*Type of Fly

Salmon

*Name of Fly:

Bella Donna

*Etymology:
(Why you named the fly with its name)

Bella Donna means beautiful lady in Italian (and my wife is called Donna so is doubly apt). Belladonna can also refer to the deadly nightshade and the colours of this fly mimic the colours of the nightshade family of plants, and it is a deadly fly.

*Date Invented

2006

Hook:

Partridge CS14/2B Size 5 Salar Black Double

Thread:

Uni Thread Black 8/0

Weighting:

None

Tail:

A tag of silver oval tinsel followed by a tail of yellow bucktail overlain with pearl yellow crystal flash

Body:

Rear half Uni Floss Emerald Green
Front Half Uni Floss Purple

Rib:

15lb Fluoro yellow monofilament fishing line

Thorax:

None

Legs:

None

Wings:

Dyed black squirrel tail overlain with UV purple crystal flash

Hackle:

Front hackle of purple schlappen hackle (or for the variant –picture below – guinea fowl feather dyed purple.)

Special Tying Instructions:

Make sure the tips of the yellow bucktail and the tips of the black squirrel align. Remember to leave enough room for the head hackle when creating the body and also remember to sweep back the head hackle when tying in.

Fishing Instructions:

Good for summer grilse in spate conditions on a sink tip line. Good for autumn salmon in overcast conditions. Not particular good for springers or when bright conditions prevail.

Interesting Facts:

The guinea fowl variant ‘swims’ better in faster ‘rippled water’ where the hackle seems to pulse life