Proportions for Traditional North Country Spiders

Moderators: William Anderson, letumgo

Greenwell
Posts: 346
Joined: Fri Apr 08, 2011 9:05 pm

Re: Proportions for Traditional North Country Spiders

Post by Greenwell » Sat Dec 01, 2018 11:16 am

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
User avatar
tie2fish
Posts: 5072
Joined: Sun Feb 22, 2009 9:11 am
Location: Harford County, MD

Re: Proportions for Traditional North Country Spiders

Post by tie2fish » Sat Dec 01, 2018 11:45 am

Greenwell wrote: Sat Dec 01, 2018 11:16 am
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. 8-)
Some of the same morons who throw their trash around in National parks also vote. That alone would explain the state of American politics. ~ John Gierach, "Still Life with Brook Trout"
Greenwell
Posts: 346
Joined: Fri Apr 08, 2011 9:05 pm

Re: Proportions for Traditional North Country Spiders

Post by Greenwell » Sat Dec 01, 2018 2:08 pm

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.
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.
Galen1.jpg (80.91 KiB) Viewed 2649 times
upstatetrout
Posts: 379
Joined: Sat Feb 06, 2010 8:47 am
Location: New York

Re: Proportions for Traditional North Country Spiders

Post by upstatetrout » Sat Dec 01, 2018 3:12 pm

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.
1201181456.jpg
1201181456.jpg (130.85 KiB) Viewed 2595 times
"We argue to see who is right but we discuss to see what is right"
joaniebo
Posts: 685
Joined: Wed Apr 30, 2014 12:24 pm

Re: Proportions for Traditional North Country Spiders

Post by joaniebo » Sat Dec 01, 2018 5:33 pm

WiFlyfisher wrote: Sat Dec 01, 2018 10:34 am 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
Posts: 456
Joined: Mon Dec 26, 2016 12:49 pm
Location: Redding California

Re: Proportions for Traditional North Country Spiders

Post by Bazzer69 » Mon Dec 03, 2018 12:38 am

Forgive my ignorance, but what exactly is a Catskill style head?
Love both fly fishing and fly tying, been doing it for a while
But not much good at either
User avatar
redietz
Posts: 1726
Joined: Sat Feb 21, 2009 7:21 pm
Location: Central Maryland

Re: Proportions for Traditional North Country Spiders

Post by redietz » Mon Dec 03, 2018 3:26 am

Bazzer69 wrote: Mon Dec 03, 2018 12:38 am 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.
Bob
Greenwell
Posts: 346
Joined: Fri Apr 08, 2011 9:05 pm

Re: Proportions for Traditional North Country Spiders

Post by Greenwell » Mon Dec 03, 2018 8:49 am

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
Posts: 1043
Joined: Mon Aug 06, 2018 3:50 pm
Location: Northern Maine

Re: Proportions for Traditional North Country Spiders

Post by Mike62 » Tue Dec 04, 2018 5:19 pm

redietz wrote: Mon Dec 03, 2018 3:26 am
Bazzer69 wrote: Mon Dec 03, 2018 12:38 am 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.
Post Reply