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. Robert%book, The Salmon and Its Artificial Propagation, pub- As well as being a tackle manufacturer and fishing his local lished in 1854. His book brought Robert a certain amount of

THE AMERICAN PLY FISHER recognition for his pioneering work-so much so, that in a lecture delivered to the Royal Institution, London in 1863, Professor Frank Buckland referred to him as "that eminent pisciculturist, Mr. Ramsbott~m,"~and frequently recom- mended to others the verusal of his book. He also "gained recognition from an even more distinguished source, Giuseppe Garibaldi, the military hero who fought to create an independent, united Italy. Robert had sent salmon ova from Ireland to Italy and, in a letter of thanks, Garibaldi expressed the hope that "some day you may give me infor- mation as to how salmon should be caught, according to the gentle art of which I am told, you are so eminent a master."3 This letter became one of Robert's most treasured posses- sions, and in his will he bequeathed it to Robert Jr. Following his success in Ireland, Robert was engaged to oversee a similar scheme for the river Tay, in Scotland. A suitable site was chosen at Stormontfield Mill, seven miles from Perth. where Robert suvervised the cavture and striv- ping of ripe fish, an account of which was given by Robert The Ramsbottom's Parson. Blakey in Angling or How to Angle and Where to Go (1898).

Saturday was a remarkably fine day for the season, and we were privileged in being present at the operation of stripping the fish. When we arrived, Mr. Rarnsbottom had already got about 15,000 ova in round tin cans, and he showed us an oval-shaped tin box with a lid, which contained a small male fish swimming in water, which, he said, was waiting for his mate. Presently the net was shot in the Tay at the mouth of the Almond, when two fine female fish ripe for spawning, from 18 to 20 pounds'weight, along with a small male fish, were caught. Mr. Ramsbottom having taken the largest female in his left hand, drew his fingers down both sides of the belly of the fish, when the ova flowed in a stream into the tin box formerly mentioned, in which there were a few inches of water. The fish was instantly returned to the river, and, after a short time, sailed off as if nothing had happened to it. After the ova had been washed, by water being poured on and off-care being taken never to allow it to be exposed to the air-the male fish was brought (which all this time had been in the river under a fold of the net), and manip- ulated in the same manner as the female, only a small portion of the milt being required. On the milt being shed, a slight change was seen to take place in the colour of the ova, which The Winesop Black. became paler. Water was again poured on and off, when the operation was complete. The ova were then poured into round tin cases and carried to the ponds. When we left the riverside, upwards of 400,000 ova in fine condition had been obtained. We observed that a few of the ova, after impregnation, turned white, instead of being a fine salmon colour. Mr. Ramsbottom said they were barren ova.4 In due course, between 300,000 and 400,ooo fish were hatched and helped to restock this great Scottish salmon river. In 1857, Robert's son, William, emigrated to Australia, where he was commissioned by the Australian government to attempt to transport trout and salmon ova from the United Kingdom to that country. With ova obtained by Robert and his son, Westall, from the rivers Ribble and Hodder, his first attempt at transportation was unsuccess- ful, as the ship was becalmed. However, a second attempt was made and, on 21 January 1864, the clipper Norfolk left England bound for Australia. William was on board acting as guardian to the ova, which lay, packed in moss and char- The Ramsbottom's Favourite. coal, in an icehouse built amidships. This attempt proved successful, and the ova were hatched at the Plenty Salmon Ponds, New Norfolk, Tasmania. On 21 April 1864, William was appointed the first superintendent of the Plenty Flies tied by J. Keith Harwood, photographed by John Price. Salmon Ponds, a position he held until his untimely death Packages of Ramsbottom JK'Sproducts from his tackle shop in Manchester.

at the age of thirty-five in 1868. In the winter of 1867, he caught the Ramsbottom's Favourite, a fancy fly whose dressing is a severe chill that settled on his lungs. The following winter his given by A. Courtney Williams in A Dictionary of Trout Flies state of health worsened, and he was given a leave of absence (1949). to go to Sydney in the hope that the warmer climate might be Robert Ramsbottom also contributed three salmon fly pat- beneficial to his condition. However, he died shortly after terns used on his local rivers, the Ribble and Hodder, to arriving in Sydney and was buried in an unmarked grave. A Francis Francis for inclusion in his A Book on Angling (1867). bronze plaque honoring his achievements was unveiled at the The first fly, the Ramsbottom's Parson, took its name from the Plenty Salmon Ponds on 19 September 1976. (For further street on which he had his tackle shop, Parson Lane. The other details of the introduction of game fish into Australia, see Bob two flies were the Cinnamon and the Winesop Black, described Dunn, "The Grand Experiment: Angling in Australia," The as a real old Ribble favorite. All three flies have relatively sim- American Fly Fisher, Fall 1994.) ple dressings and reflect the state of British salmon flies pre- In addition to his skill as a pisciculturist, Robert Kelson. Ramsbottom was also an accomvlished flv dresser. At the back While spending the Christmas of 1884 in Manchester with of his book on salmon propagation, there is an advertisement his son, Robert Jr., he suffered a bout of bronchitis and died on containing." his list of twentv-seven trout and salmon flies. 28 December at the age of seventy-four. In his will, he described as "the result of twenty-four year's experience in bequeathed the bulk of his estate to his two surviving sons, trout and salmon fishing and warranted to kill fish in any river Robert Jr. and Westall. In addition, he left his lathe and other in the United Kingdom."5 The majority of these flies are stan- equipment belonging to the manufacture of fishing tackle to dard soft-hackled, north country patterns, which can be traced Westall; to Robert he left an inscribed silver teapot, presented back to John Turton's The Angler's Manual (1834). However, to him for his work in Ireland, and his much treasured framed there are one or two patterns that still remain a mystery. letter from Garibaldi. To his daughter, Jane, he left the paltry Numbers 15 and 16 on the list are the Black and the Blue Moit, sum of only one shilling. What Jane had done to deserve this which are described as summer flies, appearing in May. The miserly sum is, unfortunately, not recorded. word moit appears to be a Yorkshire dialect word for mote, a Both Robert Jr. and Westall followed their father into the small particle of dust or speck of anything very small-so, per- trade and set up fishing tackle businesses in Manchester and haps, a midge pattern is meant. The last pattern on the list is Liverpool, respectively. Of the two brothers, Robert Jr. is per-

THE AMERICAN FLY FISHER Reels such as this one with the Ramsbottom name on them will occasionally turn up at a collector's fair.

haps the best well known. Initially, he seems to have taken an ENDNOTES interest in fish culture and, as noted earlier, was involved in the shipment of trout and salmon ova to America in 1864. 1. Edmund Ashworth, "Remarks on the Artificial Propagation of Salmon, However, by 1871, he was listed in the local trade directory as a and Some Account of the Experiment at Stormontfield, near Perth," paper pre- sented at the meeting of the British Association in Glasgow, 18 September 1855, fishing rod and tackle manufacturer and ~isciculturistat 7 V P. 4. Fennel Street, Manchester. In 1874, the business moved to 2. Frank Buckland, quoted in "Death of Mr. Robert Ramsbottom Piccadilly and in 1876 to Market Street in Manchester. By the Pisciculturist:' Preston Guardian, 30 December 1884. time he moved to Market Street, Robert had dropped the word 3. Ibid. The letter-its whereabouts now unknown-was quoted in full: pisciculturist from his entry in the trade directory, presumably Caprera, 6th February, 1862. the manufacture of fishing tackle proving a more lucrative Dear Sir, occupation. I learn that you have been at much trouble in procuring for me a breed of salmon for this country. Accept my sincerest thanks and assurances of Robert Jr.'s greatest claim to fame was as a silkworm gut every care being taken of them, and the hope that some day you may give manufacturer and, at the 1883 Fisheries Exhibition, he was me information as to how salmon should be caught, according to the gen- awarded a gold medal for the quality of his gut. An account of tle art of which I am told, you are so eminent a master. Believe me your very silkworm gut manufacture, written by Robert, was included by friend, John Harrington Keene in his book, Fishing Tackle, Its G. Garibaldi. Materials and Manufacture, published in 1896. 4. Robert Blakey, Angling or How to Angle and Where to Go, new edition During the First World War, Ramsbottom's fishing tackle (London and New York: George Routledge & Sons, 1898), pp. 31-32. 5. Advertisement for Robert Ramsbottoms' trout and salmon flies, append- shop in Manchester appears to have ceased trading and was ed to Robert Ramsbottom, The Salmon and Its Artificial Propagation (London: taken over bv an athletics outfitter. However. rods. reels, and Simpkin, Marshall, & Co., 1854). even packets of gut, bearing the Ramsbottom name, occasion- ally turn up at collector's fairs, and I am the proud owner of a brass reel inscribed, "R. Ramsbottom, Manchestern-a small memento of a familv that contributed so much to the further- ance of our beloved sport on three continents. - Brothers of the Angle:

The Flvfishers'd Club by G. William Fowler

The entrance to the Flyfshers' Club as it appeared in the Summer 1995 issue of the Flyfishers Journal.

HEN IZAAK WALTON'S studied to be quiet. Walton said, 'Xng- The types of angling organizations Auceps asked Piscator of what ling is an art, and an art worthy the are diverse because of their original fraternity are you, he an- knowledge and practice of a wise man."' purposes and the times and places of wswered, "I am (sir) a Brother of the An important aspect of Piscator's their origin. They are also greatly Angle."' This brotherhood of the six- character was his willingness to be a influenced by their founding mem- teenth century was not a formal group, teacher and share all he knew about fish- bers. The Flyfishers' Club of London, but rather a collection of men devoted to ing. There was no sense of selfishness, England, has been, and continues contemplation and quietness. Walton competition, or fisherman's greed that today to be, an organization embody- teaches us through Piscator that those would prevent him from relating every- ing the qualities of Walton's brother- who belonged to his fraternity had cer- thing he knew about fishing to an inter- hood. Organized as a purely social tain attributes. They were men with an ested disciple. Walton himself embodied club, the founding members were inquiring, searching, observing wit; men these same qualities and obviously accomplished men with more than a with a large measure of hope and agreed with his friend, Sir Henry Wotton, shared interest in fishing; they were patience and a love and propensity for that angling was idle time not idly spent. true practitioners of the art of angling. the art itself:, diligent" and observant men When brothers of the angle congegate The Flyfishers' Club, through its mem- who, with practice and ambition, together and pursue common interests, it bers, in a quiet, humble, even Walton- worked to be the best:,L auiet and humble is inevitable that an angling fraternity, ian way, has also contributed to the men and followers of peace; men who society, or club will soon emerge. American fly-fishing experience. F. M. Halford. Courtesy of the Frontispiece of A Book on Angling by Francis Flyfishers' Club. Francis, an engraving entitled "The Author and His Gillie," by l? Justyne and H. Adlard.

few. Bv the club's fiftieth anniversarv in 1934, ;25 club members had publiihed more than two hundred books on fish- The idea of a fly-fishing club in ing. London was a subject of discussion In May 1894, membership was closed among several prominent English to manufacturers or dealers in angling anglers for at least twenty years before equipment, and this provision was for the Flyfishers' Club was ~rganized.~In many years interpreted to prohibit December 1884, the Flyfishers' Club had membership to all traders or business- its first formal meeting, with the purely men supplying anglers. In 1918, the con- social purpose of bringing together gen- stitution was amended to exclude "alien tlemen devoted to fly fishing and to enemies," and by 1920, membership was afford a means of communication be- limited to six hundred. Hedley F. Norris, tween those interested in the art of fly a founding member and then president, fishing. R. B. Marston, editor of the on the occasion of the club's fiftieth Fishing Gazette, is the recognized anniversary said, "Our motto is 'out of founder of the Flyfishers' Club. Joining this none maketh money, only content- him as founding members were William ment."'4 The official motto-Piscator Senior, editor of The Field; noted fly- non solurn piscatur (It is not all of fish- fishing authors Francis Francis and F. M. ing to fish)-identifies the spirit of the Halford; H. S. Hall, who perfected the organization. John Buchan, in the intro- eyed hook for dry flies; and other promi- duction to The Compleat Angler, while nent fishermen of the day. Marston and describing Walton's angler, was appro- Senior, through their editorial positions priately describing the Flyfishers' Club with two prestigious English fishing member. publications, assembled 264 members before the end of 1885. In the early years, But more, the Angler is the study of one type, and that type is in large measure its other authors also became members. creation. It unfolds the heart and soul of Noted British authors-in addition to the angler-not necessarily the sportsman, Francis Francis and F. M. Halford- but the angler-a man who loves books as included H. Plunkett Greene, Viscount well as his art, who sees nature through Grey (Sir Edward Grey), John Waller the glass of culture, the townsman and the William Senior. Courtesy of the Hills, and G. E. M. Skues, to name just a gentleman. In the next century we witness Flyfishers' Club. The smoking room in the Flyfishers' Picadilly location (1907-1941)was their reading room and library This location was lost during World War II. From The Book of the Flyfishers' Club 1884-1934. Courtesy of the Flyfishers' Club.

