Spinner patterns

[Malcolm]

I'm going on to tie some spinner patterns. I'm interested in the patterns you use and also what winging material do you find best?

I've never been 100% happy with my spinner wings as I can't find a material that combines softness with the ability to retain shape - particularly in flies size 14 and larger. I tend to use a very light packing foam for small wings or hacklepoints.

Any oyher ideas. Any pictures would be great

Malcolm

[east wind]

Also, tie the body a nice deep to rustic red and use the thread to set the tails in a wide v position.

edit.... just noticed your looking for wing suggestions

[east wind]

For wings, as per Col, i usually tie in CDC in the normal upright position then use the tying thread to split the feathers each side to horizontal.

But...have just ordered some Wundaweb from e-bay

EW

[bibio1]

Malcolm,

Given most of the times you use spinner patterns is towards dusk  I think the main trigger is the body. I use 2 patterns, an orange DHE and a funnel dun in quite small sizes, no larger than a size 16. You may think the DHe emerger is strange but with flies that small the body does not really penetrate the surface and if you listen to some of the commentators then a curved body is also a trigger.


After the big spring time hatches the spinner fishing is what I what for. The fishing can be brilliant but the conditions need to be just right nae wind and a warm evening, not many of them in scotland.

I really think close copies of this stage are a waste of time and effort.  I'll post some pics when I tie some up, concentrating on the spring time hatches at present.

cheers

Paul

Paul

[Malcolm]

Thanks for the all the tips - The Wundaweb is new to me and we have some already.

So far everyting I have tried has some shortcoming: Wonderwings are quite stiff, hackle points quite fragile, Pin Pricked Polythene doesn't retain shape and on anything bigger than a 16 spins like a helicopter, Poly yarn tends to go out of shape too but is very good.

East wind

I've never tried cdc fibre wings on a spinner. I'll try it.

Bibio1,

I like the spinner falls and although sometimes a sunk abdomen fly or the sparkle dun work fine for me at other times a spinner lying absolutely spreadeagled on the surface seems to do the trick. Last year I was fishing on a river in a heavy rise and only switched to the spinner as a last resort thereafter things became quite intense. I had two spinner patterns on at the end - one black and one olive and both were catching fish.