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Submission by Rick Little
Maine's alluring Rivers - by Rick Little – Tier & Presenter
The morning was one of those times a fly fisherman dreams about. The water flow coming through Ripogenous Gorge and the Little Eddy was at just the right level so that with a little careful wading I could reach a series of boulders that would enable me to cover a good portion of the main current. The air was filled with caddis flies and the salmon were rising all over Holbrook Pool. But, as is so often the case with Landlocked Salmon, getting them to take a fly was a real challenge.
The West Branch of the Penobscot river flows from the area north of Moosehead Lake in Northern Maine then turns southeast on its way to Penobscot Bay in Bangor. The area I was fishing that day- over thirty years ago- is just west of Baxter Park and is an excellent Landlocked salmon fishery with some nice Brook Trout mixed in. This section of Maine captures so much of the New England fly fishing experience. It is a land that is owned primarily by the paper companies and is laced with wonderful rivers, streams, lakes and ponds with a good population of Landlocked Salmon, Brook Trout and Lake Trout (or Togue as they are known up here). This is one of the rivers described by Henry David Thoreau in his book The Maine Woods and is a region steeped in the traditions of fly fishing.
Today, the Landlocked Salmon is the primary game fish in the West Branch although certain sections of the river hold some very nice Brook Trout. Unlike Landlocked salmon in most of Maine’s waters, the salmon in the West Branch stay in the river for most of their lives. The river has a wide variety of insect hatches and, in good times, also has smelt which are pulled out of the lakes and into the river where they are a prime food source for salmon.
I was in the early learning stages of my fly fishing experiences on that day and I was growing very frustrated as the morning progressed. The caddis hatch was like a spring snow flurry and salmon were rising everywhere. Finally, as I was wading downstream to meet my fishing companion, Willis, I caught one of the caddis flies and saw that its body was a rich orange color. Nothing in my fly box came close. I kept thinking about what I could do to find a match as Will and I went back to our tent at the Big Eddy for lunch. Once there, I started rummaging through the fly tying materials I had with me, but could not find anything remotely close. I think my frustration level must have triggered a spark of creativity because I spotted my gray wool hunting socks thrown on my sleeping bag and noticed that they had that nice orange band at the top of the sock! Quickly picking up some scissors, I carefully clipped out some of that orange wool and then went to work on the picnic table, tying up a few Henryville Specials with an orange wool body.
Returning to Holbrook Pool after lunch, I tied on one of my orange Henryville Specials, cast upstream, and let the fly drift down through the head of the pool. Within a few casts, I had a nice salmon on. These river-run fish jump high and fight hard! This was the start of a sixteen fish afternoon, with every one caught on an orange Henryville. I learned several important lessons that afternoon that I have carried with me throughout the years. First, be observant. It is very easy to be overwhelmed by the “big picture” that is in front of us, but by carefully analyzing what is really going on, and determining what the fish are really responding to, a day can be changed from one of frustration to a day to remember. Second, I realized that fly patterns are simply starting points. I love history and tradition and this is particularly true about the history of fly fishing but, creativity enables us to adapt to what we see and frees us to become more effective anglers. Third, that day solidified my appreciation for the Landlocked salmon as a game fish and I have been chasing them ever since.
Over the years I have explored some of Maine’s other wonderful Landlocked salmon rivers. While salmon are often trolled for in lakes, I am really a river fisherman, so seek out these fish in waters where I have the chance of catching a high jumping, hard fighting fish that will rise to dry flies or viciously attack streamers. In addition to the West Branch of the Penobscot, I really enjoy fishing the East Outlet (headwaters of the Kennebec River), the Moose River and the Rapid River. Each one is unique and each offers the opportunity to have a wonderful day on the water and the chance for some very nice fish. In addition to the salmon, all of these waters hold Brook Trout and there is always the potential for catching a Brook Trout that will stay in your memory forever.
New England is often thought of as the home to the streamer. Smelt are the primary baitfish in most of these northeastern waters and the streamer patterns that have been developed over the years have primarily been attempts to mimic the smelt. Smelt Fly Patterns by Don Wilson is an excellent source for many of the Northeast’s traditional patterns and, I would be remise not to reference Joseph Bates’ fantastic book Streamer Fly Tying and Fishing for the angler who wants to understand the history of streamer and bucktail patterns. In addition to these authors, there are many local patterns which may not have the national reputation but are extremely effective flies. Eddie Rief’s Ripogenous Smelt is one of my favorites. While he designed it to imitate the bluish tinge common to smelt in the Penobscot, it is a great pattern throughout the Northeast and eastern Canada. Some of my other favorite fly patterns in these waters are the Orange Grey Ghost Marabou, the Montreal Whore and the Gov. Aiken, in addition to traditional favorites such as the original Grey Ghost and Black Ghost.
Steamers are great but…….I love fishing dry flies and emergers for landlocks! One of my own patterns, Rick’s West Branch Caddis Emerger has been a very effective fly for me for years and the Henryville Special (orange body as well as the traditional green), the Usual, and Art Flick’s Hendrickson nymph all can make your day.
Fishing Maine’s rivers is not just about fish- it is about camaraderie and developing memories that will last lifetimes. It is hard to beat a day of fishing a Grey Ghost in the waters of its origin topped off with the fellowship of friends on a fishing camp porch at the end of the day.
New England fishing is not just about fishing the northern rivers. We are also very fortunate to have a long coastline and a long saltwater tradition of fly fishing. For shore anglers, fishing the rocks, estuaries and tidal rivers, the Striped Bass is the primary target.
With a wide range of conditions to fish, there are many different approaches. Personally, I enjoy fishing the salt marsh and estuaries. I use a 10’ six weight rod, rigged with an 11 weight floating line and generally fish with three flies at a time. By using flies of different sizes, shapes and colors, I am able to quickly determine what the fish are feeding on and focus my efforts in the most productive ways. The traditional image of Striper fishing is heavy rods in rolling surf or rocky ledges.
