Copper Core Alpine Spider

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letumgo
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Copper Core Alpine Spider

Post by letumgo » Wed Dec 30, 2009 11:13 pm

Image
Image

Copper Core Alpine Spider
Hook - Daiichi 1510/Size 12
Thread - Yellow UNI-Thread (6/0)
Hackle - India Hen Saddle Hackle/Creamy Speckled Brown
Body - Awesome Possum Dubbing Brush (Ultra Wire/Copper/Size Small)

This fly was inspired by some Italian Alpine soft hackle flies which I saw on Donald Nicolson's site: (http://www.dtnicolson.dial.pipex.com/page43.html)

The hackle is swept forward over the eye of the hook. I think the weight of the copper-wire core will cause these flies to hang down in the current. I picture these flies hanging in the current as they are shown in the photographs above.
Ray (letumgo)----<°))))))><
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Re: Copper Core Alpine Spider

Post by DOUGSDEN » Fri Jan 01, 2010 8:30 am

Ray,
I like what I see in these interesting patterns. Have you soaked these to see how the hackles would behave? Skues talked about fly patterns that had "kick" which refered to finishing his patterns behind the hackles that kept the base of each fiber perpendicular to the body or hook shank. To him (and to us), this made the fly more alive in the water. I have a theory that this manner of hackling will catch on quite nicely in moving water for obvious reasons. In still water.....I am anxious to see what the hackles look like and behave. It's going to be a tying kinda day (no running around today. Yipee!!). I think I will tie a few and then promptly drown them in a clear glass of water to see what I can see. Unfortunately, our ponds have this horrible hard, white layer of solid water on them or else I would give them the proper try that they deserve. Does anyone have open water near them at this time?
Thanks again Ray for keeping us always thinking!
Dougsden
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Re: Copper Core Alpine Spider

Post by Old Hat » Sun Jan 03, 2010 8:07 pm

Hi Ray, I too just recently read through Nicolson's site and looked at the Alpines. I have used this style for years. My inspiration came from what we call out here Reversed Spiders which are just about 100% used for sea run cutthroats in large sizes like #6-#10's. I wasn't much of a sea run cutty fisher but liked the style and started playing with them for trout. They worked well for me, but didn't seem to have significant difference either way compared to traditional spiders. I was fishing these at that time on the swing mostly. The hackles were either collapsing around the fly on the swing just as a traditionals or moving very similar to traditional hackles on the drift just with a bit different profile (which I believe is more caddis-like).
The Reversed Spiders are commonly fished in slower water and stripped in attractive short jerky movements for the sea run cutts. Here I believe is the ticket. I started fishing these in trout sizes and colors on lakes, both desert and high mountain lakes (alpine). I usually add a small amount of weight like a wire ribbing (your pattern would be perfect), or fish them with a slow sinking line, just to get the fly under the surface in the stillwater. Then I strip the fly in short quick strips, let it rest, give a couple short quick strips, let it rest etc. In this type of water and with this method I believe there is a slightly significant improvement over traditional hackled spiders. This stripping takes full advantage of the reversed hackles and their movement.
I love the pattern you have listed here. It would be a great callibeatis for the lakes in my area. Thanks for sharing...and a happy new year.

Carl
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Re: Copper Core Alpine Spider

Post by CM_Stewart » Tue Jan 12, 2010 6:13 pm

Nice fly!

A number of tenkara patterns have reverse hackles like that. They are generally fished unweighted in moving water, just a few inches below the surface. The fly is gently pulsed, which causes the hackle to open and close. This action or technique is translated from the Japanese as the "invitation."
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John Dunn
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Re: Copper Core Alpine Spider

Post by John Dunn » Thu Jan 14, 2010 9:03 pm

I agree with you fellows, fine looking fly and I'll bet a good performer. I think under a Bob fly with hesitation the fly would look like a emerge.

Best
John
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Re: Copper Core Alpine Spider

Post by William Anderson » Fri Jan 15, 2010 9:40 am

That is a wonderful hackle tie in, but I'm more impressed with the copper body and that dubbing application. Is that the dubbing loop that you showed earlier?

w
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Re: Copper Core Alpine Spider

Post by letumgo » Fri Jan 15, 2010 12:19 pm

William - Yes. This is the same dubbing brush I showed in one of my other recent posts (the one with pictures of the white turbo dubbing twister I built). When I saw Han's recent DB (dubbing brush) posts I got inspired to drag out my dubbing twister again. I tyed this fly with the dubbing brush I made in the photo. Once the fly was tyed, I worked it over with a strip of velcro to drag out the dubbing fibers a bit more.

Thanks guys. I appreciate the kind remarks.

CM_Stewart - I love the Japanese translation (invitation). It is a very elegant way of describing the presentation technique, and it also seems very appropriate. I think the hackle and dubbing will pulse and move in a very inviting way.
Ray (letumgo)----<°))))))><
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Re: Copper Core Alpine Spider

Post by willowhead » Tue Nov 29, 2011 2:50 am

"Invitation"...........Bronislau Kaper 1952...........one of my ALL TIME favorite tunes.........KILLER tune.
Don't know how i missed this post Ray.........but i'm so glad you put the link up.........i'm so into the Italian alpine flies now.........Misa is setting up a meeting with the tyer who sent us those flies, in Italy in May, (since she has a layover/plane change in Milan anyway), on her way to Slovenia for the WFFC&CS..........she may even get to go see this famous church where there's a really famous painting of a guy with a fly rod in his hand from WAYYYY back.....the guy is standing w/ Mary holding the baby Jesus.....somethin' along those lines.........you gotta ask Misa.....lol. Maybe he's "Inviting" them to go fly fishing. :D "One Never Knows.....Do One?" :lol:

btw, fantastic tye there ;)
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Kelly L.
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Re: Copper Core Alpine Spider

Post by Kelly L. » Tue Nov 29, 2011 7:00 pm

Y'all are gonna send me off tying one of those types of flies before ya know it. Great job by the way.
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Re: Copper Core Alpine Spider

Post by William Anderson » Wed Nov 30, 2011 5:44 pm

Ray, I'm so glad this came back up. What a spectacular fly. Even though I posted about it initially, I have no memory of the fly or my response, but immediately started to comment on the same aspects. This is just fantastic. That body and hackle configuration exemplify what I love about these flies in general. An expression of life that is sure to get some attention. Wonderful.

w
"A man should not try to eliminate his complexes, but rather come into accord with them. They are ultimately what directs his conduct in the world." Sigmund Freud.
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