But not THAT bluegill Spider
David Hutton
Pqlmwtto Fly N Fish, Mar 27, 2023
Marv Taylor Inspired Spiders
flies and photo by author
Here is a little floating pattern that may seem familiar..., one which may also confuse you a little in its name..., and which is inspired by a guy named Marv Taylor, who will probably be unfamiliar.
Don't worry, I will introduce Mr. Taylor a bit later and clear all this up!
For now, lets just say that Marv called his fly a "spider," a term used for decades for any number of pattern types. Since he is featured here, and called it that, I will do the same.
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Look closely at this months pattern and you'll see a floating, foam-bodied fly, segmented front and rear, with a feather hackle in the middle. This formula isn't really new - which is why this type may seem familiar to you.
Most regular fly fishers will see these and right away think, "ANT…” which is not wrong.
Several patterns have followed this method of construction, perhaps the best known of the type being Ed Sutrys, "McMurray Ant."
McMurray Ant (2)
Ants and Foam
The McMurray Ant was created in the 1960's, and used two cylindrical bits of black painted cork on either end of a hook shank to represent the front and back of an ant’s body. Then, several wraps of hackle fill the gap between the two sections. Simple, and pretty much the same idea as our featured pattern.
The general consensus is that the hackle represents little ant legs. Looking at my flies, the McMurray Ant influence is undeniable.
Then along came EVA "craft foam" to replace the cork, and another variation of this pattern type emerged.
Speaking for myself, I like craft foam.
It is nearly bulletproof, it is colorfast, and the techniques used to form it into flies are not difficult. Super glue and thread are often all you need to make flies from it, and that is what I use. The foam material itself has become a universal part of everyday life.
The foam also takes decoration well, and the sky is the limit to one's imagination with this material.
But none of that is even remotely close to what fly anglers think of when they see the words, "bluegill" and "spider" in the same sentence.
The OTHER Bluegill Spider
That word combination, "bluegill" + "spider," inevitably creates some confusion for us.
The foam also takes decoration well, and the sky is the limit to one's imagination with this material.
But none of that is even remotely close to what fly anglers think of when they see the words, "bluegill" and "spider" in the same sentence.
The OTHER Bluegill Spider
That word combination, "bluegill" + "spider," inevitably creates some confusion for us.
This is because they usually evoke images of a different pattern altogether: Terry and Roxanne Wilson’s, "Bully's Bluegill Spider," … a good pattern in its own right, and one that also uses the name, "spider."
Wilsons "Bully's Bluegill Spider" (3)
Marv Taylor: The Man
Marv Taylor was a fisherman, angling writer and newspaper editor in the high-desert American West for years. His stomping grounds were the lakes around Idaho, and that's where he made his mark. He was mostly known as the go-to man for trout, and he had several "how-to" books to help you unravel their secrets for yourself.
Marv was also one of the original, in-print proponents of float tubing for the mass market. He authored a book that may very well be the first good look at float tubing for anglers... "Float-Tubing The West."
Sadly, Mr. Taylor passed away 10 or 15 years ago, so it is no surprise that you've probably never heard of him. But when I first started fly fishing and tying flies, I ran across his collected articles on the wonderful, and now languishing internet monolith, "Fly Anglers Online."
We could do a whole piece by itself on FAOL, as it is called, and the term, "monolith" is no mistake. This site harbors a massive compendium of information, with a collection of work unsurpassed elsewhere. I refer to it weekly for one reason or another.
Wilsons "Bully's Bluegill Spider" (3)
The Wilson's 'spider' has an interesting origin story behind it, involving farm pond fishing, and accidentally snagging your fly on the back end of a frightened bull..., "somewhere around his T-bone steaks!” (4)
A running chase followed the retreating bovine, the fly was lost, and the bull came out the victor.
So it goes with bulls.
