For over five centuries, men and women have been trying to deceive trout. Some used natural baits to lure a trout to their hook, while others applied their wits and imagination to craft imitations of insects. TB
heir frauds then, as now, were constructed using thread, feathers and hair. These many years later little has changed - but then again much is different. The definition of artificial fly has been broadened to i
ncorporate imitations of insects other than flies, as well as most other forms of aquatic life - indeed, virtually any animal form upon which fish feed.
Whether the designing of trout flies is art, craft, scieD
nce, or even alchemy, we leave to the reader to decide. Fly fishers, and particularly fly tiers, are in perpetual search of their grail - that mystical combination of materials which will prove irresistible to
trout. The trout fisher
s aphrodisiac. Some flies have achieved a degree of success and their names are forever etched into fly-fishing history. The Royal Coachman, Mickey Finn, Adams and Muddler Minnow exempliF
fy such success. As with race horses, anglers have endowed their creations with names, personalizing them in perpetuity.
Other flies result from a more pragmatic approach to trout fishing. The theory is simple
: understand everything about the fish, its environs, its food, and then trick that tiny fish brain by imitating that which it
s programmed to eat. This more scientific approach works, and has become the basis H
for most modern fly tying. We not only imitate Mayflies in general, but we can construct flies to represent each of their life stages, even by gender when needed, and our books and charts will generally tell us
when and where these flies are to be used. The flies which result from this approach customarily bear names which describe insects being imitated, and/or the ingredients used. Thus, we have our Green Drakes, HJ
exagenias, Poly Wing Spinners and Elk Hair Caddis. But even this logical method, though effective much of the time, reveals enough inconsistencies that we can only conclude there is much not yet understood conc
erning fish and insect behavior.
There also are other design categories: flies which are just easy to tie, flies which just simply look pretty, flies strongly identified with certain locales, flies which seem L
to catch fish for reasons unknown, and flies bearing the names of skilled fly tiers or notable fly fishermen. Often these latter flies have had their designer
s name added by vendors, to distinguish them from f
lies with similar names. One commonality to all flies is that they are each made with your own hands, using whatever skills and creativity you possess. Aside from yourself, your only critic will be the trout. TN
he point is, there is no single approach to this design or usage. Because of this there can be no single, all-encompassing approach to this book.
The flies we selected are important in their own right, or repr
esent a tying style which we consider worth while sharing. For some we will have illustrated an excessive number of western flies, while for others the opposite will be true. We may have omitted your favorite fP
ly, or we may have shown to many of one style for your needs. What we have presented is what we believe to be the most representative and important trout flies as we near the 21st century. We have not, however,
neglected some of our roots and tradition. Fly boxes of many anglers remain filled with many hallowed fly patterns which, like an old familiar fishing vest, continue to serve the fisher well.
We hope that TyiR
ng Flies for Trout will be accepted as an accurate and representative reference, for many of the flies pictured were tied by some of the finest tiers in American fly fishing. if any errors exist, then the resp
onsibility is entirely ours and should in no way reflect on the individual fly tiers. In a few instances a fly name may be spelled, punctuated or presented in two different ways. We tried to respect the origiT
nal usage whenever possible, even if it resulted in some minor inconsistencies in our listings. Also, we elected not to be too specific concerning the models of hooks to be used. With several excellent brands
of hooks on the market we believe the information we provided should be sufficient to guide the fly tier toward an appropriate hook.
We are so wholly indebted to so many people it
s frankly impossible to singV
le out anyone, but we particularly appreciate the free sharing of ideas and knowledge, for such a sharing of flies and ideas is like a fraternal custom, and in many ways the motivation for us to produce this pr
oduct. We
ve been helped by scores of fellow fly tiers, and the best we can do to call upon your attention to each of them as identified with the photographs. Our most heart felt thanks to everyone who was so hX6elpful - we really couldn
t have done it with out you.
