Waterhen Bloa
There are literally dozens of different spider pattern fishing flies. Here are a few of the ones I regularly use on the Wharfe at Bolton Abbey , The Aire below Malham and the Ribble at Paythorne. Threads should be pearsalls silk where ever possible. Remember these flies should be dressed sparsely no more than two turns of hackle tied in by the tip. Body length for the Yorkshire style of tying is to tie a body no further back than the barb of the hook. Many stop no further than the point. There used to be a good set of instructions for tying Yorkshire flies at Mike Connors web site. But Mikes site is "off the air" at the moment. Mike was kind enough to give me some images for this site.
Woodcock and Hare's Lug Spider
HOOK 14
THREAD Primrose Yellow
BODY Dark hares ear spun on the Primrose silk. Pick fibres out with dubbing needle so they merge into the hackle
HACKLE A feather from under coverts of the woodcock
Early Brown
HOOK: 18-14
THREAD: Waxed Orange
BODY: Waxed Orange silk very lightly dubbed with red- brown wool
HACKLE: A small barred Woodcock under covert feather
HEAD: Peacock Herl
Old Master
HOOK: 16 or 14
THREAD: Ash or pale Grey
BODY: Ash coloured silk (pearsalls number 10) wrapped with open turns of Heron Herl or Heron Substitute
HACKLE: Woodcock under covert
Snipe and purple
HOOK: 18 or 16 or 14
THREAD: Unwaxed purple Pearsalls gossamer
BODY: Either tying silk or purple floss silk ( I use tying silk)
HACKLE : spoon shaped feather from snipe marginal coverts a nice dark feather
Snipe and Yellow
HOOK: 16,14
THREAD: Primrose Silk
BODY: Primrose silk or pale yellow floss silk
HACKLE: A lighter marginal covert snipe feather
Snipe Bloa
Snipe Bloa
HOOK: 16,14
THREAD: straw silk
BODY: straw coloured silk thread
HACKLE: bloa feather (pale bluey grey) from snipe under covert without much white
Partridge and Orange
HOOK 16 or 14
THREAD: pearsalls orange silk
BODY orange tying silk ( some recommend an orange floss some give fine gold wire rib)
HACKLE: Brown partridge back feather
Crimson Partridge
HOOK : 16 or 14
THREAD: Crimson pearsalls silk
BODY: Tying thread ( some use crimson wool)
HACKLE: Brown Partridge Back feather
Green Partridge
HOOK: 16 or 14
THREAD: Green silk
BODY: green wool ribbed with gold wire. ( I simply use tying thread and no rib. Its still deadly!)
HACKLE: Brown partridge back
Waterhen Bloa
HOOK:18 to 14
THREAD: Primrose yellow lightly waxed
BODY: Primrose yellow silk lightly dubbed with mole or a mixture of blue rabbit under fur and mole. The silk should shine through the dubbing. Oliver Edwards describes it as a mist of dubbing.
HACKLE: Feather from the marginal coverts of a waterhens wing
Waterhen and Red
HOOK: 18 to 14
THREAD: crimson
BODY: crimson tying silk
HACKLE: Feather from marginal covert of waterhen wing
Head: Optional. Peacock Herl
Dark Drake
HOOK: 18,16,14
THREAD: Orange silk
BODY: Waxed silk lightly dubbed with mole so silk shines through. Small dubbed thorax
HACKLE: Small dark feather from bow of waterhen wing
HOOK: 18 or 16
THREAD: Orange or Purple
BODY: Orange and Purple silk twisted together and lightly dubbed with mole. More simply a purple under body ribbed with orange silk dubbed lightly with mole. Both orange and purple should shine through the dubbing
HACKLE: Coot or Jackdaw neck
HOOK: 18,16,14
THREAD: Primrose or Straw
BODY: Tying Silk. Some use white silk for body. Some dub small thorax of very pale hares ear
HACKLE: Pale starling under covert
Baille's Black Spider
HOOK: 16,14
THREAD: Brown silk waxed till almost black
BODY: As Thread
HACKLE: Glossy purple black or green black feather from starlings
neck. Hackle is wound palmered half way around the body
HOOK: 16,14.12
THREAD: Primrose Yellow Silk
BODY: Tying silk heavily waxed to an olive yellow shade ribbed with fine gold wire
HACKLE: Two turns of greenwell hen. Furnace hen also used sometimes
Red Tag
HOOK: 16, 14, 12
THREAD: Black
BODY: Peacock Herl
HACKLE: dark Ginger Hen
TAG: red wool
Treacle Parkin
HOOK: 16, 14, 12
THREAD: Black
BODY: Peacock Herl
HACKLE: dark Ginger Hen
TAG: yellow or orange wool
Dark Spanish Needle
Dark Spanish Needle
HOOK: 16,14
THREAD: Orange waxed until almost brown
BODY: tying silk
HACKLE: dark brown hen
HEAD: Peacock Herl
HOOK: 16
THREAD: Primrose Yellow
BODY: Waxed yellow silk lightly dubbed with red squirrel fur. Yellow should shine through.
HACKLE: bloa ( slatey, grey bluey ) feather from under coverts of young grouse. A difficult feather to get hold of as it must come from a very young bird.
Dark Grouse
HOOK: 16 or 14
THREAD : Brown Silk
BODY: Thread waxed till almost black
HACKLE: Dark freckled feather from marginal coverts of a dark grouse wing
Head : Optional Peacock Herl
Grouse Series (Green Grouse, Orange Grouse, Red Grouse, Yellow Grouse)
HOOK: 16,14
THREAD: Green,Orange,Red,or Yellow depending on Fly being tied
BODY: Floss silk or tying silk in appropriate colour. A thorax of peacock herl may sometimes be added
HACKLE: Small reddy browny marginal covert feather