These waters can be very productive and the New England coastline offers hundreds of miles of this type of water, but, maybe it is just the river fisherman in me, I love getting back into the salt creeks and estuaries where I can stalk stripers and use techniques very familiar to me from my freshwater river experiences. I like to wade or, if that is not possible, use a kayak, to get into waters that are away from the crowds and focus on being in beautiful surroundings with the chance for some great fishing.
As I was trying to get a grasp on saltwater fly fishing, I had the great opportunity to read some of Jack Gartside’s books, chat with Jack at a few sporting shows, and spend some time with Ken Abrames in Rhode Island. Both of these gentlemen sparked my imagination and their approaches to fly tying and fishing encouraged me to experiment and focus on what works rather than what is the “established way”. Jack’s books and Ken’s Striper Moon are great starting points for someone new to saltwater fly fishing. The lessons I learned from both of them have helped shape my approach to saltwater fly fishing. I enjoy using small flies (General Practitioners, Deerhair Shrimp, and small, sparse baitfish fry) in those coastal waters and have had great success. For many people new to saltwater fly fishing, the “cast as far as you can and strip as fast as you can” approach is often the approach taken. However, I’ve found that using a floating line, mending your line to present your fly (or flies) in a natural manner, is often much more effective and results in having a tremendous amount of fun. When you fish with a terminal fly and two droppers and end up with three 24” stripers on the line, you are in for a great time!
With summer coming, I’d encourage you to try some of New England’s great coastal waters. Whether you try the rocky shores of Narragansett, Rhode Island, the Cape Cod Canal, or the estuaries of Massachusetts’s North Shore, you will find great opportunities to explore. Email me at ShadCreekFlies@Gmail.com and I’ll be happy to be of assistance.
Submission by Bob Mead
PROVENANCE, ELVIS, and other CURIOSITIES - by Bob Mead – Realistic Tier
What is provenance? When do you need it? How reliable are various forms offered as such? What does it all come down to? In brief, the short answers to these four questions are: proof, always, questionable, and trust.
Over the past 30 years we have become aware that flies are collectable and not just as models for our own tying. We know enough to get a signed card with each fly we are given or buy from a tyer that we intend to add to our collection. This signature serves as future provenance. It is best to have the tyer write the name of the fly on the card along with the date. You can also keep a log of where and when you got each fly. Having a picture taken of your good self with the tyer is a nice supplement.
That is all well and good, but where does the provenance come from when we obtain flies of past greats who are no longer with us?
This is where Elvis comes into the picture. Remember the song Mark James wrote that Elvis sang in 1969 all the way to number one on the charts, his last to hit that mark? No? It was 'Suspicious Minds.'
We should be suspicious, or at least cautious, of what is offered whenever it is not directly from the person who tied the fly. Know your seller. If fly or flies are in an auction, ask any questions you might have that are not covered in the description.
There are various sources and types of provenance.
Most will agree that a fly in it's original package, usually a streamer or wet fly, with printed matter inside designating who tied it and still stapled shut, is a pretty sure bet to be the real thing: but is it?
As a 'for instance' I have a Don Gapen original Muddler Minnow. It is still in its original packaging with a slightly oxidized staple. It is signed on the back with a little note.
How do I know someone didn't either find an old empty package in a box of fishing stuff he bought in a garage sale, or had carefully opened the staple to take out a moth eaten original, and in either case tied a fly to match an old picture of what it looked like, place it in the package and either re-insert the staple or insert a new one that had been 'aged' and pass it off as authentic?
How many would even know what the original looked like? Certainly nothing like anything that is tied under that same name today.
This is when common sense and knowing the seller comes in to play. This particular fly was given, not sold, to me by probably the biggest collector of flies in the country today. He is a very knowledgeable man in the collecting department, but even he had been fooled in his early collecting days.
Years ago he bought several flies in an auction out west that had an authenticator's card saying he deemed these flies to have been tied by Art Flick. Why anyone would authenticate flies of a tyer still living is beyond me.
Back at home in New England my friend, who had never met Art and finding out he was still with us, drove over to his place and introduced himself. Art let him in and said, 'Lets see the flies.'
He dumped them out on the table, and from four feet away Art said, 'Nope, I didn't tie those flies.
'How do you know,' my friend asked.' You didn't even pick them up.'
"I never tied a fly on a turned up eye hook in my life," said Art, "that's how." It wasn't long after that meeting that Art passed away.
Another example involved a Helen Shaw fly in another auction out west. Again it came with a card authenticating it.
Both Hermann and Helen (Kessler) were living up on Red Rock Road at the time and although Helen did very little tying any more, they were both still very much alive. They were members of our Clearwater TU Chapter in Albany NY and made the trek up for a meeting a couple of times each year.
A month later the woman who won the bid on the fly was visiting relatives in the area and when she mentioned obtaining Helen's fly was told Helen lived within easy driving distance. She called to ask if she might stop out and perhaps she'd be kind enough to sign a card to go with the fly.
Once shown the fly, Helen said, "I'm so sorry, but I've never tied that pattern in my life."
If these examples of living tyers flies can be misidentified, how much can you count on the authentication of flies tied by tyers who are no longer with us?
You have no idea how many times I have heard or read in an ebay description that 'these are (insert any early tyer's name) flies. My grandfather, my great Uncle, my neighbor's aunt's first husband's father only bought flies from said tyer.
This is probably one of the most unreliable of all sources. Besides the fact that the person telling you this doesn't really know, wasn't there for every purchase, and would have no idea if some other angler might have given their relative flies, there is this to consider. Lets take the Darbees as an example. When they went on their own they tied all their own flies for a few years. Business boomed and they hired several people, trained them until the new tyers flies looked exactly like their own and filled the bins in their shop with them.
As per daughter Judie, her parents would each have a clipboard at their desk with orders. When they were behind they might tell a customer that they could send them right away, but they would be tied by one of the gals. Usually in a hurry, the customer often said, fine. They would be mailed in the same boxes no matter who tied them.
See where this is going? Although they may all be from the Darbees, they probably were not all tied by the Darbees.
