A very nice dressing as usual Hans. The Peter Ross is still a popular tail fly on a Loch cast, here in Scotland. It dates from about 1900 and has Teal wings. I like this better than the Teal winged version. I thought a wee bit of history would not go amiss. Peter Ross lived in Killin at the head of...

I had never heard of Datus Proper, his works sound like they could be an interesting read, but that does not make him right on the Daiichi 1640/Drennan hooks for Spiders. I started using them when they were recommended by Roger Fogg in his 1988 book "A Handbook of North Country Flies". Th...

http://donaldnicolson.webplus.net/_wp_generated/wpc302f78d_05_06.jpg Alpine Blue & Black. # 6 Head: Orange fluo. Hook: #12 Std Wet. Silk: Blue YLI. Body: Silk, Blue holo tinsel coated superglue. Thorax: Black mole. Hackle: Black hen. http://donaldnicolson.webplus.net/_wp_generated/wp6663bd80_05...

The hook I used on these two flies is the Veniard Osprey VH111 Dry Fly/Light Nymph. It is not necessarly exactly of the type used by Leisenring, but Veniards is such an experienced fly-dressing supplier that I made the assumption that he would have approved. Leisenring and Skues preferred down-eyed...

http://donaldnicolson.webplus.net/_wp_generated/wp5df86ace_05_06.jpg Greenwell Spider Hook: #12 Thread: Benicchi Yellow Rib: Hot yellow wire sm. Body: Benicchi Yellow 12/0 Thorax: Mole. Hackle: Furnace hen. http://donaldnicolson.webplus.net/_wp_generated/wp7b50c5fb_05_06.jpg Greenwell Spider Hook: ...