Stewart's Black Spider

[Hans Weilenmann]

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

[daringduffer]

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

dd

[letumgo]

Classic!

[Silver Doctor]

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?

[Hans Weilenmann]

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

[Johnno]

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

[Hans Weilenmann]

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

[Johnno]

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!

[DNicolson]

An excellent tie Hans, one wee quibble,
it should be Baillie's Black Spider, or "Speedger" as he would have said.
Only joking.

[daringduffer]

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