The Spring Reveille

T'S MID-MARCH as I write this. We're resource, theory, and data that will pro- in Kansas City, who recounts his me- all-and I use the royal we-itching vide scholars with a wealth of compiled dieval experiment of fishing with a Ifor winter to edge its way out the material. I am also pleased to include a horsehair tippet, a la Izaak Walton and door. Like a bad actor who won't get off delightful piece by Timothy Belknap of The Compleat Angler. Read it and weep. the stage, the season just won't give up New York City, a writer for Business This journal will arrive during the Week magazine, who researched George height of the 1992 fishing season, but I its icy," griv L on the Northeast. Here in the office, we have a peculiar heating system LaBranche's country house High Holt - hope you'll spare time to come indoors that works on the premise "if you need its place in his life and work-giving us for a thorough read (or for an even heat now, you'll just have to wait 'ti1 to- another perspective on this legendary greater appreciation of our sport's her- morro-cv," which means you have to be a figure. itage, take it with you to savor during a weather forecaster - "let's see, 20 de- In addition, I am pleased to introduce break on the bank of your favorite grees predicted for tomorrow; better set a new feature section to the journal stretch of water). We've been pleased to the heat at notch 2 before I leave today." called "First Person" which will appear see our readership in such active commu- Sometimes we're caught off guard (al- periodically. Here, notable figures in the nication with The American Fly Fisher, though our new publishing office is ad- angling world will talk in their own because we consider ourselves a forum mittedly, and thankfully, the coziest in voices about their experiences, accom- as well as an historical journal we are the building) -in which event Randall, plishments, and whatever else they keenly interested in your letters, notes, our art director, has to don fingerless deem fit. and comments, so keep at it, please. mittens and her vertical ski hat. It's Our first "First Person" features Nick One of the images that kept me hope- quite a sight to see her so begarbed as Lyons, book publisher and writer, ful during a nasty siege of pneumonia she attacks the computer with ferocious whose contribution to this sport is more this winter was that of a clear, cold determination. than legendary: it has been vital to our stream full of fat and healthy fish, sur- This issue of The American Fly Fisher growth and enrichment. In our Notes e5 rounded by the magic verdancy of a (Spring 1992) was a delight to put to- Comment department, we introduce Vermont May day. May all of you con- gether. Museum member A1 Cohen of Norm Crisp, a scientist with the U. S. tinue to find your own peace and re- Dallas, Texas, has exhaustively re- Environmental Protection Agency based ward on the water during these precious searched the early origins and evolution Illustration from The Compleat Angler or The halcyon days. of the salmon fly, putting together in Conteinplative Man's Recreation by Iraak Walton MARGOTPAGE one impressive document a myriad of and Charles Cotton (London: J. C. Nimmo, 1889). EDITOR THEAMERICAN MUSEUM OF FLYFISHING Preserving a Rich Heritage Journal of 4The American Museum of Fly Fishing for Future Generations SPRING 1992 VOLUME 18 NUMBER 2 TRUSTEES E. M. Bakwin Me1 Kre~ger Foster Ba~n Richard F. Kress 2 William M. liarrett David B. Ledlie Letters...... Bruce H. Begin Ian D. Mackay Paul Bofinger Malcolm MacKen~ie George LaBranche's High Holt: A Place in His Lewis M. Bosden 111 Bob Mitchell Robert R. Buckinaster Wallace J. Murray I11 Life and Work...... 4 Do1111 H. Byme, Sr. Wayne Nordherg Roy D. Chap~n,Jr. Leigh H. Perkiils Timothy Belknap Calvin P. Cole Roini Perkins Petev Corbin Allan R. Phipps 'rhomas N. Davidson 0.Miles Pollard Some Thoughts About Salmon Fly Evolution: Charles R. Eichel Susan A. Popkin G. Dick Finlay Dr. Ivan Schloff Early Metal-Bodied Salmon Flies, (A Bit About Audun Fredrikson Stephen Sloan Arthur T. Frey Wallace Stenhouse, Jr. Mixed Wings, Also), and a Yorkshireman ...... 9 Larry Gllsdorf Arthul- Stern Gardner I.. Grant John Swan Albert J. Cohen Curtis Hill Jail~esTaylor James Hunter Richard G. Tisch Dr. Arthur Kaeinmer James br.VanLoan First Person: My Secret Fish-Book Life...... 20 Robert F. Kahn San Van Ness \'Voods King 111 Ilickson L. Whitney Nick Lyons martin D. Kline Earl S. IVorsham Edward G. Zern Gallery: The Y1.P Collection...... 24 TRUSTEES EMERITUS W. Michael Fitzgerald Leon Martuch Robert N. Johnson Keith C. Russell Notes & Comment: A Trout by a Hair ...... 25 Hermann Kessler Paul Schullery Norm Crisp OFFICERS Chairman of the Board Foster Barn Museum News...... 27 President Wallace J. Murray 111 Contributors ...... 32 Vice Preszdent Arthur Stern Treasurer William M. Barrett Secretar Charles R. dchel o N T H E c o v E R : In this Spring 1992 issue, A1 Cohen tackles a virtual terra incognita: the early history of the Atlantic salmon fly, gathering ref- STAFF erences that range geographically over England, Scotland, Ireland, Wales, Executive Director Donald S. Johnson Canada, and North America. Frontispiece from William Scrope, Days and Executive Asszstant Nights of Salmon Fishing in the Tweed (London: John Murray, 1843) Virginia llulett C~lratorlDevelopment Assistant Manna D. Fisher Research/Publicity Joe A. Pisarro i"hli~Amenran Fiy Fgiher ra ~~ubl~shed THEAMERICAN FLY FISHER four lllnea a year by the Museum at PO. Box 42, Manchester, Vermont 05254. Editor Puldic~nondates are winter, spring, sunxnn, and fall, hlcmberihip dues inil~~dethe cost of a one-\ear Margot Page subscription (520) and arc tax deductible as provided for by law Ivlembcrshlp ratcs are listed In the hack of e.ich Art Director mue. All letters, manuscript?, photographs, and mareridis intended tor puhl~c.ltion in the journal should be Eent R~~ldallK. Perkins to the Museum. Thr Muscun, and lournal are not rc~pons~l~lrToi unsollclted n-,,inuscllplr, draimngs, photographs material or memorabilia The Museum cannot accept ~rspons~bllltyfur ataternmts and ~ntrrpretatlonsth.81 are Consnltirzg Editor wholly the author's Unsohclted manuscripts cdnnol be ~rturncdunlcss postage 1s pruvlded. Contlibuilonr tu ?he Donald S. Johnson Arnericnn iiy Fisher are to bc considered gratulious and the property or lhr blvlureum unlcss otherwise requested Copy Editoi- hy the contributor Artlcles appearing in this roumal are abstracted and ~ndeneiiIn H~~to~~r'ilAhitructs and Anici-icn. Sarah May Ciarkson History arzd L$. Copyright O 1992,the Amencan Muscum of Fly F~shmg,Manchester, Vermont "5254. Orig~ndl Contrihntirig Writer material appearing may not he reprinted w~thautprlor pennnslon. Second Class Perlu~tpostage paid at Mdnchrstet Joe A. Pisarro \'ermon~ oj2j4 and addltlonal offices (USPS oj/4lo). Thc Amri-zr

