March Brown Spider

Fly: Philip Bailey, Photograph: Hans Weilenmann

Hook: Tiemco 103BL (eye straightened)
Thread: 8/0 Uni Thread Yellow
Rib: Very fine gold wire
Body: Brown Condor substitute (3 herls) twisted and wrapped to show the thread
Hackle: 2 turns of brown English partridge back feather
Head: Single turn of Brown Condor substitute (in the style of Lister)

There are many spider patterns for this and Pritt gave five dressing (Great Brown, Brown Drake & Dun Drake) in his book.

No 11 Hook 3
Wings - From the tail of a Partridge
Body - Pale orange silk, dubbed with a little Hare's ear and yellow mohair, mixed; ribbed over with a little yellow silk.
Tail - Forked with two strands from a Peacock tail
Legs - From the back of a Partridge.

No 12 Hook 2
Wings - From a quill feather of a hen pheasant
Body, Tail and Legs - as in no 11

No 13 Hook 2
Wings - Hackled with a reddish feather from he outside of a Woodcock's wing
Body - Orange silk dubbed over with a little fur from a Fox's ear

No 14 Hook 2
Wings - From tail of a Partridge Body - Orange and yellow silk twisted, dubbed with fur from a Fox's ear
Leg's - From a Wren's tail

No 15 Hook 2
Wings - from the Hen Pheasant's wing
Body and Legs - Same as No 14

He went on to explain:
"The five dressings here given admit of little preference as killers. The hackled fly - though comparatively rarely dressed - will be found very successful on cold, rough days, and the winged flies are indispensable on fair days through March, April and not frequently into May."

This is my version, which works equally well and tied similar to the ‘Kite Spider’

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© 2010 Hans Weilenmann
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