Stewart’s Black Spider
Stewart’s Black Spider
Stewart’s Black Spider first described it in his 1857 book The Practical Angler; or, The art of trout fishing, more particularly applied to clear water. It is as effective today as it was in 1857.
19Tom Loving’s Gerbubble Bug
Tom Lovig designed the Gerbubble Bug in the early 1900s to fish for bass on the Chesapeake Bay. It is a very effective fly but did not become popular until the May 1971 issue of Fly Fisherman popularized it with the history and tying instructions.
It’s not difficult to tie, but forming the head is time-consuming. Modern woodworking tools and a few jigs can make the process much easier.
34Hooks
Smallmouth
Boundary Waters, MN
When I started tying flies in the 70s, I thought I could save money. I was wrong. Over the next 60 years, I have spent thousands of dollars on materials to tie flies. It would have been much cheaper to have purchased every fly I use in that period. Of course, I would have missed all the fun of tying the flies. I learned a lot, and I do think my flies last longer than the store-bought flies.
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