BLACK AND PEACOCK SPIDER

Generally attributed to English angler/author Tom Ivens, the Black and Peacock Spider is so simple that I suspect that it must have been around long before his book "Still Water Flyfishing" was first published many years ago. This is the third of my favourite polaroiding flies for Lake Jindabyne, but it is also a great "searching" fly. It was recently, in size 16, used with great effect on Lake Wanaka in the South Island of New Zealand, where it is thought to simulate a diving beatle. The red tag variant has at times been productive when fish have turned away from the Jindy Bugger or the "Horn Caddis" When "Polaroiding", I usually fish the Black and Peacock along the bottom with a very slow retrieve.

Hook: TMC100 or similar size 12-16
Thead: Black 8/0 unithread
Tag: (optional): Red Wool.
Body: 4-6 strands of peacock herl.
Hackle: Two to Three (no more) turns of black hen hackle.

1. Lay a base of black thread from the eye to the bend of the hook.
2. Tie in the optional red wool tag.
3. For a faster sinking fly, wrap a few turns of fine lead wire along the hook shank and overbind with the thread.(Optional). Take the thread back to the bend of the hook.
4. Tie in 4-6 strands of peacock herl, twist them together and wrap them around the hook shank to form a plump body. An underbody of floss or wool can be tied in first if a really plump body is required.
5. Select a black hen neck feather with a hackle about twice the gape of the hook, tie in by the butt and wrap in two or three turns at the most. The soft hackle should slope backwards towards the bend of the hook. Tie off, whip finish, apply head varnish or vynyl cement.
6. Go fishing!

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