My interest in North Country Spiders is twofold: that they’re cool (traditional, sparse, elegant, simple), and that so many of them translate well to our streams here in the U.S. Like the Grey Partridge. I first saw this pattern in Syl Nemes’ Two Centuries of Soft-Hackled Flies. Nemes saw it in T.E. Pritt’s North Country Flies. Now I’m sharing it with you. This pattern doesn’t get a lot of juice, but it makes a darned good Light Cahill. Just ask the trout.
Grey Partridge (Grey Watchet)
Hook: Dry or wet fly, 12-16
Silk: Straw
Hackle: A light feather from a Partridge’s breast
Head: Peacock herl
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Tying Notes: If you’re going for authenticity, tie the head in first and finish the fly behind the hackle. I used two strands of herl spun on thread for this fly; you can see the technique in my Drowned Ant video here. Next, attach and wind the hackle rearward. (It take s little practice.) Wind the silk body and finish. You can find a general North Country spider video tutorial here.
currentseams.com 
[…] too) that kept us occupied for nearly two hours. We fished a Squirrel and Ginger top dropper, a Grey Watchet in the middle, and depending on water depth and speed, a SHBHPT, Old Blue Dun, or March Brown […]
[…] Grey Partridge (Grey Watchet) […]
[…] classic North Country spider, the Grey Partridge (Grey Watchet). I’ve always admired the look of this fly. Trout like it, too. Wet flies are generally very […]
Thanks for sharing this, Steve; we talked a couple of years ago at the TU Nutmeg chapter meeting you spoke to in Bridgeport- since then I’ve become a passionate fly tier and have recently tied (and caught fish on ) some wets- I’ll be trying this one next.
Hi Jeff. That’s great to hear! This is a fantastic pattern for sulphurs or Light Cahills or any pale-bodied fly hatch. Go get ’em! 🙂