Preface
Preface / Tying Flies For Trout
Swimming Type Mayfly Nymph
The isonychia nymph shown here is perfectly shaped for swimming freely in any river. All swimming type nymphs are slender and capable of rapidly darting about, sometimes so quickly that at a glance they can be Bemistaken for tiny minnows. Notice how short the legs are compared with other types of mayfly nymphs.
Entomology
J'Entomology / Swimming Type Mayfly Nymph
Clinging Type Mayfly Nymph
The very flat-bodied clinging type nymphs use their widespread, strong legs to hug tightly to rocks, thereby enabling them to inhabit the very fastest waters without being dislodged by the strong currents. ThisB0 epeorus nymph is typical of the clinger group.
Entomology
J'Entomology / Clinging Type Mayfly Nymph
Burrowing Type Mayfly Nymph
Most often the nymphs that burrow into the mud and silt bottoms of rivers are larger than other types of mayfly nymphs. Burrowers are also recognized by the prominent tusks at the front of their heads. Notice tB
he gills on each side of the abdomen, and notice, too, there is a gaseous bubble forming where the wingcase is about to split open so the dun can emerge. The best known burrowing mayfly nymphs include the largeC5 green drakes, brown drakes and hexagenia mayflies.
Entomology
J(Entomology / Burrowing Type Mayfly Nymph
Crawling Type Mayfly Nymph
Often found moving around rocks, gravel or aquatic vegetation, the crawling (or climbing, or clambering) type of mayfly nymph occupies a variety of habitats. The common ephemerella species, such as the HendrickB:son and the pale morning dun, are included in this group.
Entomology
J'Entomology / Crawling Type Mayfly Nymph
Emerging Nymph #1
This is a mature nymph of a
blue quill
mayfly (Paraleptophlebia adoptiva), one of the swimming type nymphs. On mature nymphs (those about to hatch) the wingpads have darkened and enlarged.
Entomology
Entomology / Emerging Nymph #1
Emerging Nymph #2
Once the nymph swims to the water surface it must
break through
the meniscus or surface film. The nymphal skin splits first at the wingpad area and the emerging adult begins to extract itself from the old nymB
phal
shuck.
Entomology
Entomology / Emerging Nymph #2
Emerging Nymph #3
This photo clearly shows the dun beginning to exit the shuck, and parts of the dun are now out of the water. Due to the trailing shuck the mayfly appears longer than before.
Entomology
Entomology / Emerging Nymph #3
Emerging Nymph #4
)A>As the emergence progresses, the wings elongate even further.
Entomology
Entomology / Emerging Nymph #4
Emerging Nymph #5
Finally, the fully emerged dun (or subimago) rests upon the water surface. Its body color has already darkened and the dun will take flight as soon as its system is fully ready, a time span that can take anywheB+re from a few seconds to a minute or more.
Entomology
Entomology / Emerging Nymph #5
Emerging Nymph #6
)A{Long after the adult mayfly has taken flight, the discarded transparent nymphal shuck remains as evidence of the hatching.
Entomology
Entomology / Emerging Nymph #6
Mayfly cripple
Some mayflies are unable to hatch in the manner required to take flight. They are either deformed or unable to extract themselves fully from the nymphal shuck. These are referred to as crippled or stillborn dun
)Bks, and they are quite exposed to predation. Some mayfly imitations attempt to mimic this vulnerable stage.
Entomology
Entomology / Mayfly cripple
E. Invaria Female Dun
The newly emerged female dun of the mayfly Ephemerella invaria. All newly emerged duns, both male and female, tend to be rather drab in coloration and their wings are somewhat opaque. The females generally haveBH smaller eyes and their front legs are shorter than those of the males.
Entomology
J"Entomology / E. Invaria Female Dun
E. Invaria Male Dun
The male invaria dun is the same dull color as the female, although the colors may vary in other species. When it is time to mate the larger eyes help the male locate the female, while the forelegs, which will BGelongate even more, will be used to hold the female during copulation.
