Ed Thomas
Ithaca, New York
I am fascinated by the traditional soft hackled flies of northern England and
southern Scotland. Their delicate beauty barely masks their deadliness.
I feel fortunate to be tying during a time when many of the classic works (Pritt, Edmonds + Lee, Stewart, etc.) are again available. Of contemporary authors, I like Proper's "What the Trout Said" for historical background and information on materials and Dave Hughes' "Wet Flies" for tying techniques.
Check out Ed's unique personal web site at: North Country Flies
Select One of Ed's Flies:
Be sure to visit our on-line store at
http://www.flytyingworld.com/angling/index.html
for your tying needs.
Tier: Ed Thomas
Hook:
Partridge L3A #16.
Thread: Pearsall's Gossamer silk, brown #17.
Hackle: Small feather of a cock starling.
Notes: This is Stewart's legendary Black Spider. I've never been able to tie this
just as Stewart described it - winding the thread and feather together and then wrapping them down the front half of the hook. I find Dave Hughes' technique of
wrapping the feather first and then ribbing it with thread easier.
Select Another Fly:
Return to Ed's Introduction.
Tier: Ed Thomas
Select Another Fly:
Return to Ed's
Introduction.
Tier: Ed Thomas
Hook:
Partridge L3A #14. Select Another Fly:
Return to Ed's
Introduction.
Tier: Ed Thomas
Select Another Fly:
Return to Ed's
Introduction.
Be sure to visit our on-line store at http://www.flytyingworld.com/angling/index.html 
Hook:
Partridge L3A #14
Thread: Pearsall's Gossamer Silk, orange #6a.
Hackle: Brown mottled feather from a partridge's neck or
back.
Notes: Edmonds and Lee specifically recommended the lighter #6a orange thread
and not the hot-orange that one often sees. When waxed, wrapped on the hook
and wetted, this thread becomes a beautiful orang-brown, not unlike a spinner's body.
This lighter orange is sometimes sold as "gold." 
Thread: Pearsall's Gossamer Silk, Yellow #5.
Hackle: Greyish feather barely tinged with brown from a
partridge's back.
Notes: Edmonds + Lee used Pearsall's yellow #4, but this is no longer available.
I'd love to see a sample if anyone has some. Like the orange thread this one
changes color once it's tied and fished, becoming a yellowish olive.
Hook:
Partridge L3A #14.
Thread: Pearsall's Gossamer silk, yellow #5.
Dubbing: Mole, very sparse.
Hackle: Smoky gray feather from under a waterhen's wing.
Notes: Pritt used the fur from a water rat which is now protected.
Edmonds
and Lee used yellow #4 thread which is no longer available. "Very sparse" means
being able to see the thread clearly through the dubbing. The hand colored fly in
Pritt's book has dubbing that looks like three days of beard stubble - nothing more!
for your tying needs.