SPRING 1992 ing lines after the means had become structions for what today would be a 5- common knowledge among its com- weight double taper, pulled from among petitors, clustered, as they then were, in old production records, reads: "HEH close proximity at the opposite end of Silk1 8 ft. 3 endsl 8 12 ft. 3 to 8 ends 1 LETTERS the country. Occasionally, line design thd. every 7 I%. in./ 20 80 ft. 8 endsl loo features pertinent to West Coast fishing 12 ft. 8 to 3 ends 1 thd. every 7 l/2 in.1112 may have moved eastward, but virtually 4 ft. 3 endsl 1161 18 Lines on Bobbins." all line manufacturing technology came The first number given in lines three from the east and went west. through seven is the meter reading at Positive Feedback The process of splicing in strands of the various steps in the sequence. 1-am

In the last issue of The American Fly ugreater or lesser varn count to create ta- unsure what constituted an "end" or Fisher you asked for input on how you pers during the braiding stage of a line, "thd.", the term used in this letter, hav- were doing. This is to let you know that such as Mundt's story relates, required a ing little knowledge of silk. To obtain I think you are doing fine. Very fine. I great deal of operator attention and the line diameters indicated by the letter have dropped my subscription to other markedly inhibited the potential pro- sizing, depending upon the gauge of the national magazines because I care little duction rate of the braiders. Sunset pro- silk strand used, if there is grading of about reading the latest hype on how duced tapered lines by braiding together silk on that basis, the "thread" could and where to catch big, huge, enormous tapered strands, allowing the braiders to consist of from twelve to twenty-four lunker, "hawg" trout, bass, and bone- run continuously, uninterrupted by filaments. I suspect the filaments were fish. In contrast, your magazine pro- bobbin changes. In the CortlandIU. S. only plied with a single twist rather than vides something worth reading and I Line company Process, lines were, in plied and finished with a second twist, sincerely look forward to its arrival. The essence. individuallv manufactured. and as a sewing thread typically is. I saw the recent articles on silk (Fall 1991) were a production sequence could, though it bobbin winding equipment in opera- delightfully esoteric and informative, unlikely did, include a variety of tapers tion on a few occasions in the earlv the Recommended Reading section led and sizes of lines. With Sunset's 1960s, before it finally went out of use, me to Wayne Fields (a particular trea- method, fifteen or eighteen lines, de- preparing synthetic yarns for braided sure for those of us recently past forty), pending upon their finished length, taper fly lines. Unfortunately, I can't re- and I will read the bamboo rod evalua- were braided in a set and required an call how the threads were spliced into tions many times even though (and per- operator's active attention only to load the bobbin strands to prevent their ends haps because) I disagree with some of the braider with bobbins and start it. from protruding from the finished braid the assessments. The earlier article on The tapering of the strands wound or becoming bunched up at a braider the original Jock Scott(s) (see "The onto the braider bobbins involved many carrier guide. Subsequent processing 'True' Original Jock Scott-All Three of times the amount of labor reauired to could eliminate the former, but the lat- Them," Summer 1991) is another fine wind level strands, but even so, the bob- ter would irreversibly ruin a line. example of the type of material I seek. bins could still be wound manv times I've written a fair amount on a verv Your efforts are appreciated and en- faster than the braiders could consume small point that can be of interest to joyed. Thanks for the enjoyable reading, them, making this approach to manu- only a very few persons, at least one of keep up the class act, and please keep facturing tapered lines proportionately whom, I hope, is associated with the the "Secrets of Hooking Big Browns" more efficient than that used by Cort- Museum. The American Flv Fisher is and the like off the cover! I feel confi- land and U. S. Line. The bobbin wind- very entertaining and I look forward to dent that you will. ing required a special machine that I its arrival at the office each quarter. Terry Finger suppose was designed and built in- John M. Agnew Columbia, Missouri house. It consisted of a creel from which Sunset Line Q Twine Company fed silk threads, a series of comblike Petaluma, California Braiding Line: A Western Perspective guides to keep the threads separate and The Fall issue of The American Fly accessible to an operator, and a take-up An Aside on the "Bare Cheek Fisher (Fall 1991, vol. 17, no. 3), particu- device with four spindles to accommo- First off, I would like to offer a word larlv its stories relating" to silk leaders date four bobbins each (for use on a 16- of congratulations on the fine journal and lines, caught my attention and pro- carrier braider), two spindles extending you put out, which seems to improve vided some entertaining and informa- from either side of a central drive, a with each edition. tive reading. yarn traversing mechanism, and a I read with interest J. David Zincav- Because Sunset has been a friendly means of metering the strand being age's article on the origins of the Jock competitor to Cortland and U. S. Line wound onto the bobbins. Two opera- Scott ("The 'True' Original Jock Scott- Company for many years, the interviews tors, responsible for eight bobbins All Three of Them," Summer 1991, vol. of Leon Chandler and Chet Cook re- apiece, sat facing each other, with the 17, no. 2). The caption alongside the fine ported in John Mundt's article were of threads passing between them, added photograph of the fly tied by Paul special interest. The method they both and removed threads according to for- Schmookler refers to the use of hackle describe for tapering braided fly lines mulas for the individual lines and ta- from the "cymnogene," an African ea- sururised me somewhat. however, since uers. One ouerator controlled the start- gle. Out here it is called the gymnogene, it was so less efficient than that used by ing and stopping of the machine, so that meaning "bare cheek," and it is a rather Sunset in the 193os, and 1940s (even into the thread count adjustments were curious bird which I not infrequently the 1950s after which synthetic fibers re- identically placed in the sixteen-bobbin see raiding nests around my garden in placed silk in line manufacture). With a strands, and the sixteen bobbins were Natal. It is far from rare, seemingly well few exceptions, Sunset learned of and kept together to be braided as a set. adapted to urban conditions, and most employed new and better ways of mak- An example of bobbin-winding in- times when we go into the mountains

