*Copy of original post made by Sandy I'll kick this month off with a simplified version of my CDC spiders.
I've been playing to try and eliminate the dubbing loop, yet retain the strength.
With a strong view to the past and Mr Stewart, it was pretty obvious.
Here goes, Waterhen Bloa, CDC style
Hook: Partridge SLD 14
Thread: Pearsalls no.5
Hackle: 2 Blue Dun CDC feathers
Dubbing: Muskrat.
Step 1: place hook in vice
Step 2: Wind on a few turns of thread a bit back from the eye.
Step 3: Tie in 2 CDC feathers by the tips, try to select ones with fibres just slightly longer than the length of the hook.
Step 4: Wind thread down to level with point of hook and wax the thread.
Step 5: Lightly dub with muskrat, a gentle dusting is good.
Step 6: wind dubbing up to where hackle points are tied in, and attach hackle pliers to hackles.
Step 7: Wind hackles for 3 turns, stroking the hackles backwards each turn
Step 8: Wind the thread through the hackle taking care not to trap any fibres. 4 or 5 turns is good.
Step 9: stroke the hackles backwards and whip finish, carefully apply head finish and leave to dry.
Step 10: The finished fly with the fibres stroked forwards again after the head finish dries.
The same technique can be applied to all traditional and non-traditional spiders. For a simple fly try a Snipe and purple.
This one uses Pearsalls no.11 and natural grey CDC feathers.
Step 1: Hook in vice and start thread, leaving the gap sets the distance for the hackle to cover nicely.
Step 2: Tie in the hackles by the tips and wind thread down to point and back again.
Step 3: 3 turns of hackle, stroking each turn backwards.
Step 4: Wind the thread through the hackle, careful not to trap any fibres.
Step 5: Tie off as before and finish.
Another really good traditional that would lend itself to this would be the Partridge and orange, it would make into a fantastic spent spinner, well worth playing with combinations of thread and hackle colours to get good matches for a hatch.
Cheers
Sandy