i have been seraching the internet, trying to find information on methods for fishing soft hackle/North Country spiders.

i have found articles detailing methods such as upstream, downstream and drop and across.

i wondering what other forum members experience with the different method types and the advantages and disadvantages of each method.

from my little experience i would have thought that the upstream method would provide a more natural presentation as the depth and speed at which the flies fish can be accurately controlled.

Thanks in advance.

Kind Regards

You can fish up, down or across the key is to getting a drag free drift and keeping in touch with the flies. IMO down and across works by illiciting a chase response in the fish, the fish having to make a snap judgement as it has a narrow window of opportunity to take the fly. Jon

__________________
http://www.fishleven.co.uk/
http://www.edenangling.co.uk/

Have a look at the link below. It's the trailer from Oliver Edwards Wet Fly Fishing DVD. The full DVD is really good, as is Fish On Productions Early Season Trout fishing.


All the best

FC

thanks for the information and video link.

Kind Regards

SingleSpey,

The Ollie Edwards Wet Fly Fishing DVD is well worth the investment - superbly filmed and full of really useful information:

Flytying Boutique - for unusual and interesting materials

Kind regards

__________________
Phil Holding
www.flytyingboutique.com
Airedale, North Yorkshire

Looks like the dvd will be my next purchase.

Do ypu have any recommendations on a additional literature.

I will be purchase "A guide to North Country Flies" by Mike Harding.

Thanks in advance.

Kind Regards

Along with Ollies excellent DVD I'd really recommend "Early Season Trout Fishing" by John Tyzack and Dean Andrews - this will show you how effective the "across and down" (slightly up) method can be and with a good explanation of why this works ! Most if not all the fish Dean caught on wet fly were at the end of the drift, possibly even "on the swing" - something the true NC Wet guys would shun (and for good reason, in terms of it not being 'natural') ! The vid also has some good dry fly advice.

IMHO and more importantly my experience upstream wet spiders are most effective when fish are freely rising, and arguably when you might even get them on a dry (which would be my preference). Others will have different experiences and opinions and I respect this !

'Across and down' you are searching and covering more water, laterally and vertically, and you get the 'induced take' scenerio at the end of the drift. I caught loads of fish Apr-May on spider wets and the fast majority took the fly on the swing. Disadvantages is that you can lose a few of the 'nippers' and the more line you have out, more so. Fish only one or two rod lengths to minimize this.

Another recent video "Wet Fly" by Johan Klingberg also extoles the virtues of "across and down" and "on the swing" from no less an authority than Paul Procter (though he fishes up and across in his sequences on the Wharfe).

Get the River Academy Tyzack/Andrews DVD as well - it will improve your fishing and the fly tying sequences are a bonus ( JT's flies are simple, unfussy and absolutely deadly). I have no shares in Fish On Productions, just sharing the love !

Lindsay

..you asked advantages and disadvantages of both 'schools':

Upstream Spiders

Pros:

Good depth control - Spiders stay in first few inches of water, great for rising fish, fish on emergers.

Good hook up rate as you are striking in to fish's mouth.

Stalking fish from below, so less prone to spooking.

Flies drifting naturally - doesn't spook wary fish.

Cons:

Not so good for 'search' fishing - flies are in a narrow lane (unless fishing up at 45 degrees).

Tiring, lotsa casting and more wading !

Can be hard to see takes in bobbly water - missed rises.

Across And Down Spiders

Pros

Great for 'search fishing' - lateral and vertical 'spread' of fly team in water column.

Spider Hackles 'zip up' to resemble ascending nymphs, under line tension.

As said by Jon above, 'the swing' can result in an 'induced take'.

Less casting, less wading (potentially).

Cons

Striking and pulling hook out of fish's mouth - most will hook themselves !...

... but, Lost fish through water tension on fly line - fish short with high rod to minimize.

Scaring fish either by splashing about upstream of them or by un-naturally drifting flies (though see Pros above !)

Getting slagged off by those proper NC Spider guys that fish upstream !

That is where I am at with it - I am sure some of the Yorkshire guys and guides will have more experienced input and advice which you should take. Tactically, if I had fish that were freely rising and I can target, then it's upstream spiders/dries all the way. However, if I am faced with blank water (like early Spring) and I have to search for fish, 'across and down' for me - the results speak for themselves ! Sometimes which way the wind is blowing will determine the method as well.

With either approach it is a fantastic and fun method, enjoy !

Lindsay

thanks for the detailed feedback.

its very much appreciated.

Kind Regards

By far the most succsessful methods for me are either fishing upstream with a weighted nymph on the point and one or two spiders on droppers or fishing the trio with a weighted nymph on the point and a spider on the dropper fished under a klink - deadly!

Rob