the degradation of the type, when the fish- petition for big baskets, no vulgar boasting activities, or for country and overseas erman is part of the poetic properties of a and lying, none of the boozing and gam- members to unite with their brothers. landscape, an absurd masquerading fig- bling that are traditional in some camps. The club provides a way to return to the ure, as in Gay. And in later times the type These were the spiritual descendants of river, even if only momentarily for has tended to merge in the sportsman, or Walton, Norris, Hills, Prime, and Mar- lunch or dinner. The club's home waters be debased into the literary humbug who ston, and the atmosphere was the subli- have always been the club's facilities in mated atmosphere of the Anglers' or the talks cant about nature and bespatters the London. Over the years, membership noblest of subjects with his vulgar praise. ~lyfishers'.~ has fluctuated in accordance with the In the age of Walton it was still possible to Membership today consists of three find it pure, and in all times there have suitability of the premises. Their success been the few who could unite sport and types: town, county, and overseas mem- in maintaining a London social club for culture. Your good sportsman may be an berships. The annual dues are based on more than a century is attributable in idler; but the good angler, who loves the the member's proximity to the club, with part to the uniqueness of the club's country with a more intimate affection, is the least expensive being for overseas facilities. The club is a museum, library, frequently the hard-worked and capable members. Membership is by invitation and art ",~allerv.Combine all this with its man of the world, who, in using the talents only, with two members being able to rich heritage and mix in many of the which God gave him, has still room for personally vouch for your fitness. world's finest vractitioners of the art of other interests in his souL5 Honorary life memberships have on angling, and you have a club where The spirit of the Flyfisher was evoked occasion been bestowed on noted anglers meet to enjoy the company of by Sparse Grey Hackle (Alfred Miller) in anglers. His Royal Highness, the Prince fellow anglers, where its members do his description of the men privileged to of Wales, K.G., is the Flyfishers' patron. not need to be formally introduced, and be a part of Ed Hewett's fishing camp on where "amongst our Band of Brothers the banks of the Neversink River during we recognize no ineq~ality."~ the 1930s. English fishing clubs are known for The club's facilities have been in vari- Here the "rods" who rented annual fishing their home waters, most notably, the ous places throughout London. In the privileges used to assemble at the end of Houghton Fishing Club of Stockbridge beginning, they shared their meeting the day for unforgettable nights of fun and with its famous beats along the River place with the Crichton Club at lo companionship and fishing conversation. Test. The Flyfishers' Club is an excep- Adelphi Terrace. This ended in 1888 And what a goodly company was there, tion, having no home waters, but never when a Crichton member was over- the choicest spirits of the angling age, the needing any to justify its existence.' heard saying that the Flyfishers were finest sportsmen, the best fishermen, the Located in London, the club has always "ruddy Fly ~atchers."~One of the most liveliest wits, the best-stored minds; the been a refuge in the city, a meeting place enduring locations was 36 Piccadilly, kindest and most helpful, too, as we which was across the street from St. novices quickly learned, and of course the for like-minded gentlemen seeking an best of teachers. Here was no stupid com- escape from their everyday business James Church where Charles Cotton is room, with a long mahogany table where members and guests meet for lunch or dinner. and the club room. where the library, collections, and a fly-tying bench are located. The club also has rooms for members needing overnight accommo- dations. The head of the long table in the dining room is reserved for the club president or a past president, and guests are then seated next to the president.

The Flyfishers' Club has been collect- ing fishing literature for more than a century. Its library was first begun when its author members gave copies of their own self-inscribed books to the club. Over the years, various collections have been donated, and today more than 3,500 titles are available for research and enjoyment. The size and depth of the club library is indicative of the impor- tance its members place on angling liter- ature. The massive library exposes all members to "~iscatorialbibliomania." a The long table in the dining room. Courtesy of the Flyfishers' Club. highly contagious disease with no known permanent cure.'' The influence of Izaak Walton is evi- dent from an examination of the club's furnishings: a silver statuette1' tradition- ally displayed in the center of the long buried. The Flyfishers' Club occupied phere conducive to social intercourse table in the dining room, a leather creel these premises for thirty-four years and and quiet study. The surroundings are claimed by some to have belonged to lost it to enemy bombing in April 1941. conservative, tasteful, and well cared for. Walton, engravings of Walton and This establishment used three different The club's main rooms are the dining Cotton, a small bronze bust, and a draw- floors, with a billiard room, dining room, and the smoking room, which was also the library and reading room. Guest rooms were available to out-of- town members. After the blitzing of the club, what was left of its possessions was placed in safe locations throughout London, until the club reopened shortly after World War 11. Today, the Flyfishers' Club is located in the Mavfair district on Brook Street. not too far from the American Embassy. Legend has it that the street got its name from a small brook that was covered over to make a road. The building was originally built in 1725 and extensively redone in 1890 by Walter Burns, the brother-in-law of J. Pierpont Morgan. In 1995, the building was remodeled to accommodate the Flyfishers. The re- modeling was done so that the current club's decor matches the decor from the late nineteenth century.l0 A visit to the club's current Quarterswill confirm that the grandeur of the Victorian age has Courtesy of the Flyfishers' Club. been faithfullv,L re~roduced. Its collection of books, antique fishing reels, rods, art- work, and fishing trophies adorn every room and create an incredible atmos-

FALL 2001 9 Roger McPhail's signed and numbered print was used as lottery tickets to raise funds for the millennium rod box given to the Anglers' Club of New York. The painting shows a brown trout rising to a mayfly surrounded by the club's entrance on Brook Street and several of the club's possessions. Courtesy of the Flyfishers' Club. ing of his watch. There is even a photo- been held in October at the Savoy Hotel. mahogany table and preside over graph of Norrington Farms, Walton's This is a formal affair for members and delightful discussions, the central focus property bequeathed to his son with the guests. The president presides over the on some aspect of fishing. Today, good actual words of the bequest from his event and a distinguished individual, food, wine, and companionship enhance will. While all these objects are who is a nonmember and usually a fish- the evening as the fishing issues of the reminders of the stature and importance erman himself, is invited to give the day are debated. The discussions might of Walton to English gentlemen steeped annual address. In 1902, American continue after dinner over brandy and in angling traditions, they are also rele- Ambassador Joseph E. Choate was chair- cigars in the main club room. vant in understanding the heritage of man of the annual dinner. He was pre- the Flyfishers. sented with a specially dressed salmon fly designed to represent the stars and Interest in fly-fishing matters was so stripes of America. Each year thereafter, keen that by 1910, it was evident that a Present-day activities of the club the dinner chairman has been presented journal should be published so contrib- include the annual dinner, monthly with a specially dressed salmon fly that is utors could share their knowledge. The members' dinner, a summer outing, appropriately named for the occasion. purpose of the journal of the Flyfishers' publication of the journal, and various Monthly dinner meetings for mem- Club was stated in its first issue. other projects. The annual dinner has bers only are held at the club. Originally The Journal is to be, as it were, a mirror in occurred every year since 1885, with the these meetings were held weeMy every which are to be reflected the thoughts and exception of some years during World Thursday night. The president would activities of the members of The Fly- Wars I and 11. Since 1932, the dinner has take the seat at the head of the long fishers' Club as anglers, and provide a

THE AMERICAN FLY FISHER Silver statuette of Izaak Walton, which Black leather creel with inscription inside of the lid: '7. D. Anderson from his stands on the long table. From The Book friend Izaak Walton 1646." From The Book of the Flyfishers' Club 1884-1934. of the Flyfishers' Club 1884-1934. Courtesy of the Flyfishers' Club. Courtesy of the Flyfishers' Club.

permanent and authentic record of the papers and lectures given at the Club. Theodore Gordon, acclaimed by some Correspondence on fishing matters will to be America's greatest fly-fishing icon, be inserted, and no opinion will be con- sidered too advanced and no theory too successfully adapted British dry flies to American waters. His work was greatly bold, so long as it is understood and The development of fly fishing in influenced bv members of the Flvfishers. remembered that the Editor is not America has its roots in British traditions His success was due in part to R. B. re~~onsible.'~ and practices. Exploring the Flyfishers' Marston and F. M. Halford, founding Originally, the journal was for mem- Club contributions to the American fly- ', fishing experience is a different task members of the club, who freely shared bers only, but in later years contribu- their knowledge with Gordon. He tions were accepted from nonmembers. because of the very nature of the club. As acknowledges their contributions in a 7 Continually published since 1911, sub- a purely social club composed of mem- May 1906 letter to G. E. M. Skues. scriptions are available to anyone by bers whose fishing achievements were contacting the secretary. The journal is not accomplished in the name of the "Cast thy bread upon the waters and it shall be returned unto thee after many published twice annually, and the club. the connection is not avvarent.L L The American Museum of Fly Fishing is a private nature of its members also con- days." How delightful to find you at last. recipient of a complementary copy for tributes to the difficulty of the analysis. You and Mr. Halford have been my pisca- Another interesting aspect of the club's torial gods for many years. Soon after its library. "Floating Flies" and "Dry Fly Fishing" history is its ability to stay off the "front came out, I wrote to thank him for the page." The club as an organization has pleasure these books had given me. He In earlier years, rummage sales were not engaged in any political activities, no very kindly answered my letter and sent held annually for members to donate matter how important the issue might be me a great many patterns of dry flies. You fishing equipment for resale to other to our sport. Such matters are left to its can imagine how I treasured these flies members. In the 1920s, the club recog- individual members, who in turn do not and how very useful they have been. To nized that the better poultry breeds use their membership as credentials to Mr. R. B. Marston, I am indebted for many were dying out, and proceeds from the further the cause. Purposely staying out favors. God doubtless could have made a rummage sales were used to encour- of political issues that might affect fish- better strawberry, but doubtless he never age the breeding of game and other ing or the conservation of water did. He could have made a better man, but suitable poultry for quality hackles. resources, the club's presence is not as he never did.'4 Today, the rummage sales are held visible as some American organizations. Public acknowledgment was also The Flyfishers are more subtle and sub- twice a vear and vrovide an eniovable2, made by Gordon in the British press: "I evening as items are auctioned off to lime. A way to appreciate the Flyfishers' received much help from R. B. Marston the highest bidder. After G. E. M. influence on American fly fishing is to and F. M. Halford. They assisted greatly Skues died, his tackle was sold in a recognize some of the activities of its in selecting patterns, and I have read Mr. club rummage sale. members. Halford's books. He was so kind to send

FALL 2001 11 "It rose just below that weed patch," was the caption for this photo. These three photos were Relaxing by taken from the personal album of William Senior, courtesy of the Flyj'ishers' Club.

