The Barnes Special is a classic Maine streamer pattern that was among six featured on my 2007 DVD, Traditional Streamers and Bucktails. http://www.myflies.com/DVD-Traditional-Streamers-and-Bucktails-P622.aspx
I recently got a custom order from MyFlies.com http://www.myflies.com/Don-Bastians-Custom-Fly-Orders-P750.aspx
for a dozen Barnes Special streamers for a fellow heading to Maine later this month. I also tied the Barnes Special for Streamers365.com. There are several archived posts here featuring the Barnes Special, (you can go to the search tab and type the name in, then hit “enter” and locate the older posts), but I thought the new and different twist with this post would be to show the completed order of a dozen streamers. And I also decided to add the photos of the completed bodies, something I generally do when tying streamers of the same pattern, make the bodies ahead of time as part of a separate production run.
Here are the bodies:
A dozen streamer hooks, sizes #4 and #6, “bodied up” and ready for completion of the rest of the pattern. The hooks are 8x long Gaelic Supreme Rangeley style streamers. The tail is two paired jungle cock body feathers, as ore the original recipe by C. Lowell Barnes, a Maine guide in the Sebago Lake region.
The bodies were whip finished and head cemented. Here are the dozen patterns, placed pretty much as I dropped them in preparation for insertion into plastic sleeves.
One dozen Barnes Special streamers, sizes #4 and #6. Tied by Don Bastian.
I have posted the recipe on the archived topics with this pattern, but I have included the recipe here as well.
Barnes Special
Hook: 6x or 8x long streamer hook
Thread: Danville Flymaster 6/0 #56 Red; black or any color may be used for the bodies.
Tail: Two jungle cock body feathers, paired, just a tad over the hook gap in length
Ribbing: Oval silver tinsel
Body: Flat silver tinsel
Underwing: Sparse red bucktail followed by sparse white bucktail, to end of tail or a very short distance past tail
Wing: Two yellow hackles flanked on each side by two grizzly hackles
Hackle: White, tied as a collar
Head: Red
The heads have four coats of clear ProLak cement, though I sometimes use a single coat of Wapsi Red lacquer coated with clear lacquer. The yellow hackles were selected from a saddle and the grizzly hackles came from a cape (or neck). The tinsel body is medium sized Mylar, double-wound by starting at the head, winding back, then forward. This provides better coverage and is more durable. The white collar hackles were made from schlappen feathers, using the tip sections, chosen for proper barb length. Schlappen feathers are great for this because of their very small stem diameter and flexibility, and also the softness and webbing of the barbs. When tying this and other streamer patterns with bucktail bellies or underwings, it’s best to keep the hair sparse. Here is a macro of a single fly:
Barnes Special, size #4 – 8x long. All flies tied by and photographed by Don Bastian.
The Barnes Special is still a very popular streamer pattern in Maine. These are going to a customer in Wisconsin, who is heading to Maine later this month. I wish him luck and success with these streamers!
One final group shot, set up in nice rows:
One dozen Barnes Special streamers – sizes #4 and #6.
Thank you for the order Scott! Tight lines on your trip!
