Spiders

[Traditionalist]

Thanks for posting this Mike. I'll be tying some of them up soon.  :

My pleasure, will post a few more presently.  However, one of the main "tricks" involved is to get together a small collection of what you really need. Having dozens or even hundreds of patterns is invariably contra-productive. Also, it pays to match the hatch, so a large collection of general flies, although they will work of course, will be less successful than a carefully chosen set to match the hatch on your water(s), assuming you use them properly and at the right time of course. Knowing what insects to expect when will help you choose.  There are some excellent hatch charts extant which can help a lot with this. Carrying a very large number of flies only makes choice more difficult, and especially for beginners, results in a lot of frustration. It takes time to learn what flies to use when, and what insects they represent. One of the main criteria for having a fly in my box at all, is that I know what it is and when and how to use it. This is much easier at first if you don't have too many patterns.  Dressing "variations" by changing silk colours, and hackle without a good reason is also generally pointless.  You will end up with a nice big box of multi-coloured stuff and have no idea when to use what, because there is no logical or sensible reason for doing this in the first place!   Many of the "old standards" work well and it is not a bad idea to make a basic choice from these to begin with.

TL
MC

[Traditionalist]

The two flies shown above are "Frank´s Specials", which he used when Mayflies ( E.Danica etc) were hatching. They will also work as drowned dun imitations. The unusual thing about these patterns, is that they also work when nothing at all is hatching! Especially when manipulated. I have had these flies now for nearly forty years. Of course I dress and use copies of them. Frank was a bloke I knew in Yorkshire many years ago.

The first one is dressed as follows;
Hook: Size 12 long shank
Tail: Cock pheasant centre tail fibres 6 to 8.
Body: Pale cream wool
Rib: Gold wire.
Hackle 1 : Pale ginger furnace cock ( often now referred to as "Greenwell")
Hackle 2: Mallard breast feather dyed yellow with picric acid.
      

The second is dressed on a shorter shank hook.
Tail: Cock Pheasant centre tail fibres 6 to 8
Body: Primrose floss silk
Rib: Gold wire
Body hackle: Red game cock
Front hackle: Mallard breast feather dyed yellow in picric acid.
Head: peacock herl.

[Traditionalist]

DARK WATCHET or IRON BLUE DUN. Ephemeridae. Hook 0 or 00 (16 or 18))

WINGS. - Hackled with a dark smoky blue feather from a Jackdaws throat. Starling dyed iron blue will work as will a number of other feathers.

BODY. - Orange and purple silk twisted together, dubbed very sparingly with Mole´s fur and wound on the body so that the orange and purple silk show in alternate bands.

HEAD. - Orange silk.

(Jackdaw may be substituted with webby hen hackle dyed Iron blue, or Starling dyed iron blue to give it a bluish sheen. Jackdaw is better though if you can get it).

Last week in April and throughout May, and sometimes early June. Particularly for dull days. Good for many small dark flies all year round.