Spider Spider
Hi,
Last week I was talking with John at my local fly shop. John knows I'm a fan of spiders (soft hackles). Although spider flies probably represent emerging nymphs, or drowned adults, and just about anything but an actual spider, he suggested I try tying a few with big fat bodies, to look like a real spider. If they are called "spiders" there should at least be a "spider - spider".
So, here's what I came up with. It's a very simple tie. The abdomen is black acrylic yarn pulled apart and dubbed on the back 1/2 of the shank. The wing case is a slip of hen pheasant quill (ok, spiders don't have wings, but the case creates the top of the body), and the legs are a palmered starling body feather (I just had to use starling as I only just got the cape the week before!). The "body back" is used to hold the legs down underneath and helps create the profile between the large abdomen and the body. I got this idea from one of the demostrator tyers at the fly tying exhibition held at the fly shop a few weeks ago. He demonstrated his large water spider pattern and he does this.
Anyway, I was pleased with the results so thought I would post it here. I've tied a few up in black and one claret one. Brown, with woodcock for the legs, might be good too.
- Jeff
Reply With Quote