Gravel Bed

[Old Hat]

Haven't fish this one yet but threw a few in my box. I thought it was a cool looking pattern and fits the spider genre. A pattern that appears in a couple of the older books. Harding says it is in Ronald's The Fly fisher's Entomology, 1836 and Bowlker's.

Hook: Ken Sawada Old Limerick Wet #14
Thread: Pearsall's silk thread, grey waxed with a dark cobbler's wax
Hackle: genetic hen, black
Body: tying thread
Wing: woodcock slips, folded

[redietz]

It is indeed in Ronalds; it's a crane fly imitation. He made an interesting remark about the color of the body:

The silk of the body should be of the most repulsive, ashy, livid hue that you can find.

How can anyone resist tying a fly with that description!

[Old Hat]

Crane fly imitation. Interesting.

[redietz]

Here's what he had to say about it:

#13 Gravel Bed (Spider Fly)
Order, Diptera.
Family, Tipulidae.
Genus, Anisomera.
Species, Obscura.

This fly is not found on all waters : upon those where it is found it is extremely numerous on fine days; but in cold weather it seeks shelter among the larger stones of the gravel. It may be used all day. It comes on about the middle of April and lasts about three weeks.

Imitation

Body : Dark dun or lead colored silk thread dressed very fine.
Wings: From the underside of a feather from the woodcock's wing
Legs: A black cock's hackle rather long, wound twice only, around the body.

To make it a buzz, a dark dun cock's hackle tinged with brown may be used.

(The comment about the body shade was made by the editor of a subsequent addition.)

Here's the plate where he illustrates it:


The Gravel Bed is the top left fly in both the naturals and the artificial.

Notice that the wings seem to be tied in flat, and splayed.

[Old Hat]

No doubt. This pattern, to me, is a bad representation of a crane fly. I have never seen the wings of this pattern tied flat. Always matched slips. It's a better caddis imitation.

[letumgo]

Carl & Bob - What a great thread. I enjoyed seeing the fly, and reading the additional comments & seeing those plates. Nice job fellas.

[redietz]

No doubt. This pattern, to me, is a bad representation of a crane fly. I have never seen the wings of this pattern tied flat. Always matched slips. It's a better caddis imitation.

I agree; I've never seen it tied other than with a conventional wing and as such, it wouldn't make a very good crane fly. I would fish your fly with confidence, though, during certain caddis hatches.

I'm endlessly fascinated by flies that started out as imitative of something specific and then morphed into something else completely.

I just looked it up in Edmonds and Lee. They list it as crane fly imitation, but their version is wingless.

[Donald Nicolson]

The Gravel Bed is not exactly a Crane Fly. It is of the same family. In Scotland it is known as the "Clyde Sand Fly".

Sand Fly
Hook: 14 - 16.
Body: Gray or black tying silk,
ribbed with blue silk. (I used blue fluo).
Wings: Marled sandy part of hen Pheasant tail,tied flat along hook shank.
Hackle: Black, and fairly long in fibre.

This is the Scottish imitation of the Gravel Bed (Hexatoma fuscipennis).
A member of the Diptera Order. Like a small crane-fly.

I dressed this about 8 to 10 years ago for a swap.
A very good catcher of brown trout.

[William Anderson]

I agree; I've never seen it tied other than with a conventional wing and as such, it wouldn't make a very good crane fly. I would fish your fly with confidence, though, during certain caddis hatches.

Same here. Carl, you're tie is a beautiful example of the pattern, whatever it was intended to be. I'm really enjoying your trip through the Harding book. This is spot on.

w

[Ron Eagle Elk]

Just getting caught up after suffering through almost a month of the flu. The wife and I were both down for the count. She still has the crud lingering.

Carl, that is a wonderful dressing. I had almost forgotten how pretty those Ken Sawada hooks are. Thanks for the reminder.