Proportions for Traditional North Country Spiders

[Greenwell]

John,

Thank you for the color corrections, that's much closer to the proper richness. BTW, the photo was taken by Walter Hodges, one of the best outdoor photographers working today.

Hat,

I think that when someone posts a fly pic or pattern they should include the hook used for just the reasons that you stated. I will try to remember to do so myself.

John

[tie2fish]

I think that when someone posts a fly pic or pattern they should include the hook used for just the reasons that you stated. I will try to remember to do so myself.

John

Lovely tie, John ... typical of your exquisite spider work. As for posted fly photos, even though many of the more experienced tiers here can identify the components by looking at the photo, it's probably helpful to many more if all the materials are listed in recipe form.

[Greenwell]

Here is a fly tied by my friend Galen Mercer, perhaps the finest fly dresser I know. Galen ties very much in the Catskill tradition, exemplified by the "neck" of bare hook shank between the eye and head of the fly. It takes a lot of control to master this technique and yet Galen makes it look simple. I believe that the hackle is NA Woodcock and the body is of hares' ear, but knowing Galen as well as I do there's probably some obscure bit of something else in the mix. Hardly what one would call a "classic" North Country Spider but a beautiful. effective, and perfectly dressed fly none the less.

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[upstatetrout]

Very informative and entertaining thread so far and John you realy should visit the Catskills some time.
A great way to spend a Saturday afternoon. John Shanner my friend you are a wealth of knowledge about a subject I am fascinated with. Thank you very much.

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[joaniebo]

Bob, I have seen you post those before on the Classic forum. I have never tried a soft hackle with bead in the thorax. Interesting concept.

I was once handed by a guide at Trout Hunter a size #18 PT nymph with a small black bead buried in the thorax. When the wind started to really blow during the PMD hatch out of desperation I tied it on and on the second cast I got torpedoed by a big rainbow.

John

John

You should tie a few with the bead thorax and fish them. My local TU buddies and I use them all the time in the Driftless Area and catch a bunch of fish with them. There are days when I put a Crackleback as the dropper and a bead thoraxed soft hackle as the point fly and fish those two flies virtually all day.

Bob

[Bazzer69]

Forgive my ignorance, but what exactly is a Catskill style head?

[redietz]

Forgive my ignorance, but what exactly is a Catskill style head?

One with enough bare hook between the head and the eye to seat a Turle knot.

[Greenwell]

Bob,

That is perhaps the best and most succinct definition of a Catskill fly head I have ever heard. And I'm a Catskills guy from way back.

Thanks!

John

[Mike62]

Forgive my ignorance, but what exactly is a Catskill style head?

One with enough bare hook between the head and the eye to seat a Turle knot.

I learned something new today. Thank you.