Entomology
J Entomology / E. Invaria Male Dun
E. Invaria Female Spinner
Both male and female duns undergo one final transformation: from the emerged dun into the sexually mature spinner. This female invaria spinner is similar to the dun except in two obvious ways: The dull colorati
on has become more brilliant, somewhat glossy, and the opaque wings are now clear, or nearly so. Female spinners may also be observed carrying an egg sac at the end of the abdomen, ranging in color from white tC
hrough yellow, orange, and green to black, depending on species. Once the eggs are deposited the abdomen of the female spinner will become less distended and any color imparted by the eggs will be lost.
Entomology
J&Entomology / E. Invaria Female Spinner
E. Invaria Male Spinner
The spinner stage of this male invaria mayfly reveals the exaggerated eyes and long forelegs. Like the female, the spinner now has a brighter coloration and clear wings.
Entomology
J$Entomology / E. Invaria Male Spinner
Trico Spinners
This photo shows a group of Trico mayfly spinners which have fallen to the water following mating and egg laying. Notice the greenish masses of eggs that have been deposited in the water. Now dead or dying, theBj clear wing spinners have completed their life cycle and lie with wings outright in the
spent
position.
Entomology
Entomology / Trico Spinners
Caddisfly Larva
This is a typical caddisfly larva. During this immature wormlike stage in the development of the caddisfly some larva are free ranging and they crawl around on the bottom of rivers in search of food, often spinB|ning tiny nets to trap drifting particles. While colors vary according to species, the green pictured here is quite common.
Entomology
Entomology / Caddisfly Larva
Cased Caddisfly Larva
The complexity of nature is exemplified by the behavioral traits of some types of caddisfly larvae. Instead of ranging freely at the bottom of a lake or river, some larvae construct their own housing made of saB
nd or pebbles or sticks or leaves, all cemented together in varying geometric patterns. Some of these
cases
are portable and the larva carry them about as they roam searching for food. Other cases are affixedC9 to rocks where food is delivered by the river currents.
Entomology
J"Entomology / Cased Caddisfly Larva
Caddisfly Pupa
Once fully developed, the aquatic caddisfly larva pupates for a short period during which time the development of adult characteristics, such as wings, takes place. In the pupa you can see the adult features ex
panding beneath the pupal skin or shuck. As the time of emergence approaches, minute quantities of gasses are released beneath the nymphal shuck. These gasses help buoy the pupa to the water surface where it caC
n hatch into a mature adult.
Entomology
Entomology / Caddisfly Pupa
Emerging Caddisfly
Once at the water surface the pupa struggles briefly to extract itself from the pupal skin (shuck) and there it unfolds its wings and quickly takes flight. Often this emergence is so rapid that the angler doesnBO
t see it occur, but is only tipped off by the splashy rises of feeding trout.
Entomology
Entomology / Emerging Caddisfly
Caddisfly adult-dark
Adult caddisflies are easily recognizable as they carry their wings tent-like over the length of their bodies, and they have rather long antennae. One often finds large groups of caddisflies resting in streamsiBgde vegetation, and in late afternoon or evening they can often be seen flying upriver in small swarms.
Entomology
J!Entomology / Caddisfly adult-dark
Caddisfly adult-light
)AiA close up inspection of an adult caddisfly will reveal that the wings are covered with very fine hair.
Entomology
J"Entomology / Caddisfly adult-light
Stonefly Nymph-Light
Most stonefly nymphs are either yellowish or varying shades of brown, even ranging to black. They can vary greatly in size from less than 1/2 inch to 2 inches in length. They have double wing pads, and in the w
)B$ater their gills are often visible.
Entomology
J!Entomology / Stonefly Nymph-Light
Stonefly Nymph-Dark
After these large stoneflies emerge you may find their discarded nymphal shucks attached to streamside rocks, vegetation or bridges since these nymphs crawl to the water edges to emerge.
Entomology
J Entomology / Stonefly Nymph-Dark
Stonefly Adult-Light
The light colored stonefly adults usually range from bright yellow to light green, and are particularly common in smaller sizes. Notice how the wing pairs are folded flat, one atop the other, over the body.
