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davidrmartin2012@att.net

Tuesday, May 31, 2011

Realistic Spider Legs

I get lots of questions about legs. I use mono for most of my legs. It works great in production and has the durability Realistic fishing flies need. Still we worked with varieties of materials in the beginning. Almost all of them natural. The techniques discribed below are for those who wish to truely tye their Realistic flies and prefer natural materials.



The Feather is from a Ringneck Pheasant cape. It's the perfect size for a medium to large Orb Weaver or Black Widow.




You can leave a tiny amount of barb material at the tips to replicate toe hooks. Bends shown below are from using my thumb nail and first finger. Make sure you know the distance between the bends and the direction of all the bends before you start. This includes the small section at the butt end of the quill. In other words use adequate reference.



No glue, no thread, nothing artificial just the perfect material. Not good for production runs but small groups are easy.




For color I used a marker. If necessary coat the leg with Flexament or Hard as Nails polish and re-color. I coat them anyway with Flexament for durability. Coloring is easier off of the fly rather than on.



Four Porcupine quill sections are then tyed together like a raft. Then they are tyed to the underside of the hook. At this point you can finish tying your Spider without the legs being in the way.




Next with a Beading needle and thread run the thread through the end of the Feather quill and out the first joint. Tye it off at the joint. Now run your thread through the first section of Porcupine quill. Do the same with the second leg.




Pull both legs in to the open sockets and tye them off on opposite legs. Of course this will be done on the hook with the finished Spider.




This is what they look like on the spider.

Tuesday, April 26, 2011

New Grasshopper Pattern


This new Redlegged Grasshopper Pattern will be finished and up for sale on Bob and Daves' Auctions in the next couple of days.

Available Now

It can be tyed as a Fishing Fly or Presentation Fly. I've included new techniques for the head and legs.

I will make it available as a PDF or CD. Anyone interested can check out Bob and Daves' Auctions or e-mail me at davidrmartin2012@att.net.

Saturday, January 15, 2011

Realistic Patterns for PDF Downloads

I'm doing some patterns as PDF downloads to make it easier for my friends here and overseas. You can download a pattern in a few minutes instead of waiting for the mail. Of course there's no shipping costs and the patterns are priced less than the CDs. Those that aren't concerned about signed CDs and just want the information should consider it.

Currently you can check them out at Bob and Daves' Auctions or contact me for more info...