The Wild Fishing Forum

I must confess that this is one of my personal favourite spider patterns for grayling fishing. I have been tying these up to go out with this Saturday and while I was at it thought I would put a step by step together. Utilising natural grey blue coloured mole fur will of course give you a standard waterhen bloa. It is of course your own choice and more importantly the choice of your quarry that really matters.


Tying Materials

Hook: Kamasan B160 Size 10 - 14. I demonstrate on a size 14
Thread: Sheer 14/0 Primrose
Body: Tying thread touch dubbed with olive dyed mole fur
Hackle: Under covert feather from a waterhen wing.


Tying Method


Step 1: Secure the hook in the vice with the point protruding.



Step 2: Attach primrose tying thread and wind back in tight touching turns.



Step 3: Wind the thread to the rear of the hook terminating approximately opposite the hook barb.



Step 4: Using a dubbing rake remove some fur from an olive dyed moleskin.



Step 5: Apply a small amount of BT Tacky Wax to the tying thread and touch dub a SMALL amount of fur.



Step 6: Wind the dubbed thread in open turns. Remove any excess fur that may have accumulated o the thread.



Step 7: Select an appropriate undercovert feather from a waterhen wing. These can be found where I have indicated.



Step 8: Strip the barbs from one side of the feather as indicated.



Step 9: Tie in the feather.



Step 10: Wind the feather with the bare stalk against the hook shank.



Step 11: Whip finish and varnish.



Step 12: HAPPY FISHING :>



Grayling are not 'the lady of the stream'. They are big fat greed pigs but I do love to fish for them.

Agree, Waterhen Bloa is one of the very best spiders. I hardly have it off a team of spiders all year, beaten only to first place by a black spider in my opinion.
I prefer more hackle and less dubbing but everyone has there own style of tying it and they all work.

Quote from: markirv on June 02, 2015, 05:51:23 PM
Agree, Waterhen Bloa is one of the very best spiders. I hardly have it off a team of spiders all year, beaten only to first place by a black spider in my opinion.
I prefer more hackle and less dubbing but everyone has there own style of tying it and they all work.

I'll show you mine if you show me yours as the actress said to the bishop.

Not a very good picture on my mobile. Would say that I dont think its any more effective than anyone elses, its just im tight and like a bit more hackle so they last longer

[attachimg=1]

Added to sticky.

Both of those flies look good to me chaps.