But, the Wilson fly was created to mimic a wriggling, slow sinking cricket. It uses rubber legs, chenille, and a unique butt-first weighting scheme that makes it a subsurface fly - not a floater. It shares a similar timeline with Taylors 'spider,' but it isn't even close in concept.
It DID become better known, to it's credit. Like I said, it's good, and better marketing made it a staple in the panfishing fly wallet.
But who was Marv Taylor? And what about HIS spider?
A running chase followed the retreating bovine, the fly was lost, and the bull came out the victor.
So it goes with bulls.
But, the Wilson fly was created to mimic a wriggling, slow sinking cricket. It uses rubber legs, chenille, and a unique butt-first weighting scheme that makes it a subsurface fly - not a floater. It shares a similar timeline with Taylors 'spider,' but it isn't even close in concept.
It DID become better known, to it's credit. Like I said, it's good, and better marketing made it a staple in the panfishing fly wallet.
But who was Marv Taylor? And what about HIS spider?
Marv Taylor: The Man
Marv Taylor was a fisherman, angling writer and newspaper editor in the high-desert American West for years. His stomping grounds were the lakes around Idaho, and that's where he made his mark. He was mostly known as the go-to man for trout, and he had several "how-to" books to help you unravel their secrets for yourself.
Marv was also one of the original, in-print proponents of float tubing for the mass market. He authored a book that may very well be the first good look at float tubing for anglers... "Float-Tubing The West."
Sadly, Mr. Taylor passed away 10 or 15 years ago, so it is no surprise that you've probably never heard of him.
We could do a whole piece by itself on FAOL, as it is called, and the term, "monolith" is no mistake. This site harbors a massive compendium of information, with a collection of work unsurpassed elsewhere. I refer to it weekly for one reason or another.
But, sadly, it is falling by the wayside in the age of YouTube googanism, instant phone apps, and text-bite Facebook groups
The owner/publisher of FAOL plans to keep it hosted on the internet for the foreseeable future, but she told me, "We aren't adding new content anymore. Traffic has slowed, and interest in journalistic-style sites like FAOL has faded."
The owner/publisher of FAOL plans to keep it hosted on the internet for the foreseeable future, but she told me, "We aren't adding new content anymore. Traffic has slowed, and interest in journalistic-style sites like FAOL has faded."
The internet is a good tool, but never underestimate its power to screw up a good thing.
But during its heyday, Marv Taylor was a major contributor to FAOL. And fortunately for us, a large number of his articles are archived there. You would do well to check it out.
Marv Taylor's Favorite Bluegill Fly
Foto courtesy of FAOL (1)
Dressing the waist portion of the ant bodies with wraps of saddle hackle turned out great, and Marv says he loved the look. Maybe it was inspired by the McMurray Ant, I don't know.
The Hackle
Once the body is firmly affixed to the hook and embellished, I tie in a small hackle at the center and wind on 3-5 full wraps. Then it is tied off and the waste is snipped away.
For hackle I reach for good saddle hackle, or soft hackle, with fibers that are just a little over-size for the hook. If wanted, the very best genetic dry-fly hackle can be used, but it doesn't have the same "movement" as these others.
References
1. https://www.flyanglersonline.com/features/lakes/part31.php
2. https://www.johnkreft.com/mcmurray-ant/
3. https://breambugs.com/product/bully-39-s-bluegill-spider-chartreuse/
4. Terry and Roxanne Wilson, "Bluegill Fly Fishing and Flies," 1999 Fred Amato Publcations
But during its heyday, Marv Taylor was a major contributor to FAOL. And fortunately for us, a large number of his articles are archived there. You would do well to check it out.
And as luck would have it, one of his pieces is titled, "My Favorite Bluegill Fly," and in it, Marv describes a proven floating surface pattern for bluegill.
Marv Taylor's Favorite Bluegill Fly
Foto courtesy of FAOL (1)
Marv was best known for his expertise on trout. However, like many trout nuts, he also enjoyed fly fishing for panfish. According to Marv, he was trying to tie some foam, "bluegill spiders" somewhere in the late 1960's, and was fumbling with the rubber legs at the fly tying vise.
