North country spiders
- Ian
- Eel
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- 8
- Location: Scotland
North country spiders
Still born, crippled, blown over duns, there are loads of different patterns, but how many patterns are there, and do we really need them all?
What do you think?
Don’t cast doubt,cast out.
- Olly
- Wild Carp
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- 11
- Location: Hants/Surrey/Berks borders.
Re: North country spiders
I love Pritt's book - sparsely dressed flies .
- Liphook
- Barbel
- Posts: 4800
- Joined: Mon Sep 03, 2018 6:21 pm
- 5
Re: North country spiders
For me, tying flies is like taking photographs; I don't need 95% of them but at the time they all hoped to mean something
- Crucian
- Eel
- Posts: 2399
- Joined: Thu Apr 03, 2014 8:20 pm
- 10
- Location: Watchet, Somerset.
Re: North country spiders
Probably not, but they are easy to tie and very effective. A local reservoir has a head of small wild browns as well as stocked rainbows, I have spent many hours catching these browns on small spider patterns, it seems that they work best when a bit worn and tattered.
- Ian
- Eel
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- Joined: Mon Apr 04, 2016 8:29 pm
- 8
- Location: Scotland
Re: North country spiders
I couldn’t have put it better liphook, that’s exactly what it’s about. There isn’t much difference between a woodcock and yellow and a partridge and yellow, but like you say they all mean something.
Don’t cast doubt,cast out.
- Iasgair
- Chub
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- 6
- Location: Colorado, USA
Re: North country spiders
I don't believe you need every spider pattern to be successful.
Crucian is right, they are simple to tie and pretty much the same except for color. Anyone can tie a dozen spiders in a few minutes.
I'd say find which spider patterns works best for you in the waters you fish and stick with those. No sense in a box full of flies that won't produce positive results.
Ian, that's a beautiful display you have there, cuz.
Crucian is right, they are simple to tie and pretty much the same except for color. Anyone can tie a dozen spiders in a few minutes.
I'd say find which spider patterns works best for you in the waters you fish and stick with those. No sense in a box full of flies that won't produce positive results.
Ian, that's a beautiful display you have there, cuz.
Worry less about who you might offend, and care more about who you might inspire.
- Ian
- Eel
- Posts: 2187
- Joined: Mon Apr 04, 2016 8:29 pm
- 8
- Location: Scotland
Re: North country spiders
A half dozen would probably do for a season, but they re fun to tie, and prove that simple is best. There is one pattern I don’t like the look of, the black magic spider. I know what I think has nothing to do with how well it may or may not work, but I don’t like it and I much prefer the plain old black spider.Iasgair wrote: ↑Wed May 22, 2024 2:32 pm I don't believe you need every spider pattern to be successful.
Crucian is right, they are simple to tie and pretty much the same except for color. Anyone can tie a dozen spiders in a few minutes.
I'd say find which spider patterns works best for you in the waters you fish and stick with those. No sense in a box full of flies that won't produce positive results.
Ian, that's a beautiful display you have there, cuz.
Thanks iasgair. These are for rab. I have also tied up dries, wets and nymphs for him.
Don’t cast doubt,cast out.
- Iasgair
- Chub
- Posts: 1026
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- 6
- Location: Colorado, USA
Re: North country spiders
I agree with you on the black magic pattern. But I found out if you put a little red behind the hackle it more represents a black widow. And like a black widow, it becomes deadly.Ian wrote: ↑Thu May 23, 2024 11:06 amA half dozen would probably do for a season, but they re fun to tie, and prove that simple is best. There is one pattern I don’t like the look of, the black magic spider. I know what I think has nothing to do with how well it may or may not work, but I don’t like it and I much prefer the plain old black spider.Iasgair wrote: ↑Wed May 22, 2024 2:32 pm I don't believe you need every spider pattern to be successful.
Crucian is right, they are simple to tie and pretty much the same except for color. Anyone can tie a dozen spiders in a few minutes.
I'd say find which spider patterns works best for you in the waters you fish and stick with those. No sense in a box full of flies that won't produce positive results.
Ian, that's a beautiful display you have there, cuz.
Thanks iasgair. These are for rab. I have also tied up dries, wets and nymphs for him.
I often wondered how a little red on Stewarts Black Spider would produce takes. But I have a hard time tying one up because it just feels sinful.
Worry less about who you might offend, and care more about who you might inspire.
- Ian
- Eel
- Posts: 2187
- Joined: Mon Apr 04, 2016 8:29 pm
- 8
- Location: Scotland
Re: North country spiders
I suppose it depends. The water here being already a peaty red colour, red isn’t always a good colour because I take it, it is harder to see, but a more orange colour works great. An orange tag rather than a red tag works much better. I don’t think there’s anything sinful about it. Whether adding red makes a difference or not I don’t know. I think it’s more to do with them seeing a fly more than anything else. Don’t get me wrong it’s never that simple and if I’m using a fly with a tail and the fish are taking flies without tails then I wouldn’t expect to catch any, and if I did then I’ve annoyed the fish enough haha.Iasgair wrote: ↑Thu May 23, 2024 1:45 pmI agree with you on the black magic pattern. But I found out if you put a little red behind the hackle it more represents a black widow. And like a black widow, it becomes deadly.Ian wrote: ↑Thu May 23, 2024 11:06 amA half dozen would probably do for a season, but they re fun to tie, and prove that simple is best. There is one pattern I don’t like the look of, the black magic spider. I know what I think has nothing to do with how well it may or may not work, but I don’t like it and I much prefer the plain old black spider.Iasgair wrote: ↑Wed May 22, 2024 2:32 pm I don't believe you need every spider pattern to be successful.
Crucian is right, they are simple to tie and pretty much the same except for color. Anyone can tie a dozen spiders in a few minutes.
I'd say find which spider patterns works best for you in the waters you fish and stick with those. No sense in a box full of flies that won't produce positive results.
Ian, that's a beautiful display you have there, cuz.
Thanks iasgair. These are for rab. I have also tied up dries, wets and nymphs for him.
I often wondered how a little red on Stewarts Black Spider would produce takes. But I have a hard time tying one up because it just feels sinful.
Don’t cast doubt,cast out.