2 THE AMERICAN FLY FISHER trout fishing we spot one or two. parted on schedule in C-47 No. -. be versuaded to ioin our cause. Bill was The interesting question is how the Weather over English Channel margin- adamant, however, and insisted we pur- gymnogene feather came to be used for al. Have alerted Air-Sea Rescue." From sue his idea. Later he moved to Eugene, fly tying in the first place. I have tied Paris: "Major Miller group now 3 hours Oregon, and in conjunction with the flies in Africa for thirty years and this is overdue. Have alerted appropriate com- newly formed McKenzie Fly Fishers the first such reference I have seen to it. mands. Keep posted." Club, and the fine efforts by anglers I have delightful memories of a visit I The cables traced the conduct of a such as Skip Hosfield and Dave Carlson, paid to the Museum some years back. major air-sea rescue operation but the among others, the FFF became a reality. The whole concept is a great credit to plane and its passengers were never I was a delegate (with others in our the trustees and, along with a visit to the heard from again. A sad and mysterious club) to the first FFF Conclave in Eu- famous Orvis Company, makes Man- ending. Fortunately, though, the spirit gene and had the personal pleasure of chester a very popular port of call for and magic that Glenn Miller brought to meeting Lee Wulff, Gene Anderegg, Ted visiting South Africans. his music reaches out to wider audi- Trueblood, Ed Zern, and other eastern Tom Sutclife ences with each passing year. sportsmen who no doubt consummated Pietermaritzburg, South Africa Jack Kelly the fulfilment of a desire by fly anglers Manchester, Vermont all over the country to bring this fine Background From a Music Lover organization to fruition. I am not at- When leafing through the Summer Birth of the FFF: One Ni~ht tempting to disegard the contributions 1991 issue of The American Fly Fisher I read with great interest the fine of the aforementioned sportsmen, nor (vol. 17, no. 2), which I picked up at the memoriam accorded to Lee Wulff in the Mr. Pisarro himself for his exemplary local library, the photo on page 11 of The American Fly Fisher by Joe A. Pisar- memoriam to Lee Wulff, for whom I Major Glenn Miller in his World War I1 ro (Summer 1991, vol. 17, no. z), and, have the deepest respect and admira- uniform caught my eye. I was intrigued among many of his fly angling peers, am tion. I only wish to give credit where to learn that he was an avid fisherman. I saddened at his untimely passing-it is credit is due: to Bill Nelson who alone remember him as a great musician, one undeniable that Lee made some of the conceived and nurtured the idea of a fly whose style made him a legend in the greatest contributions to our sport in fishing confederation. I know because I era of Big Band giants such as Benny the last century. This writer was in- was there on that memorable night. Goodman, Tommy Dorsey, Harry spired by his use of the "midge type" Walter C. Johnson James, and Count Basie. rod for Atlantic salmon back in the Arlington, Washington I met him in the summer of 1939 1950s and, as a result, he pioneered the when he opened at the Glen Island Casi- Congrats and It Could Have use of this rod for our steelhead trout Been Worse no in Rye, New York. By fall he had won here in the Northwest. ------radio contracts for the Glenn Miller I am a fifty-two-year member of the Kudos! Summer 1991 (vol. 17, no. 2) shows and he was on his way. Ray Eber- Washington Fly Fishing Club of Seattle will be forever treasured. We who read le, brother of Bob who sang with Jimmy and was president in 1955. Along with the journal never see all the magnificent Dorsey, was the male vocalist. Marian two other past presidents of our club, effort which goes into each number- Hutton, Betty's sister, handled the fe- Vince Sellen and Don Ives, we were in- especially in this technospeak age (see male vocals. Tex Beneke, the saxophon- strumental in helping form the Ever- frustrated editorial, "Technospeak," ist, still sings "Chattanooga Choo- green Fly Fishing Club of Everett, Wash- Summer 1991-Editor). You were lucky- Choo" as he conducts today's touring ington. My reason for writing is to cor- the Silver City Cafe is really a nice place. Glenn Miller Band. Leigh Knowles, rect a misconception that appeared in You could have reached the Idle Spurs, jump trumpet, carved out a second ca- Mr. Pisarro's article crediting Mr. Wulff the Noisy Nag, or the Chili Bowl. Great reer with Beaulieu Vineyards in Califor- for the founding of the Federation of Fly places to access language to insert a nia where he recently retired as chair- Fishers. I take nothing away from Mr. three-quarter em dash. I eagerly await man of the board. Wulff's personal conservation efforts vol. 17, no. 3. Keep up the great work. The next time I came across him was and contributions to our svort-thev Jim Schaaf in 1947 when I was stationed at Army are legendary. Having been a personal Creede, Colorado Headquarters in Frankfurt, Germany. ------participant in the initial conception of Less is More Unfortunately, it was in a cable file la- the idea of a national conclave I can un- beled: "Disappearance of Major Glenn equivocally state that the sole credit I enjoy your publication, even though Miller." The file discussed plans of the should be awarded to William "Bill" I don't know one end of a rod from the Allied Forces to celebrate the successful Nelson of Eugene, Oregon. At the time other. Very readable stuff. advance across France in 1944 by hold- Bill lived in Everett, Washington, and A1 Cartwright ing a Victory Ball in Paris at Christmas was active in the Evergreen Fly Fishing Executive Director time. Major Glenn Miller and his Army Club of that city. I attended several of International Association of Sports Air Corps Band would be brought over their meetings and one evening several Museums and Halls of Fame from England as a feature attraction. of us retired to a restaurant for a CUD of About December 5, 1944, as I recall, coffee after the meeting had adjouried. Miller and the advance party who We discussed the vroblems that flv clubs THEAMERICAN FLY FISHER welcomes would make arrangements for the ball were having promoting our causes and letters and commentary from its read- took off from England in a C-47 for Bill suggested the idea of a national con- ers. Please write to Editor, TAFF, P. 0. Paris. A flurry of cables followed. From clave in order to combine forces with Box 42, Manchester, Vermont 05254. Paris: "Major Glenn Miller and party our eastern counterparts. Some suggest- All letters are subject to publication overdue two hours. Pls. advise." From ed that this would be a futile effort and unless otherwise specified. England: "Major Miller and group de- felt that fly anglers in the East could not

