This fly was born out of a night of frustration in Bristol, Rhode Island. Bass were sipping silversides all around me and yet I could not get a fish to strike my pair of Ray's Flies. In response to this unsuccessful evening I developed the R.L.S Nocturne, a night-specific silverside pattern.
The first step was to re-work the Ray's Fly's light color pallet to something darker. The white buck tail was replaced by olive buck tail with some yellow mixed in. To give the fly a bit of body and wiggle, two short flatwing saddles are tied in between the buck tail platform and peacock herl topping.
The next step was to name the fly. I was originally going to call the fly "Sam's Nocturnal Silverside". However, after showing the fly to fellow striped bass aficionado Steve Culton, we decided the fly needed to have a name that was "sexier". He suggested "The Nocturne", so I added Ken Abrames R.L.S moniker (an acronym for the old Latin name for striped bass) and the fly was christened the R.L.S Nocturne.
When this fly was debuted, it caught the eye (and more importantly the lip) of two 30 inch line-siders and a slew of other well sized fish. Needless to say I do not hit the water without a few of these in my fly box.
Recipe
Hook: Mustad 3407, size 2 - 1/0
Thread: Black
Body: Silver Mylar Yarn
Wing: 30 hairs of olive and yellow buc ktail mixed, then 2 strands of olive flashabou, then one short black saddle, then 2 strands of copper flashabou, then 1 black saddle slightly longer than the first, then 2 strands of black flashabou.
Topping: 4 - 6 strands of peacock herl
Tying Tips
This fly is meant to be small and slender. Tie it sparse and no longer than 4 inches. Tie in the first saddle curve up and the second curve down. This will help stabilize the fly. Also, be sure to leave some of the fuzzies at the bottom of the saddle. I am convinced they look and move like pectoral fins in the water.
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