love fishing traditional wets-they are really pleasing to tie and fish with. I treat them like nymphs as well.

[@bigdaddy99929]

Neat little bit. Should attract the finicky fish. 🙂

[@SavageFlies]

Thanks Clyde, I hope so! Someone mentioned that with a little flash it has done well with them at night.

[@jackreeves3001]

Thanks for sharing your talents. I really enjoy your videos!

[@SavageFlies]

Thanks Jack, much appreciated!

[@edwardchavez5627]

Good morning Sir Matt sweet little fly, I like it. Most trout fishing I've done Stillwater. I'm sure that would work great on Stillwater up in Colorado thank you for sharing. Have a great day.

[@SavageFlies]

You bet Edward; thanks for watching my friend!

[@mikeney5113]

Very nice quick simple easy tie.sure it will catch fish with it.thanks for sharing Matt!!..👍

[@SavageFlies]

Thanks Mike. I've honestly never fished a soft hackle this small but I imagine under the right circumstance it might fool some picky fish. :-)

[@kennethstiller3763]

I don't know if you will get this text/ message, just a suggestion; counter wrap your bodies and wrap your ribs normal. You will have a stronger wrap on your rib that doesn't slip on you. Everyone has their own technic. Have fun doing your own thing. Enjoy your videos.

[@SavageFlies]

Thank you Kenneth! I'm always up for trying new techniques that might make my tying better. I've never even thought of trying to counter wrap a herl body first. I'll give it a shot. :-)

[@OttoJulian_]

Not sure how you work with these tiny flies!! Great job!!! Almost 900 Matt!!! 🥳🥳

[@SavageFlies]

Almost! I just hit the 4,000 hours and hope to get the 1,000 subs by mid December. 😁

[@JamesMcCutcheon]

Cool, I have a starling cape this is a nice 14 Size fly. Thanks again for a good video. Very helpful to see the tying technique you employ.

[@SavageFlies]

Thanks James! I just picked up a couple more starling skins that I plan to dye yellow to do some yellerhammers. I've never died feathers before but I'll make a video if it turns out okay. :-)

[@eddieirvine9252]

Nice video yet again Matt if you were to change the hackle to a black hen hackle it would be a black and peacock spider popular fly in the UK and in sizes up to a #10 it's a useful pattern for floating snails on stillwaters

[@SavageFlies]

That's pretty cool to hear; thanks Eddie! A couple other folks mentioned it is also known as a "Peacock and Starling" which I did find a few of when looking that up. But I have no idea why the FFF encyclopedia calls it a "Bird's Eye" soft hackle. That doesn't show up in any searches! But this in a #16 or 18 is about the smallest I could imagine making a true soft hackle. I like my soft hackles in the big 10-12 range. :-) Thanks for the note; I'm going to look up a "Black and Peacock Spider."

[@davehall2160]

Great looking fly Matt Is there a difference in tying the hackle in by the tip or by the stem

[@SavageFlies]

Thanks Dave. I'd say it's a bit easier tying in from the stem, but if the barbs there are going to be too long, you might have to tie in from the tip. For a long, uniform rooster dry fly hackle it really doesn't matter. But for a short, stubby, partridge like feather sometimes it's better to tie in from the tip.

[@davehall2160]

Thanks

[@SavageFlies]

You know, I just rewatched this video after your note and I think this might have been easier to tie in with the tip. I'm not sure the barbs would have been as long as I wanted, but it would have probably worked.