Here are a couple of softies from the 1800's a Snipe and Purple
And a black spider. The black spider was tied back then to mimic a black midge pupa emerging to the surface. (not much different to what we might use today)
I particularly like the Snipe and purple, tied with a small feather from the base of a Snipe's wing (this is an English game bird)
Hope you like the patterns, lets keep this thread going
Mike

Full dressings for any of you that want to tie these up for your box
Snipe and Purple
Hook is a barbless 14
body: purple Pearsall's gossamer purple
Hackle as stated a very small feather from the base of a snipes wing

Black spider
hook: 14 barbless
thread fine black
Body a few black swan or goose fibers ribbed with very fine silver wire
Hackle: very sparse two turns of small black hen hackle

Mike

Good looking flies, Mike.

Bob

Thanks Bob........hope you are well
Mike

Very nice informative thread. Thanks, guys. When I was at the White in November, at Cotter, on minimum flow soft hackles and emergers worked great for me in the long flats. I try to avoid multiple fly rigs, though, except when lobbing nymphs under an indicator. I'm a little clumsy sometimes and tend to end up with bad tangles. I use a peacock body with a green tag a lot at Beaver's Bend. The good ole Arkansas red-(censored) is an excellent attractor pattern.