FLYMPH FORUM

I've, erm, been playing again!

Little Black Spider by GlassJet, on Flickr

Hook: Black, #12. Silk: Pearsall's brown, well waxed with cobblers' wax. Abdomen: Mole, sparsely dubbed into split thread and twisted. wound in open turns down the body. Rib: Silver wire, wound in between open turns. Thorax: Blend of Argentinian hare's ear dyed black, black seal's fur and a touch of claret seal's fur. Hackle: Sumatra soft feather cock.

I have no idea what that hook is, other than it is black. I thought it was a Tiemco 103 BL, which I do have in, but just checked and it isn't. It just turned up, this hook, attached to a small magnet I have on the pedestal of my vice. No idea where from, but been saving it and thought it time I used it!

It looks like a Grip - does anyone know? But I don't have that style... think it must have fallen out of some stuff people send me from time to time.

Called Callie's Spider after my friend who is good enough to put me up on her farm from time to time. And she wears black a lot. She also breeds - or bred - various exotic chickens, and has given me a lot of beautiful feathers to play with over the last few years, including these sumatra, which are superb.

Unfortunately, almost all her stock was wiped out by mink. And that was some stock. If you think I have a grudge against dem pesky mink, you would be right. I'm like Elmer Fudd in Bugs Bunny when I'm over there!

Andrew.

Glassjet,
I like it when you play around at the vice. Please keep playing. This black beauty is exquisite!
The hackle is great but the body is just right. Very delightfully shaggy.
Mink is an excellent dubbing. Have you ever considered going back over there and having a mink trapping festival? Is that legal where you are?
Dougsden

Oh man!!! GREAT fly Andrew!

Very appealing and classic!

Mark

DOUGSDEN wrote:
Mink is an excellent dubbing. Have you ever considered going back over there and having a mink trapping festival? Is that legal where you are?
Dougsden

Hi Doug,
Fenn traps are illegal. Live traps are legal, but then you need a gun to dispatch them, which we haven't got - yet!

These mink are american mink, and they were 'released' into the wild from fur farms, by animal rights activists, so it is incredibly annoying. They are indescriminate killers - Callie lost over thirty birds in one night when they got in the pens, and we are talking birds like this: here is the sumatra:
http://www.feathersite.com/Poultry/CGP/ ... atras.html
and onagadori (one of the ancestors of the genetic fly tying breeds)
http://www.longtail-fowl.com/japanese_b ... album.html

That is just a couple. Lost lots of great fly tying feathers there!
Like the idea of a mink trapping festival though!

Andrew

A lovely wee spider to be sure. Sorry about those Yankee mink ...

now THAT'S a fly! beautifully done, thanks for posting.

Spot on! I love to see that kind of liveliness in a tiny spider. That's a killer.

w

GlassJet wrote:I've, erm, been playing again!

Called Callie's Spider after my friend who is good enough to put me up on her farm from time to time. And she wears black a lot. She also breeds - or bred - various exotic chickens, and has given me a lot of beautiful feathers to play with over the last few years, including these sumatra, which are superb.

Unfortunately, almost all her stock was wiped out by mink. And that was some stock. If you think I have a grudge against dem pesky mink, you would be right. I'm like Elmer Fudd in Bugs Bunny when I'm over there!

Andrew.

I know how you feel Andrew. My Lady freind Sherry has had a nice flock of Chickens for many years. The past 2 years a skunk (Peppy le Pew), has raised havok with the flock. killed and drug off to eat several hens and a few roosters. Lost a lot of pretty feathers The polecat (another name for them), even squrted my dog twice. About the time he was getting less aromatic he was sprayed again. He's not so bad right now, unless he gets damp...

Beautifully buggy!

Gooooaaaaalllllll !!!!