Oak Fly

[Old Hat]

A classic spider fly. This is a slight variation from the original patterns that I came across which used dark horse hair for the rib.

Hook: Partridge Spider #14
Thread: Silk, yellow
Rib: Sulky Sliver flat thread, black
Abdomen: thread
Thorax: light yellow hare's mask
Hackle: partridge

Oak Fly.jpg (89.89 KiB) Viewed 5366 times

[letumgo]

What a striking little spider. Beauty...

[Mataura mayfly]

Very nice work, almost "light Tup-ish".
I do like those hooks, large easily threaded eye and nice big gape, good things to have in a fly hook. Might have to try and find some of those.

[Old Hat]

I haven't fished with these hooks yet. I do like the proportions as well but the jury is still out on the hooking.

[Kelly L.]

Old Hat, you are on a roll! Lovely fly. I have a spool or two of the Sulky metallic stuff. I don't need to see all this. LOL. You've been doing some exquisite stuff lately.

[redietz]

May I ask where you got the original pattern for the Oak Fly? I can see where your nice looking fly could be descended from an oak fly imitation, but it clearly isn't modeled after directly after the natural. (There's some photos of the natural at http://www.commanster.eu/commanster/Ins ... aceus.html if anyone is interested.)

I'm probably weird, but to me it's extremely fascinating how flies morphed when they crossed the Atlantic. I'm wondering if there's an American precedent for your fly, or whether you created a variation directly from a British original.

Anyway, great looking fly. I could see several situations where it might prove very useful.

As others have mentioned, I like the looks of the hook. I bought a pack, but was disappointed with quality of the metal work. Might just have been a bad batch.

I hadn't heard of Sulky Sliver until you posted this series. I'm going to have to check it out.

[Old Hat]

Thanks Kelly .

Having fun tonight?

[Old Hat]

Bob, I got the pattern from Mike Harding's, A Guide to North Country Flies. He took the pattern out of Turton's, The Angling Manual, 1836. I have found the pattern offered on web sites abroad which sell the pattern, and in essence it is correct minus small amounts of personal interpretations.

I see the likeness in the natural. If I were a fish and it was tumbling quickly through a slot, I'd eat it.

My picture is a little bright however. I just noticed. I will try to correct the color. It is more yellow.

[William Anderson]

Carl, I see this as a very nice spider, both as an attractor and in that unique North Country way as an imitation. I would put money on the profile of the original as being an important aspect when devising an imitation, but I've never to bet against a spider. Their mysterious magnetism wins out.

I'd be curious to see Turton's version. I have and enjoy Mike Harding's book very much, but he has taken some liberties, or rather, has chosen to move beyond the traditional requirements in much of his book. It's an approach I can appreciate, especially since he references the traditional source.

I love this hackle.

w

[Old Hat]

I would guess Turton's is a similar profile and not fuller. Although I would agree that it seems a bigger profile would be more imitative. I have found about 3 samples on European websites that sell this fly. Each one actually has a thinner profile than mine. This was a "spider" pattern after all. Each pattern I have found list it basically as described in Harding's book except using black horse hair for the rib and a few do not include a dubbed thorax. Without a picture of Turton's we may never know. Harding does embelish a little with his flies but does a pretty good job of listing the changes he has made.