The "Black Spider"...why have I waited so long to feature this "classic"...well wait no more. This fly was created by W.C. Stewart and published in his book "The Practical Angler" in the year 1857. Now here is a fly that defines the word "minimal". It consists of but two materials, thread and hackle. Stewart felt that a simple fly, properly presented would catch fish. He felt so strongly that he pretty much used one fly for all of his fishing.
Stewart along a few others of his time knew that the sparse subtle movement within the various currents of the river would be the trigger needed for a trout to strike the fly. There are many insects the black spider can represent, but it represents many more that it doesn't. It's the movement, size and shape that makes it so deadly.
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| Stewart's "Black Spider" |
The fly consists of a brown thread body, and hackle from a Starling. The trick is to wind the starling feather from the back of the hook forward to the eye, about 3 turns, without breaking the feather. I can't recall finding this pattern in fly shop bins...maybe that's a good thing.
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| Orange Butt "Kebari" |
I truly enjoy tying "Tenkara" flies. Their simplistic look, and the reversed hackle just hits me in a fine way. It also takes it's share of fish.
Now for some breakfast.
According to a prominent fly fisher and tyer in England he tied in the thread and the feather at the front, twisted them together and then wound to them back. He also indicated that Stewart did use it all the time but in a cast with 2 or 3 other flies.
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My friend you are correct. I did no say that the fly was tied as Stewart tied it. The way I tied it is the way that Davie McPhail ties it. I find Davies way much easier. Most fly fishers fish these flies in multiples. I fish it alone, especially on the small streams I fish. I would love to know what the other flies were?
Two beautifully tied flies. The kebari is a real eye catcher!
ReplyDeleteChris "Kiwi" Kuhlow
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Chris I knew you would have an appreciation of that kebari. I fish it with conventional fly gear. Maybe a tenkara rod in the future.
The Stewart Black Spider is named for WC Stewart because he brought it to the world's attention, but he did not create it. He wrote "We were first shown it by James Baillie, and have never been without one on our line ever since." Some people say it should be called a "Baillie Black Spider" but there is no indication that Baillie created the fly, either.
ReplyDeleteChris Stewart
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Chris thank you for the enlightenment. These old patterns have long trails sometimes.
Hey Alan. Does your wife know about King Arthur Flour? That toast looks like some my wife makes.
ReplyDeleteMark Kautz
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Mark she doesn't know about King Arthur, but I do.
The dough was actually bought at a local bakery, I just baked it at home.
a lovely tied stewart Spider Alan, You hit it square on the head a fly I've been brought up using for many many years and a deadly fish taker, Davie's way makes it easier but no less effective, nicely done.
ReplyDeleteGeorge
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George I've seen it tied in the so called traditional way and seeing it tied by Davie I chose his way.
The fish love it.
Great POst and toast :) Those flies look like definite trout temptations for sure. I will have to give them a try on some small easy to spook streams around here. Thanks for sharing :) Tight Lines
ReplyDeleteTrout MaGee
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They have positive results here on the small streams.
Then again the trout seem to be always hungry.
Alan, It sure seems like they knew long ago to keep a pattern simple. Less is more. How can a pattern be more simple to tie and be so effective?
ReplyDeleteTake care,
Kurt
Brookie61
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Kurt, it's one of those mysteries involved with fly fishing. Like the great one Datus Proper wrote "What the Trout Said" they will tell us what they like.
Alan
ReplyDeleteLove that Black Spider!!! Put some Strawberry or Blueberry preserves on that toast! Yum..
TROUT1
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Pete I love it with blueberry jam.
Starling is one of my favorite materials. Alan, I think you can add yourself to that list of tyers who have mastered softhackle patterns.
ReplyDeleteRalph Long
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Ralph SH's are such a joy to tie...I guess the simplicity of them is a key for me.
Great looking fly Alan..as usual..this is a little off subject..I'm reading a book entitled "The President's Salmon" by Catherine Schmitt..great read by the way..in the book she mentions a fly called the CZ Special that was used at The Bangor Salmon Pool on The Penobscot River..just wondering if you ever heard of it?
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Mike I have never heard of that fly, but I'll do some poking around.
I have a book "Handy To Home" by Maine's own Tom Hennessey. One of the essays is of the Bangor Salmon Pool, and a particular angler named Pug. It's a great piece.
Alan, I think in this day and age of overdoing everything it's hard to simplify anything. Our forefathers were not blessed with such an array of materials and opportunities to overdue anything. They used what they had and made it work. I've always admired the simplicity of your ties and it always brings me back to the path I should be going down. Thankyou.
ReplyDeleteBrad Basehore
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Brad the old saying "less is best"...not really that old but most times it applies not only in fly tying but also in fly fishing.
Hi Alan, Just got power back, last night. Out for 5 days from the Nor'eastr of last Wed. I find if you drift a Stewart's black spider anywhere near a rising trout they will leave their drifting surface food and take the Stew spider almost every time.
ReplyDeleteJohn Dornik
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John you went that long without power. That storm brought us back to reality. We have another one on tap for tomorrow.
I take it you have some experience with Stewart's spider.