Entomology
J!Entomology / Stonefly Adult-Light
Stonefly Adult-Dark
The dark colored stonefly species rang from brown to black in color, and cover the full size range of less than 1/2 inch to over 2 inches in length. Following their emergence, adult stoneflies are commonly founB(d resting on low streamside vegetation.
Entomology
J Entomology / Stonefly Adult-Dark
Midge Larva
The wormlike larvae are rarely seen as they hide away in mud and vegetation at the bottom of lakes and rivers. The species of interest to most fishermen vary from 1/4 inch to 3/4 inch in length, and in color thB3ey are commonly red, brown, olive, white or black.
Entomology
Entomology / Midge Larva
Midge Pupa
This is the stage in the life cycle of midges that is most important to the fly fisher. When ready to hatch the pupa rises to the waters surface where it often hangs suspended just below the meniscus, with its B}white breathing tube penetrating into the atmosphere. In this photograph you can see the developed wings awaiting emergence.
Entomology
Entomology / Midge Pupa
Midge Adult
)A~This familiar insect is quite harmless and,unless large quantities fall upon the water, is generally unavailable to the trout.
Entomology
Entomology / Midge Adult
People have known for many millennium that nothing on earth is quite as sublime as spending hours luring a wily, old fish from the depths of a stream with a rod, a line, and an artfully tied fly. The first cle
ar description of fly fishing is two thousand years old in De Animalium Natura, where Claudius Aelianus reported that
fishermen wind red wool around their hooks and fasten to the wool two feathers that grow C
under a cock
s wattles.
Dame Juliana Berners wrote the first English book on fly fishing in 1496: Treatise of Fishing with an Angle, containing a wealth of practical angling advice and details on equipment.
As the abbess of the Sopwell Priory, Berners cast flies and wrote between prayers. She described the rod as having two parts: a
staffe
or butt, and a
croppe
or top. The butt was made of hazel or rowan, E
cut between Michaelmas and Candlemas (that is, in the winter), and was six feet long or more. As thick as your arm and evenly tapered, it was tied to a straight piece of wood and heated in an oven until it had
thoroughly dried in the smoke. The pith was burnt out with a hot iron rod, and the finished butt was hollow and evenly tapered inside, with a broad ferrule of brass or iron at each end. The top of the rod--anG
other six feet or so--was carried inside the butt, and generally had a lower part of green hazel spliced to an upper shoot of blackthorn, crabtree, medlar or juniper.
Top Photo - Isaac Walton, born in Stafford, England on August 9, 1593, wrote The Complete Angler, a book which established him I
in the history of fly fishing. Countless editions and reprints, spanning 400 years, are testimony to the contributions of Walton.
Bottom Photo - The American history of fly fishing began around the mid 19th
century when angling flourished in the eastern United States. Pictured here is a typical stream in the New York Catskill Mountains region.
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History
History / 1
The line was no more than twice as long as the rod, attached to a loop at the rod
s tip. Without a reel, you play the fish with the bend of the long, light, flexible rod to relieve the line of the strain: if tB
he fish is not kept under the curve of the rod, the line breaks. Lines were made of twisted or braided horsehair, and Juliana advocated varying thicknesses from a single hair for a minnow to fifteen hairs for
salmon. Avid fly fishers made lines that tapered from 12 or 15 hairs down to a casting line of one, two, or at most three hairs thick, and for the next two hundred years or so, the required thickness of the hoD
rsehair line was hotly debated.
A man who could not kill a trout twenty inches long with a double hair deserves not the name of angler.
(1651)
Of all the equipment described in Treatise on Fishing with an
Angle, only the flies--which were designed to match the hatches throughout the season--are unchanged. Of the twelve flies described by Dame Berners, some are still used today. Those first dozen flies, codifieF
d on the banks of the River Ver in Hertfordshire, were adopted by Izaak Walton in The Compleat Angler (1653, with over 400 editions to date), who breathed life and soul into the fine art of fly fishing.