me a large number of floating flies in American anglers for the theft of some order that I might be able to make a of our black bass. Marston's explanation selection of those most suitable and of his participation in the introduction The Anglers' Club of New York was killing upon American waters."'5 of the brown trout to America originally founded in 1906 and in many ways paral- Another founding member of the appeared in the Fishing Gazette on 14 lels the history of the Flfishers' Club. Both club whom Gordon respected was H. S. July 1914. are clubs in major metropolitan areas Hall, the eyed hook inventor. In a private It must have been about 1886 that I got ten without home waters; both have members letter to Roy Steenrod, Gordon said, " . . . thousand of the best English trout eggs of great literary accomplishment in the For all small flies, the Hall's eyed (turned from the late Mr. Thomas Andrews, of world of angling; each have suffered losses up), made by Hutchinson, are best to my Guildford. He reared most beautiful fish. I of their clubs, either by enemy bombing or taste. They are the original dry-fly hook fancy he got the eggs from High Wycombe terrorists attacks; and both have acquired worked out by Mr. H. S. Hall many years trout through our old friend the late Mr. James Thurlow. At that time the Wick great angling libraries. What has been ago. Several of the best dry-fly men in important to the development of Ameri- England assisted him with advice. . . . trout were the finest to be found any- where. I sent them to Mr. Fred Mather and can fly fishing is the long-standing friend- hi^ take such a good grip and hook Mr. A. Nelson Cheney as a present, and as ship of the two clubs, which has been the well. . . ."I6 in some way to malce up to American vehicle for the exchange of ideas and the anglers for our having stolen some of their transfer of angling traditions so that the I black bass. It was done by the man we sent British heritage has become a constant The introduction of brown trout to out to get some black bass, without our stream of influence in America.18 This the United States in the 1880s was a knowledge. Finding he could not buy any, friendship began in 1921 with a challenge he got some poached for him out of momentous event that has affected fly from the Anglers' Club cleverly disguised 4 Greenwood Lake, and there was an angry fishing in this country. English trout protest after an abortive attempt to stop as an invitation to a fly-casting contest. (Salmo fario) were introduced into the the shipping of the fish. I am glad to hear The Flvfishers' humblv declined. and a b Neversink River, New York, in 1886. R. B. the fish have thriven. They may have been close relationship has existed ever since. Marston sent lo,ooo trout eggs to A. Hampshire trout eggs, as Mr. Andrews got Each club has had members that have Nelson Cheney, fish commissioner of eggs from the best waters, and was a most belonged to both clubs. Each club gave the state of New York and an honorary successful fish breeder, except that he did reci~rocitvto the other. and a tradition of member of the club, as a way to repay not make it pay himself. -R.B.M." excLangi& gifts has also developed.

12 THE AMERICAN FLY FISHER Major Cooke Daniels

the river. The old Victorian railroad bridge crossing the Itchen in the background can still be found just on the outskirts of the city of Winchester, England.

A special gift from the Flyfishers' Club One of the club's possessions is a placed this treasured gift in a special to the Anglers' Club was a John Rennie- wooden rod box used as a lottery prize glass display case. designed silver ornamental lighter of a in the Great Exhibition of 1851. It con- leaping salmon. During the 1920s, the tains five brass reels, four rods, two leaping salmon was created for the leather fly wallets, and japanned tin The Flyfishers have been leaders in Flyfishers' Club as a car bonnet mascot. boxes for lines and casts all made by J. preserving the history of fly fishing. After Rennie's death, the Flyfishers' had a Jones of 111 Jernyn Street, London They have helped create memorials to replica made and presented it in 1949 to (1848-1867). The club acquired the Great show respect and honor some of our the Anglers' Club. It serves as a reminder Exhibition rod box in 1914, and it sport's greatest contributors. Izaak of the two clubs' friendship. became the inspiration for a millennium Walton is buried in the Silkstede Chapel, gift to the Anglers' Club of New York. Winchester Cathedral. In 1914, the Roger McPhail prepared an original Flyfishers from Great Britain and painting depicting the history of the fly America raised funds to dedicate a fishers, and limited edition prints were stained glass window to Walton. After sold to members as lottery tickets. The many years of use as a vestry for lay lottery raised the funds for two identical clerks and a storage room, club members rod boxes. A drawing was held at the recognized the dismal condition of the 1999 annual dinner, and the winning chapel and began a restoration project. number matched the number on the Funds were raised in America and Great McPhail print. On 20 March 2000, a Britain, and the chapel restored. Old Flyfisher delegation traveled to New Victorian cupboards were removed and York to present the millennium rod box the fourteenth-century stonework and containing the best of today's English screen restored. Walton's gravestone was fishing tackle.'g In exchange, the polished. An oak altar was inlaid with Anglers' Club presented a special limited gilded copper of a fish design by artist edition of Austin McK. Francis's Land of Peter Ball. Curved oak seating by Alison Leaping salmon lighter mentioned above. Little Rivers, along with a letter signed by Crowth was also added. A reconsecra- Photo from The Anglers' Club Story, all of the living past presidents of the tion service was held on 13 July 1996. The courtesy of the Anglers' Club of New York. Anglers' Cl~b.~'The Flyfishers' Club has altar was dedicated to St. John the

FALL 2001 13 Evangelist and the fishermen's apostles. Abbotts Barton. Darlington and his ship of the famous trout waters.26Today, The chapel screen was sprinkled with group cleared the overgrown banks, these fabled waters may fall from the holy water. At the conclusion of the ser- pulled back the reed beds, installed a control of Roy Darlington and the vice, those in attendance recited "The new hatch to supplement water flows, Abbotts Barton Club because the Walton Prayer," composed by Reverend and narrowed channels to increase water Wildlife Trust wants to let the waters go David Scott." velocity and thus handle the silting back to their natural state. Brian Clarke, The Flyfishers felt that Charles Cotton problem. With the help of fishermen from fishing correspondent for the Times, had been ignored and so dedicated the around the globe, they installed a com- commented, "To see this historic and first memorial to him. It was erected in memorative seat dedicated to G. E. M. sensitively managed water in effect the vestibule of St. James's Church. The Skues. In 1980, a substantial part of the junked-in the name of Wildlife Trusts, memorial contains a portion of Cotton's property was sold to the Wildlife Trust, on the basis of so little observable sci- coat of arms and says, "Charles Cotton but the Darlingtons put a syndicate ence will appall not only anglers, but of Beresford Dale, angler and man of let- together known as the Abbotts Barton many naturalists, to0."~7 ters, friend of Izaack Walton and author Club and leased the property for twenty of the second part of The Compleat year~.~4 Angler. Born 1630 and buried in this In May 1976, Vincent C. Marinaro Theodore Gordon said, "Good anglers church 16th February 1687."22 made his "once in a lifetime" pilgrimage always help one an0ther."~8 The Fly- They also assisted with funds for the to fish the Hampshire chalk streams of fishers have been good anglers and have endowment of a private ward in St. southern England and fished Abbotts always helped American anglers. They George's Hospital to honor H. Plunkett Barton. Roy Darlington described the have personified the ideals of Izaak Greene, former club president and experience. Walton's brotherhood and Americans author of Where the Bright Waters have benefited. They have contributed to We collected Marinaro the following Meet.'3 morning and took him to Abbotts Barton the literature of fly fishing, created where we were privileged to see him fish memorials to preserve our fishing her- for the first time. His observation and pre- itage, and been diligent keepers of fly- Englishmen are river keepers by cision in delivering the fly to the trout was fishing traditions and the English chalk necessity. The chalk streams of southern awe-inspiring. He seemed to understand streams. The Flvfishers have continuallv England are born in black peat bogs and totally just how the fish expected to see the shown a genuine affection and interest are raised into water meadow rivers with natural fly drift into and across its field of in their American angling brothers, all careful maintenance and constant atten- view, and was uncannily able to cause his the while being some of the few who tion. Only then do these streams become artificial to do likewise. It was at once have united svort and culture into the suitable for trout fishing. Maintenance obvious that he felt at home on our chalk- art of angling. streams. e of these streams requires patience and His native Pennsylvania has many fine an obvious love of rivers. Probablv the limestone streams and the tiny flies which most famous beat on a chalk stream in he had developed there worked equally the history of fly fishing is Abbotts well on the Itchen. He outwitted some ACKNOWLEDGMENTS Barton on the river Itchen above large and difficult trout in the tricky This article would not have been possi- Winchester, England. This fishery is Abbotts Barton carriers, all of which he ble without the able assistance of John where Frederic Halford, George Selwyn returned. Morgan, librarian of the Flyfishers' Club. Marryat, H. S. Hall, and Dr. Thomas I partially recall one fish which had, Mr. Morgan took it upon himself to share already, been subjected to a succession of Sanctuary were known to do their work with me their treasures and faithfully developing the modern dry fly. G. E. M. fly patterns, despite such an early stage in the season, and consequently was introduced me to the club's journal and Skues fished these waters from 1883 to extremely shy. Because of a multiplex of library so that I could experiencefirsthand 1938 and developed his theories of bank-side obstructions in the form of the joys of working with a modern-day nymph fishing. It has survived because young trees and weed-beds the fish was Waltonian, Mr. Morgan's devotion to the someone has preserved it as a trout fish- unapproachable from the opposite Flyfishers' Club is a clear example of why ery and has not allowed it to be neglect- (right) bank. the Flyfishers have maintained such a ed. From 1879 until 1953, Abbotts Barton With quite the most beautiful casting I prominent position in the angling world had been leased primarily by members have ever witnessed, Marinaro dropped for such a long time. Commander 7: H. of the Flyfishers' Club. During their one of his beautiful little dry-flies with the Boycott, OBE RN Club Secretary, was also stewardship, Abbotts Barton was the leader curled, sweetly, in a lefthand bend so that the artificial fly, not any part of the very helpful, for which I am grateful. proving ground and laboratory for some leader, was the first element of the deceit of the most creative thinkers devoted to to be presented to the trout. It worked so fly fishing. In the 1960%the main river sweetly, the trout responded approvingly ENDNOTES was dredged by government authorities and I was so impressed at the manner in and the lower end acquired by the city of which he tightened and duly connected 1. Izaak Walton, The Compleat Angler Winchester. These actions, along with with the fish. (London: The World's Classic Edition, Oxford neglect by other tenants, allowed The trout, subsequently netted, was Press, 1982), p. 21. admired and released, and Marinaro had 2. Ibid., p. 37. ~bbottssirton to become overgrown, 3. William Senior credits the Fisheries silted up, and totally unrecognizable as a the smug, self-satisfied look of a man who knew he had impressed his spectators.25 Exhibition of 1883 as the event that hastened the trout stream. establishment of the club. William Senior, "How In 1973, the fishery was leased by Roy In 1999, the Abbotts Barton rods pre- We Were Born-A Historical Sketch," in The Darlington, a member of the Flyfishers' sented the Darlingtons with a cased set Journal of The Flyfishers' Club, vol. I, no. 1, April 1911, p. 2. Reprinted in Ken Robson, Flyfishers' Club, who, with the help of friends and of silver Skues nymphs as gifts of appre- Progress (Otley, England: Smith Settle, Ltd., zooo), his brother, began the restoration of ciation for twenty-five years of steward- p. 2.

14 THE AMERICAN FLY FISHER The Flyfishers' collections include photographs such as this one of salmon fishing on the River Altran, Sweden, in 1870.

