Starling & heron spider

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davidriley
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Joined: Fri Apr 24, 2020 9:20 am
Location: Cheltenham, UK

Starling & heron spider

Post by davidriley » Wed Nov 25, 2020 11:16 am

I can’t resist tying up spider flies. I have fished them for years whether on the river or in lakes.
Here is a new one that I hope will attract a few fish once this COVID virus fades away and I can wet a fly again.

Starling & heron spider
Kamasan B410 size 14 ( actually the hook is a coarse fishing hook and is equivalent to a size 16 trout hook)
Uni-thread 8/0 purple
Body of 2 or 3 herls from a heron wing (a grey goose will do fine) ribbed with fine gold wire
Thorax of a couple of wraps of Hends green dyed peacock herl.
Starling hackle.
5C669413-41CF-4A3C-953E-2A047605A30F.jpeg
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Roadkill
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Location: Oregon

Re: Starling & heron spider

Post by Roadkill » Wed Nov 25, 2020 11:33 am

Good looking fly! Does the purple show under the body when wet?
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letumgo
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Re: Starling & heron spider

Post by letumgo » Wed Nov 25, 2020 5:04 pm

I’m really glad you found this forum. Your post are inspiring. I love tying and fishing similar patterns.
Ray (letumgo)----<°))))))><
http://www.flytyingforum.com/index.php? ... er=letumgo

"The world is perfect. Appreciate the details." - Dean
davidriley
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Joined: Fri Apr 24, 2020 9:20 am
Location: Cheltenham, UK

Re: Starling & heron spider

Post by davidriley » Thu Nov 26, 2020 6:36 am

Roadkill wrote: Wed Nov 25, 2020 11:33 am Good looking fly! Does the purple show under the body when wet?
Thanks.
No the purple does not show under the body when wet.
I think if you wish to achieve that then the heron herl should be added as a rib but if you do that I would advise wetting the body with varnish and wrapping the herl in open wraps to the wet varnished body, as the herl is quite delicate.

David
davidriley
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Joined: Fri Apr 24, 2020 9:20 am
Location: Cheltenham, UK

Re: Starling & heron spider

Post by davidriley » Thu Nov 26, 2020 6:40 am

letumgo wrote: Wed Nov 25, 2020 5:04 pm I’m really glad you found this forum. Your post are inspiring. I love tying and fishing similar patterns.
I am flattered. I just tie simple flies that anybody can tie

David
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Theroe
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Location: New York City

Re: Starling & heron spider

Post by Theroe » Tue Dec 08, 2020 3:36 pm

letumgo wrote: Wed Nov 25, 2020 5:04 pm I’m really glad you found this forum. Your post are inspiring. I love tying and fishing similar patterns.
I have to agree with Ray - great addition!!
Soft and wet - the only way....
DOUGSDEN
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Location: Sardis, Ohio

Re: Starling & heron spider

Post by DOUGSDEN » Tue Dec 08, 2020 3:43 pm

Yes David, you are inspiring many of us unawares! Very simple yet beautifully built patterns! Way to go friend!
Dougsden
Fish when you can, not when you should! Anything short of this is just a disaster.
joaniebo
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Re: Starling & heron spider

Post by joaniebo » Sun Dec 13, 2020 10:21 am

It reminds me of Oliver Kite's "Imperial" that uses a heron herl and purple silk body.

Quite a few years back, I met a fellow from the UK who was fishing the Driftless Area of Wisconsin. We fished together and have become friends. When he saw my fly boxes contained a bunch of Oliver Kite's flies (with up-eye hooks) plus some Tup's dries, he took a few back with him to England.

Next thing I knew, I had a request for a couple dozen of those flies for his local Angling Club. I thought it funny to have a Yank tie English flies and then mail them to England to be fished!

Bob

PS - SInce heron isn't legal here in the USA, a light Canada Goose feather or Blue Earred Pheasant feather makes a suitable herl (Thanks Ken for the BEP!)
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