32 Irishangler

Game Fishing

Name: Andrew RyanOccupation: Instructs atClonavav Fly FishingCentre and runs courseson all aspects of fly fishingLocation: Clonavav FlyFishing Centre, Nire Valley,Ballymacarby, Clonme, CoWaterfordTelephone: 00 353 (0)52 36141E-mail:andrew@flyfishingireland.com Web:www.flyfishingireland.com

TroutingQualified fishing guide Andrew Ryanconcludes his series with a look at thetraditional wet-fly art that is spider fishing.

RiverPart Five – Spider FishingAngler File

Idid not begin fly fishing with spiders until twoyears ago, as I favoured more moderntechniques, such as nymph fishing and New

Zealand style. However, I now believe that everytechnique has its time and place and on those dayswhen fishing the spider is best, there’s just nothingto touch it.

North country spider patterns originated in

Yorkshire in the late 1880s and were first writtenabout in Mr T E Pritt’s classic book, ‘YorkshireTrout Flies’. Since then, they have been in and outof fashion at various times. Spider patterns areunusual looking flies but they are successful. Thereare many arguments as to why they work so well,but I believe it is because the translucent wings,along with a very slim body, make the fly look

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similar to an emerging or crippled insect. Also, thehackles on the flies pulsate in the current, to givethe impression of life.

Similar wet flies are used in Spain and Franceand use similar speckled feathers. For example,some of the Spanish wet flies are very much likethe Partridge and Orange or Partridge and Yellow,so this style of fly seems to work in Europe verywell, too.

I like to use two different styles when fishingspiders – downstream, with a sink-tip fly line, anymph and a spider pattern and upstream, usingthree flies, one dry as an indicator, and two spiderpatterns.

DownstreamThis is an easy way offishing as you are castingacross and down. I find it

works very well when the fish are notrising and there is very little action onthe surface. The advantage offishing across and down isthe amount of water that iscovered. The fliespractically comb thewidth of the river, so a lotof fish get to see the flies.

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Spiders can be madeto work undervirtually anyconditions – evenwarm sunny days!

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EquipmentI use a 9ft 6-wt fly rod and a weight-forward,

sink-tip fly line. The sink-tip line ensures that theflies are allowed to sink a few inches under thesurface. The flies are not weighted, so it is a realadvantage to use the sink-tip line.

I use a 9ft leader with a single dropper about 18inches to two feet back from the point fly. On tothe dropper I tie a Gold-Headed FlashbackPheasant Tail and on the point a north countryspider of choice. The nymph often acts as anattractor, but the fish will take the spider 80 percent of the time.

Type Of Water To Be FishedI like to fish spiders in fast streamy water. The

flies will have more movement in the current andlook more like insects. Fishing in very slow wateris difficult, but it does work, provided there is atleast a moderate flow.

Setting The HookAs you are fishing downstream there is no need

to set the hook, fish will usually hook themselvesif the line is taut. Setting the hook and lifting therod results in a lot of lost fish!

Andrew Ryan’s Favourite Spider Patterns

William’s FavouriteHook: TMC or other fine-wired hook –sizes 14/16Silk: Black Pearsall’s GossamerRib: Fine silver wireHackle: Black hen

Black MagicHook: TMC or other fine-wired hook –sizes 14/16Silk: BlackThorax: Peacock herl wound over aball of wound wireHackle: Short-fibred black hen

Snipe And PurpleHook: TMC or other fine-wired hook –sizes 14/16Silk: PurpleHackle: Upper wing cover of snipe

John Agnew witha beautiful RiverNire trout takenusing a Partridgeand Yellow.

Fishing spiderpatternsupstream is askill well worthmastering.

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UpstreamThere are several schools ofthought on how to fish northcountry spiders upstream.

Purists prefer to fish three spiders on afairly short line, retrieving slightly quickerthan the speed of the current. When thefish takes, it is often hard to see, and Iwould advise this technique forexperienced anglers.

Those who are not so experiencedshould try using a large dry fly on the topdropper along with two spiders. The dryfly will act as an indicator and help to

2identify takes lower down. This ensuresthat you miss less fish. It is not thetextbook way of fishing spiders, but it isvery effective.

EquipmentAgain, I use the 9ft 6-wt rod but this

time it’s coupled with a weight-forwardfloating line, and on this I use a 9ft leaderwith two droppers. On the top dropper I tiea large dry fly, such as an Elk Hair Caddis,Muddler or Humpy. On the bottomdropper and the point I tie two differentspider patterns.

This angler is using a sink-tip line topresent a team of spiders downstream.

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Fly line Braided loop

Fluorocarbon droppers tied onmore or less 18 inches apart

Dry fly Spider 1

Spider 2

Leader for Upstream Spider Fishing

Sink-tipfly line Braided loop

Fluorocarbon droppers tied onmore or less 18 inches apart

Spider 2

Nymph

Leader for Downstream Spider Fishing

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Game Fishing

More Of Andrew Ryan’s Favourite Spider Patterns

Light Snipe and YellowHook: TMC or other fine-wired hook –sizes 14/16Silk: YellowHackle: Snipe underwing

Waterhen BloaHook: TMC or other fine-wired hook –sizes 14/16Silk: Primrose thread, waxed and lightlydubbed with mole furHackle: Waterhen underwing

Yellow PartridgeHook: TMC or other fine-wired hook –sizes 14/16Silk: Yellow Pearsall’s GossamerHackle: Grey speckled feather (withouta brownish tinge) from the back of agrey partridge (English)

Type Of WaterSlow-moving or moderately paced water is most

suited to this technique, as you will be able to seethe fish breaking the surface to take your flies.Fishing this style in water that is too fast will meanthat you will miss a lot of takes.

I also like to use spiders for rising fish. Theywork exceptionally well just before a hatch onsummer evenings. Trout are often feeding on theemerging insect and have not yet moved onto theadult fly. This can be great sport, as your eveningfishing can start much earlier, and you are not justdepending on having everything right for the lasthour or 30 minutes of manic dry-fly fishing.

FliesThe flies themselves are very easy to tie. Their

inception was very simple and innovative. The fliesshould be slim and lightly dressed. Often, anglerstend to overdress them, making the flies very bulkyand losing their ability to imitate the natural insect.

The feathers used on the flies are very specific, soI would advise looking up the exact location of thefeathers somewhere online, such as www.sexyloops.com/flytying/northcountrywets1.shtml. This is atraditional style of fishing, but is still very successfulon rivers today. I rate it very highly, because, on hisday, an angler experienced with spider patterns canoften outfish any other angler on the river.

Even shallowsections of rivercan be searchedeffectively with alight set-up.

To the victorthe spoils.To the victorthe spoils

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