4. The Book of the Flyfishers' Club 1884-1934 Fisherman: The Notes and Letters of Theodore 21. The Walton Prayer (London: privately printed for the Flyfishers' Club, Gordon (Norwalk, Conn.: Collector's Edition, The 0 Lord God, creator and redeemer 19341, P. 59. Eaton Press, 19951, pp. 393-94. We thank you for your servant lraak Walton. 5. John Buchan, from the introduction, 15. Ibid., p. 285. We celebrate his humility in presenting the holiness of Walton, The Compleat Angler, p. xxiii. 16. Ibid., p. 518. others before the praise of himself, 6. Sparse Grey Hackle (Alfred Miller), Fishless 17. Ibid., pp. 367-68. and for encouraging us in the quiet pursuit Days, Angling Nights (New York: Crown 18. By no means has the relationship between of our daily work and leisure. Publishers, Inc., i97i), p. 216. the two clubs been a one-way street for the impor- As the disciples toiled all night on the lake, 7. Although early in their history the Flyfishers tation of British ideas to America. The Flyfishers and needed but the voice of Christ to fill their nets, contemplated having their own private club have bee11 equally receptive to American ideas and so your faithful servant, Izaak, waters, none were ever acquired. The generosity of innovatiol~s. on the river bank, at his desk, and in his prayers, individual members making their own fishing 19. The Millennium Rod Box contains two let the voice of Christ fill his life with the blessings waters available has eliminated the need for the handmade trout cane rods by Tom Moran and we now celebrate, and pointed all the praise club to acquire its own waters. It is now a require- Shaun Linsley; two Hardy Elite graphite salmon to Him who is alive and reigns with you for ever, ment for the secretary to not be a fisherman. rods; four Hardy Bougli reels; lines and casts for even Jesus Christ, our Lord, Amen. each rod and reel; three sycamore fly boxes; and Apparently it is better for the secretary to stay at Francis Lodge, "The Rededication of the Silkstede bridle leather containers and a hip flask, all with the club and tend to the club's business instead of Chapel," The Journal of the Flyfishers' Club, vol. 85, fishing. the club logo on them. The rod box itself was no. 302, Winter 1996, pp. 25-27, designed by Donald Dennis of handmade English 8. The Book of the Flyfishers' Club, p. 12. 22. E. A. Barton, "The Charles Cotton Men- 9. Ibid., p. q. walnut with Scottish sycamore lining. orial," Flyfishers' Journal, vol. 26, no. 102, Summer lo. Christopher Butterworth, "Our New Club 2o.The 20 March 2000 letter reads: "As we 1937, p. 64. Rooms," The Journal of the Flyfishers' Club, v01.84, enter a new millennium, and to commemorate 23. Ibid., p. 75. our continuing angling brotherhood, this vol- no. 300, Winter 1995, p. 42. 24. Roy Darlington, "Abbotts Barton: A Few 11. Davis Pilleau, "The Club Library," in The ume on the rivers of American angling's begin- Years' Grace:' The Journal of the Flyfzshers' Club, Flyfishers': An Anthology to Mark the Centenary of nings is presented to The Flyfishers' Club from vol. 76, no. 283, Winter 1986, pp. 14-16; reprinted in the Flyfishers' Club 1884-1984 (Wallop, England: The Anglers Club." Signed by its living presi- Robson, FlyFishers' Progress, p. 134. dents: Robert A. Devilbiss, 1962-63; Alan J. Bas Printers, Ltd., 1984), p. 90. 25. Roy Darlington, "The Visit," The Journal of Schmitz, 1966-67; R. Palmer Baker Jr., 1968-69; 12. The statuette of Izaak Walton was given to the Flyfishers' Club, vol. 81, no. 291, Summer 1991, the club in 1924 by its then retiring president, Erza P. Printice Jr., 1972-73; Lawton S. Lamb, 1974-75; L. F. Bokes Doyle, 1976-77; A. John pp. 29-30, Major General Sir Victor Coupes, K.C.B. Club tra- 26. Peter Lapsley, "One Man and His River," Schmitz Jr., 1978-79; Colton P. Wagner, 1982-83; dition also requires the statuette to be placed Flyfishers' Journal, vol. 86, no. 309, Summer 2000, before the president during monthly meetings as William H. Savage, 1984-85; Ian D. Mackay, 1988-89; William D. Dana Jr., 1990-91; William p. 45. an appropriate symbol of office. 27. Brian Clarke, "Itchen Inspired Naturalist to 13. A. C. Kent, ed., The Journal of the Flyfishers' H. Hazen, 1992-93; John A. Scully, 1994-95; James Take Great Leap," The Times (London), 12 July Club, vol. 1, no. 1, April 1911, pp. 1-2. E. Bacon, 1996-97; James M. Stewart, 1998-99; 2000, p. 7. 14. John McDonald, ed., The Complete Fly John I. Larkin, M.D., 2000. 28. McDonald, Complete Fly Fisherman, p. 285.

FALL 2001 15 Astraus: The First Fly-Fishing River by Goran Grubic and Andrew Herd

And Eurybia, bright goddess, was joined in love to Crius and bare great Astrzus, and Pallas, and Perses who also was eminent among all men in wisdom. And Eos bare to Astrzus the strong-hearted winds, brightening Zephyrus, and Boreas, headlong in his course, and Notus-a goddess mating in love with a god. And after these Erigenia bare the star Eosphorus, and the gleaming stars with which heaven is crowned. -Hesiod, The Theogony (U. 375-377,378-3821

Ancient Greece. "Graecia Antiqua, ad accuratas recentiorum observaitones, turn itinerarias, turn astronomicas accommodata: auctore G. de L'Isle." Reproduced by permission of the British Library (shelfinark Maps K. Top.z.67).

6 THE AMERICAN FLY FISHER 3igtlt-e I, Findlay's historical map (I$+Q) show everything almost where it was in ancient times although exact site3 fm many ofthose phces have not yet been laismered. Courtesy ofthe General Libraries, the University of Tews at Austin.

LY FISHING FOR TROUT was history of ancient Macedonia and prob- had a different name in Wlian's time: it first mentioned in print by ably the first writer to connect the river's was known as the Pontus, and therefore FClaudius Elianus (170-230 A.D.), name with Greek mythology-who it is almost certain that it was not his often called Wlian, in his book De natu- wrote that the name Astraus originated river Astra~s.~ ra animaliurn. He explained that it was from the name of the nymph Astraa, the A second theory was given briefly and practiced on the river Astraus in protector of river headsprings (common without references by Charles Jardine.' Macedonia, a Roman province at the in limestone karst formations).5 She was He identified Bercea as Stara Zagora, time.l The only clue to the river's posi- one of the Naiads, one of the nymphs of which today is in the Republic of tion was that it was "between Bercea2 flowing water. Astraa ("the star-maid- Bulgaria, and explained that the Astraus and Thessalonica.3" During the past few en") was the daughter of Zeus and was probably a river on Rodopi decades, there have been many attempts Themis. She was. as was her mother. a Mountain massif in south Bulgaria. to identify which modern river can goddess of justice, and she was selected Possible sources for Jardine's theory are claim to be Elian's Astrzeus. but this as the nurse of the lady Beroe, the the Atlas of the Roman World by Tim research has been difficult, and from a patroness of Bercea. Key features of this Cornell and John Matthews8 or reading of published work, it is still not myth fall within the area denoted by Encyclopedia Britannica,9 where Stara clear which river it might be. This is our filian: near the city of Bercea. Zagora is mentioned as a place formerly attempt to summarize the literature to called Bercea. It is worth mentioning date and to bring more light to the sub- that on Alexander G. Findlay's historical ject. map, yet another place called Bercea can There are several theories about the be found in an area that is a part of mod- modern location of the Astraus, but it ern Bulgaria (Figure 1); but this is far should be mentioned that there was from Stara Zagora, and both places are The river Astraus may have been both an area of ancient Macedonia very distant from Thessalonica (Stara named for the Greek god called Astraus, called Astraa and a city of Astraeum Zagora, for example, is more than 300 a son of a king Hippotes. His other name (and possibly there were two separate kilometers away from Thessalonica). was Aeolus, and his wife was Eos, the locations with the same name). First. it is Jardine's Bercea was in fact an ancient goddess of dawn. By him she bore the usually assumed that those ;laces &ere Thracian (not Macedonian) settlement stars and the winds: Notus. the south in Poeonia near the vresent citv of that in Roman times became Augusta wind; Boreas, the north wind; Euras, the Strumica, in the former Yugoslav Trajana and was subsequently called east wind; and Zephyr or Zephyrus, the Republic of Macedonia. From this infor- Irenopolis by the Byzantines. There is west wind.4 mation it is tempting to conclude, as also no evidence that there was ever a However, the most probable explana- many have, that the modern-day river river named Astraus in this area. On the tion was given by Nicholas G. L. Strumica, which flows through the area, basis that it is improbable that Wlian Hammond-a great authority on the was the Astraus. That river, however, would have located a river by naming

FALL 2001 17 Figure 2. The Moglenitsas as "Vistrica," with mixture of Greek, Slavic, and Turkish names written in German pronunciation, as shown in Johann Scheda's portion of "General-Karte von Europa," 1859. Courtesy of the General Libraries, the University of Texas atdustin.

two places separated by several hundred seems to have been taken by the investigation chronicled by Voljc. Martin kilometers, Jardine's theory doesn't seem Macedonians who were transplanted was not convinced that it is possible to very likely, although there are many from that area in the homeland."12 That identify the exact river clearly, although streams in the Rodopi Mountains that theory was supported by a study by he suggested, with a tentative "perhaps:' support trout. Bozidar Voljc published in 2000.~3 that it might be the river Scirtus (later It is interesting to note that there is a In his short but very comprehensive known as the Vodhas and presently fourth place with a claim to the ancient study, Hammondl4 rejected two earlier called the Edhessaios), which flows name Bercea; the city of Aleppo (Halab) theories about the identitv of the through the city of Edessa. This theory in Syria.lo Fortunately, it is about 1,350 Astrzus: that it was either thi Axios or seems unlikely, as Scirtus is as ancient a kilometers from Thessalonica, which the Ali&mon rivers.15 Both rivers are in name as Astreus and there is no com- makes it unlikely to be a contender. It is the area discussed by Elian, but the pelling reason why Elian should not our most fervent hope that Elian did not Axios is a large river and bore the same have known of it. mean this Bercea in his text (Figure I). name in ancient times. Furthermore, the In yet a fifth theory, Conrad Voss A third theory was set out by Axios between Bercea and Thessalonica Bark1' and Frederick Buller18 agree that Hammond. He suggested that Blian's could not have been a trout stream in the Astreus is today the river Koutichas Astrzus is the river known today as the Roman times; although in its upper, (Kouticha), a smaller tributary of the Arapitsas, a tributary of the modern higher reaches, some zoo kilometers fur- Moglenitsas-Regional Canal, further Moglenitsas-Regional Canal that flows ther inland, it probably was, and many of south from Edhessaios and Arapitsas. to the river Haliacmon (AliAkmon).ll In its tributaries are still trout rivers. The According to Voljc,l9 the Koutichas is too its favor, this river is roughly in the area Alihkmon, on the other hand, is a lovely small to be of any importance, but in its between Bercea and Thessalonica, it has trout stream and cannot be rejected favor, it was the closest river to Bercea a trout population, and it starts from completely, although it flows southward (apart from a very small brook flowing headsprings in the limestone slopes of from the Bercea and could not be said to directly through the city) that drained Mountain Bermium (Vermion). Ham- be exactly between Bercea and Thessa- into Alihon during Blian's time. mond expressed his opinion that the lonica. We believe that Hammond's In summary, the most credible of foothills of Mt. Bermium to the north views are correct and do not treat the these theories suggest that the Astrzus is and south were probably the original rivers Axios and Aliakmon as possible part of today's Moglenitsas-Regional area named Astrza. He explained that as candidates for the Astreus. Canal system. Our own view is that far as the previously mentioned Astraa A fourth theory was put forward by identifying the exact location of the river in Poeonia was concerned, "the name Darrel Martin,16 who was involved in the is difficult today, but that most likely the

THE AMERICAN FLY FISHER Figure 3. The Alihkmon as "Vistrica," 1914, with mixture of Greek, Slavic, and Turkish written in German pronunciation, as shown in the mapfiom the "Report of the International Commission to Inquire into the Causes and Conduct of the Balkan Wars." Courtesy of the General Libraries, the University of Texas at Austin.

