Yet another of those 'night before' flies, this time tied for a mid-summer trip to Stocks reservoir when Heather flies were on the menu but a decent wind was forecast. The plan worked, but the Black Pearl has also been one of my most consistent dabblers for the last three or four years, taking both rainbows and browns the length and breadth of the UK, from Bewl to Orkney.

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A realy versatile dabbler, this one, genuinely happy and effective wherever it's placed on the leader. Palmered with hen hackle, it's perfect for use on the tail or middle dropper, getting down quickly on a heavier hook. For top dropper work, I palmer it with cock hackle and tie it on the lighter B170.