SPRING 1992 3 George LaBranche's High Holt: A Place in His Life and Work by Timothy Belknap

HE PIONEERING dry-fy techniques ALTHOUGHWORK ON High Holt, George be caught, LaBranche was in luck. He of George LaBranche have been LaBranche's beloved retreat in upstate was holding a block of shares in Electric Twell-chronicled. This article looks New York, didn't start until the late Boat Company, which was under con- at other aspects of LaBranche's life, after 1920s, the legend associated with it goes tract to build submarines for the United he had established his reputation and se- back to 1915. Nineteen fourteen had States Navy-not yet a combatant in cured for himself a nest egg. It describes been a satisfying year for LaBranche, World War I. But the torpedoing of the an imaginative man with the taste and having seen the publication of his well- Luistania on May 7,1915, with the loss of the means to provide himself with the reviewed The Dry Fly and Fast Water. 128 Americans, made the possibility of very best appointments of the sporting One year later the fates seemed to be war greater -and Electric Boat became life toying with the forty-year-old stockbro- the hottest stock in the country. Apart from a few letters, the article ker. He was relaxing up in the Canadian Telegraph after telegraph was sent to was drawn mostly from interviews. In wilderness and had told his secretarv he LaBranche as his frantic colleagues on many cases, the subjects allowed that they was not to be disturbed. But that was a Wall Street sought permission to sell his might not have total recall, as is the case moot voint. Heaw rains had cut off the shares -his secretary's instructions for with oral histories, and it is possible that salmon camp, ruining the fishing, privacy having been overruled. But for more than one version of the old stories stranding the fishermen. weeks there was no way of communicat- exists. TIMOTHYBELKNAP Whether or not there were salmon to ing with the camp. In New York, with

4 THE AMERICAN FLY FISHER Left: The portrait of George LaBranche with favorite rod (probably a Leonard), hat, and folding reel was painted by Gladys Brown, circa 1931. It hangs in grandson Michael LaBranche's home. Above: High Holt, the country retreat LaBranche built in Hillsdale, New York, during theflush 1920s after he hit it big with the sale of his Electric Boat shares, was host to many rela- tives andguests, weekend refugees from New York City, including Edna St. Vincent Millay. war fever mounting, frenzied bidding whose starched-collar attire and Edwar- flush 1920s, spending of such magnitude put Electric Boat up to eighty, and other dian mannerisms obscured the fact he was remarkable. He bought fishing shareholders reaped huge profits. It was a high-school dropout from a mod- rights up and down the nearby Green was decided to send a messenger to the est New York City family, LaBranche River and acquired vast upland hunting camp. When he finally reached had started out on Wall Street as a sec- grounds. Local contractor Ray Barden LaBranche, Electric Boat was around retary. His boss was James Keene, an was told to build a lodge using "the best 190. But the run-up continued beyond Englishman who had gone west for the in everything, all the way through," ac- all possible belief, and by the time Gold Rush and risen from miner to cording to realtor George Beach, now LaBranche could sell, his shares had hit president of the San Francisco Stock Ex- eighty-one. The total price for the house 400. change. Back east, he became known on and its 1,800 acres was figured to be Already wealthy, LaBranche was now "the Street" as the Silver Fox. By simul- around $750,000. considerably wealthier. By the time he taneously buying and selling shares, Sam Dawson, a dairy farmer who to- started planning High Holt on acreage Keene could create real trading fever out day serves as Hillsdale's town supervi- in the towns of Hillsdale and Austerlitz, of perceived fever, an accepted tech- sor, remembers as a boy how the pine New York, local contractors would es- nique used at the time by J. P. Morgan, flooring in attics and other rooms from tablish that he had a $10-million line of Sr., for boosting such new issues as U. S. local farms went the way of LaBranche's credit in New York City. Holt is a Scot- Steel. LaBranche was a quick study and, new lodge. Barden's men would then tish name for lair, and as far as was pos- in time, also became a market maker, come and lay new flooring, swapping sible in upstate Columbia County, High commonly known as a specialist, for more durable wood for the aged Holt would be modeled on the sporting AT&T. (Now in the hands of great- pinewood that LaBranche wanted for estates LaBranche had visited in Scot- grandson Michael, LaBranche & Com- his interior paneling. Beams from old land. He hoped people would admire pany is still going strong.) barns support the ceiling of the vast liv- the place and, knowing the story of the ing room at High Holt, which features a salmon trip in Canada, say that it just huge stone fireplace-one of six in the went to show that there are worse things house-at one end, and a picture win- to do than go fishing. LaBranche wasn't the first wealthy dow at the other looking out over the To be sure, though, not all the money city man to establish a retreat in Colum- heavily forested Berkshires on the New came from luck. As a slight young man bia County's green hills. But even in the York/Massachusetts line. The house could

SPRING 1992 5 Left: LaBranche proudly showing offsalmon bounty, thought to be from the river Dee in Scotland. Above: LaBranche in the Catskills in the early 1930s in a photograph taken by fellow An- glers Club member Henry Davis. Photographs from the collec- tion of daughter Elizabeth LaBranche, now housed in the Amer- ican Museum of Fly Fishing.