watercourse Elian knew as the Astraus remained reasonably constant while the and the most likely candidates for the is part of, or flows into, the Moglenitsas- Roman Empire endured. However, from Astraus all fell within this territory.Zo Regional Canal. about the sixth century, Slavic tribes Sadly, the region knew little peace; it was from the north invaded the area, and occupied by Bulgarian troops during many toponyms were "Slavicized." After most of World War I and by Bulgarian Bv now readers will realize that much this first period of Slavic rule, and German troops in World War 11, but has ;hanged in the Balkans over the past Macedonia fell under the control of the each time it was returned to Greek sov- two thousand vears. and some further first Bulgarian empire in the ninth cen- ereignty at the war's end, and that is how background infbrmation may be helpful tury, which brought more change in it remains today. before we dig deeper into the conun- toponyms. During the Middle Ages, drum of where the river is today. During parts of it were variously ruled by the THEGEOLOGY OF THE AREA the passage of time, three different types Byzantine Empire, the second Bulgarian In Elian's time, as now, this area had of changes have happened in the empire, and the Serbian empire, al- the potential to be particularly rich in Astraus area: demographic changes, though Slavic names remained through trout, as most major rivers in the changes in toponyms, and physical most of that period. During the Moglenitsas-Regional Canal system changes in the geography of the area. Ottoman rule (which lasted from the start from limestone and probably have From about 700 B.c., the area around fourteenth to the nineteenth century), head spring^.^^ Within this area, there are the AliPkmon River was home of the Slavic names were mixed with Turkish several mountains higher" than 2.000 Macedonians. Then, in 146 B.c., three ones. Finally, with the rise of modern meters, which are made mostly of lime- hundred years before Elian was born, Greece (Greek independence was for- stone and marble. Headsprings usually Macedonia became a Roman vrovince. mally recognized in 1832), the toponyms occur in places where there is an "edge" For administrative reasons, around 400 we use today started to reappear, between limestone, which is porous, and A.D.. it was divided into the vrovinces of phoenixlike. Sadly, although many another nonporous rock. This type of ~adedoniaand ~acedoniasecunda, ancient names are back in modern usage, formation is common in the area and is within the district of Moesia. In line Astr~usis not one of them (Table I). responsible for the clear, sparkling with the Roman policy of interfering as In the twentieth cen;ury, dreek nature of its many rivers. little as possible with the day-to-day life Macedonia was created as a result of the The common Slavic name for any of areas that they had conquered, the division of the country following the spring-fed clear river is "Bistrica" (liter- ancient names of the towns and rivers end of the Second Balkan War in 1913, ally, clean, pellucid water). The name

FALL 2001 19 I '&&re4. Figure 5. Reconstruction 1: The situation long before Ban3time. Reconstruction 2: The situation at Elian's time.

appears frustratingly often on maps of nymph, at a stroke this gives us many consideration has been subject to the Balkans and also on those of many more possible Astrzeus candidates: for numerous physical changes over the other Euro~eancountries. The word example, rivers in northern Greece- centuries that have completely altered appears on German or Austrian maps as such as the Moglenitsas and the Ali6k- the drainage of the watershed. We now "Vistrica." Other pronunciations are mon-had such names at one time or review those events step by step and in a Bistritza, Bistritsa, Bystrica, Bystritsa, another, as shown in Figures 2 and 3. series of reconstructed pictures. Bystritka, Bystf ice, Bystf itka, Bistri~a. Figure 4 (Reconstruction 1) shows the For reasons best known to herself, the CONSIDERATIONOF THE situation in Herodotus's time. This was nymph Astrzea decided to protect such MOGLEN~TSAS-REGIONALthe state of affairs before man interfered places, perhaps because the calm spring CANALSYSTEM with the natural course of things. By water acted like a mirror in which she most accounts, Pella was the capital of was able to see her face among the stars. The most serious obstacle to identify- Macedonia from the time of King While we hesitate to take advantage of a ing the Astrzus is that the area under Archelaus (313-399 B.c.) until the Roman conquest, and Alexander the Great (Alexander 111, reigned 336-323 B.c.) was born there. The rivers in the area flowed into the Theramic Gulf (Thermaiko or the Gulf of Thkrmai), which was much wider then than it is today, after two thousand years of silta- tion and alteration of sea levels. Figure 5 (Reconstruction 2) shows the situation as we understand it to have been during Blian's time, reflecting the position described in De natura animal- ium. The river Astrzus is between Bercea and Thessalonica and is flowing into the Aligkmon. The Theramic Gulf has become smaller as a result of silt from

20 THE AMERICAN FLY FISHER Figure 6. Figure 7. Reconstruction 3: The situation after Elian's time. Reconstruction 4: The further development of the situation after Blian's time.

the Axios, Loudias, and AliAkmon rivers. mained as a much smaller river, and the Astraus did "between Bercea and At that time there was a brackish lake at canal system received most of its former Thessalonica." Voljc cites an Austrian Pella (later also called Yanitsa or flow. The canal svstem began" at the text from 1905 in which the situation was Giannitsa Lake). Scirtus confluence with the upper still much ;hi same with Giannitsa Lake Figure 6 (Reconstruction 3) shows the Loudias. surrounded by swamps.22The canal sys- situation after IElian's time, when sub- In the period during which the Slavic tem was restored some time after Greece stantial changes occurred in the river tribes inhabited the area, most of the gained independence, but the process systems. The lake had become smaller canals were not maintained and the situ- was slow because of conflicts and wars still, and man had started to change ation slowly degraded similar to the one that continued in the area (see Figure 7). some of the river courses, partly because shown in Figure 4. The Slavs gave new Figure 8 shows the situation after 1938 the river Scirtus was flooding the Via names to many features (see Table 1). when the Moglenitsas-Regional Canal Egnatia near Edessa. The Via Egnatia The headwaters of the canal system that was finished. The lake has disappeared was a strategic road connecting Thessa- once flowed into Loudias were called completely. Although the canal system lonica and Rome; it was an extension of Moglenitsas (or Meglenica), a name has been further changed and developed the Via Appia beyond the Adriatic into which has remained until today to the present day, the situation in the Greece and Asia Minor, where it joined (although at one time it was called Astraus headwaters remains much as the ancient Persian Royal Road. Such Bistrica, as explained previously). The the illustration shows. A long time ago, flooding could not be tolerated, and so name Meglenica has its origin in the Herodotus called the area "the gardens the waters of the Scirtus were channeled high mountainous area called Meglen, of Midas" because of its fertility. Today, into the Astraus and onward to the where the three main head rivers start. thanks to irrigation provided by those AliAkmon river system. This area is very close to the present canals, the whole prefecture of Pella is Figure 7 (Reconstruction 4) shows the northern Greek border. sometimes called "the vegetable garden further development of man's influence This situation remained the case until of Greece." Thus the full circle is com- on the water systems in the area. This the early twentieth century. A map plete, which brings us to the end of this included transfer of the upper Loudias showing the situation in 1859 can be seen story. tributaries into the Scirtus canal and the in Figure 2. Although this map, like most creation of a river and canal system that old maps, was somewhat inaccurate, it is drained waters from the entire western possible to see Giannitsa Lake and the From the material presented, it is dif- Thessalonica plain. The Loudias re- river Koutichas flowing much like the ficult to be sure of the exact location of

FALL 2001 5 Figure 8. Reconstruction 5: The situation after 1938.

the Astrazus, although on the balance of Giorgios Perros (mathematician), and lo. This fourth Bercea is noted by both Cornell Dr. Alexander Grubic (geologist). and Matthews, Atlas of the Roman World, and the evidence presented, it was most like- "Aleppo," Encyclopzdia Britannica Onlme. ly to have been the Arapitsas, with the http://members.eb.comlbo~topic?eu=5637&sctn=1 Koutichas a possibility. Our view is that ENDNOTES n. Hammond, "LocaQon of the Trout-River given the brevity of Blian's description Astraeus," p. 173f. and the changes that have taken place 1. Claudius Rlianus, De natura animalzum, 12. Ibid. over the many centuries that have passed vol. XV, 1. Best accessed ~n Loeb Classical Library 13. Bozidar Voljc, "Sulle orme dl Claudius since he wrote, no one can say with con- edition, A. F. Scholfield, ed. Blian on the Aelianus," Fly Ltne (no. I), pp. 20-25. fidence where the river lies now. Characterzstzcs of Anzmals, vol. I11 (Cambridge, 14. Hammond, "Location of the Trout-Rrver Astraeus," p. i73f. However. the "general location of the Mass.: Harvard University Press, i972), pp. 203-4. river is not under dispute, and we hope 2. Variously known in ancient and modern 15. Claudius Rlianus, De natura anzmalzum, that readers will be able to clearlv identi- times as Bepota, Berrhoea, Beria, Berea, Ber, PP. 203-4. 16. Darrel Martm, The Fly Ftsher's Illustrated fy it on modern maps having read this Karaferia, Veroa, or Veria. 3. Oeooahovtx11. (Thessalonica) Dzctzonary (New York: The Lyons Press, zooo), pp. article. Whether fly fishing was invented 4. Robert Graves, The Greek Myths (London: 8-10. on the Astrzus one cannot say, but The Book Club Associates, 1984), p. 51. 17. Conrad Voss Bark, The Encyclopaedia ofFly because it was the first river mentioned 5. Nicholas G. L. Hammond, "The Location Ftshing (London: B. T. Batsford Ltd., 1986), p. lo. in print, it deserves due respect from all of the Trout-River Astraeus," Greek, Roman and 18. Frederick Buller, "The Macedonian Fly,'' exponents of the "gentle art" of fly fish- Byzantzne Stndzes (vol. 36, no. 2,1995), p. 173f. The American F@ Fzsher (Fall 1996, vol. 22, no. 4), ing. Maybe every fly fisher should make 6. Alexander G. Findlay, "Macedonia, PP 2-9. a pilgrimage there once in his or her life. Thracia, Illyria, Mesia et Dacia," from A Classical 19. Voljc, "Sulle orme di Clauhus Aelianus:' Atlas to Illustrate Anczent Geography (New York: pp. 20-25. - Harper and Brothers Publishers, 1849). 20. "Macedonia:' Encyclopzdia Britannica ACKNOWLEDGMENTS 7. Charles Jardine, Sotheby's Guide to Fly- Onhe. The authors wish to express their Fzshing for Trout (London: Dorling Kindersley, 19911, p. 10. 21. Goran Grubic, letter to Andrew Herd, z gratitude to people who helped in find- 8. Tim Cornell, John Matthews, Atlas of the February 2001. ing materials connected to the investiga- Roman World (New York: Facts on File, iggo), p. 231. 22. Voljc, "Sulle orme di Claudius Aehanus," tion: Mr. Andrija Urban, MSc (army 9. "Stara Zagora," Encyclopzdia Britannica pp. 20-25. pilot), Ilija Petrusevski (cartographer), Online.

22 THE AMERICAN FLY FISHER IN MEMORIAM Walton E. Powell

by Harry J. Briscoe

e live in an age of fly fishing plenty, perhaps even of excess. The technological develop- wments and refinements of the avvlica-L L tions in fly fishing that have occurred A sketch of Walton E. Powell 1lomissioned by John Eustice. during the past thirty-plus years are beyond enumeration. We see them, we use them, we enjoy them, and we think machinist into the family businesses. sonalities of the i94os, 1950S, and 1960s; little of it-or from whence it all came to During the i93os, 194os, and i95os, Walt residents of the White House; and cap- us. concentrated on refining the tapers, tains of corporate America. He was an Rare is a life whose time not only cov- actions. cosmetics. and the construction engaging and comfortable personality, ered this golden age of development, but techniques of bamboo rods, following and he always provided a unique and which indeed participated directly in the lead of the legendarvu E. C., but inno- refreshing perspective on the tackle and almost every phase. With regard to the vating at the same time. Together they techniques of fly fishing. Walt was some- evolution of modern fly rods, one such worked out the mathematical formulas times frustrated by the legions of new rare life was enjoyed by Walt Powell. And that defined the "Powell" actions in cane "experts" that proliferated in recent we are all the better for it. rods. They also refined the concept of years. In his presentations to clubs and

On 29 June 2001, Walton E. Powell "semi-hollow" cane rods using lighter- organizations.V he would often relate, passed away at a medical center near his weight woods as an internal support "The most important thing about suc- home in Fall River Mills, California. He material for their creations. Many of his cessful fly fishing is being there when the was eighty-five. Walton was the son of rods from this period are recognized as fish are biting! A lot of these so-called legendary cane rod pioneer E. C. Powell; classics. The Powell "B-9" taper is exverts want vou to think thev can catch the father of the founder of the Powell notable among these. a fish at any place, any time. I've not