At the Dette's shop the various little cubicles had the tyers name on the back wall of tiny fly bins that held them: Eric Lieser, Jim O'Brien, Dave Pabst and others all tied for them. You knew when you bought them at the shop exactly who had tied them. Even if they were a phone order to be mailed and noted as to who tied what, flies get moved over the years. Original owner may have pulled some out of the little boxes they came in, found he only had 2 of these and 3 of those left and combined them into a single container.
Remember too that forty, fifty years ago, it didn't matter who tied them as they were all for fishing.
Earlier flies are even more difficult to tell apart. Why? Because in the earliest days of American fly tying, the tyers kept their tying techniques secret. How many times have you read that budding tyers 80 or 90 years ago would buy flies, carefully take them apart to see how they were done, then model their own flies after those they had just dissected.
To copy a fly back then, unraveling a single fly might do, but to take one apart in the last couple of decades so one supposedly could later examine the exterior of other flies of an early tyer to tell if a fly was tied by him is pure urban legend.
If "John Smith" were to disassemble a Herman Christian, Roy Steenrod, or Theodore Gordon fly and then, after documenting such things as turns of hackle, turns of thread, if the tail fibers butts were snipped off, tapered, or brought all the way to where the hackle would go, how the wings were attached and so on, and then 're-tie' it, it would no longer be a Christian, Steenrod, or Gordon tied fly: it would be a John Smith fly. And although it would be pleasing to discover exactly how this 'two hundred to two thousand dollar' fly was tied, and even if we were anal enough to do this, there is no assurance that every other fly of this pattern the tyer tied had been tied the same way.
Even today when we tie a few dozen of the same pattern there would be small variations in the amount of barbs or thickness of dubbing and turns of thread. Don't forget, these guys were not spending an hour on each fly and counting every wood duck fiber, they were turning them out rather quicklyfor orders.
If you want a good example of fly variation by the same tyer, dig up some of the old photographs (not painted illustrations) of Ray Bergman flies and check out the great differences in the length of the head alone. His wings too, were often of different lengths.
A good friend of mine, who has long been a collector of all things fly fishing and whose advise I value and respect, tells me the only provenance he truly trusts are flies that come taped in a letter from one tyer to another fly fishing personality that includes instructions on both how to tie and fish them.
'But,' I said playing the doubter, 'what if the receiver of that letter took those flies out to either use, or to examine and copy, and they never were put back in. And what if some soul with a larcenous heart, who later came upon that fly-less letter, and knowing how much more valuable it would be with flies, used the instructions within to tie and replace the flies?' Sound preposterous? Stranger things have happened when money is involved.
Despite my supposition, this example is very strong provenance.
When it comes right down to it any provenance can be faked. Signatures can be copied, old empty boxes from a shop can be re-supplied with newly tied flies tied with period materials and hooks and passed off as originals. The good thing is a large percentage of the most desirable icon's flies are already in collections and when they eventually go up for auction or sale (and they will) the provenance has already been qualified, and what ever proof they have will go with the fly.
This is not to say some undiscovered treasures do not still lurk in a creel or fishing vest, forgotten, in some basement, attic or storage unit.
Anytime there is money involved, someone will figure a way to make something off of nothing: after all, if you can get people to believe a fly was tied by Theodore Gordon you might get near two thousand dollars for it.
There are several people who authenticate flies with either a little card saying they deem, or they have examined a fly, used several sources and determine this fly to be tied by so and so. They are all intelligent individuals and I believe truly do their best to do an impossible task. It is much easier for them to tell you who didn't tie it.
The best any of them can reliably do is give it their best 'guess.' Unless they were there at the first transaction and it hasn't been out of their sight since, there is just no absolute 100 percent way of knowing. Wouldn't you like to see a letter with each authenticated fly describing what the authentication was based on and copies of all material used to do so? Only one fellow I know does that and that is for the CFFCM. On all other forms of provenance you are expected to accept what is offered as fact without explanation.
The pool it all riffles down to is called trust.
Occasionally tyers will tie a couple of novelty flies: little curiosities. Many, many years ago Ralph Graves tied the first 'flag' fly. Since Ralph's fly shop was named The Olde Glory Fly Shop, it makes sense. He also tied one with the U.S. flag on one side, and the Canadian flag on the other. Decades later, after 911, everyone was tying an American flag fly.
Harold 'Bunky' Williams tied an amazing helicopter. Don Ordes originated the Platypus and beaver flies. Lief Ortenhol created an amazing trimmed deer hair cigar with ash and matching cigarette butt.
My own 'silliness' is limited to a threesome: a Humming Bird in the mid '80s, a Red Baron biplane and a Great Blue Heron with small trout in the '90s, all three given away.
Be warned: there is a danger in collecting flies. It doesn't stop there. You will find yourself wanting things that the tyers of your fly collection once owned: books, tools, materials; anything these icons owned or touched.
To be a serious collector one should study fly tying history. Learn who corresponded, fished, or belonged to the same clubs with whom. Often old books and magazine articles will connect tyers, fishermen and writers. In the days before the Internet, letter writing was a common method of keeping in touch, and just as we now seem to be unable to throw anything out, neither could they. Letters were rarely tossed because they often contained fly patterns, sample flies, fishing reports, scheduled get-togethers, and family news: all things that can help you verify provenance.
You should also be aware of the time-line of various hooks, materials, and tools. Why? Because if someone has a sought after fly from the '30s for sale that is tied on a hook that wasn't manufactured until forty years later, you probably should pass.
Knowing who knew who and who was a good friend of who comes into play when someone selling a fly has a connection with the past that makes his or her possession of whatever they are offering for sale make sense.
Fly collecting is addictive. Just remember to keep a bit of a suspicious mind, or you'll be humming 'I'm caught in a trap, I can't get out, I love this stuff too much baby.'
Submission by Bob Mead
ON COLLECTING - A Story Goes With It - by Bob Mead – Realistic Tier
In the Damon Runyon tale “A Story Goes With It” the main character, Hot Horse Herbie, uses this line every time he touts a prospective bettor.
‘A story goes with it,’ he tells his sport, then whispers the reasons the nag is worthy of a healthy wager.
The point here is that when there is a story behind something it perks the listener’s interest. The more unusual, fascinating, or licentious it sounds, the more people want to hear.
