FLYMPH FORUM

Trying out some new spider hooks I purchased. I really like the looks of these. They are light, strength to be determined.
This is a pattern to play with the classic partridge and orange. A little more contrasting.

Hook: #14 Dave Brandt Catskill Spider Hook
Thread: Griffith's 14/0 orange, waxed
Thorax: Dun dyed hare's mask
Hackle: Genetic hen grizzly dun

Love the simple elegance of this spider. Very clean dressing. I also like the look of that hook. I may have to find a place that sells them...or just wait til Albany and bum a few from you.

Simple, clean, elegant and well presented, just what one needs in a spider pattern.
Really like those hooks. For a #14 the wire gauge looks plenty heavy enough, slight up-eye cant, nice gape, as long as they are sharp and do not bend on big-un's they look to be the cat's whiskers.

Crisply tyed and very classy dressing. Amazing.

Where did you get the dun grizzle? Nice stuff.

Thanks for the comments guys.

Ron the hooks I ordered from GreatFeathers. They are a Gaelic Supreme hook. I do like the hook. I just ordered a few as they are not cheap compared to other options. I am planning on tying all my donation spiders on these for the shows.

Ray - the hackle is one I have have had a for a while that I found in a shop. It is a Whiting genetic hen hackle. A beautiful neck that is much softer than most of the genetic hen I have seen.

Carl, according to Great Feathers that is a 3X-Short hook? Does it seem that short to you? I still like the looks of the hook and will be trying some. It just doesn't look as short as a Daiichi 1640 that is 2 X-Short.

I would give it a 2X comparatively. I crowded the eye a little on this one, hard not to do with the up eye. When you are close the thread likes to slip into the bend a bit unless you tie back. Doing this would give you close to a 3X space to work. I am also using 14/0 thread for a clean tie, so with a silk thread the fly would be a bit bulkier showing the hook size more proportionally to what most of us are used to here on the site.

I just love the lines on this hook and the slightly up eye. I often just bend the eye up on straight eye hooks a bit. Personal preference.

For some reason, probably just personal taste, I prefer the up eye hooks as well and tend to tie most flies on them. I just ordered some from Great Feathers, so I'll be taking a look.

Nice fly Carl. I prefer the straight eyed hook, but this one is so little up, I reckoning it straight.

Greeting

OH wrote:. . . slightly up eye. I often just bend the eye up on straight eye hooks a bit.

Just bought some inexpensive nymph hooks with that very idea in mind.

Up-eyes are a flymph thing, aren't they?