Rod Company, Press Powell; and the Walt beganV his indeuendent business found that to be true." grandfather of Eugene and Richard in the early 1950s and participated Walt was married to his beloved wife Powell, each of whom exhibits the fami- aggressively in the evolution of rod- Earline for forty-four years. She was an ly tendencies toward excellence in fly- building technology with work in fiber- active and strong force in the family rod construction. Walt was the current glass and, following that, with graphite businesses until her death in 1981. In patriarch of one of the most distin- and other synthetic materials. In 1977, 1994, he married Diane, who provided guished fly-fishing families in the his son Press established the Powell Rod support and loving companionship dur- American history of our fine pastime. Company to carry on the family legacy, ing his own golden years. Those days Walt was also likely the last of the gener- using Walt's lifetime of training. Walt were spent in a simple fisherman's cabin ation of craftsmen who participated in and Press continued to innovate with on the banks of the beautiful Fall River the development of each phase of mod- tubular blank design and construction in northern California, not far from the ern fly tackle. techniques from those days to the pre- homeland that he had enioved, , as a bov Walt Powell was born in Red Bluff, sent. In the early 198os, Walton and the with his famous father. As the massive California, in December 1915. At the age Powells began a long relationship with spring-borne waters from that incredi- of seven, he received his first fly rod as a Gary Loomis's plant, where Powell ble natural resource feed southward into birthday gift from his father. At the same blanks were built to their exact svecifica- all of California and the West, so too time, he began working in the industry tions. Not content with the evolution of does the Powell family legacy spread by sorting feathers for fly-tying in his tubular rods, Walton began working in throughout the modern fly-fishing father's shop. By his early teens, he was the late 1980s with an English patent experience. The industry has lost one of building bamboo rods. For nearly eighty using segmented graphite strips to fash- its founders. years he fished with flies, and for more ion a modern, solid fly rod for the Walt Powell was a simple man, not than seventy years, almost to the time of American market. That work established prone to pomp and fanfare. He had his passing, he manufactured fine fly Hexagraph as a unique fly rod in the requested that memorials and tributes rods. Throughout, he experimented market today. be limited. Instead, he said, "If you want with the development of all of the mate- Walton Powell was a technical innova- to do something to remember me, go rials that have found their way into the tor throughout his years, but in addi- fishing, and think of me while you are manufacturing of modern fly tackle. He tion, he was a gentleman and a passion- there-or better yet, take a youngster was an excellent craftsman and an inno- ate spokesman for the things he believed fishing and teach him or her what it is vator during his entire lifetime. in and for the suort and exverience that really about." I told him I'd do both. Walton attended the University of is fly fishing. Walt counted many famous

California as a pre-med student, but Iueoule I as customers of his work and as World War I1 and family matters inter- companions for his outings. His clients Harry Briscoe is president of the vened, so he took his training as a included many famous Hollywood per- Hexagraph Fly Rod Company.

FALL 2001 23 - - -- - BOOK REVIEW - - A Crop of Classics by Paul Schullery

ISTORY-MINDEDanglers rarely have been blessed For yet another, this new edition is superbly produced, the with as many affordable editions of older books as they kind of edition that would almost certainly gratify the author Hare now. We can easily acquire dozens of books that more than his small, rather cheaply produced 1938 edition twenty or thirty years ago most of us could only hopelessly must have. (I admit to mixed feelings about this, because I covet when we saw them in antiquarian book catalogs. This have long thought it would be great fun to have a new, equally wonderful access to past writers not only broadens our oppor- cheap facsimile edition of this book, just for the feel of authen- tunities to learn how to fish; it also acquaints us with some of ticity it would bring to the reading. But this larger and graph- the most engaging angling voices from previous generations. ically sumptuous edition is impossible to resist.) Following are a few recently published new editions of books There is a thoughtful, forward-looking introduction by that fly fishermen may find especially satisfying. West Yellowstone tackle-shop owner and author Craig Like most Yellowstone Mathews (heir apparent to both Back and Charlie as inter- fishermen, I likely learned preter of the area's fishing), and an equally engaging afterword about Howard ~ack'scharm- by Robert Berls. Mathews prepares us for the leap back to ing little book The Waters of Yellowstone in 1938, and provides a refreshing and well- Yellowstone with Rod and informed contrast between the fishing in those days and now. Fly while reading Charlie The Berls afterword is up to his usual standard of bibliograph- Brooks's books and articles ical homework, providing us with more information on who in the 1970s. Charlie was Back was and how he came to Yellowstone than any of us knew probably a more effective (Charlie would be pleased). And, as important as any of the promotional agent for the other additions, the book is illustrated throughout with Dan Back book than its original Callaghan's superb black and white photographs of the rivers publisher had been when the Back fished. book first appeared in 1938. I Anyone who has already fished Yellowstone will find this still remember the financial book great fun for the chance to compare notes with a bright, flinch I survived about twen- good-natured earlier angler. Anyone who is thinking of fishing ty-five years ago when I Yellowstone someday should certainly add this historical per- splurged a breathtaking four- spective to what Charlie and Craig (and the rest of us, for that teen dollars of my seasonal matter) tell you in their books. ranger salary to buy a used copy. Other fishing regions have similarly valuable little books that The book is now available in a handsome new edition (The I wish publishers would revive. Most could probably not sus- Lyons Press, 2000, $24.95). I single out the Back book to begin tain a national audience the way an old book about Yellowstone this review because it was a special milestone in western fly- might, but they are no less deserving of a new edition. fishing writing (though not the first book written about fly Four other recent reprints have special appeal to fly fishers. fishing in Yellowstone, it was probably the first with any com- The oldest is Mary Orvis Marbury's Favorite Flies and Their mercially available breadth). For one thing, it was reflective, lit- Histories, a sturdy paperback facsimile of the original 1892 edi- erate, and amusing at a time when the few books written about tion (The Lyons Press, 2001, $24.95). The book is illustrated by western trout tended to be none of those things. spectacular chromolithographs of hundreds of late-Victorian For another, it documents fishing conditions and manage- fly patterns. These color plates were dispersed throughout the ment ideals of a lost era of western angling. Back fished the book in its early editions, but have been bunched together in park at a time when the Yellowstone experience was essential- this new edition. This reorganization is no disadvantage and ly modern-you could stay in comfortable hotels, eat safe and may even be an improvement. Marbury's essay on angling reasonably appealing local food, drive tolerable roads, and buy entomology, one of the first to appear in a New-World book, flies nearby-but visitation was only a modest fraction of what is an entertaining glimpse at the state of that craft at the time it is now. Gone are the days, Howard. (much of it is paraphrased or quoted from British sources). For another, it is just good fun to read. Back was a pleasant, But the heart of the book is the huge collection of local angler cheerful storyteller, and he managed to find his way to some accounts, gathered by the Orvises from all over North really interesting fishing. America, of what flies the fishermen of that time liked and

24 THE AMERICAN FLY FISHER Some of the hooks reviewed here can be found in the museum^ gift shop, pictured above.

what they caught with them. in this context, but Haig- The book is oGe of our fore- Brown does at least remain most windows into the my personal favorite, a quar- angling life of the late 1800s. I ter of a century after his will complain only about the death). lack of any interpretive sup- And speaking of great port. Marbury has recently angling writers, if you have a been the subject of several fondness for British angling excellent biographical essays, and angling writing, you are any one of which would have probably already well aware greatly enriched the reading of the gentle wisdom of experience if it had been Bernard Venables, who added as a foreword or an passed away this past April at afterword. It is only common age ninety-four. The Medlar courtesy to give readers a lit- Press (The Grange, Elles- tle context, to enrich their mere, Shropshire, UK, SY12 enjoyment of a book this big, 9DE, ) old, and unlike modern fish- has produced a limited edi- ing. - writing. . tion of Venables's A Fisherman's Testament (1997), originally No such lack is found in published in 1949, and both a paperback and a limited edition The Seasons of a Fisherman of his immensely popular illustrated guide, Mr. Crabtree Goes (The Lyons Press, 2000, $49.95), a new one-volume edition of Fishing (zooo), originally published in 1950. If you enjoy Roderick Haig-Brown's four-volume cycle of Fisherman's British fishing books but are baffled and mystified by the Spring, Fisherman3 Summer, Fisherman's Fall, and Fisherman's names of the fishes, you can't make a better investment than Winter, which were published in the 1950s and 1960s. No liter- this latter book for handy, attractive illustrations of the crea- ate fisherman can afford to be without these books by one of tures in question. Neither of these books is exclusively about North America's finest naturalist-sportsmen. Ted Leeson's fly fishing. In fact, the latter is largely not. But if you enjoy thoughtful introductory material is all the guide you need to companionable prose about the midcentury joys of everyday, prepare you for this extended immersion into the world of the regular-guy fishing, you will be hard pressed to find books as man many believe to have been North America's best fishing happily readable as these. writer (I don't know how one would go about defining "best" - The American Museum of Fly Fishing Box 42, Manchester,Vermont 05254 Tel: 802-362-3300. Fax: 802-362-3308 EMAIL:[email protected] WEBSITE:www.amff.com JOIN! John Pnre Membership Dues (per annum) Royal Acquisition INDIVIDUAL The American Museum of Fly Fishing Associate $35 is very pleased to announce the most Sustaining $60 recent addition to its extensive collection Benefactor $125 Patron $250 of artifacts: a fishing vest donated by GROUP Prince Charles, heir to the throne of Club $50 England. Trade $50 This amazing gift is due in large part Membership dues include four issues of the efforts Museum Trustee John The American Fly Fisher. Please send your Mundt of Simsb'Jry, Connecticut, who payment to the Membership Director says, "The primary reason for my initial- and include your mailing address. The ly writing to the Prince of Wales was that Museum is a member of the American I had for some time wished to see an Association of Museums, the American example of royal tackle permanently Association of State and Local History, the housed at the M~~~~~.with prince New Ass0ciati0n Museums) Charles being an avid angler and conser- the Vermont and vationist, I felt that a piece of his tackle Alliance, and the International Association of SportsMuseums and Halls of Fame. We an are a nationally accredited, nonprofit, edu- for the Museum." cational institution chartered under the In February, Mundt wrote to the laws of the state of Vermont. prince's private secretary outlining this hope and describing the Museum and its and to all American Fly Fishermen." collection. He concluded his letter by Naturally, the Museum is very excited SUPPORT! to add Prince Charles's vest to its collec- As an independent, nonprofit institution, saying, "any assistance that you could the American Museum of Fly Fishing lend to this endeavor would be greatly tion~and invites everyone t' stop in and relies on the generosiv of public-spirited appreciated by all who love the beauty See this exciting new acquisition. individuals for substantial support. We and history of this noble sport.'' After a ask that you give our museum serious few months went by with no response, Other Recent Donations consideration when planning for gifts and MUndt assumed nothing was going to Paul Schullery of Yellowstone Nation- bequests. come of his request. a1 Park, Wyoming, sent us a graduation But on Monday, June 25, the Museum program of Montana State University- VISIT! received a package from England Bozeman honoring Bud Lilly as an hon- Hours are lo AM to 4 PM. We are closed on major holidays. addressed to Mundt, containing a well- orary degree candidate. He also sent a worn fishing vest and a letter from Nigel photograph of himself and Bud Lilly at BACK ISSUES! Baker, assistant private secretary to the the graduation. Available at $4 per copy: Prince of Wales. In it Baker says the Frank S. Dickerson of Truro, Massa- Volume 6, Numbers 1, z,3,4 prince was "intrigued" by Mundt's letter chusetts, gave us a 8-piece, 13-foot, 6- Volume 7, Number 3 and "fascinated to learn of the American inch Japanese fly rod. Robert H. Miller Volume 8, Number 3 Museum of Fly Fishing. His Royal of Tucson, Arizona, gave us three fishing Volume 9, Numbers 1,2,3 Highness agrees that it is the noblest of vests. One of them was designed by Lee Volume lo, Number 2 sports, and well worthy of a museum Wulff, and the other two were from the Volume 11, Numbers 1, 2, 3, 4 dedicated to its history and traditions." Bridger Design. Volume 13, Number 3 Baker goes on to explain that after a William Poszonyi of Point Pleasant, Volume 15, Number 2 recent fishing expedition, Prince Charles New Jersey, donated artifacts and books Volume 16, Numbers 1, 2,3 "asked me to send you the enclosed per- that he wishes us to use for auction and Volume 17, Numbers 1, 2,3 sonal item of fishing equipment which the collection. These include Survival Volume 18, Numbers 1, 2, 4 might find a place in your museum. The Poaching, by Ragner Benson (Paladin Volume 19, Numbers 1, z, 3, 4 jacket is a trusted friend that has stood the Press, 1980); Shooting: Why We Miss, first Volume 20, Numbers 1, z,3,4 Prince of Wales in good stead on many edition, by MacdonaldHastings (McKay, Volume 21, Numbers I, 2, 3, 4 expeditions on the Dee and the Spey, and 1977); Successful Shotgun Shooting, fifth Volume 22, Numbers 1, 2,3,4 His Royal Highness is delighted that it printing, by Andrew Montague (Win- Volume 23, Numbers I, 2,3,4 Volume 24, Numbers i,2,4 may now find a suitable home to do jus- chester Press, 1977); Hill Country, first Volume 25, Numbers 1,2,4 tice to the great service it has done him." edition, by Gene Hill (Dutton, 1978); The Volume 26, Numbers 1, 2,4 Baker concludes, "This comes with Nature Life, by Lorus Margery Milne Volume 27, Numbers 1, 2,3 the Prince of Wales's best wishes to you (Crown); The Great Guns, by Harold

