I've done quite well with a lot of spiders. I've tied up, with substitutes where necessary, flies from Pritt's collection and do quite well with them. Pritt's #1, the Water Cricket, is still one of my more productive flies (it's in the FOTW archives). Baillie's Black Spider, from Stewart's "The Complete Angler" is another good one (REE put that in the archives years ago as well). I do well with the Invicta (yellow bodied one), and soldier palmer has worked for me as well. I used to fish a Bibio a lot, but for some reason haven't tied one on for some time though it always did well? Greenwell's Glory is a stand by too. Some North American older patterns that I still fish and do well with are parmachenee belles, royal coachman (and the UK original coachman and leadwing coachman are both excellent), and micky fins. I tie some Atlanitc Salmon patterns on size 10s 2x hooks and they have produced well on NZ trout (thinking cosseboom and blue charms mostly).

There are a lot of really good patterns that have stood the test of time. And lots of different ways to fish them.

- Jeff