I will second a Cooper's which I see chasing song birds most often. They seem to have abnormally long legs and tail feathers compared to other raptor species and what amazes me most, is that they aren't much bigger than a robin.


I found a dead one last week, the body was too far gone to offer a clue what happened to it, but I did pull some tail feathers that may be useful to a fly guy. They are black and white barred and about five inches long.


I would think a fly made with components of a predator could offer a distinctive mystique.
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In the legend of King Arthur, the Fisher King was a renowned angler whose errant ways caused him to be struck dumb in the presence of the sacred chalice. I am no great fisherman, and a steelhead is not the covenant of Christ, but with each of these fish I am rendered speechless.