Woodcock spiders

[Smuggler]

Thanks Stefan. That guy has some nice stuff!

Tim, I keep coming back to look at that primrose and woodcock, everything about that spider is just right.

[Premerger]

Thanks Stefan. That guy has some nice stuff!

Tim, I keep coming back to look at that primrose and woodcock, everything about that spider is just right.

That's my favourite combination too.
Using the purple silk was just an experiment.
Best of all I got the chance to catch fish with woodcock, hare's ear and primrose silk over Christmas. Those fish were very special.
Were you in the Halloween Swap?
That pattern was my contribution.
One change is I've settled on the Kamasan B160 as the best hook, in #14.

[William Anderson]

Tim, these are beautiful. Just the right look. Such elegant and lively. Fantastic.

[Mataura mayfly]

Tim, give the purple a chance.
It might depend on what is in the water and what they are used to eating at any given time, but the purple seems to cover a lot of the dark olive- various shades of brown and black aquatic life.
Purple is my first choice down here, if choosing a spider type pattern to hurl at brown trout locals.

[flyfud1]

A Starling and Purple or Snipe and Purple is just the ticket in the early spring when the little Black Stonefies start hatching. Local waters such as the So Platte, Clear Creek, Bear Creek and So Boulder Creek will have hundreds of these little (#18) stoneflies sitting on the snow lining the banks. The St. Vrain and the Big Thompson used to be part of the above list but the major flooding in September 2013 has wiped them out. For those of you not familiar with Colorado fishing, these are all rivers and creeks along the front range (east side) of the Rocky Mountains and are all within an hour or so from Denver.

Charlie

[daringduffer]

IIRC, Otter/Connor recommended using purple silk as an alternative for Baillie's Black Spider. I've tied a few of them but not yet had the opportunity to try them. They look very poisonous...

dd

[William Anderson]

IIRC, Otter/Connor recommended using purple silk as an alternative for Baillie's Black Spider. I've tied a few of them but not yet had the opportunity to try them. They look very poisonous...

dd

Stefan. Thanks for pointing that out. Something I haven't tried, no idea why not, but I'll certainly drown a few this upcoming season. Excellent suggestion.

[NJpatbee]

A Starling and Purple or Snipe and Purple is just the ticket in the early spring when the little Black Stonefies start hatching. Local waters such as the So Platte, Clear Creek, Bear Creek and So Boulder Creek will have hundreds of these little (#18) stoneflies sitting on the snow lining the banks. The St. Vrain and the Big Thompson used to be part of the above list but the major flooding in September 2013 has wiped them out. For those of you not familiar with Colorado fishing, these are all rivers and creeks along the front range (east side) of the Rocky Mountains and are all within an hour or so from Denver.

Charlie

I am on the East Coast (NJ/NY/PA) and have also found the Snipe and Purple to work great for the early black stoneflies.

I haven't been on this site for a while but it is great to see the continued enthusiasm and innovation here. By the way, I am also starting my winter tying so it is no coincidence that I am checking the patterns!

[letumgo]

Welcome back Pat. Nice to have you joining in again. We'd love to see you flies, if you get a chance.

[NJpatbee]

Welcome back Pat. Nice to have you joining in again. We'd love to see you flies, if you get a chance.

Thanks Ray - I will have to charge up my camera!