26 THE AMERICAN FLY FISHER A decade ago Orvis established the tradition of small stream, light-line angling with the first graphite rod designed to cast a one-weight line. In 2001 we take the concept even further with the Trident TL 801. It's the first eight-foot, one-weight with TL technol- ogy, creating a rod that's balanced, precise, and long casting. But the real beauty of the 801 is how it heightens the excitement of that moment when you slip into your favorite pool, make a pinpoint cast, and feel the strike resonate from the end of your line straight to the rod. Light-line angling is an Orvis tradition. Make it your own. Visit your nearest Orvis ORW dealer to try the Trident TL 801 today. Sporling Traditions Since 1856 WWW ORVIS.COM

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FALL 2001 27 Museum Bookshelf

The American Museum In its exhibit "Gone Fishing," the Ward Museum of Wildfowl Art in of Fly Fishing Salisbury, Maryland, displayed a selection of mountedflies with related is proud to offer the artwork on loan from the American Museum of Fly Fishing. Gary Tanner (far left), executive director of the American Museum of Fly Fishing, is following limited editions ... shown here with Barbara Gehrm, Kenneth Basile, and Samuel Dyke, regis- trar, executive director, and curator of the Ward Museum, respectively. - Standing in a River Waving a Stick John Gierach 1971); A Toy of a Lifetime, first edition, by Illustrations by Peterson and Robert Elmar (Gosset & Dunlap, 1971); Fly Tying: How to Get Arnold Gingrich (Knopf, Inc., 1966); Glenn Wolff Started, first edition, by Eric Leiser American Trout Fishing, second printing, Blood Knot (1978); Dry Fly Fishing, reprint from 1889 by Theodore Gordon (Knopf, Inc., 1972); Pete Fromm edition, by F. M. Halford (Barry The Joy of Trout, by Arnold Gingrich Fishing Bamboo Shurlock & Co., 1973); Complete Book of (Crown, 1973); Trout, second edition, by John Gierach Fly Fishing, eighth printing, by Joe Ray Bergman (Knopf, Inc., 1965); The Fly Illustrations by Brooks (Barnes, 1972); Rising Trout, sec- Fisher's Reader, first edition, by Leonardo M. Wright Jr. (Simon & Glenn Wolf ond edition, by Charles K. Fox (Hawthorn, 1978); Fly Tackle: A Guide to Schuster, 1990); Introduction to the Rivers of the Heart the Tools of the Trade, first edition, by Aquatic Insects of North America, first Steve Raymond Harmon Henkin (Lippincott, 1976); edition, by R. W. Merritt and K. W. Illustrations by Secret Places of Trout Fisherman, first Cummins (KendallIHunt, 1978); Fishing August C. Kristoferson edition, by George Mendoza (Macmillan Cartoons, by John Troy; and thirty-four Crazy for Rivers Publishing Co., 1977); The Complete back issues of The American Fly Fisher Bill Barich Book of Fly Tying, third printing, by Eric (1978 to 1988). Leiser (Knopf Inc., 1977); The Complete Dr. Charles T. Lee again donated arti- In Praise of Wild Trout Book of Brown Trout, first edition, by facts and many books that he wishes us Edited by Nick Lyons Cecil H. Heacox (Winchester Press, to use for auction and the collection. Illustrations by 1974); Still Water Trout, first edition, These include The Complete Fly Tier, Alan James Robinson edited by John Merwin (Doubleday, second printing, by Reuben R. Cross 1980); Trout Flies: Natural and (DoddIMead, 1950, two copies); Stream- Each of these gorgeous clothbound Imitations, first edition, by Charles M. side Guide, first edition, by Art Flick volumes comes in a slipcase and is Wetzel (Winchester Press, 1984); The (Putnam, 1947); New Streamside Guide, new edition, by Art Flick (Crown, 1969); signed in the back by the author, American Sporting Collectors Hand Book, by Allan J. Liu (Winchester Press, 1982); Anglers All, by John Taintor Foote publisher, and illustrator. Vermont River, by W. D. Wetherell (Appleton Century, 1947); Rising Trout, (Winchester Press, 1984); Fishing with by Charles K. Fox (Telegraph Press, Special Museum Price the Fly, first edition, first reprint since 1967); Armchair Adventures for the $90 (plus shipping). 1889, by Charles F. Orvis and A. Nelson Angler, vol. 147, editor's edition, by Cheney (Wellfleet, 1989); The Atlas of Charles I<. Fox (Barnes, 1970); Advanced To order call (802) 362-3300, Vermont Trout Ponds, by Northern Bait Casting, first edition, by Charles K. Cartographic (Northern Cartographic, Fox (Putnam's, 1950); Any Luck?, by FAX (802) 3 62-3308, or 1981); The Fly and the Fish, second edi- Eugene V. Connett I11 (Garden City ernail: [email protected] tion, by John Atherton (Freshet Press, Publishing, 1937); Wing Shooting and --I A River R ....- - .-:ough It, Norman Maclean wrote - "All good things . . . come by grace, and grace cones by art, and art does not come easy." Grace and art - just two of the qualities that Hexagraph delivers. Incredible accuracy, quiet power, unparalleled durability and exquisite beauty come at no extra charge. Hexagraph i s more than just a great fly rod that fishes better than anything you own - it's a tradition in the making.

Ilc west addition to okl I--- I loster selection commemorates Anglers All :Humanity in Midstream the appearance of Anglers All, the Museum's popular traveling exhibit, at the California Academy of Sciences. It ea the stunning Thomas A~LIIII~~ Daly watercolor, A Meadow .andscape at Twilight, seen at the -- xnce of Anglers All. Patric'- c Dailey of Art Today saic W. Harding (J. B. Lippincott, 1931); Hatches, first printing, by A1 Caucci and Upcoming Events Bob Nastasi (Comparabatch Ltd., 1975); The One Eyed Poacher and the Maine November i Woods, by Edmund Ware Smith "The Flyfisher's Classic Library Hartford DinnerIAuction (Frederick Fell, 1955); The Lure and Lore is Farmington Marriott of Trout Fishing, by Alvin R. Groves Jr. Farmington, Connecticut (Stackpole, 1951); Till Fish Us Do Part, certainly the world's premier first edition, by Beatrice Cook (Morrow, publisher of out of print fly fishi~~g November 2-3 1949); Till Fish Us Do Part, fourth print- titles ... Trustees Weekend ing, by Beatrice Cook (Morrow, 1949); Manchester, Vermont This is the most handsome set of The Complete Illustrated Guide to Casting, first edition, by Joe Brooks hooks I have ever seen. Each of the November 9 Philadelphia DinnerIAuction (Doubleday, 1963); and Coverts 6 Casts, editions is usually a facsimile of the first edition, by W. J. Schaldach (Barnes, Merion Cricket Club first edition i~~corporatingrevisions Haverford, Pennsylvania 1943). and additions. More often than not the quality of these editions is November 17 In the Library Annual Winery DinnerIAuction superior to the original: they are Thanks to the following publishers for Gallo of Sonoma their donations of recent titles that have quarter or full hound leather with Healdsburg, California gold blocking, silk marker ribbon, become part of our collection (all were For more ~nformation,contact published in 2001): slipcase, marbled endpapers on D~anaSlebold at (802) 362-3300. The Lyons Press sent us The Field & most, and top edge of pages Stream Treasury of Trout Fishing, edited gilded." by Leonard M. Wright Jr.; the newly Barry Serviente, The Angler's Art, U.S. released paperback edition of Dick Angling, first edition, by Eugene V. Talleur's Basic Fly Tying: A Beginner's )"-- Connett I11 (Scribner, 1922); McClane's Benchside Reference; Robert Traver's ---% Angling World, first edition, by A. J. Traver on Fishing; Bob Rich's Fish Fights: Our puhlicatiol~sinclude: McClane (Dutton, 1986); A Taupo A Hall of Fame Quest; and James R. Fly Fishing Sir Edward Grey Season, first edition, by John Parsons Babb's River Music: A Fly Fisher's Four Salmon Fishing on the Grand (Collins, 1979); The Salmon Book, first Seasons. Cascapedia E.W. Davis edition, by Douglas Sutherland (Collins, Greycliff Publishing Company sent us London, 1982); Quill Gordon, first edi- The Art of Fly-Making W. Blacker Bob Jacklin and Gary LaFontaine's Fly tion, by John McDonald (Knopf, 1972); Fishing the Yellowstone in the Park, vol. 4; A Summer on the Test J. W. Hills Trout Madness, third printing, by Robert and Craig Mathews and Gary LaFon- Dame Juliana, the Angling Treatyse Traver (St. Martin's Press, 1960); An taine's Fly Fishing the Madison. and its Mysteries F. Buller and Angler's Anthology, by Eugene Burns Frank Amato Publications, Inc. sent H. Falkus (Stackpole, 1952, two copies); The Way of us Albert Haas Jr.'s One More Cast: A Silk, Fur and Feather G.E.M. Skues Trout, first edition, by R. P. Van Gyten- Celebration of Fly-Fishing and Alan beck (J. B. Lippincott, 1972); Anatomy of Where the Bright Waters Meet Caolo's Sight-Fishing for Striped Bass. a Fisherman, first edition, by Robert H. Plunket Greene Traver (McGraw Hill, 1964); Fishing in The Arte of Angling W. Sanluel America, by Charles F. Waterman (Ridge and rnany more. Press, 1975); Coarse Sea Fly Fishing, by Omission Len CaCutt (Quintet, 1990); The Fisherman's Encyclopedia, second edi- I I For S~~rtherinformation contact tion, by Ira Gabrielson (Stackpole, 1954); Christine Hutnphreyor Cath Pettyfer at Fun with Trout, first edition, by Fred We extend our apologies to Everett (Telegraph Press, 1952, three The Flyfisher's Classic Library Flyfisher's Paradise for the omis- copies); The Compleat Angler, by Izaak sion of their very generous dona- The Old Police Station, Pound Street, Walton (Heritage Press, 1948); Trout tion to the George Harvey Dinner, Moretonhampstead, Devon TQ 13 8PA, Flies, by Charles M. Wetzel (Stackpole, England 1955); Selective Trout, by Doug Swisher which was held in State College on Tel: 011 44 1647441046 and Carl Richards (Crown, 1971); The May 8. Owners Daniel L. Shields Fax: 01 1 44 1647 441074 Book of Fishes, by John LaGorce and Stephen Sywensky donated a Email: [email protected] (National Geographic Society, 1939); The top-of-the-line Orvis rod as well Atlantic Salmon Treasury, first edition, as a limited edition book, George www. f f cl.com no. 31911,000, by Joseph D. Bates Jr. (The Harvey: Memories, Patterns and Atlantic Salmon Association, 1975); The Tactics. We thank them whole- Compleat Brown Trout, by Cecil Heacox (Winchester Press, 1974); A Treasury of heartedly for their generosity and Fishing Stories, first edition, by Charles support of the Museum. E. Goodspeed (Barnes, 1946); The Fly Fisher and the Trout Point of View, by E. -mAmmw UNPARALLELED PERF0 I mn.1 CE ARTISTRY Ir CRAFTSMANSHIP TRADITION T&T$ graphitelresin system is the foundation for the lightest, most powerful and durable rods ever. Designed to meet spe- cific angling needs, Thomas & Thomas rods reflect the ulti- mate in performance and aesthetic detail. 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FALL 2001 31 this time of breeding or spawning is usu- Fly-Fishing Scouts ally about the end of February; or some- what later, in March, as the weather proves y article, "Fishing with Baden- colder or warmer; and to note that his Powell: Stories of the Chief manner of breeding is thus, . . . On Walton and Pike M Scout and His Love of Up to this point the only animal being Angling" (Fall 1999) was well received n the two pieces on Walton, Cotton, discussed seems to be the Hawk. This by both the scouting and fly-fishing and The Complete Angler ("Standing proves to be a false lead by the next part communities. I was asked by the Ion the Shoulders of Giants" by Ken of the passage. National Advancement Committee of Cameron and Andrew Herd, and . . . a He and She Pike will usually go the Boy Scouts of America to rewrite "Walton and Cotton: Compleat and together out of a river into some ditch or the current fishing merit badge Current" by Jim Repine, Summer zooi), creek, and that there the Spawner casts her requirements and book to incorporate there are some observations that have eggs, and the Melter hovers over her all fly-fishing elements and to propose the persisted in our literature for centuries. that time that she is casting her Spawn, creation of a new fly-fishing merit Apparently they are the result of a but touches her not. I might say more of badge for consideration. A committee remark by Richard Franck, a Crom- this, but it might be thought curiosity or was formed and the work done, and I worse, and shall therefore forebear it. wellian soldier (b. 1624?-1708). Franck just learned in May that starting in berates Walton for writing that he, It is entirely possible Walton saw this January 2002, all scouts will have the Walton, thinks that pike are bred from occur. At no point in either passage does opportunity to earn the new Fly- pickerel weed. In fact, Walton says noth- he indicate that he believes pike breed in Fishing Merit Badge. In fact, at this ing of the kind. Franck's comment any other fashion than by "generation." summer's National Boy Scout Jam- remains unchallenged by the authors in The alternative to "generation" is his boree, where more than 35,000 scouts the Museum quarterly. Walton's text on reporting what some others "think," but came together for ten days of activities, this subject is constant through all of the has no idea if they know. fly tying and fly casting were taught to editions published during his life. I don't know what Franck's exact several thousand scouts. Being in- Perhaps those who corrected Franck words were; and I'd like to. They too may volved in this process was a great should reread The Complete Angler (page have been passed along incorrectly. As it honor, and I am very excited about it. 149 of the first edition, section on pike). stands, Walton deserves to be exonerated. Similarly, because of the article, Lord Other areas in The Complete Angler Baden-Powell is being considered for His feeding is usually fish or frogs, and induction into the International Game sometimes a weed of his owne,' called have also been derided. ~ickeral-weed,2of which I told you some Walton includes someone else's observa- Fish Association Fishing Hall of Fame, [emphasis mine] think some Pilces are tion concerning carp and frogs. Although located in Florida. All of this has come bred; for they have observed, that where Walton has never seen this, he says the about due to your willingness to pub- no Pikes have been put into a pond, yet person reporting it was honest. Beyond lish this article, so thank you for your that there they have been found, and that that, he has no experience of the event. efforts. It looks like another generation there has been plenty of that weed in the The kype on a salmon disappears, of fly fishers is well on its way. pond, and that the weed both breeds and salmon in the ocean don't carry them, so feeds them, but whether those Pikes so Doug Precourt bred will ever breed by generation as oth- the observation of its being "cast off" ers do, I shall leave to the disquisitions of would make much more sense to a sev- Hanover, Massachusetts men of more curiosity and leisure than I enteenth-century lay person than its profess myself to have . . . being absorbed. Errata Nowhere in this passage does Walton TK~idea of an eagle shedding its beak say he believes this to be the case. He is is not farfetched. Birds of prey, particu- en Cameron and I [in their article reporting what "some think." He also larly old ones, show evidence of delami- "Standing on the Shoulders of wonders whether these pike are distinct nation of the layers of the beak. Both age Giants" (Summer zool)] have just and poor nutrition can cause this. This K from others that breed normally ("by noticed that the flies in the Safiez generation"). He doesn't know and would fit with the knowledge that birds Reguart "Diccionario" plate (p. 16) are leaves the solution to people of more "cast off" their feathers each year. not copies of the Hawkins flies; they are "curiosity and leisure." We only look at the correct observa- copies of the English flies acquired by What Franck and others seem to have tions and the wrong reasons for the Duhamel du Monceau for his work and overlool

