Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - September/October 2021 - 17

salamanders under rocks, dead logs, and leaves.
What may look like a worm sometimes turns out
to be a salamander. Look for the telltale upper
and lower legs, which worms do not have along
their bodies. In the creek, find a shallow spot and
slowly turn over rocks. Having a dip net is also
helpful in carefully catching these elusive creatures.
Sometimes, a plastic container of some kind allows
you to study the amphibian up close. Our family
rule is always return the specimen quickly and
safely to where it was found.
After taking digital pictures of the salamander,
children may take their new-found knowledge and
evidence back to the vise and try out their own
versions of Shadow-manders.
Shadow-mander specifics
This pattern incorporates articulated movement
to imitate the salamander swimming in the water.
Since this is an advanced technique for young tiers,
you may need to prep materials ahead of time
such as cutting the front hook and having your tier
tie the pattern in two stages with the trailing and
lead hook designs. See the November/December
2019 issue of Pennsylvania Angler & Boater, " Tying
Together " . Many times, I have young tiers start with
the trailer hook, which includes the tail and body.
Then, we use monofilament line to connect the
trailer with the lead hook. Last, we tie in the lead
hook with the body and eyes.
To create realistic bodies, we chose different
colors of chenille and the variegated technique to
blend the materials together. For the Eastern Red-backed
Salamander, we mixed two strands of red and black
chenille. For the rare and threatened Green Salamander,
we mixed green and black chenille. These colors can
also be purchased as Mottled Chenille. However, I
find the kids enjoy creating their own two-toned color
schemes, and it is an easy way to involve them in the
decision-making process. For the Northern Two-lined
Salamander, we used brown chenille and draw in two
lines with a black permanent marker.
Shadow-mander eyes
To mimic a realistic head with eyes, we added barbell
eyes in red, green, and/or black. The eyes weigh down
the pattern quickly to the bottom of the stream, where
aquatic salamanders usually reside. Tiers should tie the
barbell eyes in using figure-eight wraps, securing the
eyes firmly to the hook shank. To add extra weight to
the head, we tied in some lead wraps on the front hook
shank to mimic it diving to the rocks. This allowed us
to fish it almost like a jig.
Shadow-mander tail
Marabou feathers come in handy as tail material
due to their length and movement in the water. When
wet, the feathers fold back down behind the trailing
hook into a tail-like shape, capable of undulating in
the current like a salamander attempting to swim.
Allow young tiers time to explore and develop
their eco-awareness about the salamander species
in your local watershed while tying up some
Shadow-manders.
Northern Two-lined Shadow-mander
Hook: 3X long, #8-12 streamer
Thread: Black 3/0 thread
Weight: .025-inch lead wire (on front hook)
Tail: Marabou (on trailer hook)
Body: Brown chenille (use black permanent marker to
draw lines
Connector: 10- to 20-pound monofilament line
Northern Two-lined Salamander
Red-backed Shadow-mander
Hook: 3X long, #8-12 streamer
Thread: Red 3/0 thread
Weight: .025-inch lead wire (on front of hook)
Tail: Marabou (on trailer hook)
Body: Red mixed with black chenille (mottled)
Connector: 10- to 20-pound monofilament line
Eastern Red-backed Salamander
www.fishandboat.com
Pennsylvania Angler & Boater * September/October 2021
17
photos-PFBC archives
http://www.fishandboat.com
Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - September/October 2021

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - September/October 2021
