Question

[rookie]

I certainly apologize for the beginner question but I am trying to understand the difference between a Spider and a Flymph. Is it in the hackle, the fullness or the sparsness of the wrap? I appreciate any advise. As always, thank you.

[Panman]

When you go to the home page of FAOL on the left is a menu. Click on Fly Tying, and then Fly Tying Terms. A window will open where you can look up the definition of a spider and a flymph.

Hope this helps.

Tim Anderson

[rookie]

Thanks Tim, that did help as it defined the difference in use and I did not even know that. From what I gather by the definitions, the spider should be lighter in weight if it is to be skittered across the top of the water and the Flymph is fished as a wet. Am I anywhere close on that?

[Bugsy]

redacted,,,,,,

[rookie]

Bugsy, you were right about the confusion, however, I think you nailed it once again as to what I was trying to define. Thank you.

[Robert T]

Dave Hughes "Wet Flies" is a good book on this subject.

[JeffHamm]

Hi,

I've often wondered if there was an official difference. From the patterns I've seen on the web and such, I've tended to think of spiders as having very slim bodies that extend to the point of the hook, single turn of hackle with hackle length that sweeps back to the hook bend. Body material is floss or the tying thread, although this may be very lightly dubbed; i.e. the thread colour still shows through the dubbing. A small dubbed thorax, and/or peacock hurl head can be added, as may be a rib of contrasting thread or very fine wire.

Flymphs, on the other hand, have a fuller body which may be tappered. Body length extends to the start of the bend of the hook. There is a tail/tailing shuck of some sort added. The hackle is shorter, and tied fuller. Again, ribs may be wire or thread.

These are just impressions I've gathered from looking, and to be honest, I've more or less decided that flymph and spider are either 1) just different names for the same thing or 2) flymphs have tails and spiders do not; the other differences are just tying style.

- Jeff

[Donald Nicolson]

Jeff,
Last year on another BB, there was a very heated and furious argument about what was a flymph, a spider etc.
I won't go into the various deeply held beliefs as I believe there is Xmas coming in December. Anyway the advice about Dave Hughes book is excellent.
Softhackle = a wingless wet fly using a soft game or hen hackle.
Spider = a softhackle fly tied in the traditional North country style.
Flymph = a wingless wet fly tied after the style of James Leisenring.
There are wingless wet flies which drift through all these styles, I'll say no more.
I am now going to have a dram of Ardbeg, or maybe two.

[JeffHamm]

Hi Donald,

I have no doubt this could turn into a heated discussion. I don't recall who said this, but with a slight adaptation it would sum things up perfectly:
"The reason that academic discussions are so volatile is because the stakes are so low."

- Jeff

[rookie]

I just want to thank all of you once again for the input. I have a great respect for your work and knowledge.

From a beginners point of view, it wasn't a question whether there was or wasn't such a thing as a spider or a flymph, rather what are those differences that appear to be subtle, at least from an old pair of eyes perspective.

The information all of you provided really helped and I am most appreciative.