[Sandy Nelson]

Its been a great topic this one, with lots of interesting info coming to light.

However i was pondering it at some length today at work and you know, i catch very few fish on the river or lochs with the Partridge and orange, despite it often having a place on the leader.

The Waterhen Bloa is a completely different story, accounting for a high percentage of my fish, as does the snipe and purple (or more often than not a Dark Watchett ).
The other flies that work for me in place of the Part and Org are the HE and Plover and a Grouse and Claret (now theres a fly with a good name ). I wonder how much of that is due to insects or personal preference or indeed the water colour

Don't you just love fly fishing

Sandy

[Sieger Devries]

Actually I caught a great part of my fish with the P&O, the Greenwells Spider and a Black and silver one... I didn't catch any with a Waterhen Bloa, but than again I didn't fish one either.... 
(The one posted here was one off the first bunch I tied..  and I will try them next season..)

For me it's all in personal preference depending on the water.. speed and the insects that are hatching in that period (I trie to anyway...) And not to forget... What the ghilly says...
I went to Ireland for the first time last April and was struggling at first... Got some tips from the guide we had and started to catch.. So local knowledge is mighty important... 

[Loxiafan]

However i was pondering it at some length today at work and you know, i catch very few fish on the river or lochs with the Partridge and orange....The Waterhen Bloa is a completely different story, accounting for a high percentage of my fish, as does the snipe and purple (or more often than not a Dark Watchett ).
The other flies that work for me in place of the Part and Org are the HE and Plover and a Grouse and Claret (now theres a fly with a good name ). I wonder how much of that is due to insects or personal preference or indeed the water colour

Part and Orange took a few fish last season but not as many as I would have hoped. If I was fishing a team of only two spiders it wouldn't make it on there I'm afraid !  The two best spider performers last season (my first full season on lower Don) was Waterhen Bloa and Snipe and Purple....by a country mile ! I wonder if I had stuck with spiders (and Part and Or) as the season progressed if that would be different - I switched to dry fly pretty much exclusively by June ? It's meant to be a good bwo spinner imitation ?

Outsider for me was Grouse/Woodcock and Yellow especially in late May - maybe being taken as a Sedge pupa ? Especially so when the water had quite a bit of floating detritus.

Lindsay

[Loxiafan]

.....(or more often than not a Dark Watchett ).

Tied a few but didn't fish them on Don. One with Hot Orange (again !) and no mole dubbing on size 16 Alex Jackson NC Hooks (nice btw, though barbed). Hackle is Snipe, I think eg. pattern is completely WRONG !



Not perfect, head encroaching on the eye, but one of the better efforts from February.

Lindsay

[Sandy Nelson]

eg. pattern is completely WRONG !

Why? Let the fish decide, it looks rather good to me.
I'm rather fond of a snipe and yellow as well.

One to try on the don and for the small stillwaters is peacock herl body with a grey partridge hacke and an olive head.
Awesome fly. Also known as Syl's midge. Or a GPP if you are me

Sandy

[Iain Goolager]

 

[Sandy Nelson]

 

You're a special kind of fruitcake

 

[Peter McCallum]

You're a special kind of fruitcake

 

Yeah, one who has waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaayyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyy too much time on his hands

 

[Mike Barrio]

Iain ....... the videos just get better and better!      

Best wishes
Mike

[Iain Goolager]

I'll take that as a condiment Sandy.

On a more serious note I can't seem to do much with the WHB, so hardly fish it. Perhaps I'll try and resurrect it next season.

I seem to recall Iain C having a bit of success on the Don with pink spiders.

Iain

[Alex Burnett]

Nice one Iain

I'm ROTFL absolutely priceless

Alex

[Sandy Nelson]

I can't seem to do much with the WHB, so hardly fish it.

Last trip to Haddo, last week, it took 12+ fish, in size14 fished quick and erratic
So don't just keep it for the river

Sandy

[Sieger Devries]

 

 

[Iain Cameron]

I seem to recall Iain C having a bit of success on the Don with pink spiders.

iain, you do have waaaay too much time on yer hands. very funny though!

Aye, I had a few nice trout on a pink-bodied partridge spider, and also on a modernised, flashier partridge & orange. I've got an updated version in the pipeline for next season

[Loxiafan]

Q. When is Orange not Orange ?
A. When it is Pearsalls 6A 'Gold'.

Even after Iains 'reality check' vid and two weeks of intensive electric shock therapy on 'orange shade afflicition' (OSA) more 'help' is clearly needed.

In "The Art of Tying the Wet Fly", Jim Leisenring writes (in 1941) on p.38:

"The ideal thread which meets all the requirements, to my way of thinking is Pearsall's Gossamer "Fly Dressing" silk.....I Would recommend purchasing the following colours and quantities": Primrose (color #3) - 2 spools; Claret (color #13) - 1 Spool ; Gray (colour #9a) - 1 spool; Hot Orange (color #19) - 2 spools etc.....The numbers are from Pearsall's chart or sample card".

For those who might not know Leisenring and his follower V. Hidy were exponents of soft hackled wets, spiders if you like, in the USA. Partridge hackled versions seem to feature. Okay, they were based in USA along with S. Nemes who also favoured Partridge spiders, but still interesting as many of the insects match our own. Hidy coined the term "flymph".

So Hot Orange is preferred by these mid 20th Century US guys and also Ollie Edwards. Where does this leave 6A Gold ? Has the colour changed over time to a lighter shade, as has been suggested, but references in E + L to 6A 'Orange' meant it indavertedly slipped erroneously into public pysche due to this error ?

Gotta dash, appointment with shrink.

Lindsay

[Iain Cameron]

Q. When is Orange not Orange ?
 Hot Orange (color #19)

pic doesn't quite do justice, but is that orange hot enough...

[Hamish Young]

I'd say that's a nice hot orange there Iain, very subtle

H

[Loxiafan]

Wow, 'Partridge and Orange Psychedelic Cashmere Spider' ! Nice man 

[Iain Cameron]

Wow, 'Partridge and Orange Psychedelic Cashmere Spider' ! Nice man 

subtle it's not, but made some nice partridge spiders (traditionalists look away now) with a sample of the orange stuff this season, so have stocked up for some psychedelic spiders for 2012...