FLYMPH FORUM

Been working on some "tactical specific" spiders. I am working on an upstream spider design that could cover a lot of mayflies species simply by adjusting color and size and specifically for upstream spider fishing. I wanted something a little different and yet still retained the simplistic features associated with a spider. These are still in the works and unproven on the water. Anyway, after a few prototypes, here is the test pattern tentatively called the Upstream Hope. This is the olive version. there is also a March Brown (orange) and a PMD (yellow) version. I just change the color of the coq de leon and the thread. Now, I just have to wait until the streams open.

The coq is nice for this. It is translucent and does not retain water so keeps the fly light. It doesn't splay like deer or elk hair. It can be a body or shuck in this instance and contrasts nicely with the thread to represent distinguishable insect parts. The tips are fine and easily managed and make a nice wing profile.

Feel free to tie a couple and let me know.

I just tie in the coq first along the shank. Trim the butt ends 2x the hook gap. Tie in the hackle. Wrap to the back, tie down the tip and counter through the hackle. Move thread to the eye, lift the coq tips and form a head that jams the tips up.

Hook: choice #16-#20
Thread: olive griffith's 16/0
Wing and Abdomen: coq de leon, Pardo Sarrioso (poor quality kind of a cross between sarrioso and medio) but I would prefer Sarrioso
Thorax: thread
hackle: partridge

Carl - Fascinating design. It certainly looks like it would fish well. I have a few shades of CDL, which would work to create some variations of this pattern. I am immediately thinking of trying this as a Tenkara pattern.

Out of curriousity, why did you choose to tye in the CDL fibers tips forward? My first thought would be to put the tips back and then trim the butts out over the eye of the hook. Is there a reason you chose this orientation?

I am looking forward to trying these.

Carl, this is an interesting take on a crippled spider. I'm not sure how this will present as a silhouette compared to the naturals, but I would imagine it wouldn't matter with the kind position it will hold and the vitality you'll get from the fibers. I'm looking forward to hearing how it fishes and what kinds of conditions you can make it work for you. My initial thought was that trimming half the tail fibers, the lower fibers to half their existing length, could extend the body profile and split the upper remaining tail fibers at full length to help hold this up in the surface might be an interesting way to present it. It's certainly got a lot of potential. nice to see the innovation.

w

Carl,
I love this kind of invention.
How does the tying time for this compare to tying a plain Partridge and Orange?