have been sited with any number of drinks one night at the LaBranche's, River, I saw a coyote running a doe one great vistas, and one wonders whether Ficke had asked her if she had written a bitterly cold day last winter. Work on the eastern view suggests a man who particular sonnet-"And you as well the house itself, however, wasn't started preferred to be on the water at sunset must die, beloved dustn- to him. In the until about twelve years later, and the than in an easy chair. fall of 1945 Ficke was dying, and in a let- place was probably still smelling new The plans included six bedrooms, ter his old lover finally answered his when Millay and company put pencil to three smaller rooms for servants' quar- question in the affirmative, going on to pinewood. Thus, construction on the ters, two tenant houses for the game- note: "I denied it at the time-but what project probably overlapped an even keeper and other help, two ponds, a fur- a hell of a time, and what a hell of a more seminal event on Wall Street than nace room with a boiler that one guest place to ask me about it! A cocktail par- the legendary Electric Boat run-up: the described as big enough for the Queen ty in George LaBranche's gun room! Of stock market crash of 1929. Neighbor Mary and, in addition to other utility course, you spoke in a voice so low. . . ." Alan Bloch recalls visiting LaBranche rooms and a kitchen, a gun room. There on the gun room's panelling to with his parents, Alexander and Blanche The latter deserves a footnote in this day are the signatures of Millay and Bloch, both musicians: "One evening we American literary history. LaBranche her husband, Eugen Jan Boissevain were up there, talking about 1929, and was no liberal-"Coolidge was his idol," (dated May 3, 1931), along with those of my father said, 'I lost an awful lot of according to neighbor Alan Bloch. But other guests, including sculptor Paul money in that crash.' My mother joked he was open-minded and had an eclec- Manship. to George, 'Were you ever down to your tic bunch of friends. The notables enter- High Holt's 1,800 acres were assem- last million?' and he looked absolutely tained by George and Emmala La- bled around 1916. About one-quarter of shocked. 'Good God no, Blanche."' Branche at High Holt ranged from Walt the acreage had been sheep pasture that True to his designs on the place, Disney to Austerlitz resident Edna St. was growing over, with huckleberries on LaBranche hired a Scotsman, Colin Vincent Millay. one hill, blueberries elsewhere. The Macfarlane, to be the estate's caretaker, A free spirit if ever there was one, woods were deep and wild, and still are. with primary responsibility for raising Millay had had an affair with another Not far from the main house, near the gun dogs and 6,000 pheasants a year, local poet, Arthur Davison Ficke. Over headwater beaver ponds of the Green some of which were given to the state

6 THE AMERICAN FLY FISHER Shooting at High Holt circa 1931. Son George LaBranche, Jr., is in middle with hands in pocket. Holt is the Scottish word for lair and High Holt was modeled after the sporting estates LaBranche visited in Scotland. He hoped people would admire the place and say that it just went to show that there are worse things to do than go fishing. LaBranche hired a Scotsman, Colin Macfarlane, to look after his gun dogs (who were named afterflies) and the 6,000 pheasant he raised a year. conservation department. LaBranche's blew an ear off the dog. Bird got away, were worm men. But not Don Bell, daughter, Elizabeth (Betty), recalls: "My of course. Everyone was aghast. My fa- a country lawyer who, as one of dad started with springers and English ther was remonstrating that I had LaBranche's Hillsdale cronies, became pointers, but we gave up the springers at brought ignominy on the whole event somewhat of a local celebrity when he my urging. I couldn't stand their tech- or something, but Macfarlane said, was pictured in a national magazine nique, just running through the fields, 'Very snappy shot, very snappy shot,' with the famous angler up on the Aus- flushing birds, and the guns were all sta- and defended me to my grandfather." able. Bell and LaBranche tried to intro- tioned on a rise so they could shoot the Along with the abandoned Euro- duce rainbow trout to supplement the birds as they came over." pean-style drives, the springers gave Roeliff Jansen's population of mostly One of LaBranche's grandchildren way to German shorthair pointers. browns and some brookies. Long-time remembered his rite of passage at High LaBranche was one of the first Ameri- Hillsdale resident George Colclough Holt and the kindness of Macfarlane, "a cans to import the breed, and the train- places the private stocking sometime in salty old fellow -a nice man. I had nev- ing of those pointers was a good part of the 1920s and remembers Bell later er done any shotgun shooting and Macfarlane's job in his many years of shaking his head in disappointment that wasn't sure about shooting at birds any- service to LaBranche. The dogs were the stream's pasture stretches and limit- wav." Tonv LaBranche said. "I was about named after flies, such as Royal Coach- ed depth proved to be too warm for the nik or (en, it was a dreadfully cold man, Parmachene Belle, Silver Doctor, newcomers. November, and they dragged us up and, of course, Pink Lady, a favorite on In comparison, the Green is a higher, there . . . It was a long line and Dad three counts: canine, piscatorial, and more shaded, and thus colder stream. (grandfather) LaBranche was way down mixological. An old-timer once leaned over a drive- the other end, and unfortunately I was way bridge as I fished below and told by my father and my brother. The dogs me that before the '38 hurricane, the pointed a bird, and Macfarlane took me Green held mostly brook trout, but they in charge and said: 'You just walk up LaBranche is usually associated with were washed away by the storm waters. very close behind that dog and don't be venerable Catskill and Pennsvlvania wa- Perhaps LaBranche and Bell decided to surprised if that bird just explodes in ters rather than with the tho streams leave well enough alone, or perhaps au- front of vou.' Of course. that's what hav- near High Holt: the Green River and the thorization was an issue. At any rate, the pened, ind instead of letting the biid Roeliff Jansen Kill. But local fishermen Green, too, holds mostly browns these get up in a sportsmanlike way, I let him knew him well. Most of them, except for days. A bit small and overgrown for have both barrels from the hip -almost a brief fly-fishing craze in the 193os, many fly fishers, it was no doubt a de-

