A North Country Spider, the Dalesman. It is in keeping with the tradition of those sparse wonderful flies of Yorkshire. A silk body, Pearsall's Claret, natural mole thorax, and a grouse hackle.
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| The "Dalesman" |
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| "Big Jim" |
Named for the legendary fly fisher and tyer James Leisenring of Pennsylvania. I think that we can thank Jim and is friend Pete Hidy for giving us the wet fly and flymph. Well wet flies have been around long before these gents, but their way of constructing them and fishing them have helped so many of us.
Wow, Alan, Those are gorgeous... but that big Jim in particular has me pondering a trip to the vice. I need to spin up a few of those.
ReplyDeleteHibernation
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Will Jim and Pete spun many fine patterns...and the "lift"
Lovely. iso are appearing up here on the Au Sable. Will be fishing a herl-and-hackle grouse-and-claret variant this weekend down faster flows to fool a few fool-hard browns. Great for the tumble off the gravel as dislodged iso nymphs trying to decide if today is "hatch day" or not.
ReplyDeleteTrout cannot count, but they are great are reading calendars. Iso, baby. Iso.
spike
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Interesting. Trout have been known to read, see color and have lockjaw...hogwash.
Success to you on your brown trout quest.
Hi Alan, You have to love North country spiders. So effective yet so easy to tie. Trout are indeed great at reading calendars. Looking forward to the Hex hatch, at Back pond, Pittsburg (end of June).
ReplyDeleteJohn Dornik
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John it's the simplicity of the fly that makes them so effective, (my opinion)
Heading up north are you. I'll be waiting for that report.
The "lift". It does work very well and has accounted for many fish. :)
ReplyDeleteRalph Long
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Ralph that little movement that does so much to put "life" in a creation of thread and feather.
Beautiful ties Alan. I was in Rangeley last weekend fishing a small river and was teaching a young man about fly fishing. He caught a nice little salmon on a soft hackle similar to the ones you tie. Thanks for sharing so many patterns. Enjoy the fishing.
ReplyDeleteChris MaineFly207
Anonymous
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Chris that's great to hear, teaching a new fly fisher, plus catching a salmon on a soft-hackle. I bet I have fished that small river before. The salmon in there have been know to take small flies.
Beautiful ties, Alan. Everyone should have some in their fly box. So simple yet so effective.
ReplyDeleteBest, Sam
Parachute Adams
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Sam I agree with everything you have said.
I'm fishing a few of the flies you sent me today.
I am glad to hear that, Alan! Good luck with them!
DeleteThey performed very well...a report coming later.
DeleteI am happy to hear that, Alan!
Delete^^^What Ralph Long said.
ReplyDeleteRM Lytle
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Rowan I think anyone who has used the Leisenring Lift will agree.
Alan
ReplyDeleteBeautiful flies. I especially like "Big Jim". I also agree with the lift at the end of a drift, has accounted for many trout for me. I also read that article, very informative.
TROUT1
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Pete the lift is a nice little trick in the sof-hackle play book.
I enjoyed the article very much.
After seeing so many of the beautiful spiders you feature frequently, I have to ask why I spend so much time at the vise creating complicated, time consuming "masterpieces?"
ReplyDeleteHoward Levett
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Howard it's really not necessary. But many enjoy tying complicated flies.
Good Morning Alan,
ReplyDeleteI am really enjoying both patterns you have given us above! Each one would be (and will be as soon as I take a moment to try and duplicate these beauties)killer on my home waters!
I am having trouble pulling up the article about "Big Jim" on American Angler web-site. Where is it once you hit the home page?
Technically challenged in Ohio,
Doug
Dougsden
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Doug, I don't know about the on-line article. I'm speaking of the hard copy from the magazine, pgs. 18-21.
I'm lost in computer land.
How about a recipe for your Big Jim?
ReplyDeleteswellcat
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Here it is...Hook, Orvis 2BCH #14..you can use any dry fly hook though. Body, dubbed dark brown squirrel...Rib,Dark brown thread...Hackle, woodcock.
I tied this fly as above and also without rib. The fly seemed to work better with out the rib, reason being it got shaggy and much more appealing to the fish.