BWO spider

[la_jolla1]

Tiemco emerger barbless #16
Light Olive Uni 8/0
Thorax - hint of synthetic olive dubbing
Hackle: jackdaw throat

This is meant to be a North Country version of a BWO emerger for the larger species (16-18)

Comments/advice appreciated

Hugh

[SharkeyP]

That'd work I'm sure Hugh. Nice hackle. Looks like it's tied on a grub hook, a straight shanked hook is traditional and straight-eyed too. I saw Paul Procter give a tying demonstration on Monday and he applied a lighter briefly to a hook eye and straightened it with de-barbing pliers for the CDC hackled Bloa spider he was showing.

If you can get your hands on some Pearsall's silk it will bring a glossiness you don't get with Uni thread and it lays down in nice even wraps without a hint of flattening. A yellow thread (Pearsall's no.4) darkened with dark wax to olive, if you wax one side of the thread it helps give a segmented appearance, and dubbed with the smallest amount of mole fur is the recipe for the body of a Waterhen Bloa. The best spider BWO imitator and a third of the holy trinity cast alongside the P&O and S&P. Good video SBS here.

I like a spider with a dubbed thorax. It helps kick the hackle out when wet. I'm sure synthetic is fine but the body hairs of a small rodent will win you extra points. Mole, mouse, 'water-rat' or some obscure Californian equivalent has got to be better than plastic. On other patterns a wrap or two of peacock herl serves the purpose.

Keep them coming Hugh!

SharkeyP

[black knight]

Wow SharkeyP that's a pretty impressive critique.

[bill1]

Sharkey's said it all. But a very nice fly indeed.

I agree about kicking the hackle out. I was having a discussion with BK et al on spider hackle. They liked them tied back - I like them tied perpendicular to the shank - at least with a soft hackle. A hen hackle I like to slope back a bit.

On the subject of curved hooks, I saw that Nicholson showed a couple of Tummel style spiders on Varivas 2200bl. I rather liked the look of them.

[la_jolla1]

Thanks to all for sharing your experience and great input. Sharkey, as always, hits the nail on the head in the best of ways to help improve my tying. Much appreciated - only have Pearsall's in purple for Kite Imperials, and having just got the hackle from Cookshill, and finding that I can actually tie the flies, I am happy to make the supreme sacrifice and get some in. I don't have any waterhen in a small enough size yet, but a microbobbin and assorted colors are calling. The light bloa-style dubbing is something to practise!

Best

Hugh

[SharkeyP]

You have a PM Hugh.

SharkeyP

[horses50]

Has anybody tried the new hooks from Partridge L3AS ? Could someone please enlighten me as to why i should use the straight eyed hook as apposed to a down eye hook.thank you

[SharkeyP]

I think it's just a question of aesthetics. The original spider patterns were tied on eyeless hooks, whipped onto gut so a straight eye has a similar look. I doubt the trout notice the difference!

SharkeyP