SPRING 1992 7 light to a caster as skillful as LaBranche. those things. He'd come over every changed, judging from the old photos. The Green is a stalker's stream that, be- night and read each sentence to us, ask- Hillsdale then, as now, was a small vil- cause of its gravel banks, should often ing us 'Is that clear?"' lage. One might have seen the burly fig- be fished on one's knees, even on the As one would suspect of a successful ure of Don Bell-hard-nosed on the wider stretches that LaBranche pre- Wall Street man, LaBranche clearly outside, but soft on the inside -walking ferred after the stream crosses into loved a challenge. His daughter Betty re- home to lunch from his law office at the Massachusetts. As he grew older and members him winning bets from fellow foot of Cold Water Street, instructing less inclined to travel, LaBranche fished members at his Westchester County his setter, "Heel, Roddy, dammit, heel!" the Green more often, usually out of his country club by beating them around Later, if it was early spring and opening son's farm over the Massachusetts line the golf course in matches pitting his day was near, he would be up on the in North Egremont. Other places owned fly rod against their irons and putters. meadow behind his house, practicing by LaBranche included an elegant pied a He was also a competitive, masterful casts. Going up Route 22, one may have terre on Park Avenue and a suburban yachtsman and archer (but not a bow passed a yellow convertible driven by a home in Pelham, New York. There were hunter). All this, and he played a mean likeable Dutchman sporting a Tam fishing cottages on the Brodheads in Jew's harp, too. O'Shanter, his wife's red hair blowing Pennsylvania and at Islamorada in the In 1912, Theodore Gordon, to whom in the wind: Boissevain and Millay. Florida Keys, where he wintered and, as LaBranche sent feathers from wing- LaBranche would be bearing goodies for at High Holt, entertained heavily. "For shooting expeditions long before there Millay from the city: tins of Melachrino the past month this house has been was a High Holt, wrote G. E. M. Skues cigarettes and bootleg gin. bulging with relatives and guests -some that LaBranche "is as full of experi- At the tiny hamlet of Green River, the bidden and many unbidden-all want- ments as an egg is full of meat." In a let- road split at a rock cut, one way to ing to go bonefishing," he wrote a friend ter now at the American Museum of Fly Massachusetts, the other to Austerlitz. from Florida in 1949. "Most of them Fishing, Eugene V. Connett I11 de- ("When you get to Austerlitz, you know nothing about it. Net result: three scribed a debate around 1921 at The An- haven't gotten anywhere, except to the rods broken, two reels wrecked, hun- glers' Club of New York between post office and two empty little church- dreds of yards of line lost, a ton of cast- LaBranche and Louis Rhead, who is de- es," Millay wrote. Not much has been ing leads, and dozens of my best hooks. scribed as, "a conceited little fellow, a added in sixty years.) Near the fork was I won't mention the wine cellar. . . ." very delightful artist, and the worst fly MacCrery's gas station, the owner a designer that God ever put breath in." hard-drinking former New York City A GADFLYASPECT, The topic to be argued was exact imita- newspaper reporter who became the PUCKISHALMOST tion in tying trout flies. "LaBranche chief of the Green River Volunteer Fire At High Holt, Tony LaBranche re- chewed poor Rhead into small pieces Department. Up the mountain a bit, on members meals as being feasts for the and spit them out. It was quite cruel the back road to High Holt, one would mind rather than the palate. "We had to and I always felt a bit guilty about hav- pass the department's only piece of eat strange things, to us kids, like pig ing arranged the debate:' Connett equipment, a red pick-up truck with and poached salmon and pheasants wrote. siren and, in back, tools and a portable with lots of shot in them. You used lead Since Wall Street is rather a labor-in- pump. The rig was donated by La- shot in those days, and it was really a tensive place, one wonders where Branche and parked in one of his out- ghastly meal." But at George LaBranche's LaBranche found time for all his leisure buildings -no fool, he. table, one rule held sway: "You had to pursuits. "I never figured out how he Then, there's the barn, where young mean what you said. You had to be did that:' says Tony LaBranche. "You Betty LaBranche was dispatched with a sharp and understand jokes," Tony can't have your servants do your broker- big searchlight to flash on anyone spot- LaBranche remembers. His grandfather age deals for you, you know. Yet he had ted up in the woods jacklighting deer. "would play with you and harass you the time to come over and harass my Close by were the kennels. On a nice af- and josh with you in a very subtle man- parents over every sentence" in his two ternoon, perhaps Colin Macfarlane ner. He would always be asking: 'Is that books. His grandfather was a product of would be out working the dogs in a hay- right? Is that the right way? What would the nineteenth century, Tony LaBranche field gone fallow, expressing himself no you say to this situation?' Extremely So- believes: self-discipline came naturally less gruffly than Donald Bell as one of cratic, you might say. There was this and writing was not a chore to a man the shorthairs points a sparrow. Then, gadfly aspect to him, puckish almost . . . confident in what he had to say. up the long driveway, past vast lawns He believed that we should use our But his time was precious. LaBranche well-kept by the Macfarlane kids, is the wits." would have his chauffeur drive the fam- grand house itself, that testament in LaBranche, who teaches literature at ily up from Pelham on Friday and then stone and wood to George LaBranche's Loyola University of Chicago, notes that follow later that day on a train out of strongly held conviction that there's a his grandfather's works, although per- Grand Central. The same train deposit- right way and a wrong way to do things. haps better known for the techniques ed at Hillsdale's modest station up to It's all pretty much still there, except they dispense, are beautifully written. "I loo or so fellow weekend refugees, for the people. LaBranche died in New think my grandfather knew a lot more among them my grandfather, ~obert York City in 1961 at the age of eighty-six, about literature and how writers should Green, also a devoted angler, who, as a and High Holt was sold. Among those comport themselves than he let on. He civil engineer, helped LaBranche design who are still around is John Macfarlane, was too genteel: he just did it. [When he dams for his ponds. He, too, had a sum- who as a boy hand-mowed those lawns was writing his two books, the second of mer place by a brook in Hillsdale. so many years ago. I asked him what which was The Salmon and the Dry Fly, The way to High Holt-Route 22 and was George LaBranche like? published in 19241 Mother said, 'Oh what is now LaBranche Road-was "All business," he said. "All business." God, he used to bore us to death with macadam and dirt. Not too much has

8 THE AMERICAN FLY FISHER Some Thoughts About Salmon Fly Evolution, Early Metal-Bodied Salmon Flies, (A Bit about Mixed-Wings, Also), and a Yorkshireman