The relevancy of the above to fly tyers and their flies is this: in the world of collecting something must set a tyer and his flies apart from thousands of others who tie just as well.
We all know, or should know, something of the history of fly tying and how its early practitioners have been elevated in reverence to near sainthood. We know too that their flies command several hundred times the original price.
The “story” behind each of these icons is well known. No one has to tell us their flies are desirable. It is the present day tyers and especially the newer ones that we must somehow see into their future and determine if they too will have a place in at least local fly tying history, if they have an interesting enough story.
Naturally, not every tyer seeks even quasi immortality, although you would never know it from the number promoting themselves on the internet.
So what is the story we should be looking for? Forget the framed piece you picked up because the matting matched your drapery, or the ‘guilt’ flies you bought after hanging around a tyer, chatting for more than an hour, and felt obligated: those aren’t the stories I am referring to.
Fly tyers are characters. Know any who aren’t? Characters always have a story. They may have grown up on a river, been published in books and magazines, created something original, operated a shop for 30 years, or fished and tied with past greats. Perhaps they struggled on their own, or their father, grandfather, or ‘old guy down the street’ taught them, but there is always a story.
Originality is the toughest asset for a tyer to obtain. Hasn’t everything been done? No, not if you spend time experimenting rather than just copying what is already out there and the best you can do is substitute some craft store fungus as the hottest new fly tying material.
Originality comes as inspiration. It will pop out at you when least expected. Be ready for it and most importantly write down your thoughts or they will drift away like a dream.
Ronn Lucas ties a salmon fly on a straightened hook that resembles a spear, he also makes hooks - there is a story.
Sometimes the entire story is just in a name. Years ago the late Ed Bordas, alias Steel Ed, brought a fish tank-like devise to the shows. It had a motorized crankshaft mounted inside that he tied his yarn material flies to with short pieces of mono. The action gave the flies a pulsating action in the water similar to marabou. Each fly had a multi strand white flax-like thread tail.
Ed would demonstrate his pinch, tie, pull method of tying while his aquarium motor hummed. The material looked like a puff of elongated dubbing in his fingers. He had small packets of the fibers in various colors, but rarely made any sales.
One day inspiration hit him and he changed the name to Lazer Yarn. After that it sold like it was the Golden Fleece.
The late Paul Ptalis created a fly and named it the Roy G Biv. Forgetting everything I learned about the color spectrum in my 6th grade art class, I asked who Roy G. Biv was.
Ed McQuat ties a simple dry fly he named the Brown Thing. If he had named it ‘The Brown Mayfly’ no one would remember it, but “The Brown Thing?” Yeah, that sticks in your mind.
Shawn Davis ties artistic ‘motion’ flies on solid gold hooks that he creates from gold wire.
Val Kropiwnicki combines metal sculptured hooks with conventional fly tying material.
All these tyers think outside the fly box.
Charlie Chute is one of the few tyers you will see at a show actually tying and completing a married wing, complicated body salmon fly. Not an easy task when people are leaning on and shaking your table. He is one of the most respected tyers in the country if not the world.
David Martin is the most original realistic fly tyer I know. Rather than describe his flies I suggest you google him and check out his site to see why his work is so highly collectable.
Bill Blackstone needs no introduction. He and John Betts were the original synthetic material guys whose flies are absolutely ‘must haves.’
Jackson Leong is another realistic tyer whose butterflies belong in every serious collection. And there is only one Bill Logan.
Fred Hannie ties a bullfrog popper type fly that amazes me. He doesn’t make many and when you see the detail in the head you will know why. Each one is signed on the under side. It certainly is fishable, but my three will never see water.
There are many fine salmon fly tyers: Paul Rossman, Wayne Luallen, Marvin Nolte, Greg Heffner, Rick Whorwood, Harry Lemire, and the genius, the controversial Paul Schmookler. Their prices can be quite high: they have earned that ‘A’ list distinction by their writings, by paying their dues, by putting in their time.
Photographer, writer, tyer Mike Radencich’s salmon flies are the best examples of perfection I’ve seen.
Dave McNeese, is best known for his steelhead flies. He has one of the world’s largest butterfly collections.
Lefty Kreh is in a class by himself. Bobby Popovics, Bob Clouser and Bob Boyle are automatics for any collection: experimenters and originators all. And if you can find some, get anything tied by the deer hair gurus Tim England and Chris Helm.
Keith Fulsher, Erick Lieser, Charlie Krom, Gary Borger and Dave Whitlock are all legends and still do a little tying, Dave the most active of the five. Ed Van Put is in the same class act group just mentioned, but is about as hard to get a fly from as Ernie Schwiebert was.
Everyone is familiar with A.K. Best’s story, but wouldn’t you like to have a couple of John Gierach’s flies? Better yet, a frame containing a Gierach, Best, and Ed Engle fly with a group picture and signatures.
From the far side we have Don Ordes and his clever “Bait’s Motel.” For those of you born yesterday, that is a play on Alfred Hitchcock’s infamous Bate’s Motel in his classic film, Psycho. Ordes’ motel houses dozens of his creative oddballs like Saber Tooth Mouse. It is worth the price of admission just to hear Don’s stand-up routine. Yup, when you see them you are going to want to add some to your collection.
The Darbee story is well documented, but did you know that daughter Judie does a bit of personal tying? Wouldn’t it be nice to complete the trifecta?
The Dette story is just as well known. I think Mary has found the fountain of youth: she never seems to age. She still takes orders for her flies although you will be on a waiting list. Fear not, you pay when they are ready.
Her grandson Joe Fox (29) is the blood knot to the Dette heritage and his flies are as immaculate as his perfect tight loop casting. The fine Catskill tying artistry of his grandmother and great grandparents will be carried on flawlessly.
A hot tip: Mary found a box of her mother’s flies, probably an order that was never picked up, or an order that went uncompleted. You can buy one of Winnie’s flies at a reasonable price through Joe, accompanied by a letter of provenance written by Mary. This unexpected find is the last of Winnie’s flies. Walt’s are gone except for those in a large framed set on the wall above the door. Just google Joe, or you can find him on his sparsegreymatter site. Joe is also the only one who has a few of author Mike Valla’s flies for sale.
