Black Ghost
Created by Herbert Welch in Maine around 1924, the Black Ghost remains one of the most beautiful and productive traditional New England streamers. Its bold black body, flat silver rib, white wing, and yellow hackle create a vivid contrast irresistible to brook trout, landlocked salmon, and large browns in cold clear lakes and rivers. Strip it in slow to medium pulses to mimic smelt. Equally effective when trolled deep in landlocked salmon lakes.
- Type
- streamer (Streamer)
- Hook sizes
- #4–8
- Target species
- trout, salmon
- Difficulty
- intermediate
- Best seasons
- spring, summer, fall
Materials
- hook: 4XL or 6XL streamer hook #4–8
- thread: Black
- tag: Yellow wool or floss
- body: Black floss
- ribbing: Flat silver tinsel
- hackle: Yellow hackle fibers, as throat
Tying steps
- Mount a size 4–8 4XL or 6XL streamer hook; start black thread.
- Tie in a short tuft of yellow wool or floss as a tag at the bend.
- Wrap black floss in tight even layers from tag to the 2/3 mark for the body.
- Wind flat silver tinsel rib in 6 evenly spaced spirals over the body.
- Tie in yellow hackle fibers as a throat below the hook.
- Select 4 matched white saddle hackles; tie them in flat over the body as the wing.
- Optionally add jungle cock eyes on each side.
- Build a smooth, neat black lacquered head; whip finish and lacquer.