by Albert J. Cohen

LTHOUGH THE ARTIFICIAL FLY IS by's A Guide to Salmon Flies (Ramsbury, Perhaps more answers may be found in an ancient concept we know sur- England: Crowood Press, iggo), and Bell's Life in London, a weekly periodical A prisingly little about the details Mikael Frodin's Classic Salmon Flies to which Fitzgibbon submitted angling behind its earlv evolution. For exam~le. (Gothenburg, Sweden: A. B. Nordbok, articles prior to 1838. the dressings fbr the twelve flies inckd: 1991), both the Silver Wilkinson and the William Henderson, in My Life as an ed in The Treatyse of Ffisshynge wyth an Aglaia, thought to have originated dur- Angler (London: published by author, Angle (London: Wynkyn de Worde, ing the 1840s, were also believed by such 1876), expanding on an entry dated 1843 1496) specify certain materials, such as authors to have been the earliest metal- from what appears to have been a diary the partridge, but we have no idea bodied salmon flies.4 It appears, howev- of some sort, remarked: "Some years af- which particular feather was used, or er, that Bates opted for the Aglaia as the terwards the idea of a white-bodied fly what the fly looked like (e.g., Were any first.5 All three authors cite, as sources was improved upon both by Mr. Green- of the flies wound hacklewise? Were the for their information, Edward Fitzgib- well and Mr. P. S. Wilkinson, each in- wings upright or down-winged?). The bon ("Ephemera") and William Hender- venting a fly whose distinguishing char- same lack of specificity holds true for son, both of whom are discussed below. acteristic was a body formed of silver many artificial fly patterns published as Fitzgibbon listed two metal-bodied tinsel. . . . "7 Apparently the Greenwell recently as the nineteenth century.l flies in Book of the Salmon (London: was, at least initially, dressed as a silver- As difficult as it is to be precise about Longman, Brown, Green, and Long- bodied fly, and later evolved into a fly trout flies, the early history of Atlantic mans, 1850): the Dunkeld, which calls having a body of blue silk floss. Exactly salmon flies in angling literature (until for a body of gold, and the Aglaia, what Henderson meant by "some years the first part of the nineteenth century) which calls for a body of silver. To my afterwards" in respect to a time frame is is a virtual terra incognita, with only ob- knowledge, this was the first time these unclear, and the dates signifying when scure or minimal references scattered two patterns were mentioned in angling these two salmon flies were developed here and there. Even then, many of the literature. The reasons why present-day are not revealed by him. Henderson early nineteenth-century references are authors have not also nominated the went on to state that ". . . These flies are generally not very enlightening, and, Dunkeld for consideration as the earli- now acknowledged to be among the with a few exceptions, lack plates or en- est metal-bodied salmon fly are not best used on the river, if not the very gravings to guide us.2 consequently, known. Fitzgibbon attributed the Dun- best. By reference to the table of fish salmon flv dressers have a rather diffi- keld to a gentleman connected with the weighing 25 lbs. and upwards, it will be cult timi until they reference those Foreign Office and also mentioned the seen to some extent what success has books containing fly plates published pattern's effectiveness " . . . at Ballyshan- been attained with 'the Greenwell' and during the 1840s, 1850s, and 186os.3 De- non [the Erne, in Ireland] and in the 'the Wilkinson."' Although not neces- spite these, much still remains subject to Sutherlandshire Rivers [Scotland]. . . ." sarily conclusive -the table included conjecture and speculation; this is espe- "Dunkeld" is a Scottish place name, only the larger fish that were caught- cially true with respect to the develop- thus it is more likely that the pattern the earliest Greenwell listing is 1862 and ment and history of specific salmon fly originated in Scotland rather than in that of the Wilhnson is 1863. I am aware patterns and styles. Ireland. No place of origin was given for of no evidence to support earlier dates the Aglaia, but since Fitzgibbon did for the development of these two much of his salmon fishing in Scotland, salmon flies, and thus their nomination it is reasonable to assume that the Aglaia for earliest metal-bodied salmon fly In three books published recently, originated there; so precisely because no does not appear to be appropriate. Joseph Bates's The Art of the Atlantic information other than the dressing is I do not know when the Dusty Miller Salmon Fly (Boston: David R. Godine, available, to my knowledge, I shall not first appeared, but it may have been ear- 1987), John Buckland and Arthur Ogles- add to the uncertainty on this matter.6 ly on and within the same general peri-

SPRING 1992 9 1 The Golden Fly was one oftwo metal- bodied salmon fly patterns listed in 1806 in The Driffield Angler by Alex- ander Mackintosh, which included in- structions for a divided mixed wing. Mackintosh's mixed wing represented an advance over salmon fly dressings previously published. Dressed by the author on a replica blind-eyed salmon hook in the Mackintosh style. Photo- graph by the author.

od as the Aglaia and Dunkeld. This pat- the flies referred to were heavily ribbed, wool, etc. In any event, should this tern, to my knowledge, was first men- metal-bodied, or partially metal-bod- salmon fly have had a metal body, it ap- tioned in Francis Francis's third edition ied. pears that it would have been somewhat of A Book on Angling (London: Long- Coincidentally, Stoddart, Fitzgibbon, of an anomaly, since historically Welsh mans, Green, and Company, 1872), but and Henderson all fished in Scotland. salmon flies generally have not been the dressing for it was thought by Henderson, at least, had met Stoddart, gaudy. George Hansard, in Trout e+ George Kelson (in The Salmon Fly [Lon- and if they did not know Fitzgibbon di- Salmon Fishing in Wales (London: don: Wymans, 18951) to be that of a Mr. rectly, it is likely that they had common Longman, Rees, Orme, Brown, Green & Jewhurst of Turnbridge, Kent, in the acquaintances. Henderson also knew Longman, 1834), said, "The flies ordi- southeast of England. Jewhurst, a fly- and patronized the famous Scottish fly narily used by the native Welsh angler dresser during the 1830s at least, also de- dresser, James Wright of Sprouston (on are very sober in colour. . . . They affect signed the Butcher, which, according to the Tweed), who, even if he did not in- to despise the gay and gaudy materials "10 Kelson, was " . . . known by the name of vent the patterns, was responsible for .... Moon's fly" until 1838.~I have found lit- the introduction of a number of famous Although angling literature tells us tle else concerning Jewhurst. It may very salmon flies, which, among others, in- that metal-bodied salmon flies were uti- well be that the Dusty Miller was also cluded the Durham Ranger, the Doctor, lized during the 1840s (at least the developed as early as the Butcher, but I the Silver Doctor, and three or four oth- Dunkeld and possibly the Aglaia), per- have found no evidence one way or the er metal-bodied patterns. haps also during the 1820s and 1830s, we other. In 1834, Thomas Medwin edited The are able to turn back the pages of histo- As one, however, delves further back Angler in Wales, or Days and Nights of ry still further. At the beginning of the through the mists of Atlantic salmon fly Sportsmen (London: Richard Bentley), nineteenth century, in Yorkshire, Eng- history, it becomes apparent that the being the undated papers of what was land (not very far from Scotland), Alex- concept of the metal-bodied salmon fly represented as an unknown author.9 It ander Macintosh listed in The Drifield is older, and in fact may be quite a bit is my belief that at least portions of the Angler (Gainsborough, England: pub- older, than the Aglaia or Dunkeld. This manuscript were written no earlier than lished by author, 1806) and in The Mod- should not be very surprising - making 1828 because Sir Humphrey Davy's ern Fisher, or Drifield Angler (Derby, metal-bodied flies required no special Salmonia (London: John Murray, 1828) England: Henry Mozley, 1821), two sal- degree of expertise or technology. In was referred to by the author. It is in- mon fly patterns having metal bodies: Thomas Tod Stoddart's Angling Remi- triguing that the following pattern for a one with a gold body and the other with niscences (Edinburgh: The Edinburgh salmon fly was described: ". . . I used, I a silver body.ll The dressings, which in- Printing & Publishing Company, 1837), remember, a very gaudy double-winged cluded instructions for a divided mixed- Stoddart described a member of his an- fly, made of the feathers of the kingfish- wing, are quite interesting, and other gling club: ". . . he had a mortal aversion er (which are very numerous on our riv- than assembling the patterns in a more to the plain brown palmer, one of the er,) and the peacock, with a thick gold conventional sequence, are quoted be- most killing lures we are acquainted body. . . ." (Italics are mine.) This is a low. with, and his partiality to tinsel was most tempting bit of information. Al- somewhat extravagant. We have seen though the "thick gold body" could very salmon flies of his which were literally well have been made of gold tinsel, it HOOK: covered with glitter. . . 1' But nothing could just as easily have been made of . . . the shank near two inches in length. more was said, and we do not know if gold-colored pig's wool, mohair, floss, [Approximately a 710 based on the