Walto
n wrote at a time when trout were fished with a single or double handed rod up to 20 feet long and made of six to eight pieces spliced together. The rods tapered like a switch and played with a true bend down H
to the hand, and the length was required until reels allowed anglers to use more modest lengths. Plain barrel winders of brass were known in the 1600s, but reels didn
t become common until the line itself impr
oved. Fishing line was made of braided horsehair or horsehair and silk until the 1800s, when braiding machines were refined and cotton and flax lines were made. The reels of that time were versatile and unspeJ
cialized: a big one held 200 or more yards of heavy line, and leaders were generally made from silkworm gut. Drawn from the bowels of a silkworm, gut made fine, extremely strong leaders that were four to nine
while the 1874 Orvis reel has an appearance similar to some modern fly reels.
Bottom Photo - This 3 piece Chubb fly rod and VomHofe reel were typical of thM4e fly fisherman
s tackle at the turn of the century.
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History
History / 2
By the turn of the century, oiled-silk line had become standard flyfishing equipment. The taper in the line was usually produced manually, with one woman watching six to eight braiding machines that took sever
al hours to make a line. When the line was complete, it was soaked in linseed oil, dried in an oven, roughed up by hair brushes, polished with stone wheels, again and again: sixteen times for good line and up C
to 24 times for superior line... a process that took six months from start to finish. The line had to be dried after use and required periodic oiling, but compared to horsehair it worked miraculously well. As
soon as the line was perfected the choice of reels became very broad, from reliable workhorse reels to reels of exceptional beauty and precision.
Homemade rods of hazel, crab tree and juniper disappeared whenE
the British colonies started shipping such limber exotics as greenheart, lancewood and bamboo. The separate parts of a rod were generally spliced together with a little hemp string wound around joint and anch
ored to pins on each part until the 1800s, when metal working was industrialized and ferrules became common. About the same time, British rodmakers noted that the outer layer of bamboo has very high fiber densG
ity, and by splitting the canes and taking long thin strips of the outer layer, six or eight strips can be glued together to make a rod that completely outperformed the heavier wooden rods for anything less tha
n a salmon. The rods were typically wrapped every inch or so with a few turns of red thread to reinforce the glue, and the handle was usually cork.
With the arrival of heavier silk lines and lighter cane poleI
s, the fly fisher of a century ago was casting with great finesse, and tournament casters regularly hit eighty feet or more. Fly fishing equipment and casting technique was generally designed to float the fly a
bove the water in a manner that imitates nature closely enough to fool an old fish. Flies were often designed to mimic specific insects, but some useful flies bear no recognized resemblance to any living creatK
ure. The Victorian era was renowned for their exuberantly hued fancy flies. At times the position of the fly on the water, its action, the size of the fly and its form are seem more important than the color a
nd shape of the fly, so the flies themselves have long ranged from drab to gaudy. Most important, they caught fish! Prior to the mid 1800
s most of the flies and tackle used in America was brought over from EnM
gland, but the latter half of the century saw the establishment of American craftmanship in rod making and fly tying. During these years the Orvis and Leonard names were becoming well established in fly fishing
Top Photo - Some of the early American trout flies were a bit on the gauO
dy side. It
s hard to imagine catching many trout on such flies today.
Bottom Photo - Before the expansion westward, and before the widespread introduction of alien species, the brook trout was the angler
)PVuarry. Many fly fishers still consider the Brookie the most beautiful of the gamefish.
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History
History / 3
By the turn of the century modern fly fishing theory was being debated in England through the observations and experiments of fly fishermen like Halford and Skues, while in America a new fly fishing standard waB
s emerging which would eventually lead in new directions. In New England the streamer fly was beginning to take a local form to imitate baitfish; warmwater bass fishers were experimenting with deer hair and cor
k bugs; early efforts to fly fish in salt water were being made; the American dry fly standard was evolving on the Pocono and Catskill mountain streams; and some early pathfinders were enjoying the unspoiled riD
ches of the Rocky Mountain streams. Flies like the Quill Gordon (or Gordon Quill) emerged from the tying desk of Theodore Gordon and early American fly tyers were experimenting with new flies while learning the
different entomology of American waters.
