Fly Fisher Journal of the American Museum of Fly Fishing Crossing Lines
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The American Fly Fisher Journal of the American Museum of Fly Fishing Crossing Lines Map of Macedonia (1849) from 'Xstr~us:The First Fly-Fishing River." Courtesy of the General Libraries, the University of Texas at Austin. EAD E RS o P The American Fly Fisher have no doubt 1864 importation. "The Ramsbottoms: Pisciculturists, Tackle noticed that the journal is not just about fly fishing in Manufacturers, and Fly Dressers" begins on page 2. Rthe United States. Although the primary focus of the G. William Fowler of Odessa, Texas, recently visited the Museum is the history of fly fishing in this country, we are Flyfishers' Club in London. In "Brothers of the Angle: The dedicated to the history of the sport wherever it is found. We Flyfishers' Club," he relates some of the history of this famous often cross those international fly-fishing lines. In the past few brotherhood of anglers and how it has even contributed to the years, I've worked with authors from the United States, Great American fly-fishing experience-especially through its rela- Britain, Europe, and South Ainerica. tionship with the Anglers' Club of New York. His article begins In this issue, for example, we have an author from England on page 6. writing about an English family who, among other things, Claudius Blianus (170-230 A.D.), in his book De natura ani- imported salmon and brown trout to the United States and malium, made the first known mention in print of fly fishing Australia. We have an author from the United States writing for trout, explaining that it was practiced on the river Astrzus about a fishing club in England. And we have two authors, one in Macedonia. Many attempts have been made to identify from England and the other from Yugoslavia, writing about a which modern river this is. In "Astrzus: The First Fly-Fishing river in Macedonia. River," Goran Grubic and Andrew Herd summarize the litera- In the Winter 1995 issue, Bob Behnke, in a Notes & ture to date, offering theories about the location of the river Comment piece titled "The Ramsbottom Family-Fish and explaining some of the geographic name changes over the Culturists," discussed a "virtually unknown" importation of course of history. Their article begins on page 16. salmon and brown trout to America in 1864 by Robert Be sure to check out Museum News for the latest in dona- Ramsbottom Jr., son of the noted salmon culturist, Robert tions-including one from Prince Charles-and upcoming Ramsbottom. Of Ramsbottom Jr., Behnke asked, "What was events. Paul Schullery has reviewed several books for us in "A his fate?"In this issue, J. Keith Harwood replies with more his- Crop of Classics," page 24. And on page 23, Harry J. Briscoe tory of the Ramsbottom family, focusing mostly on Robert Sr., notes the passing of Walton E. Powell. who was in the tackle business, was a flvA,, tver, and became We hope you'll enjoy this issue's international flavor. interested in the artificial propagation of game fish, an area in which he was to make a name for himself. Harwood then moves on to answering what did happen to Robert Jr. after that American THEAMERICAN MUSEUM Fly Fidler OF FLYFISHING Journal of the American Museum of Fly Fishing Preserving the Heritage FALL 2001 VOLUME 27 NUMBER 4 of Fly Fishing TRUSTEES The Ramsbottoms: Pisciculturists, Tackle Manufacturers, E. M. Bakwin John Mundt 2 Michael Bakwin David Nichols and Fly Dressers. ........................ Foster Bam Wayne Nordberg J. Keith Harwood Steven Benardete Michael B. Oshorne Paul Bofi nger Stephen M. Peet Brothers of the Angle: The Flyfishers' Club .........6 Donn Byrne Sr. Leigh H. Perkins James H. Carey Allan I<. Poole G. William Fowler Lynn L. Claytor Robert D. Priest Peter Corbin John Rano Astrzus: The First Fly-Fishing River. ............16 Thomas N. Davidson Roger Riccardi Goran Grubic and Andrew Herd William J. Dreyer Pamela B. Richards George R. Gibson 111 William Salladin Duncan Grant Ernest Schwiebert In Memoriam: Walton E. Powell (1915-2001) ........23 Gardner L. Grant Robert G. Scott Harry J. Briscoe Rick Hegenberger James A. Spendiff Irene Hunter John Swan Book Review: A Crop of Classics ............... Arthur Kaemmer, M.D. Richard G. Tisch 24 Woods King 111 David H. Walsh Paul Schullery James E. Lutton I11 Richard J. Warren Walter T.Matia Tames C. Woods Museum News ..........................26 Letters ................................32 TRUSTEES EMERITI Charles R. Eichel David B. Ledlie G. D~ckF~nlay Leon L. Martuch Contributors ............................3 4 W. Michael Fitzgerald Keith C. Russell William Herrick Paul Schullery ON THE COVER: Thzs photo is one of two from the Flyfishers' Club col- Robert N. Johnson Stephen Sloan lection taken of members fishing for salmon on the Rzver Altran, Sweden, zn 1870. See "Brothers of the Angle: