classic Michigan streamer · 1950s
Roberts' Black Streamer
Unverified origin Deschaine's column is the only source, and says itself that little is known about this fly.
History
Clarence Roberts, a Grayling game warden, began selling flies around 1949 and is best known for Roberts' Yellow Drake. Most of his own patterns date from the 1950s; he raised roosters for hackle and used hair from road-killed deer.
Little is known about his Black Streamer beyond the dressing: black chenille with a silver rib, a red tail, a brown deer-hair wing reaching the end of the tail and a red head. A variation he tied is displayed at the DNR's Ralph A. MacMullen Conference Center in Roscommon.
Materials
| Hook | 2X-long streamer (Mustad 9672), sizes 4 to 8 |
|---|---|
| Thread | Black 6/0 |
| Tail | Red duck quill section |
| Body | Black chenille |
| Rib | Silver wire or tinsel |
| Wing | Brown deer hair, trude style, reaching the end of the tail |
| Head | Thread finished with red lacquer |
Sources
- Deschaine, T. "Clarence Roberts: Au Sable River Tyer." Fly Anglers Online, July 30, 2012.
- "Showcasing the DNR: The game warden and the Yellow Drake." Michigan DNR bulletin.
- "The Other Fly-Tying Legend." Northern Express, November 16, 2025.
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No photo yet. Every photo on michfly is of a fly tied for the site, so they're added a few at a time.
Original recipe cards for many Michigan patterns are kept at the Michigan Dry Flies archive, built by the late Tom Deschaine.