FLYMPH FORUM

http://www.troutfisherman.co.uk/fishing ... -river-fly

Sizes suggested are 8 - 12, I also tie them smaller.

Weighting in the SBS is done with lead wire - I use copper.

Just read a suggestion to substitute the partridge with woodcock - will try that.

I like to use orange thread.

A fly like this one is bound to be succsessful.

dd

Interesting that in the UK, it's called an Endrick Spider but in the US many of us call it a weighted Pheasant Tail and Partridge soft hackle. I've tied both the weighted and unweighted PTSHs for many years and also include peacock herl, hare's ear / hot spots, etc in the same dressing / same materials just having a different thorax or weight.

A nice looking fly, whatever you call it!
I'd be keen to use it any day in faster water.

joaniebo wrote:Interesting that in the UK, it's called an Endrick Spider but in the US many of us call it a weighted Pheasant Tail and Partridge soft hackle. I've tied both the weighted and unweighted PTSHs for many years and also include peacock herl, hare's ear / hot spots, etc in the same dressing / same materials just having a different thorax or weight.

We all know that similar/same flies are 'invented' by different tiers unaware of each other. Some get named, others don't. Often they are variations. Sometimes they are good. Nevertheless, don't you think 'Endrick Spider' rings better than PTPSH which to my ears sound like some explosive matter? Your observation is valid, though.

dd

A world away to the south, Skues simply called it, with slight variation, the Pheasant Tail. Nothing soft about it. From Silk, Fur and Feather:

Pheasant Tail
Hook: 00, 0, or 1 round bend, down-turned eye
Tying Silk: Hot orange
Whisks: Honey-dun cock from shoulder hackle, three fibres
Body: Three or four strands of the ruddy fibres from the middle feather of a cock pheasant's tail, in the highest possible condition; secured by
Ribbing: Three or four turns of fine gold wire
Hackle: Sharp bright blue or honey or rusty dun cock

Nothing wrong with the Skues version. I think what was different with the Endrick Spider was the copper weighting and the use of partridge hackle. John Harwood was night fishing for seatrout. Eventually the fly was used for fishing, full stop. Salmon, trout, grayling...

The river Endrick was narrow and overgrown. Fishing there at night cost a lot of flies. He used cheap and proven materials and 'randomly' created a very good fly that looks as if it was first tied a houndred years earlier.

dd

There's no question that pheasant tail fibers make for an effective body. I often sit at the vise with no particular pattern in mind and start with pheasant tail body, after that, almost any combination of materials for tail, hackle, thorax, rib seems to produce.
Also,very nice PT, ThirdMeadow, both fly and photo.
Cheers.