The Flyfishers' Club," startzng on page 6. OFFICERS Chalrman of the Board Robert G. Scott president David H. Walsh Vice Michael B. Osborne Pamela B. Richards lheiirnericnri ill Fzshe (IS5N 0884.3562) 1s publ~shed James A. Spendiff four tlmrs i yerr by the Museuln 11 PO Box qz Manchrster, Vermont 0,254 Publ~idtiondates are Mlntcr sprmg summer and fall Mernberahlp dues ~ncludethe cost of the Treasurer James H. Carey loulna1 (nil and are tix deduct~bieas prov~dcdfor hv la^ Membershly rates Ire l~strdm the ba~kof each mur Secretary James C. Woods All letre,,, mmusir~pl, photographs, and matcnals ~nteniledbr pi~hliratlon m thc ,ournCtl ~hoddbe sent to thc Musciim Thc Museum dnd journal die not respons~hlcfor unzol~c~teilmanusirlpti, drawlngs photographic STAFF materlrl, or memordh~lla lhe Muscuii~cannot iciept respons~b~l~tyfur statement5 and Interpretdtlon\ that are Gary Tanner Executive Director wholiy the ~uthors Unsol~c~tedmanuscripts cannot be returned unless yoqtlge I\ pro\~dedCont~lbut~ons to The Events Q Membership Diana Siebold Amer~cunFly l~ilierare to be conaldeicd gratuitous and the proper() of the Museum unleis other~~\erequested Art Director John Price bv the rontnbutor Artlcles appearing 111 thts lourndl are abstractcd and indexed In Hicto~iciiiAbitiacti and America Hibtory and Ltfc Copvnght O 2001 the Amcrlcan Museum of l7\ F~slnng,hlanchcstcr Vermont ojrjq Ongmll Special Projects Sara Wilcox materm1 Ippelrlng may not be reprinted m~thuut pllor pcrmls5ion Prrlod~ial postage pad 11 Admin./A~fvertising Toney Pozek Mancheqter Vermonl 05254 dnd addltlon~lafficcs (USPS 057410) Tki American F1) hslie? (ISSN 0884 3562) Collection Manager Yoshi Akiyama EMXIL amff@together net WERSITL ~YMMamff corn POSTMASTER: Send addle?, changes to Tkc Amincan Fl) hisher PO Box 42 l/ldnche\ter \cimont ii5254 THE AMERICAN FLY FISHER Editor Kathleen Achor Design ii- Production John Price We welcome ed~tor~alcontr~but~ons to The Amer~canFly F~sher Copy Editor Sarah May Clarkson For a copy of our contr~butorgu~dellnes, wrlte to us, or v~s~tour webv~teat mmv amff coln and go to the journal sectlon The Ramsbottoms: Pisciculturists, Tackle Manufacturers, and Fly Dressers by J. Keith Harwood The Cinnamon. N THE WINTER 1995 issue of The American Fly Fisher, rivers, the Ribble and Hodder, which teemed with trout and Bob Behnke reported on a relatively unknown shipment of salmon, Robert developed an interest in the artificial propaga- Itrout and salmon ova, which was escorted to America by tion of game fish, an area in which he was to make a name for Robert Ramsbottom Jr. in 1864. Toward the end of the article, himself. The artificial breeding of trout and salmon seems to Behnke states that following the shipment, Robert Jr. seemed have come to the fore in England during the 1830s. Among its to have disappeared from the annals of American fish culture early pioneers was Thomas Garnett of Clitheroe, a wealthy cot- and poses the question, "What was his fate?" An answer fol- ton manufacturer. It appears that it was Garnett who first lows, but I would also like to take a fresh look at the aroused Robert's interest in this process, and by 1851 Robert Ramsbottom family: renowned pisciculturists, tackle manu- had successfully superintended the hatching of both trout and facturers, and fly dressers. salmon ova for Mr. Francis Fawkes of Farnley Hall in Robert Jr. was the son of Robert Ramsbottom, who was Yorkshire. The following year he successfully hatched five born in 1810 in the Lancashire cotton-producing town of thousand salmon ova at Knowlmere on the river Hodder. Darwen in the north of England. His father, John, was a local Robert also became involved with Messrs. Edmund and schoolmaster who died tragically when Robert was only five Thomas Ashworth of Bolton, who had bought a fishery in years old. Around 1836, Robert moved a few miles down the Ireland and who wanted to "render the science of pisciculture road to the historic town of Clitheroe, with its Norman castle subservient to commercial purposes."' From their hatchery at dating back to the twelfth century. Here, he gained employ- Outerard in Galway, Robert superintended the hatching of ment as a block printer at the local print works. While still twenty thousand salmon. Juvenile salmon, propagated at the employed at the print works, he began making and selling fish- hatchery, were sent to the Dublin Exhibition of 1852, where ing tackle, a venture that obviously proved successful because, Albert, the prince consort, is reported to have shown great shortly afterward, he went into business full time, opening a interest in the new process of hatching salmon. shop on Parson Lane. In 1831, he married a local girl, Jane An engraving of a young salmon, skillfully drawn from one Cronshaw, who gave birth to fifteen children, only five of of those sent to the exhibition, illustrates the frontispiece of whom outlived their father.