Ralph Graves, another Catskill legend, has staved off cancer twice the past few years. He still has his wry sense of humor. While watching another fine tyer, Ted Patlen, tie at the Catskill FFCM he picked up the completed fly Ted had just tossed on the table, examined it carefully, then said, “I can fix that.”
He still does some tying, but doesn’t have a computer and is hard to get hold of.
Frank Kutner is another of the shrinking number tied to the old guard of Catskill tyers who still ties fishing flies, so fish them by all means, but ask for a signed card or two and stick a few away.
Dave Brandt, long time casting instructor for the Lee and Joan Wulff Fly Fishing School, is one of the more active of the old time Catskill tyers. A fishing companion of Lee, friend of Art Flick, the Darbees, and Dettes, you can see their influence in the flies he ties on the show circuit.
He is also the most serious and intense fishermen I have ever met. It is fun to fish with him as long as you can take the head-shakes, the stares, and the sighing. Once an instructor, always an instructor, but after 30 years of fishing together Dave has given up trying to correct my casting flaws.
Don Bastian is best known for the flies he tied to match the Dr Burke fly plate paintings of Bergman flies in Trout that were photographed and featured in the epic tome Forgotten Flies.
His flies are so unbelievably reasonable you can fish with them without a care.
Andy Brasco lives and breathes wet flies. He writes a column on them for the Catskill Fly Tyers Guild Newsletter. Grab some.
Would any collection be complete without some flies from the Harrops, Joe Humphreys, Al Troth, Jimmy Nix, Royce Dam, Tom Baltz, Charlie Meck, Bill Heckel, Ted Niemeyer, Dave Skok, Harold Williams, Mike Martinek, and Darwin Atkin? My goodness, where do you stop? Don’t forget Fishy, even if you just want to pin one of his great hoppers on your hat.
The overseas tyers would take up an entire column and Oliver Edwards would head the cast followed closely by Hans Van Klinken.
All those mentioned have stories as to how they came to be who they are, or were. It is always hard to single out individuals as examples because you always omit a lot of good ones. They are singled out not because of who they are, but for how they got there. And how they got there is what you should be looking at and asking yourself if new tyers seem to be following one of these tracks to longevity and renown.
A few tyers to watch:
Vince Wilcox. A young innovative tyer who writes for three magazines, runs a shop in the Adirondacks for his livelihood, and has had his flies featured on magazine covers.
Wayne Samson. Check him out in Volume 3 of ‘Fly Tyers of the World.’
John Bonasera. Better known as Catskill John, a fantastic tyer, fly tying history buff, and rod maker.
Joe Cordeiro. Known for his ‘Flat Wing’ super long saddle hackle salt-water flies, has also had his flies on magazine covers and used in advertisements.
Pat Cohen. Unbelievable new deer hair tyer. Grab some of his flies before the prices go up.
Greg Belcamino, a fine tyer and fisherman who writes for the prestigious New York Angler’s Club Bulletin.
It is always a worthwhile venture to buy flies featured on a magazine cover. Have the tyer sign the cover and put it away in a plastic sleeve with the fly or flies.
On Prices. The highest price is not always the best investment. Like signed prints, framed high priced flies really need a story behind the tyer, or 20 inflationary years from now, you will be lucky to sell them for half what you paid. The tyers pricing of his flies is discretionary. Just because you made, or make, $30 an hour when you were/are working does not automatically relate to time worth spent tying.
There are many tyers right on this site worth collecting.
Bruce Marino’s Norway Rat at $5; the picture doesn’t give you any idea how darn big that thing is. Every one should own a couple.
Garren Wood’s Black Rogue and Golden Demon at a deuce apiece.
Tim Wohland’s Grass Shrimp is a thing of beauty.
Scott Cesari is the future.
Mike Schmidt is a fine tyer and the kind of guy you’d like your daughter to marry.
There are a lot very good tyers with reasonably priced flies on this site, even the salmon flies. Read their bios, research them, find their story. Just be sure you ask for a couple signed cards when you buy their flies.
A story must always go with it. No story? Fish with it!
Next month: The wrap up. Odds and Ends and Provenance.
Editors Note:
The name “Bob Mead” is the entire story. Bob brought realistic tying to the place it is today. His ultra-realistic ladybugs, mosquitoes, praying mantises and black widow spiders (commissioned for the final episode of “Royal Pains” that aired in January) are enough to make one believe they are seeing the real thing.
Tier bios that Bob mentioned in his article:
Shawn Davis
Bruce Marino
Garren Wood
Tim Wohland
Mike Schmidt
Submission by Bob Mead
ON COLLECTING Part I - by Bob Mead – Realistic Tier
Beauty, it has long been said, is in the eye of the beholder. This axiom is a basic truth of life, if it were not, there’d be a lot more single people wandering around this planet.
In the world of fly fishing and its related collectables, just as in love, beauty is not relegated solely to the physical appearance of an item, but quite often to its intangibles: its history, rarity, and potential to increase in value.
When I write of collecting here I am not referring to the normal accumulation due to the occasional or even fanatical upgrading of one’s tackle. I am writing of the conscious effort to procure items through various methods for no other reason than to own them and to dig out every couple of years to admire.
In the world of fly fishing, flies are a relatively ‘Johnny-come-lately’ collectable obsession and will be the main topic of discussion here.
Books on the subject were most likely the first items fly fishers collected followed much later by rods, reels, and more recently creels. Flies, as collectables, especially with letters or signature cards, have a much shorter lineage.
Less than three decades ago the majority of people, and notice I wrote majority, not all, as I know there are a few brilliant, far sighted people out there, but the majority - never thought to ask for a signature card when a well known tyer/author, local Guru, or long time fly shop owner would flip a fly or two to the guys watching him tie.
Looking back thirty years ago I can’t recall a single guy (there weren’t many women at the meetings back then) asking for a signed card to go with a ‘gifted’ fly, and that includes me. In the ‘50s, ‘60s ’70s and even the early ‘80s anyone lucky enough to be tossed a completed fly by a guest tyer simply wanted it to measure his own flies against and to use as a model. Silly us.