Fiberglass rods became available in the 1940s, first built of fiberglass over a wood core. A variety of solid and hollow rods followed, and hollow became standard rodF
construction. Graphite rods were introduced in 1973, and the new rods caused a sensation: lighter, smaller in diameter and stronger than fiberglass, they added to the average anglers casting distance.
Synthe
tic materials revolutionized the fly line as well. After WWII, a polyvinyl chloride (PVC) coating was applied to a core of braided nylon (now the most common), dacron or even fiberglass. First the core was tH
apered, then the coating itself could be tapered, and there were virtually limitless possibilities in line characteristics. Weight-forward lines, with the front ends heavier for distance casting, have been aro
und for generations, but now there are a greater variety of tapers, including very blunt, fast
saltwater tapers
for large flies. Nylon has completely displaced horsehair and silkworm gut for leaders.
Top Photo - In New England the streamer fly evolved to imitate the prevelant baitfish, and
a new way of fly fishing was born.
Bottom Photo - It
s hard to imagine a better excuse than fly fishing for enjoying this autumn scenery.
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History / 4
Better equipment has opened new vistas for fly fishing. The power of fiberglass and graphite rods, along with stronger reels, line and leaders, now allows anglers to be catch and land very large fish, regularlB
y. It was probably in the 1970
s and 1980
s, however, that interest in fly fishing virtually exploded. Books, videos, classes, magazines and catalogs brought instant knowledge to a new generation of fly fishe
rs. The school of hard knocks approach to learning fly fishing was replaced overnight as specialty fly fishing shops introduced the newcomers to the sport. Improved fly tying materials and methods became commonD
ly available and a growing understanding of insect behavoir began to demystify some arcane aspects of the fly fishing challenge.
Modern equipment has enhanced fly fishing, but the essence of the adventure is t
he same today as it was in Roman times: a rod, a line and an artfully tied fly cast to an elusive fish.
But the adventure is not always the same. The explosion of knowledge and interest in fly fishing is not wF
ithout its consequences. More leisure time, more discretionary income, and greatly improved transportation have led to overcrowding on some of our finest trout streams. Overfishing, pollution, river obstruction
s, and fisheries mismanagement have produced a situation in which we often find more people sharing in a diminished resource. We would like to remind all fellow fly fishermen that we individually need to play aH
role in preserving the fishing experience, that indefinable quality that helps to fill our spirit.
Top Photo - The 20th century saw fly fishing take a westward turn drawn by the extraordinary fly fishing in the Rocky Mountain states. Fly tyers needed to produced new local designs such as thiJ
s George Grant stonefly nymph.
Bottom Photo - Every fly tyer should cast their best efforts on some of the world
s best waters. It can be a humbling, educational, rewarding and enjoyable experience.
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History
History / 5
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AllPurpose
All purpose flies
ALL-PURPOSE DRY FLIES
Our classification system considers a dry fly to be
all-purpose
if it seems to have no resemblance to a specific insect. Some authorities might classify such flies as
attractor patternsB
but we prefer the term all-purpose. Since the Adams has become America
s most popular all-purpose dry fly, we have selected this design to provide an example of the many ways in which any fly pattern might b
e modified. History is unclear as to what the original Adams, shown first, was intended to resemble. Clearly, it bears a similarity to some mayflies and caddisflies, and even some craneflies. In any event the AD
dams became the ideal candidate for tiers to modify to meet their individual preferences. Our purpose in presenting these somewhat repetitious dressings is to demonstrate how one might apply his imagination to
most all of the dry-fly patterns on subsequent pages. (click here to scroll for more info ->>)
HUMPIES
The Humpy developed as a variation of the Horner Deer Hair Fly that Jack Horner of San Francisco first tieF
d around 1940. Several of these originals were discovered and brought to the Rockies by Pat and Sig Barnes. They were very impressed by the fish-catching qualities of this odd looking shellback dry fly, and beg
an tying them for sale in their Montana fly shop. Not only did these Humpies and Goofus Bugs - as they were later called - catch fish, they seemed unsinkable. Even after a dozen or more trout had chewed their sH
hellbacks to tatters, trout seemed just as eager to eat them. Since the 1940s, many variations have surfaced, but the basic shape and design remains constant. These are not your slender, quill-bodied Eastern fl
ies, but are rugged, high floating, meaty flies perfect for fishing the faster Western rivers. Notable western fly tiers like Pat and Sig Barnes, Dan Bailey and Jack Dennis have all contributed to the refinemenJ
t and popularity of the Humpy.