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FALL 2001 33 CONTRIBUTORS

Goran Grubic (Ph.D., M.Sc., B.Sc) was born in 1956 in Belgrade, Yugoslavia, where he has lived all his life. He is pro- fessor of animal nutrition in the department of animal nutri- tion and physiology at the Faculty of Agriculture in Belgrade. He has more than two hundred publications in that field. Professor Grubic started fishing in 1962, fly fishing in 1970, Fishing Hunting and fly tying in 1971. He has fished all over former Yugoslavia and has published a few articles about that as well. During the Specializing in rare and past few years, his special interest has become the history of fly fishing, because the Balkan Peninsula is particularly rich in out-of-print sporting it and because he has had the good luck to meet people who books with one of the largest know something about it. Today he fishes for trout whenever inventories in the U.S. he can and for other fish species when he can't go trout fish- ing (although he usually tries to catch larger pike). At present Fresh and salt water he writes "Goran Grubic's Gourmet Guide" in Waterlog mag- azine. fly fishing Fly tying Upland game Big game Andrew Herd was born in London and has lived in the north Sporting dogs etc. of England for many years, within a few miles of the beck on which Canon Greenwell learned to fish. He has had a lifelong Two 72-page catalogs interest in history, which has led him all over the world. His issued each year with no first book, a monograph on medieval fly fishing, was pub- lished by the Medlar Press in 1999, accompanying a facsimile title repeated for three of A Treatyse of Fishing with an Angle. He maintains a web site catalogs. Subscription devoted to the history of fly fishing (http://www.flyfishinghis- price is $5.00 for two years. tory.com), and his second book, a history of fly fishing, will be published by the Medlar Press this winter, with an introduc- We are always interested tion by Fred Buller (http://www.demon.co.uk/medlarpress/). in buying single books Dr. Herd fishes for almost anything, but trout and salmon are or entire sporting libraries. his main interests. He is a member of the Flyfishers' Club, London. His latest contribution to the journal, "Standing on the Shoulders of Giantsn-coauthored with Ken Cameron- Appraisals done for appeared in the Summer 2001 issue. estate and insurance J. Keith Harwood teaches Latin and Greek at Clitheroe Royal Grammar School, an institution founded in 1554. He is a keen fly dresser and very much interested in the history of angling. Judith Bowman Books He has contributed articles to a number of magazines in 98 Pound Ridge Road England. His book on the history of the float (bobber) will be Bedford, NY 10506 published by Medlar Press in late 2001. (914) 234-7543 (phone) (914) 234-0122 fax)

G. William Fowler is an attorney from Odessa, Texas, and a lifelong fisherman. He currently serves as president of the Globe of the Great Southwest, Inc., a nonprofit theater orga- nization that operates the most authentic reproduction of William Shakespeare's sixteenth-century Globe Theatre on the Thames River. They also host the oldest Shakespeare Festival in Texas. His latest contribution to the journal, "Angling in the Pecos River Headwaters: The Development of Fly Fishing in Northern New Mexicon-coauthored with Merideth A. Hmura-appeared in the Summer 2000 issue.

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Hand Carved Trout Stream Coffee Table The William Herrick Collection started over 25 years ago along the banks of Vermont's Battenkill River, when William Herrick carved his first basswood 'Trout' Table. The most popular of his work is this 32"x47"~18"coffee table, constructed of quarter-sawn hand-rubbed oak and featuring a carving of three rainbow trout displayed under beveled glass. Price $4900 (plus shipping). For ordering information call (802) 362-3300.

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purchase. We talked about bamboo rods as well, and he proudly noted that his sons were fishing bamboo instead of graphite. "Just Horrocks-Ibbotsons, mind you, but bamboo nonetheless." I asked him to become a Museum member, and he did. A silver-haired couple came in later toting three rods in tubes. (Did I ever mention that I was described as having "bouyant silver hair" in an interview by a female reporter for the University of Utah's newspaper when "Anglers All" was in Salt Lake City? Former direc- tor Paul Schullery just won't let me live that one down, nor will my mother.) Someone carrying rod tubes usu- ally means I am about to see bamboo rods of unknow- able origin glued to their rod socks with tips of decid- edly unmatching lengths. As is often the case, this cou- ple had gone to the Orvis flagship store up the street first, and the great guys that work in the fly section of the store sent them down to us. "These were my father's rods," she said, "and I want him (nodding at her husband) to fish them. My father didn't get to fish much; maybe you could tell us if these are even fishable anymore." ummer Saturdays at the Museum can be a lot of Well, we took the rods out of their tubes, and I was fun. Because there seem to be no part-time at least happy to find they weren't glued to their socks. Semployees available in southern Vermont on And they were hardly unknowable: an unfished Payne, Saturdays (Any takers? Six hours sitting in a nice gift a maybe once- or twice-fished Leonard, and a pretty shop and greeting people from all over the world.), we little Orvis that had seen the most (but still not much) full-time staffers take turns keeping the Museum open use. They were, of course, certainly very fishable, but I on Saturdays throughout the summer. It's not at all suggested that she might check with some experts (and cost-effective, what with only six or eight visitors on gave her some names and numbers) to see if maybe it any given Saturday, but we do it. It's often worth it on wouldn't-in the case at least of the Payne-be better other levels. though.V left in its pristine state, maybe as a Museum piece? Take this past Saturday, for example. It was my turn Well, guess what? It is coming here, and it will be fol- in the shop. A gentleman and his two sons came in. lowed by the others. And when I asked them to become When he told me it was his third visit that week, I fig- Museum members, they said, "Sure!" ured we could skip the $3 admission. After taking them So even if we don't make great money staying open through the galleries, he spent a long time looking at Saturdays, we make some good friends-and you never the books in our gift shop. We struck up a conversation know where those friendships will lead you. about books (thanks to an incredible contribution from Tony Lyons of the Lyons Press of more than a thousand multiple copies of books, the gift shop is very well stocked), and he made a small pile of books to THEAMERICAN MUSEUM OP PLY FISHING, a nationally accredited, nonprofit, education- al institution dedicated to preserving the rich her~tage of fly fishing, was founded in Manchester, Vermont, in 1968. The Museum serves as a repository for, and conservator to, the world's largest collection of angling and angling-related objects. The Museum's col- lections and exhibits provide the public with thorough documentation of the evolution of fly fishing as a sport, art form, craft, and in- dustry in the United States and abroad from the sixteenth century to the present. Rods, reels, and flies, as well as tackle, art, books, manuscripts, and photographs form the ma- jor components of the Museum's collections. The Museum has gained recognition as a unique educational institution. It supports a publications program through which its na- tional quarterly journal, The Amerzcan Fly Fisher, and books, art prints, and catalogs are regularly offered to the public. The Museum's traveling exhibits program has made it possi- ble for educational exhibits to be viewed across the United States and abroad. The Museum also provides in-house exhibits, related interpretive programming, and research services for members, visiting schol- ars, authors, and students. The Museum is an active, member-orient- ed nonprofit institution. For information please contact: The American Museum of Fly Fishing, P. 0. Box 42, Manchester, Vermont 05254,802-362-3300.