New Images, New Faces SALMON!The word conjures up I have had the great pleasure of intro- some of the most romantic im- ducingv a number of new writerslfriends agery in the world of angling. As to our readers during the last two years. a cold-water anadromous fish, the Now I am pleased and excited to be able salmon is equally at home in to introduce The American Fly Fisher's the vast reaches of two great new editor, Margot Page. oceans-the Atlantic and Pacific-and in You all know Margot. She has served thousands of freshwater rivers the world the Museum as a CODYL, and associate ed- over. Its amazing life cycle has intrigued, itor for this journal, and, of course, as the enticed, and captivated anglers and foundingu editor of the Museum's bian- naturalists alike from the time of Pliny nual newsletter, the Greenheart Gazette. (first century A.D.) up to the present. To Margot holds an M.A. in English, has a celebrate the world of the salmon and background in magazine and book pub- herald our forthcoming special exhibi- lishing (the latter with Nick Lyons Books tion, "The World of the Salmon," co- in New York City), and has published s~onsoredbv the Atlantic Salmon Fed- freelance articles and essays about fishing eration and scheduled to open June 7 in and other matters. She is, in every way, our Manchester galleries, we are devoting talented, energetic, and totally dedicated the Spring 1991 American Fly Fisher to to her craft. Simply put, Margot will be a the salmon. superb editor, and she has put together an In this issue, we are pleased to offer you exciting issue for her premier effort. the erudition of Tim Brown. reel scholar Some of you who wait for the arrival of and author of our recently published this quarterly magazine with bated breath book A Treasury ofReels, whose article on may have had your patience somewhat antique salmon reels features a near- tested over the past year or two. The Mu- dozen classic American and British reels seum has undergone such expansion in so that span a century of salmon fishing. We many areas that it has been difficult to also are very proud to introduce three ensure the timely publication of The writers new to the ranks of American Fly American Fly Fisher. In the interests of Fisher contributors. Robert F. Tones. na- scheduling, and with the addition of our tionally known writer and stalwart MU- new editor, we have decided to eliminate seum supporter, reviews a unique recent what would have been the last issue of donation to the Museum: home movies 1990 (Winter, Volume 16, Number 4) and of salmon fishing excursions-complete will be moving right into the production with horse-powered houseboats-on the of (Spring, Volume 17, Number I), with Patapedia River in the 1930s. the determined goal to fulfill our quarter- We also welcome Trey Combs, whose ly obligation to you. writing you have seen in many of the And so it is with mixedfeelings of re- sporting. magazines, to our journal. He gret, joy, and relief that I end my tour as debuts with an intriguing article on the caretaker editor of this fine journal. In the evolution of steelhead flies and the in- future I will be devoting myself almost tegration of Eastern fly-tying tradition solely to administering and developing and Western innovation. Don Catalfimo our growing museum. Perhaps now I can makes his first appearance with an over- find the time to finish up a few articles view of the great salmon books over the that have, out of necessity, been put on years. And we are also proud to offer you hold. There is one piece in particular excerpts from "The Salmon Portfolio," about fly fishing in the Himalayas in produced by the government of Canada the days of the British Raj I'd love to in 1974 to focus world attention on sal- work on . mon conservation. All good wishes. D.S.J. American R M useum of The hericama Fly Fisher Journal of The American Museum of Fly Fishing Preserving a Rich Heritage SPRING 1991 VOLUME 17 NUMBER 1 for Future Generations TRUSTEES Foster Bam Ian D. Mackay Classic Salmon Books .................... 2 William Barrett Bob Mitchell Paul Bofinger Wallace J. Murray 111 Don Catalfimo Lewis M. Borden 111 Wayne Nordberg Robert R. Buckmaster Leigh H. Perkins 4 Donn H. Byme, Sr. Romi Perkins The Salmon Portfolio .................... Roy D. Chapin, Jr. Allan R. Phipps Canadian Department of Fisheries and Oceans Calvin P. Cole 0. Miles Pollard Peter Corbin Susan A. Popkin Charles R. Eichel Dr. Ivan Schloff A Profile of Roderick Haig-Brown ......... 9 G. Dick Finlay Paul Schullery W. Michael Fitzgerald Frederic A. Sharf Joe Pisarro Arthur T. Frey Stephen Sloan Larry Gilsdorf Wallace Stenhouse, Jr. Gardner L. Grant Arthur Stern Atlantic Salmon Dressings in Steelhead Fly Fishing ... lo William Herrick Dr. Ralf Stinson Trey Combs Curtis Hill Forrest Straight Dr. Arthur Kaemmer John Swan Robert J. Kahn James Taylor Another Planet: The Old Days On the Patapedia ..... Woods King 111 Ralph J. Tingle 14 Martin D. Kline James W. Van Loan Robert F. Jones Mel Kreiger Sam Van Ness Richard F. Kress Dickson L. Whitney David B. Ledlie Earl S. Worsham Atlantic Salmon Reels of the Past ............. 