Spiders

[Wildfisher]

OK,  have just been through the annual pre-season ritual of flee-box-sortin'

My,  is that tedious.

Just about there: the dries, nymphs and loch flies are pretty much sorted. I can see that  I have to put in a bit of work at the vice and tie a few size 16 Klinks and parachutes.

However, it's spiders that need the most work.

What spider patterns do you consider indispensable?  Mainly for river fishing, but a few loch suggestions would also be useful

[Malcolm]

I'm a reborn spider enthusiast.

Snipe and purple in 16 and 18 has been one of my top loch flies for the last couple of years, it seems to work best for me fished on the dropper in calm conditions with a dry fly on the tail. Alternatively I use the partridge and orange or partridge and red as change flies.

I've been experimenting with Opal Madeira bodies (slightly sparkling) as variants and have been very pleased with the results. So much so I think they are slightly more effective than the originals but the jury is still out on that one.

[Clan Ford]

A bit like Malcolm, I've turned into a born again spider fisher.  I like the wire bodied variety but I also tie a fair few with a hare lug body (various colours), flash back and a partridge hackle (sometimes with tungsten bead behind the hackle to add some weight).  They were real killers for me last season and hooked a fair few Salmon as well :?  Hope to use them even more this season.

Norm

[Clan Ford]

Buzz,

I tend not to fish my spiders down and across but sort of slightly upstream and down a bit - its sort of like long range nymphing.  It was really effective for me last season - loads of grayling including a few biggies and some decent trout.  I found if I continued to let the fly swing it was then that I got the bandies   Also had good sucess with them fished amonst a team of nymphs just as you suggest.

Norm

[Clan Ford]

Mark,

Just scanned some for you, they tend to be "fancy" in size 10 or 12 (for weighted ones) and 12 & 14's for the rest.  The more "chewed" they get the better they fish -which probably means I don't tie them sparse enough.  If the fish are actually rising then I can't resist the dry fly :shock:  I don't match the hatch as such, however, if its early in the season through to mid summer I find the drabber more natural colours do better dyed olive and natural hare lug but as the season goes on yellows, reds and the finally pink and browns with a bit red in them do best.

Norm

[Clan Ford]

Small and fine was always my motto - until I started fishing the Earn.  Don't know if the fish aren't as well educated or what, but they seem to appreciate a wholly brasher approach :shock:  Easier on the eyes as well

Norm

[Wildfisher]

Buzz,

I have pretty much packed in fishing across and down (except when salmon fishing) as it is the way to catch bandies. As the fly swings round and rises bandies seem to find it irresistible. I only fish that way now if there is no option: terrain, wind etc dictating.

[.D.]

.........................
What spider patterns do you consider indispensable?  Mainly for river fishing, but a few loch suggestions would also be useful

I'm not sure if any particular "pattern" is indispensable as such.

On the river I might suggest you carry (well, I do):

1.Something with a yellow/olive body and a grey hackle 12-16 for Olive Uprights, LDO s and smaller baetids etc.
2.Dark Watchett, Snipe and Purple or an Iron Blue Dun in a size 18 for an Iron Blue Dun (believe it or not).
3.A couple of hare's fur bodied affairs, maybe with fur from different parts of the mask, and different mottled game bird hackles e.g. Red Grouse, Woodcock, Partridge etc. in sizes from 10-20 and with bodies of varying thicknesses for everything from stoneflies to caddisfly pupae to March Browns etc. Some with a bead behind the hackle, as already mentioned.
4. Something with a pearl mylar body works very well sometimes- perhaps as a submerged LDO spinner? Perhaps not, but it still works sometimes.
5. Something with a peacock herl body. I believe peacock herl has magickal properties :roll:.
6. Something small and black, for smuts etc. A silver mylar body a dark ball of fur or herl at the thorax and a black hen hackle on a size 20/22 works as well as anything.

At a minimum. you might like to add some others e.g. for Yellow Sallies, Yellow Mays, terrestrials etc.

I'm a fan: if some people :makefun presented their wet flies with the same care they gave to their dries they mightn't be complaining about tiddlers

..............However, it's spiders that need the most work.

They're quick enough to tie


.D.

[.D.]

I suppose most people would recommend a Partridge and Orange. Then bore you to death about Pearsall's 6a.


.D.

[thewaterbouys]

Hi Fred why not try the game spiders they have worked all season for me on the lochs.
I have never tried them on the rivers.
Check the fly pattern database for different tyings.
henry