The Irresistible is constructed almost entirely from deer body hair and is designed to present a large, highly visible silhouette rather than a slender realistic one. Most Irres
istibles aren
t supposed to imitate any specific food form; rather they are designed to float well in fast broken water, and look like something irresistibly good to eat. Joe Messinger of Morgantown, West VirgL
inia, tied the original Irresistible in late 1930s. Messinger is best known for his unique deer-hair bass flies, like the Bucktail Frog. Many variations have appeared since Messinger tied the first fly many yea
rs ago, but they have been little more than simplified color variations. Mostly tied with hair wings, Irresistibles tied with hackle tip wings have also been popular.
WULFFS
Few flies have made such a lasting N
impression on fly tying as the Wulff flies, and few individuals have been as actively involved in the development of fly fishing as Lee Wulff. If these flies were the only contribution Wulff made to modern fly
fishing, they would have been enough. But Lee Wulff was a prolific writer and photographer and was instrumental in designing all sorts of fishing gear. He was also a master cinematographer who pioneered in the P
field of outdoor films. Throughout his life he was constantly experimenting with new fly designs, but the Wulff flies are his most enduring contribution to fly tying. The first ones were tied in 1929 during an
outing with Dan Bailey, while fishing in the Adirondaks. Bailey was so impressed with Wulff
s hairwing style that he developed several variations after he opened his fly shop in Livingston, Montana. The uprightR
hairwing has become a standard that
s been adopted throughout the world.
ALL-PURPOSE WET FLIES
Until the mid 1900s, fly fishing in this country was done with wet flies. One glance through the many color pla
tes of Ray Bergman
s 1938 landmark edition of Trout easily confirms this. Some early wet flies, like the Blue Dun and the March Brown, were specifically tied to imitate insects, although it
s not entirely cleaT
r if it was an emerging nymph or a drowned adult that the designer had in mind. Other flies, like the Trout Fin and Parmachene Belle of the East, or the Renegade and Chappie of the West, are American originals
tied strictly as attractors. But as fishing pressure increased the trout became more selective and anglers more educated. The popularity of the wet fly diminished and has largely been replaced by a wealth of acV
curate imitations representing actual stages of subsurface life. Yet, because wet flies are attractive, fun to tie and easy to fish, and since trout will still smash a Silver Doctor fished down-and-across strea
m, wet fly angling still has its partisans.
ALL-PURPOSE NYMPHS
It was not until the 1940s and 1950s that nymphs became commonplace in the fly boxes of trout fishermen. Prior to then, a variety of wet flies serX
ved the function of representing a multitude of immature aquatic food forms. Studies of trout feeding habits revealed that nymphs composed a large portion of a trout
s diet. Observent anglers such as Hewitt, Bl
ades, Bergman, Quick, and many others began to promote the use of more exact imitations, and thus the nymph was
discovered.
Many of the successful nymph patterns are based on general, rather than specific, deZ
sign features. We do not believe these flies represent any single, particular insect form, although some of them may be classified differently in other fly listings; rather they appear to be successful because
trout mistake them for a variety of possible foods. These flies, then, are most useful to the fly fisher at times when there is no surface activity, and he cannot make a specific determination as to what the fi\
sh are likely to be eating.
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PREFACE
For over five centuries, men and women have been trying to deceive trout. Some used natural baits to lure a trout to their hook, while others applied their wits and imagination to craft imitatioB
ns of insects. Their frauds then, as now, were constructed using thread, feathers and hair. These many years later little has changed - but then again much is different. The definition of artificial fly has bee
n broadened to incorporate imitations of insects other than flies, as well as most other forms of aquatic life - indeed, virtually any animal form upon which fish feed.
