The Classics: Little Black

[North Country Angler]

North country spiders are often associated with suggestive imitation of ephemerid, caddis and small stonefly species. Less established is their reputation as first class representations of everything 'small and black' on the trouts' menu.
Beetles, smuts, midge; you name it, the spider can deal with it by effortlessly hanging around in the surface film - just where the fish will be looking when any of the above are on the water.

I was first alerted to the powers of the black spider after reading the books and articles of Laurence Catlow. He regularly refers to a tiny fly he calls the 'August Black' as a killing high summer pattern for tricky smutting trout and grayling. Further research revealed that Catlow's fly was in fact the original 'Little Black' as tied by the 19th century north country masters. I found the dressing and tried it - it worked a treat, particularly fished upstream, singly, on a dead drift. It has accounted for some very fussy fish.....and some big ones too.

After all the harping on I've done lately about the inappropriate use of black wire hooks for spider patterns, here is one which offers the chance to get those much loved Tiemcos out with no loss in effectiveness (indeed probably a slight gain).....although on subsequent variants which require the use of waxed brown silk, you will see I revert to the bronze wired hooks again!

Little Black
Hook: TMC 103bl #19 (or ant light wire hook in size range 16-22)
Thread: Black 14/0
Rib: Purple Pearsalls
Body: Magpie tail or crow herl
Hackle: Cock starling neck/back feather




Similar Patterns

There are numerous variations out there on the theme 'black'. These are a few of the ones I use:

Black Magic

Hook: Mustad R50 #16
Silk: Pearsalls brown, well waxed
Thorax: bronze peacock herl
Hackle: Black hen

Very much a Yorkshire creation, this one. I believe it may have originated on the Ure as a means to tackle midging grayling. Perhaps one or two of you east of the Pennines can shed some light?




Black and Peacock Spider

Hook: TMC 103bl #17 (or any light wire hook in size 14-18)
Thread: Black 14/0
Body: Peacock herl, approx three strands
Hackle: Black hen

The won't be many who haven't heard of this one! I use these to great effect on my local hill tarns. When the bracken clock beetles are up, a pair or trio trickled back on a floater are absolutely deadly. A tail of crimson floss can sometimes be a useful addition.




Stewart style spider

Hook: Mustad R50 #14,16,18
Silk: Pearsalls brown, well waxed
Hackle: Black hen palmered part way down the body and ribbed with the silk.

I'm sure you Scottish lads will have a good laugh at my dog-rough Stewart! With its semi palmered hackle this fly tends to sit that bit higher in the surface film for that bit longer. They really do linger around in the 'critical inch' and as such, are useful additions to the spider box. Perhaps one of you natives could shows us all how a proper one is tied!




All the best lads,
Matt

[BRUCE1]

matt are you saying that your "stewart style" is a variant as the stewart style had starling feather and thread twisted together then wrapped on the shank ??(as in sig pic)

nice flies by the way matt

[maharg]

Good post as always Matt.
I will have to take you to task on the Stewart style spider though
Will let you off because you said it is in Stewart style and not a Stewart/Baillie spider which it tied with starling.
Will see what I can dig up and post late.
All the best, Graham.

[North Country Angler]

Thanks Graham and Bruce. Shows how little I know about Stewart and his flies!
The few I've tied have been with hen because when I first saw the pattern in a mag (probably Proctor or someone), that's what it was tied with.

On the whole, it doesn't look like the spiders interest people much, do they? Or maybe it's just the way I tie 'em!

M

[midlander]

I enjoy seeing them Matt.

Spiders though eh? Don't they bring out the worst of the pedant in people? Lovely flies and great to see but not much room for variants which is probably why you're not seeing as much interest from the version merchants. My snipe and purple variant uses orange thread and a partridge hackle... damn, it's a partridge and orange... see what I mean?

Maybe use bold and italics with that style. Or maybe use inspired. Should defuse things over what is a very nice wee pattern in its own right.

Keep them coming mate.

[North Country Angler]

Originally Posted by midlander

I enjoy seeing them Matt.

Spiders though eh? Don't they bring out the worst of the pedant in people? Lovely flies and great to see but not much room for variants which is probably why you're not seeing as much interest from the version merchants. My snipe and purple variant uses orange thread and a partridge hackle... damn, it's a partridge and orange... see what I mean?

Maybe use bold and italics with that style. Or maybe use inspired. Should defuse things over what is a very nice wee pattern in its own right.

Keep them coming mate.

PMSL Alex. I see what you mean. I'm going to introduce some variants of the grouse and claret next....... they have a seals fur body, palmered hackle and I've substituted the grouse for cloaked bronze mallard. I'm sure in no time at all every f*cker will be copying them

Pedant? Moi?

M

[BRUCE1]

Originally Posted by North Country Angler

Thanks Graham and Bruce. Shows how little I know about Stewart and his flies!
The few I've tied have been with hen because when I first saw the pattern in a mag (probably Proctor or someone), that's what it was tied with.

On the whole, it doesn't look like the spiders interest people much, do they? Or maybe it's just the way I tie 'em!

M

matt i think there are more than you think out there that like spiders , i seem to remember plenty of threads starting last year about spiders,oh and as i said matt nice flies and all will catch mate im sure

and midlander yeah it is a nice pattern

[midlander]

Originally Posted by North Country Angler

After all the harping on I've done lately about the inappropriate use of black wire hooks for spider patterns

Originally Posted by North Country Angler

Pedant? Moi?

I couldn't possibly comment.

[Stillwater angler]

Originally Posted by barbusbruce

matt i think there are more than you think out there that like spiders ,

Yes Bruce i'd agree there mate, just a very relaxing way to fish !, i love fishing them as you know but i exploit the relaxment issue and swing them across and a little bit down as aposed to up-stream which i leave to the dries.

Keep the faith Matt. and get some varients shown mate

[iamasmith]

Ah, that takes me back. The first two flies I ever tied when I was about 12 years old were Snipe and Purple and the Black and Peacock spider. I was shown how to do these two by a school friend whose father started him fly fishing.

I didn't appreciate the simplicity of the fly back then and was heavy on the hackle since this appealed to me the most (and consequently not the Trout).