FLYMPH FORUM

Time for a classic pattern



Stewart's Black Spider
Hook: Grip 12003 #16 (or equivalent)
Thread: Pearsall's Gossamer, black (or brown)
Hackle: Starling body feather, tied in behind the eye in the “reverse hackling" method, spiraled one-third into body
Body: Tying silk

Cheers,
Hans W

I believe you are on to something here, Hans...

dd

Classic!

Wonderful tie, this is suburb. A question for you. Do you spiral back over the body then forward again to tie off? Or do a quick back spiral then tie forward?

Silver Doctor,

The hackle was tied in, by the butt, as the first material and immediately behind the eye. After completing the body the silk was left dangling at the 1/3 point. Spiral hackle back, catch tip with silk, then open spiral to eye with the silk, before finishing the fly. Does that description make sense to you?

Cheers,
Hans W

Wasn't Stewart's style to wrap the hackle around the thread then wind it on

Johnno,

You are most surely correct. I prefer this approach - more ways lead to Rome for 'same' look&feel.

However, I might add 'variant' to the name

Cheers,
Hans W

I wouldn't imagine that Mr Stewart would mind Hans. It's certainly a bit quicker and achieves the same result as you say. And Mr and Mrs Trout couldn't care!

daringduffer wrote:I believe you are on to something here, Hans...

dd

...but no fish with self-respect would eat such a tidy creature. I know by now that it is a tradition of yours to be untraditional. May we have the traditional version too, please...?

dd