18 Edward G. Zern Jim Brown OFFICERS Chairman of the Board Gallery ............................22 Leigh H. Perkins President Foster Barn Off the Shelf: The Pacific Slope ............... 23 Vice Presidents Charles Hallock William Herrick, Arthur Stern Treasurer Museum News ........................25 Wayne Nordberg Secretary Wallace Murray I11 Contributors ......................... 28 Assistant Secretary/Clerk Charles R. Eichel ON THE COVER: STAFF Hand-colored copper engraving of Atlantic salmon fiom Sir William Executive Director Jardine's The Naturalist's Library (Edinburgh, 1833-1843). From The Sal- Donald S. Johnson ExecutiveAssistant mon Portfolio, produced by the Canadian Department of Fisheries and Virginia Hulett Oceans in 1974, a copy of which was donated to the Museum by trustee Curator/DevelopmentAssistant James S. Taylor. Alanna D. Fisher Research/Publicity Joe A. Pisarro The American Fly Fisher Editor 7'he American Fly Fisher is published four times a year by the Museum at P.O. Box 42, Manchester,Vermont 05254. Publication dates are winter, spring, summer, and faU. Margot Page Membership dues include the cost of a one-year subscription ($20) and are tax deductible as provided for by law. Art Director Membership rates are listed in the back of each issue. All letters, manuscripts, photographs, and materials intended for Randall R. Perkins publication in the journal should be sent to the Museum. The Museum and journal are not responsible for unsolicited ConsultingEditor manuscripts, drawings, photographs, materials, or memorabilia. The Museum cannot accept responsibility for statements Donald S. Johnson and interpretations that are wholly the author's. Unsolicited manuscripts cannot be returned unless postage is provided. Copy Editor Contributions to The American Fly Fisher are to be considered gratuitous and the property of the Museum unless other- Sarah May Clarkson wise requested by the contributor. Articles appearing in this journal are abstracted and indexed in Historical Abstacts and America: History and Life. Copyright 0 1991,the American Museum of Fly Fishing, Manchester, Vermont Contributing Writer 05254. Original material appearing may not be reprinted without prior permission. Second Class Joe A. Pisarro Permit postage paid at Manchester, Vermont 05254 and additional offices (USPS 057410). Offset Preparation and Printing The American Fly Fisher (ISSN 0884-3562) Lane Press, Burlington, Vermont POSTMASTER:Send address changes to The American Fly Fisher, P.O. Box 42,Manchester, Vermont 05254. TAFF SPRING 1991 1 Classic Salmon Books by Don Catalfimo IN 1965, ARNOLD GINGRICH, in green pictorial buckram, and embellished was published by the Atlantic Salmon 1 writing "Literature of Angling" with photogravure illustrations, a map, Federation in 1975 in a limited edition of / for McClane's Standard Fishing etchings, portraits, heliogravure designs 1,000 copies. Composed of selections Encyclopedia, stated that a defini- and wood cuts. The copy described in the from the Atlantic Salmon Journal from tive angling bibliography would reference source Angling Books of the 1954 through 1974, the subjects include exceed 5,000 volumes in the Eng- Americas by Henry P. Bruns featured history, natural history, flies and tackle, lishRl language alone, and add over 50,000 hand-colored flies. An extremely scarce salmon lore, and salmon readings. The more if titles on ichthyology were in- book in its first edition, Colonel Siege1 of binding is exceptional and the volume is cluded. Given the publishing boom in Anglers and Shooters Press issued a slip-cased. Of all the available salmon fishing books over the last quarter cen- beautiful reprint of 250 copies in 1973. books, this comes as close to a one- tury and the doubling of scientific know- The Phair book was issued in an edi- volume library as a reader could hope for. ledge about every ten years, that estimated tion of 950, which was a significant print- It is only a short cast from a discussion number today must be astounding. ing for a Derrydale book. Additionally, a of limited editions to one of privately The subject of the Atlantic salmon has deluxe limited edition of forty was issued printed books. Some of the best writing always been one of special consideration that included a second volume featuring" about salmon, the places they are found, in terms both of angling and of literature. twelve mounts, each containing a salmon and the people who fish for them, can be Aside from some of the special fly fishing flv and samvles of the materials from found here.