There are probably half a dozen fly types that go by the common name, "spiders," and I wont try to discuss every type that uses that name.
Instead, what you need to know is that in Marv’s day, sponge foam flies with rubber legs were commonly known as, "sponge spiders," "sponge rubber spiders," or just "spiders," for short.
This explains the confusion with names we have worked through to this point.
It seems Marv was trying to craft some 'sponge spiders', using large, pre-formed foam ant bodies. However, the rubber hackle was giving him fits, so he had a, “brilliant idea," as he put it:
Toss the rubber legs aside and use hackle feathers, instead.
There are probably half a dozen fly types that go by the common name, "spiders," and I wont try to discuss every type that uses that name.
Instead, what you need to know is that in Marv’s day, sponge foam flies with rubber legs were commonly known as, "sponge spiders," "sponge rubber spiders," or just "spiders," for short.
This explains the confusion with names we have worked through to this point.
It seems Marv was trying to craft some 'sponge spiders', using large, pre-formed foam ant bodies. However, the rubber hackle was giving him fits, so he had a, “brilliant idea," as he put it:
Toss the rubber legs aside and use hackle feathers, instead.
Dressing the waist portion of the ant bodies with wraps of saddle hackle turned out great, and Marv says he loved the look. Maybe it was inspired by the McMurray Ant, I don't know.
By his own account, the fly was a serendipitous winner, and he stayed with it. In the early 1980's he ran a small fly shop in Boise, and his lucky chance bluegill fly turned out to be one of his best sellers.
The rest is history, as they say.
Details
Being inspired by Marv and his writing for FAOL, I used his hackling idea to tie my own version of a panfish "spider."
One of the highlights of these flies is that they can be recycled several times. Today we use craft foam for the body, and this is almost impossible to tear up. So when the hackle wears out or gets chewed off, just replace it, clean up the thing and go back to the business of fishing!
The rest is history, as they say.
Details
Being inspired by Marv and his writing for FAOL, I used his hackling idea to tie my own version of a panfish "spider."
One of the highlights of these flies is that they can be recycled several times. Today we use craft foam for the body, and this is almost impossible to tear up. So when the hackle wears out or gets chewed off, just replace it, clean up the thing and go back to the business of fishing!
I have never had one last long enough to re-hackle it; they are usually eaten by trees or weeds before then. 😁
But I've never had one come apart, either.
And to the fly's credit, both bluegill and bass agree that the fly is a winner.
The Body
I use foam for these flies, as one should, but not fancy, pre-made bodies. My workaround is to tie in a narrow, crafted piece of 2 or 3mm foam to the middle of the hook shank - I use thread and super glue for this. It is not going anywhere!
Then, I cut it to the length I want, and shape it with scissors and a controlled flame. A few snips here and there, hold the flame close to round and smooth the foam's edges, and voila! A body is formed.
Each body is meticulously created this way before moving on.
The one construction "trick" that tends to give people problems is using thread tension to form the foam into a thin waist section. This is important as it is where the hackle will be wound on. But this can be a little challenging to get it just right.
And to the fly's credit, both bluegill and bass agree that the fly is a winner.
The Body
I use foam for these flies, as one should, but not fancy, pre-made bodies. My workaround is to tie in a narrow, crafted piece of 2 or 3mm foam to the middle of the hook shank - I use thread and super glue for this. It is not going anywhere!
Then, I cut it to the length I want, and shape it with scissors and a controlled flame. A few snips here and there, hold the flame close to round and smooth the foam's edges, and voila! A body is formed.
Each body is meticulously created this way before moving on.
The one construction "trick" that tends to give people problems is using thread tension to form the foam into a thin waist section. This is important as it is where the hackle will be wound on. But this can be a little challenging to get it just right.
You'll also notice that I don't tie down the head at the eye. In this way, it is more like the McMurray Ant.
