The Black & Peacock Spider wet fly is a traditional soft-hackled imitation that continues to prove itself on modern rivers. Often linked with Tom Ivens in the years following the Second World War, this straightforward pattern suggests a wide range of emerging insects and subsurface food, making it a dependable choice when fish are feeding just below the surface.
Spider patterns have come back into favour in recent seasons, especially during the early stages of a hatch when trout are active but not fully rising. The mobile black hen hackle gives natural movement in the current, allowing the fly to be worked high in the water or swung a little deeper depending on conditions. It’s a reliable searching pattern when you need to cover water and locate feeding fish.
Please note all of our fishing flies are barbless unless otherwise stated.
Black & Peacock Spider Wet Fly Specification
Target Species - Trout / Grayling / Sea Trout
Body – Peacock Herl
Rib – Copper Wire
Hackle – Black Hen
Wing – Speckled Fibres
Head – Black Silk
Hook – Barbless, Mustad of Norway
How To Fish the Black & Peacock Spider
Across & Down Swing
Cast slightly across and downstream and allow the current to bring the line under tension. As the fly swings, the soft hackle folds back and opens again, imitating an insect rising through the water.
Dead Drift
Ideal for steadier flows or chalk streams. Fish it upstream like a nymph and allow it to travel naturally with the current. The peacock herl adds a subtle glint that often triggers takes without excessive movement.
Top Dropper Method
When fishing a team of flies, place the Black & Peacock Spider on the top dropper nearest the rod tip. A gentle retrieve can make it skate across the surface film, suggesting a struggling caddis or drowned terrestrial.
