Description: This Collector's Edition Set of Carrie Stevens streamer patterns recognizes four of the flies with a supernatural theme that she named after ghosts, demons, devils, and witches.
The patterns in this collection are: White Ghost, Golden Witch, Red Devil, and the Demon.
The White Ghost is comparatively obscure compared to her famous Gray Ghost, but it is identical to that pattern in every detail of the dressing except for the white color of the wing.
The Golden Witch is one of the two dozen or so of her patterns that retained some degree of recognition since the 1950's, being among the patterns published in Joseph D. Bates 1950 book, Streamer Fly Tying and Fishing.
The Red Devil is a companion fly to the more well-known Blue Devil.
Rounding out this supernatural quartet of historic Maine streamer flies; the Demon, which is one of Carrie Stevens's lesser known patterns.
Carrie Stevens as fly-tier, and her husband, Wallace, as a guide, developed an urbane clientele that traveled to
Upper Dam, Maine, to fish the famous waters of Rangeley, Mooselucmaguntic, Cupsuptic, Upper and Lower Richardson Lakes, Kennebago Stream, and the Rapid and Magalloway Rivers.
Each fly is dressed in a vise, but otherwise the patterns are assembled using authentic materials and original recipes. I also follow Carrie Stevens' unique method of material placement at the front of the body, behind the head, and cementing of the wing components is also incorporated. The flies are finished off with her elongated, banded heads, remaining true to the colors of thread that she chose to identify the fly and make each pattern unique.
Dressing: These streamers are dressed on Gaelic Supreme hooks that are hand-made in Redditch, England. The hook style is the Martinek / Stevens Rangeley Streamer design, replicated by Gaelic Supreme from samples of vintage Allcock hooks that Carrie custom-ordered from that company prior to their being bombed out in World War II. Gaelic Supreme Rangeley Style Streamer Hooks are a fine replication of the original classic style hooks Carrie Stevens used to dress her streamers.
Hooks: Hook sizes in these sets vary between #1, #2, and #4; using traditional 8x long shank hooks. The random mix of hook sizes adds to the uniqueness of each set.
Show-casing and mounting: These four flies come in a white-enameled display box. Each set is signed and numbered in sequence of their manufacture. Each fly is wire-mounted onto my traditional style streamer packaging card. The pattern name and hook size is hand-lettered on each card by me in #2 pencil. Each set is custom-labeled on the carton top, end, and interior display area, and is signed, dated, and numbered.
Tier's Note: Each of my Carrie Stevens Collector's Edition Set of Streamer Flies is custom tied, labeled, and packaged by me from start to finish. ~ Don Bastian