This means fewer thread wraps to cause trouble. More importantly, the foam lifts up under thread tension, which raises the head to give a little gurgler-like popping action in the water.
This means fewer thread wraps to cause trouble. More importantly, the foam lifts up under thread tension, which raises the head to give a little gurgler-like popping action in the water.
In my experience, bluegill and other warm water fishes are not fussy about the shape. I've fished them without doing any shaping at all, just a chunk of foam, and they still take the fly. But I want them to look good, so I apply the handwork to shape them.
The blue one follows the method I already outlined, and comes out kind of stout and blocky. The grey ones are small geometric shapes, and I add some pinpoint paint dots so they look "buggy." No need to squint to see them as something a fish might want to eat - they look "alive."
The blue one follows the method I already outlined, and comes out kind of stout and blocky. The grey ones are small geometric shapes, and I add some pinpoint paint dots so they look "buggy." No need to squint to see them as something a fish might want to eat - they look "alive."
The Hackle
Once the body is firmly affixed to the hook and embellished, I tie in a small hackle at the center and wind on 3-5 full wraps. Then it is tied off and the waste is snipped away.
For hackle I reach for good saddle hackle, or soft hackle, with fibers that are just a little over-size for the hook. If wanted, the very best genetic dry-fly hackle can be used, but it doesn't have the same "movement" as these others.
Hook sizes from 6-12 are about right, and I mostly go with 6, 8, and 10 for our South Carolina bluegill - "Dixie Trout," I call 'em.
Simple Wins
These are not fancy "spiders." They are intended to be effective as much as artful. They look pretty darned cool, and fish like them. But this is not a $75 vintage salmon fly.
On the other hand, if you appreciate a fly that has less to go wrong, these are for you. They follow the, "3 Materials Or Less" concept touted by C. Boyd Pfeiffer, another man who knew what he doing.
Simple Wins
These are not fancy "spiders." They are intended to be effective as much as artful. They look pretty darned cool, and fish like them. But this is not a $75 vintage salmon fly.
On the other hand, if you appreciate a fly that has less to go wrong, these are for you. They follow the, "3 Materials Or Less" concept touted by C. Boyd Pfeiffer, another man who knew what he doing.
I have discussed Mr. Pfeiffer and this idea of material simplicity before, and you can catch that here:
Simple Flies - How Simple Can You Go?
Variations on the Theme
Knowing that Marv is gone also makes life seem a little sadder. We are lucky, for now, because we can still read his words at FAOL, and learn from them. And we can pay tribute to Marv Taylor, one of the unheralded men that came before us.
These things are almost as good as having him with us.
Simple Flies - How Simple Can You Go?
- Marv Taylor Inspired Spiders
Hook: Size 8-10 lightweight hook
Thread: Black (or matching color)
Body: EVA craft foam as a floating body; most any color will do - grey, green, orange, yellow, black, white, etc.
Hackle: Saddle hackle, four or five wraps.
For a tidier appearance, match colors (thread, body, hackle). The fish don't seem to care, but it looks nice.
Variations on the Theme
Marv Taylor was one of those fishing guys that I lean towards because he knew what he was doing, AND, he strikes a chord within. If I could meet and buy him lunch, my life would seem a little better - I just know it would.
These things are almost as good as having him with us.
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Writers should always strive for a job well done... even mediocre ones like me. So if you found value in this article, please like, comment, and share it.
Would you like to add the catching pattern(s) seen here to your own fly or tackle box? Do you have questions, gripes, or suggestions?
If so, email me at...dahutist@gmail.com
© All rights reserved, David Hutton/Palmetto Fly N Fish 2023
References
1. https://www.flyanglersonline.com/features/lakes/part31.php
2. https://www.johnkreft.com/mcmurray-ant/
3. https://breambugs.com/product/bully-39-s-bluegill-spider-chartreuse/
4. Terry and Roxanne Wilson, "Bluegill Fly Fishing and Flies," 1999 Fred Amato Publcations
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