Whether the designing of trout flies is D
art, craft, science, or even alchemy, we leave to that reader to decide. Fly fishers, and particularly fly tiers, are in perpetual search of their grail - that mystical combination of materials which will prove
irresistible to trout. The trout fisher
s aphrodisiac. Some flies have achieved a degree of success and their names are forever etched into fly-fishing history. The Royal Coachman, Mickey Finn, Adams and MuddlF
er Minnow exemplify such success. As with race horses, anglers have endowed their creations with names, personalizing them in perpetuity.
Other flies result from a more pragmatic approach to trout fishing. The
theory is simple: understand everything about the fish, its environs, its food, and then trick that tiny fish brain by imitating that which it
s programmed to eat. This more scientific approach works, and has H
become the basis for most modern fly tying. We not only imitate Mayflies in general, but we can construct flies to represent each of their life stages, even by gender when needed, and our books and charts will
generally tell us when and where these flies are to be used. The flies which result from this approach customarily bear names which describe insects being imitated, and/or the ingredients used. Thus, we have ouJ
r Green Drakes, Hexagenians, Poly Wing Spinners and Elk Hair Caddis. But even this logical method, though effective much of the time, reveals enough inconsistencies that we can only conclude there is much not y
et understood concerning fish and insect behavior.
There also are other design categories: flies which are just easy to tie, Flies which just simply look pretty, flies strongly identified with certain locales,L
flies which seem to catch fish for reasons unknown,and flies bearing the names of skilled fly tiers or notable fly fishermen. Often these latter flies have had their designer
s name added by vendors, to distin
guish them from flies with similar names. One commonality to all flies is that they are each made with your own hands, using whatever skills and creativity you possess. Aside from myself yourself, your only criN
tic will be the trout. The point is, there is no single approach to this design or usage. Because of this there can be no single, all-encompassing approach to this book.
The flies we selected are important in
their own right, or represent a tying style which we consider worth while sharing. For some we will have illustrated an excessive number of western flies, while for others the opposite will be true. We may haveP
omitted your favorite fly, or we may have shown to many of one style for your needs. What we have presented is what we believe to be the most representative and important trout flies as we near the 21st centur
y. We have not, neglected some of our roots and tradition. Fly boxes of many anglers remain filled with many hallowed fly patterns which, like an old familiar fishing vest, continue to serve the fisher well.
e hope that Flies for Trout will be accepted as an accurate and representative reference, for many of the flies pictured were tied by some of the finest tiers in American fly fishing. if any errors exist, then
the responsibility is entirely ours and should in no way reflect on the individual fly tiers. In a few instances a fly name may be spelled, punctuated or presented in two different ways. We tried to respect T
the original usage whenever possible, even if resulted in some minor inconsistencies in our listings. Also, we elected not to be too specific concerning the models of hooks to be used. With several excellent b
rands of hooks on the market we believe the information we provided should be sufficient to guide the fly tier toward an appropriate hook.
It is customary to use this portion of a book to express gratitude toV
those who made a contribution. We are so wholly indebted to so many people it
s frankly impossible to single out anyone, but we particularly appreciate the free sharing of ideas and knowledge, for such a shari
ng of flies and ideas is like a fraternal custom, and in many ways the motivation for us to produce this book. We
ve been helped by scores of fellow fly tiers, and the best we can do to call upon your attentionX
to each of them as identified with the photographs. Our most heart felt thanks to everyone who was so helpful - we really couldn
t have done it with out you.
One friend was not able to complete her work with
us on this book. Fran Stuart, who was posthumously named angler of the year by Fly Rod & Reel magazine had hoped to help us finish this book, but cancer intervened. Had she been able to fulfill her ambition, tZ
his book would have undoubtedly been a much better product, for it was Fran
s skills and demands that made us settle for nothing less than the best we could do.
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