Tying a Borders Greenwels Spider (DryFly) with Davie McPhail

www.fullingmill...
Materials Used;
Hook, Fulling mill Ultimate Dry Fly size 14
Thread, Pearsalls Gossamer Primrose Yellow
Tail, Greenwells/Furnace Cock Fibres
Body, Pearsalls Gossamer Primrose Yellow
Fist Hackle, Dyed Grey or Natural Indian or Chinese Cock
Front Hackle, Greenwells/Furnace Indian or Chinese Cock

[@stevegoodchild409]

Great tutorial Davie, I am fishing on small parts of whiteadder, & struggling with dry flies & emergers in the pocket waters this pattern could be useful short casts - problem is this year has been breezy bowing the leader …thanks for this cheers steve

[@comesahorseman]

There's something about simple, elegant flies like this that really appeals to me. ?? Coq de leon fibers for the tail?

[@aurelienlinnenkamp9885]

Hello ! Thank you. So nice are your flys 🎉 👏🏻

[@christopherstewart9874]

If you left off the tail and fished it wet (no floatant) it would be a wonderful fly for tenkara fishing.

[@20darlind09]

die spider hat orginal keinen schwanz

[@anthonymckenna723]

I was taught by a guy who learnt fly tying in the 1950s. The spider dry style was all he fished on the R. Wear in Durham, with the 'Spider Greenwell' being his favourite. This type of pattern was my bread and butter when I first start to fish. The only differences are a gold wire rib was added to the body and the hackles were two cheap coch-y-bondhu hackles. To this day I still carry them in my fly box to his memory.

[@DavieMcPhail]

Hi Anthony McKenna, I'm glad the fly brought back some good memory's for you, these flies I have tyed since I started and they'll always be in my box just like yourself... All the very best Davie...

[@piapia1942]

Anthony McKenna .

[@brianmoran571]

nicely done davie, another one for my favourites list. cheers.

[@ChrisWalklet]

Very nice.

[@billnorrish1375]

Nice pattern Davie!

[@johnrollo2471]

U

[@manssegerlund6631]

beautiful flie as always

[@MrBrysie]

Lovely fly Davie.

[@seanmooney3907]

Lovely little spider. I love the cock cape, I have several and use them regularly for spiders for my friends. One day I will get to fish them myself. All the best to you and yours. Sean

[@icedaft]

Hello Davie! nice Pattern, i will tie it soon! i have two questions: - how can you break your threads like this, i tried this but its quite impossible - is the wax important for tying? i only use it for sticking the dubbing on a thread... thanks a lot, you are the God of Fly tyers :-)

[@DavieMcPhail]

Hi icedaft, I've been tying now for over 30 years and I'm sure I have been breaking the thread like this for at least 2/3rds of this time so I have got used to doing it..Threads like Uni-8/0, 6/0, UTC 70 and the Pearsalls silks are easy to do though some of the stronger threads I'll use my scissors...If you watch me using the wax I mostly use it at points when tying on hackles and wings but I use it very sparingly as you can over do it, I'll also use it to protect the pearsalls silk as well as to strengthen and waterproof it...I'm gad you liked the fly and thank you very much for the kind words... All the very best Davie

[@oscarnegrony9767]

Very Good.Mister Davied.

[@Adipper]

Hi Davie: If the intent is to ride high off water surface, can you elaborate on why the preference to webby Indian hackle as compared to high grade stiff rooster hackle feather? I suspect you prefer the motion of webby hen within the surface film. Thanks!!

[@DavieMcPhail]

Hi Larry Banda, The softer hackle fibres will spread more easier than the stiffer genetic fibres and there's less chance it will break through the surface film..These were some of the first ever flies I tyed and always found them to be some of my best patterns..Thank you for asking... All the very best Davie

[@fluehue591]

Hi Davie, Love your videos! What kind of lighting do you use when you make your videos? Best Regards Jon

[@DavieMcPhail]

Hi Jon, I use two small LED Panels, I have attached a link to some I've found on Amazon for you to get an idea what to look for...I have one either side of my desk I also have an angled lamp with a day-lite bulb in it as I can highlight the colours of the fly if I need to especially when tying small flies...I'm glad you enjoy the videos... All the very best Davie www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_noss_1?url=search-alias%3Dphoto&field-keywords=led+panel

[@fluehue591]

Thank you very much for you answer :) I will have to get some of those. Have a great weekend!!!

[@krallmi48]

I did enjoy it, Davie... thank you. I've been meaning to ask for quite a while now... I've gotten some disks of Veniards's tying wax and was wondering how you get the small pieces you place on our finger off of those large blocks? Mike

[@DavieMcPhail]

....kzbin.info/www/bejne/f3-Xf2xofJZnjsk

[@krallmi48]

Thank you... =] Mike

[@7cColin]

For some reason, high-riding dries work really well on Tweed, very often. I fish it regularly and notice that the local patterns aren't selected randomly but as the result of long experience. Well done Davie, another superb demo.

[@7cColin]

Another great pattern in the Borders in this style is the Greyhen and Rusty. Would love to see you add this to the video list, Davie.

[@DavieMcPhail]

Hi Colin Macaulay, It's very kind of you to let me know how much you enjoy the video and the Greyhen and Rusty certainly would be a great fly to tye some time in the future..If you have a version that you like then please let me know... All the very best Davie

[@7cColin]

Hi Davie, I still have a single example (somewhere, but can't find it for the moment) that must be 40 years old. It's very simple; looks like a rusty brown-coloured floss body (don't know if this shade is available still) tied quite short and dumpy, and a bluish/light grey hen hackle, several turns, with a fairly thick tail of the same, not too long. This was the style we fished back then in the Borders, but those I see in the shops now seem to have a rust-coloured yarn body of some kind and a grizzle hen hackle and tail. I prefer the old style! I will post a photo if I find the fly. Thanks for your reply. All the best. Colin

[@7cColin]

By the way the size that was most popular was 16s.