A collector often starts out altruistic, collecting for the love of it, eventually amassing rooms full of ‘stuff’ until his spouse threatens to call the TV program ‘Hoarders - Buried Alive’ and suggests his good self for a future episode.
Some collect as an investment right from the start, while others just enjoy having their fishing buddies’ flies and those of their favorite tying experts.
A few collect only specific flies: Green Highlanders from the salmon fly boys, Red Quills from all who will tie one, a Grey Ghost from the streamer specialists. I’ve met several who specialize in spun deer hair mice.
There are some who have their flies mounted in matching frames - those with big houses anyway. My home is a rather small Cape-style abode decorated in early Trout Unlimited and my wife has forbidden me to buy or bid on one more ‘anything’ that hangs on a wall.
Others store the majority of their flies in chest of drawers or keep them in small plastic boxes that are in turn stored in larger boxes while displaying selected frames and domes of flies on walls, mantels, and bookcase shelves. Many accumulate indiscriminately, collecting from any and every tyer they meet.
In the end though, it is always about value – about money. Think not? When was the last time you heard of a widow calling for a dumpster instead of a representative of an auction site when her husband left her with a house full of fishing rods, reels, books, flies, and tying paraphernalia?
So what makes a fly, or fly tyer collectable? To start with, think originality. WHAT? But everyone is tying an original fly you say, just look at the internet: Jack’s Hopper, Bill’s Hopper, Jim’s Hopper, Ted’s Hopper, Pete’s Hopper, and Killer this and Killer that, ad infinitum. That’s when longevity comes in to play, and to some extent, personality.
Many flies you see in magazines and on the Internet have never been fished. They have been created strictly as an article fly. Surprised? I didn’t think so. I’m not referring to art flies, nor the salmon flies or ultra realistics, but to regular fishing flies. I do not state this as speculation, but as fact admitted to over the years by tyer/writer friends over dinner after a days fishing or at a bar after a show. I’ve done it myself, not intentionally, but by measuring the finish line too closely, by letting too many interruptions crowd the deadline. It looks buggy. It ought to catch fish.
Think about it. When do most tyers tie? The answer, of course, is during the winter when by regulations, or in year-round streams by weather, trout season is over: when only the outlaws in the first case and the hardiest of steelheaders in the second are still out there flailing away. That’s when the sanest of us retreat to the tying bench.
When we do tie during the season it is to match an unexpectedly early hatch or a slightly different color insect body due to the environs. Not much experimental tying when trout are rising.
Step by step articles in actual magazines are written for two main reasons: money and ego. That may sound a bit harsh, but if you really think about it, you will agree. I’ve yet to meet the saint who writes step by step tying articles for the pure enlightenment of his brethren.
Think for a minute how many of today’s most collectable flies were not tied as collectables at all, but to fish.
The old time salmon fly tyers were the first to go beyond ‘fishing’ flies, perhaps trying to outdo each other with more and more complicated wings until, like today, they have become strictly collectables. Do some people fish feather wings? Sure, but not many with a full dressed Jock Scott.
Internet step-by-step articles usually are a no pay or very low pay proposition. I think it is safe to say that a very small percentage of the fishing flies you see posted on the Internet, or in magazines for that matter, will ever become household names. Certainly anyone could pick out a select few exceptions, but they are far and few between.
Several decades ago it was a lot easier for a new fly to gain legs and popularity when a noted tyer wrote about it. If you read of a new fly, you (and many others) would try it. If you caught a few fish on it the first time out, you kept using it. If you never had another day as productive as the first, if production fell or quit altogether, you lost faith in it until eventually it dropped out of favor and lost its place in your fly box. But you would have at least given it a try because had been written up and recommended by a trusted personality.
Since the advent of the Internet we have been exposed to a virtual blizzard of new flies presented by anyone who can use a camera and a computer and who wants to see their work in print. I think you get my point.
Noted tyers were fewer in the ‘60s and ‘70s and getting a book or article published by anyone new to tying a lot harder. The once frowned upon so called “vanity presses” have been replaced by the less egotistical sounding self-publishing businesses, and anyone can publish a book at a reasonable cost. If you want to save money you can literally do it yourself. If you are not set up to do it yourself, any Staples or Office Max will be happy to get your business.
Occasionally someone will send me a link to a You Tube tying video. Although there are some very good ones, there are just as many poor ones. Some of the worst are the guys supposedly showing others the correct way to do a whip finish. Check them out sometime and see how many do it incorrectly, backwards, so the pull thread comes back over the top of the wraps before going under them. Worse yet are the tyers who jump on with comments thanking the guy for showing them the correct way of doing it? I just don’t know what to say. I tried once, leaving a polite comment, and the guy came back just as politely explaining that I probably hadn’t noticed he was left handed. Left brained would be closer to it, and said brain located several inches below the back of his belt. It’s still backward! I gave up. I mention this only to give you an example of who ‘not’ to collect.
Unless you are an ardent student of fly fishing/tying history and are ultra selective in the purchase of flies, by the time you have collected the flies of two or three hundred tyers, you will most likely be better off fishing 90 percent of them. The problem is that somewhere in that 90 percent could be the one or two who may one day become the next Lefty Kreh, John Gierach or his buddy A.K.Best. The reincarnation of Harvey, Marinaro, Darbee, Dette, or Grant could emerge from the masses. So you keep them all.
Next month I will get a little more specific with some suggestions on some current tyers to collect, and more importantly, why. I can already hear someone in the back row snorting, “I’ll pick my own, thank you.” He probably picks his own stock too. We will also examine flies that have become collectable versus flies that are tied specifically to be collectable. I call them Franklin Mint flies.
The famous tyers of the past need little mention. They are obvious to anyone who bothers to read some of the books written on the history of our sport.
For the moment, collect them all if they are ‘reasonable’ (an iffy word that we’ll talk about next month too) and get a couple from each, a dozen if fishing fly priced, and be sure to ask for a couple signed cards. If you feel it is beneath you to ask some new tyer for his autograph, have your kid or wife do it.
