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Uses for Starling

onemorecast

onemorecast

New member
Once upon a time, I was really into bird feeding. One of the banes of my existence during this time was the flocks of cowbirds, grackles and starlings that would invade my yard and wreak havoc on my feeders. Since you can shoot starlings in PA, I'm thinking about reviving the old bird feeding operation once again, just to give the old 12-gauge a workout! Starling is pretty cool for soft hackling and I was playing around at the vise the other day trying to come up with other uses.

In attempting to make a wet fly version of the LBS, I took a standard soft hackle black and starling and added wings to it. Can any of the tiers out there tell me whether or not these wings are going to make any difference or if there's anything different I could have done. I'm not sure the wings are at any kind of useful angle at all or if they even belong. Especially since starling feathers are generally used for eyes on streamers. Opinions and advice welcome and appreciated!

 
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I am wondering if those Starling feathers are stiff enough to be used as a substitute wing for the original Loon back feathers on a George Harvey Pusher wet fly?
 
There wont be too much left of a starling after you hit it with a 12 gauge! I would try a .22 or a pellet gun.....I read an article once about soft hackle wets using starling as most of the make up of the fly. Its funny as I start out in my own adventure of tying, I am often drawn to the thought of a little target practice at my own bird feeders!
 
kindanewbie77 said:
There wont be too much left of a starling after you hit it with a 12 gauge! I would try a .22 or a pellet gun.....I read an article once about soft hackle wets using starling as most of the make up of the fly. Its funny as I start out in my own adventure of tying, I am often drawn to the thought of a little target practice at my own bird feeders!
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Yeah, I realize I'll have to change firearms to save skins. I gave up bird feeding years ago when some outside stray cats adopted my deck. They found it a perfect dining room, what with finches, titmice and chickadees hovering around all the time. :devious:
 
onemorecast said:
Once upon a time, I was really into bird feeding. One of the banes of my existence during this time was the flocks of cowbirds, grackles and starlings that would invade my yard and wreak havoc on my feeders. Since you can shoot starlings in PA, I'm thinking about reviving the old bird feeding operation once again, just to give the old 12-gauge a workout! Starling is pretty cool for soft hackling and I was playing around at the vise the other day trying to come up with other uses.

In attempting to make a wet fly version of the LBS, I took a standard soft hackle black and starling and added wings to it. Can any of the tiers out there tell me whether or not these wings are going to make any difference or if there's anything different I could have done. I'm not sure the wings are at any kind of useful angle at all or if they even belong. Especially since I used starling feathers generally used for eyes on streamers. Opinions and advice welcome and appreciated!

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Jess,

That looks great - the white on the wings may attract fish to the fly. The black BHPT soft hackle I fish this time of the year looks very similar....try tying a few with a small silver beadhead and FISH THEM! They'll work. Make sure you fish them all the way through the downstream swing so they rise to the surface at the end of the drift.

Let us know how they work.

Matt ><)))))'>
 
Matt Grobert said:
Jess,

That looks great - the white on the wings may attract fish to the fly. The black BHPT soft hackle I fish this time of the year looks very similar....try tying a few with a small silver beadhead and FISH THEM! They'll work. Make sure you fish them all the way through the downstream swing so they rise to the surface at the end of the drift.

Let us know how they work.

Matt ><)))))'>
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Thanks Matt. I wondered if those wings were utter foolishness. We'll see what happens - my boss just gave me dispensation to leave early today. ;)

I'll try the beads, too.:D
 
Hi Jess ,

I am with Matt on this one as the wings will add to the fish appeal I think the white tips are going to draw more attention to this fly kinda like putting the white biots on a prince nymph give the fish some thing to key in on. Nice tye!!:):)
 
Broadheadscreek said:
Hi Jess ,

I am with Matt on this one as the wings will add to the fish appeal I think the white tips are going to draw more attention to this fly kinda like putting the white biots on a prince nymph give the fish some thing to key in on. Nice tye!!:):)
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OK, now I can't wait to fish it. But I just remembered I only tied the one and lost it on the second cast when I did try it out. Oops! I guess it's back to vise when I get home.
 
In NY State it is legal to hunt Starlings year round. They are a nuisance and when they are in large flocks (sometimes a coupla hundred) they can do a lot of crop damage. Someone bought them over from England in the late 1800's.

Adios Philip
 
in my backyard it is legal to hunt them all year long as well!!!! and I wholeheartedly agree with the nuisance part!
 
I use starling as a substitute for Jungle Cock as the cheeks on streamers. Does a fairly reasonable impression on smaller size flies.
 
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