Tying the Grey March Brown Spider by Davie McPhail

[@dongil123]

Without any further information this is the greatest fly tying perfectionist of all time. Thank you Davie

[@comesahorseman]

I like that combination of dry fly and partridge hackle.

[@kentw.897]

Beautiful Grey March Brown Spider Davie. I will try to make some. Thankyou for sharing this video. 🌴🎣🏄‍♂️Aloha

[@striperjohn]

Nice mix on hackles and good reminder for gray days. Thanks Davie, hope you are well. I know you have been very busy coming into the season with many great contributions.

[@jochemsievers8087]

Again a beautiful video. It is always very nice to watch your works of art!

[@ret285]

I plant to add a row of these to my fly box this winter. Thank you for sharing a lovely "grey day" pattern. As always, your videos are an inspiration. Thank you, Sir.

[@primal_aperture_photo]

Great instructions, I just learned something new. I never wound the thread thru the hackle like that before, but what a big difference it makes! So much easier that way. thanks Davie!

[@chasman4359]

Great little fly. Another awesome video Davie!! Thank you!!

[@dannymcg8300]

Terrific looking fly Davie. Thank you for sharing.

[@borderreiver3288]

love these old north country spiders...greatly under used flies which are slowly making a come back....

[@hunt4fish]

very pretty little feller..........tnx for showing cheers

[@grantm3296]

Lovely video Davie looks an amazing fly

[@keithelliot3772]

A master at work

[@Adipper]

Thanks Davie, I bet this will be effective for drowned March spinners.

[@ChrisWalklet]

Very nice as always.

[@aurelienlinnenkamp9885]

If I was a fish GRRRRRRR BLOOOOOK ✊

[@hni7458]

May I ask a central question on tying, Davie; winding the thread through the hackle was sth I saw when I learnt to tie in the mid 70s, but then I haven't really seen it. Cannot say I was using the technique much when I was at it in those days either, and arguably you don't really use it much either. Is this more to spread the hackle than to support it? Please comment if you get the time. /Hakan

[@DavieMcPhail]

Hi Hakan, When I first started tying I used to wind the thread through the hackle a lot as I was shown this by an old gentleman, it was a great method to make the flies much stronger as well as they lasted far longer..Another reason I found was that it helped keep the heads of the flies small especially when using the old pearsalls silk threads... All the very best Davie..

[@hni7458]

@@DavieMcPhail I've still got a load of the good old Pearsalls too, wooden rolls, they seem to have increase in price at that :) Thank you kindly and all the best to you, dear Davie, Hakan

[@Rocky1234732]

Very nice

[@grumpy1947]

great looking fly. will definitely be adding to my fly box. do you ever clip the hackles on your dries Davie?

[@tschurarjipiruschka1998]

No ripping with Brass wire?

[@DavieMcPhail]

Hi Tschurarji Piruschka, You could add a rib if you like as it wouldn't do it any harm though it works well without.. All the very best Davie

[@tschurarjipiruschka1998]

@@DavieMcPhail Its Sometimes to much flash and shine with wire

[@jamesparker9333]

every fly you have shown is brill I was born and bred in Ayrshire I now live in England but come home as often as I can for the fishing where in Ayrshire do you belong?

[@DavieMcPhail]

Hi James Parker, I'm living in Ayr at the moment though I'm from Dalmellington originally...It's alway good to come back home... All the very best Davie

[@jamesparker9333]

I used to fish the hill lochs above loch Doon and the laids at carsfairn caught a lot of trout wi the mufty

[@joeduca8582]

Davie, I noticed on this version you ran the thread through both hackles but on spectrumised version you only did it on the first. why? also is this the style of badger spider that you fish for spinner falls in the evenings, but with fluorescent thread bodies, that you told me about? same double hackles? atb Davie & thank you!

[@DavieMcPhail]

Hi Joe Duca, The reason I never ran the thread through the partridge hackle in the spectrumized version was that I could fold back the hackle as the stem was much thinner unlike in the grey version as the stem of the grey partridge hackle was too thick to do this...As you may know at times you do need different methods of tying on feathers depending on the quality and condition they may be in.. All the very best Davie...

[@joeduca8582]

+Davie McPhail Thanks Davie, I was curious. you've told me before that the material tells you how to tye it, or something like that. either way, they're awesome flys. by the way, I watched you paint a Monet on Flickr. I left you a compliment but didn't know how to send it. I've always admired your sense of color in your dyed materials. you're an artist at the easle as well as the vise. Degas is my favorite of the impressionist. I've always liked to draw and studied art at community college. thanks for reply. atb to you.

[@joeduca8582]

+Davie McPhail Now I see what you mean! just rewatched both. thanks again Davie!