FLYMPH FORUM

I ran across this tidbit in my recently acquired copy of "The Art of Tying the Wet Fly:"

"I have found W.C. Stewart's spiders to be a deadly combination on every stream I have ever fished. If a fly fisherman presents them carefully, he can soon acquire the reputation of a fish hog!"

Hi John,
I happen to have photographs showing how Leisenring tied the Dun, Red, and Black Stewart Spiders.

Lance

Awesome! Thanks for sharing. Now, what is the latest on when your book is coming out?

Holy Crap! That is an amazing image. Not that they are tied any different than we expect, but to see these...beautiful.

You know, I have never spent much time with this style of tie, tying nor fishing. That may have to change.

Great photo, thank you Lance.
Hackles look to be tied in by the tip, wound up and then the thread worked through the wraps?
Interesting to note the distance from the eye of the hook to where the hackle wraps stop.

The barb on that up-eyed harpoon....er, hook is wicked! Thanks for posting this, Lance. It's always nice to see where we came from in our sport.

Kirk

John,
What inspired you to choose this passage among many?

Jeff, I'd bet that these hackles were tied at the butt behind the eye, and then wrapped down the shank, with the fibers getting shorter. Or so it appears, and would be consistent with his illustrations in the book. But you could be right. And the heads are a signature of Leisenring's as seems to be the case with many tiers. I grew up with flies like this, so seeing the minimal heads that are currently in vogue seems exotic to me.

Yes, Kirk, they don't make barbs like that any more. Notice that the middle hook has been bent, presumably by a trout.

gingerdun wrote: Jeff, I'd bet that these hackles were tied at the butt behind the eye, and then wrapped down the shank, with the fibers getting shorter. Or so it appears, and would be consistent with his illustrations in the book. But you could be right. And the heads are a signature of Leisenring's as seems to be the case with many tiers. I grew up with flies like this, so seeing the minimal heads that are currently in vogue seems exotic to me.

The way Stewart tied them, and I'm sure Leisenring was at least aware of the method, was to tie the head first (actually to bind the snell to hook), tie the feather in by the butt, twist the thread and hackle together, and wrap back. Tie off behind the hackle after creating a short body. The flies shown could have been made that way, especially the dun.

John P. I keep driving him crazy asking that same question: WHEN IS THAT FRACKING BOOK COMING OUT!!!????? I want my copy signed.

Great on the photo's and the reference.

[quote="gingerdun"]John,
What inspired you to choose this passage among many?

I think partly because Leisenring is so meticulous about his dressings, and stresses the importance of realistic imitations, but then gives a big nod to three flies that are so simple and impressionistic that even a pedestrian tier like myself can make them. Plus I like that it brings together two of the big names in wingless wets.