Until next time, here is a tip. Something I have been doing since Chuck Furimsky started promoting FF shows in 1987. When you go to a FF show, Conclave, or a club meeting that features one or more guest speakers or tyers, or to a Hall of Fame induction ceremony or any other award presentation, have the person or persons sign the program, or if there is one, the poster, and ask any other celebrity types that might be there to sign too. Better yet, get two programs signed. If there is not a full date on the program, date it, and file it away in a protective plastic cover. Trust me, they will be valuable one day. As ever, Bob
Submission by Rick Hafele
Winter fishing by Rick Hafele – Author-Lecturer-Bug Man
When the air temperature drops into the low 40’s and 30’s and the occasional snowflake brushes against your cheek, you know things will be different the next time you go fishing. The hum of wings and chaotic flight of insects on a warm summer’s evening are long gone. It’s rare now to see any insects flying about, and one would assume that aquatic insects are as few and far between on a cold winter’s day as their terrestrial cousins. Interestingly enough, however, this is not the case. The winter months will find the insect life in streams and lakes rich, abundant, and active. In fact, the abundance of aquatic insect nymphs and larvae is typically greater during the winter than during the summer and late fall. This is a reflection of the emergence patterns for many aquatic insect species; mature nymphs and pupae emerge into adults throughout the spring, summer, and fall. As a result the stream is left with low numbers of nymphs and larvae. The adults return to the water within days or weeks to lay eggs, and those eggs often don’t begin to hatch until early to mid fall. By the time winter rolls around a whole new generation of insect larvae are scrambling among stream-bottom rocks actively feeding and growing even as water temperatures approach freezing.
While most of the action in the winter is underwater, there are a few species that emerge to adults through the winter. These hatches may not be as dense as those of warmer months, but they can still create surface feeding activity from trout that have few options when it comes to surface food during the winter. Since terrestrial insects are virtually non-existent during the winter, trout must rely on aquatic species for food, primarily on the underwater stages, but also on those adults that take to the air on cold winter days.
A winter’s day of fishing has it’s own rhythm of activity unique to the conditions of the season. Understanding those rhythms can help you decipher when, where and with what to fish. With that in mind let’s take a look at what might be considered a “typical” winter’s day of insect and fish activity.
Morning
There are few winter mornings that find me standing knee deep in ice-water fishing. However, that’s not because fish can’t be caught. It has more to do with my comfort to catch quotient, which has moved more to the comfort end of the scale as I have grown older. “Been there, done that” comes to mind as I contemplate frozen fingers and ice clogged guides. But that’s just me. As my Uncle use to say, “You can’t catch any fish unless you fly’s in the water.” Of course that was usually in response to the many branches and trees my flies kept hanging from when he was teaching me to fly fish.
Mornings present the coldest water and air temperatures of the day. Since insects and fish are both cold blooded – essentially the same temperature as the water they live in – winter mornings are not a hotbed of activity. But even a small increase in temperature from the warming rays of the sun may start some fish moving and feeding. Their primary food will be whatever nymphs and larvae are available on the streambed and drifting in the currents. To determine what that might be take a few minutes and collect a sample or two of insects from the stream bottom using a sampling net. Look for the most abundant and active nymph wriggling in your net. That will be a good choice for a nymph pattern fished along the bottom. If by chance you find some of the insects are mature and look ready to emerge, then you might find a nymph fished closer to surface will work well. Because the winter population of insects is routinely quite diverse, it can take a little time to sort out just what fish might be feeding on. Just because it is winter doesn’t mean trout will be completely unselective in their choice of food.
Nymph fishing on a winter morning will certainly hone your skills for nymph fishing other times of the year. The sluggish metabolism of winter fish means their takes are softer and subtler than ever. It also means they won’t go as far out of their way to take your fly. Thus reading the water and being able to detect the softest takes is critical if you hope to hook some winter trout. I find a strike indicator essential for such nymph fishing. I also find that casting as short a line as possible to effectively fish a piece of water improves my odds of detecting a strike and setting the hook quickly – seems fish can spit out a nymph just as fast in the winter as in the summer. Also keep moving and fish new water. Since many fish won’t be actively feeding you need to cover as many fish as possible to increase your odds of finding one ready to take a fly.
Later Morning – Early Afternoon
From about 11:00 to 3:00 is when I want to be on the water in the winter. By 11:00 air and water temperatures have risen, fish are more active, and if any insects are going to hatch they will usually start between 11:00 and 1:00. Because so few insects emerge in the winter, there will usually be just one dominant species on the water. In the winter you won’t have a difficult time deciding what to imitate when a hatch occurs.
What hatches are you likely to run into during the winter? I find there are three hatches that consistently show up when the weather turns cold: chironomids, winter stoneflies, and Baetis or blue-winged olives. There are literally hundreds of species of chironomids in streams throughout the country. Many species seem to emerge only in the winter. Because there are so many species, it is important to collect some of the naturals floating downstream to determine their size and color. Just as in any other season the pupa stage, drifting slowly up to the surface, is often the most effective stage to imitate. Due to the cold water pupae will hang in the surface even longer than normal before the adults emerge, so fishing a midge pupa in the surface film can be very effective. The cold conditions also result in more stillborn adults – adults that don’t escape completely from the pupal shuck and end up dead or dying in the surface film. As a result dry patterns that imitate a struggling or dead adult can work quite well.
Winter stoneflies (primarily of the family Capniidae and Nemouridae) are small (size 18 to 14) dark brown to black stoneflies that emerge primarily in the winter. I commonly see them during winter cross country skiing trips that take me along a mountain stream. The dark colored adults look like ants running over the snow along the water’s edge. The females of many species of winter stoneflies are wingless, which only adds to their ant-like appearance. After mating on the bank the females crawl or fly back to the water to lay their eggs. Most end up caught in the water’s surface floating downstream. Small dry flies that match them in size and color will often take some nice winter trout.
Baetis, or blue-winged olive, hatches can be a real treat in the winter. Depending on where you live good hatches may occur anytime between November and March. Some winter days will produce hatches just as heavy as on a good spring or fall afternoon. Small nymph patterns work well before the adults start popping up to the surface. As adult activity increases switch to small emerger patterns and of course dry flies will work too. Even when there is good surface feeding activity the fish are still more sluggish than normal so presentation is critical – drift your fly right down a trout’s feeding lane without any drag. Also check the size and color of the naturals carefully. These will vary from stream to stream, and even week to week.
Late Afternoon – Evening
The sun drops below the horizon early in the winter, and when its rays disappear the warmth they provided quickly disappears as well. In my experience this often results in a surprisingly quick end to both insect and fish activity for the day. Spinner falls or other egg laying activity will not wait for the soft light of evening in the winter. If they haven’t occurred by late afternoon they probably won’t occur until the next day. Likewise fish seem to suddenly stop feeding when the day’s light fades. Switching back to some deep fished nymphs may pick-up another fish or two, but I am usually ready to watch the sun set and notice how quiet and peaceful a stream can be in the winter. You can sometimes extend the time period of good fishing by half an hour or so by finding a stretch of stream where the sun is not yet blocked off the water. Make note of the areas on the streams you fish where the sun’s rays linger the longest. They will be the perfect place to end a winter’s day on the stream.
Final Notes
First, clear winter days have very low humidity. This is not good for tiny adult insects that struggle to prevent dehydration. This can result in the interesting winter phenomenon I call the “snowstorm effect.” If you fish much during the winter you will find that some of the best hatches occur on wet overcast days, especially it seems when there is a good snowfall. My theory is that these days provide the humidity needed to protect the hatching adults, and somehow the nymphs underwater can recognize those conditions. Therefore, don’t wait for a nice sunny day to spend some time on the water. An overcast snowy day may be just the right conditions for some hot fishing on a cold day.
Second, hatch activity in the winter, when it occurs, will often be compressed into a short period – an hour for example. This means you will need to be in the right place at the right time with the right flies to take advantage of the brief opportunity. Being the first angler on the water doesn’t matter in the winter, but you don’t want to be eating lunch during the only hour of good hatch activity. Keep this in mind as you plan your day.
Third, spend some time looking in the stream for what insects are there for fish to eat. Many anglers assume that fish aren’t selective during the winter and any old buggy looking fly will work. However, as I mentioned earlier, the diversity and abundance of insects peak in the winter, so it is important to select a fly pattern that matches the dominant insect. Match its size and shape and fish it in the best fish holding water.
Finally, with some rare exceptions, a good day of fishing in the winter will not equal a good day during other seasons. Therefore, don’t expect to see lots of rising fish or have them chasing your flies across the water. Successful winter fishing requires patience, good reading water skills, careful observation, and good casting and presentation technique. If you can find and catch fish in the winter, you’ll really shine when things warm up in the spring.
Make sure you visit Rick's websites: you will be glad you did!
Laughing River Productions
RickHafele.com
This material cannot be copied or reproduced without Rick Hafele’s express written permission.
Submission by Kirk Werner
A tribute to the man that invented the Woolly Bugger – Russell Blessing
As author of Olive the Woolly Bugger, I can take credit for having created the character and the stories in my books, but the person truly responsible was a man by the name of Russell Blessing. Not long ago I received an email from someone whose name I didn’t recognize: Fred Blessing. The message subject was “Woolly Bugger”, so obviously I opened it with great curiosity. Fred began by saying that he had recently come across my kids’ books about Olive the Woolly Bugger. He then introduced himself as the son of the late Russell Blessing, creator of the Woolly Bugger fly. I was familiar with who Russ Blessing was, for obvious reasons (you don’t launch a series of books based on a Woolly Bugger without doing a little research first). News of Russ’s death in October 2009 spread through the fly fishing world, but Russ Blessing wasn’t what most would consider a household name to everyone who fly fishes. I would soon learn that Russ’s relative anonymity was no accident.
Fred went on to tell me that his father was a very humble man and not in any way was he ever interested in claiming fame for the fly that had gained such notoriety in the fly fishing world: “He would never tell anyone about it, and if they would mention it while coming across a fellow fisherman he would simply play it off and would never take claim to it being his fly.” The mark of a truly humble man indeed.
Fred had written a heartfelt tribute to his father, hoping to have it published in Russ’s honor before he died. Sadly that didn’t happen and Russ passed away after a long battle with cancer. According to Fred, his wife “graciously read my tribute to my father the night he passed away, so for that I’m grateful that he at least got to hear it. I would however like to share it with the world, letting fellow fly fishers know what kind of person my father really was.” Fred then added, “I do think you will enjoy the tribute and I would appreciate anything you can do to help my tribute to go public.” Fred also sent me this photo of he and Russ and Russ’s best friend and fishing companion, Werner “Dutch” Fetter. It’s always nice to be able to put a face with a name in this day of often impersonal electronic correspondence.
When I read Fred’s tribute to his father I was touched. I decided immediately that I could blog about it, and reach out to other bloggers and ask that they also blog about it, but let’s be honest: How many people actually read all the fly fishing blogs out there? Not to detract from the many excellent blogs, but my other blog, the Unaccomplished Angler, has a limited readership. This blog has an even more limited readership. I felt that Fred’s tribute to his father deserved a more traditional place of honor, so I fired off an email to Joe Healy, a contact I had recently established at Fly Rod & Reel magazine. Joe was very receptive and after a series of back and forth emails, it was decided that I would write a brief intro and conduct a Q & A interview with Fred Blessing to share some information about his father.
My role in all this was really nothing more than that of intermediary, but it was a real honor to help the Blessing family get the word out about who Russ really was: beyond just being the man behind what has become arguably the most famous fly pattern in the world. I would like to offer a heartfelt thanks to Fred Blessing for reaching out to me with your story and for sharing so much about your father. Thank you to Joe Healy for your willingness to honor Russ’s legacy with some widespread coverage. And thank you to Russ Blessing for the woolly bugger: the value of your creation reaches far beyond my little series of books, but without the woolly bugger there would be no Olive.
To read the interview with Fred Blessing and Fred’s tribute to his father on the website of Fly Rod & Reel, please click HERE.