10 THE AMERICAN FLY FISHER Another Mackintosh pattern, dressed by the author. In the Tartan, the ribbing was gold plait and the body was ': . . offour, five, or more different colours, yellow, light blue, green, dark red, orange, and purple [hog's wool], and as many more colours as the fancy may lead the angler to. . . ."Mackintosh was certainly less specific in his tying instruc- tions than was Kelson in the Vic- torian era. Photograph by the author.

Bartleet Dublin-Limerick scale in Kelson's with two shades of green for the dress- Mackintosh specified "broad gold The Salmon Fly.] ing], the peacock's harl from the tail, the plaiting" or silver, as the case may be, turkey's mottled feather from the tail, TAG: for the bodies. In referring to A New and two blue mottled feathers from English Dictionary on Historical Princi- [See body] the jay's wings, one placed on each side of the wings, with the mottled side down- ples (Oxford, England: igog), edited by TAIL: J. A. H. Murray, the word "plait" means [None given] wards; it must be made very soft with your finger and thumb, not breaking the "a contexture of three or more inter- BODY: crust of the stem that may lay more flat laced strands of hair, ribbon, straw, or . . . the body, broad gold plaiting, with a down to the other part of the wings; it any cord-like substance." Therefore, I strong, bold, red [natural brown] cock's must be lapped on, before you finish the have concluded that broad gold plaiting hackle, ribbed with a piece of dark green head, by itself; is identical to woven strands of twist, or silk; the body [underbody] must be all of all the other feathers must be mixed the tinsel that is referred to by many of one thickness, about the size of a wheat equally alike, and a middling large wing, today's salmon-fly dressers as "lace."l2 straw, and made with any kind of thick or but not longer than to the end of the round sillc; hook. . . . at the same time lapping in [tying in] . . . [after the body is completed] then the hackle, silk, and gold plaiting, take the bring the wings forward, pressing them PARALLELEVOLUTIONS plaiting and make two laps on the hook at down to the tail of the fly, divide the IN TACKLE the tail of the fly, then lap the plaiting side wings into two equal parts; take your silk, by side till you come to the but [sic] of well waxed, and crossing it three or four When were metal-bodied flies first the wings, and fasten; [N.B., It was not times between them, make two or three fished for salmon? Did the metal-bod- uncommon for the wings to be tied in be- laps behind the wings, in order to throw ied fly migrate from Yorkshire to the fore the body during this time period, them forwards, and lay rather flat on the south of Scotland or, since Mackintosh with the tips of the wing feathers pointing back of the fly than otherwise [N.B., was originally from and had fished in in the same direction as the tip of the Mackintosh's use of 'forwards' seems Scotland, was it there that the concept shank-the wings were then bent to the rather confusing, but appears to mean was developed by Mackintosh or by rear of the hook when the body was com- 'rearwards,' in that the tips of the wing somebody else and later incorporated point towards the bend of the hook.]; pleted.] into the patterns described by Mackin- take the green silk and lap it neatly up, HEAD: tosh in his books? I do not think that about the eighth of an inch slanting from . . . finish the head with a very little green each other, to the wings as before, and anyone has the answers, and it is entire- mohair . . .[and] . . . the ruddy harl of a ly possible that we may never know for fasten; then take the hackle with both the peacock's feather. . . . sides on [Mackintosh does not say certain; however, I believe that the peri- whether the hackle was doubled or not], od of time during which metal-bodied and lap it neatly between every lap of the salmon flies were initially fished can be silk, and giving two laps under the wings somewhat narrowed. fasten your hackle; First, from a practical viewpoint, fly Made as the golden fly. For this fly. . . the fishing for salmon could not become WINGS: shank nearly the same length as the last, . . . the wings from the golden pheasant, also the same wings; the body, silver plait- feasible (and thus, popularly followed) the common pheasant, the parrot [variety ing, a bit of green silk to rib it with; and until the introduction of functional not known; I selected the quill feather light blue [dun??]cock's hackle. . . . winches (reels), even though we know

SPRING 1992 11 that attempts at fly fishing without a straight line . . . otherwise your Silk-Line discuss, however briefly, flies specifically running line did occur. The unknown will not run clear."l6 (Italics are mine.) dressed for salmon fishing: " . . . if you author of The Gentleman Angler (Lon- Silk lines of this period were also used angle for him [the salmon] with a flie don: A. Bettesworth, 1726) gave explicit for trolling, as mentioned by Robert (which he will rise at like a trout) the instructions on how to fly fish for Nobbes in The Complete Troller (Lon- flie must be made of a large hook, salmon with a " . . . Line, which ought don: Tho. Helder at the Angel in Little which must carry six wings or four at to be two yards longer than your rod Britain, 1682).l7 It is thus apparent that least. . . ." (from Turrell, Ancient Angling . . . ." And almost loo years later, Cap- until the advent of knotless horsehair Authors, pp. 90-91). tain T. Williamson, in The Complete An- lines and improved winches, a good At least as early as 1658 tinsel was be- gler's Vade Mecum (London: Payne and deal of salmon fishing may have includ- ing used for ribbing salmon fly bodies. Mackinlay, 1808), observed: "In many ed drifting or trolling on lochs, or hurl- Richard Franck in Northern Memoirs places, those who fish for salmon . . . for ing (harling) - a form of trolling - on (London: published by author, 1658, want of a reel. nail a viece of stick, rivers: undoubtedlv.,, however. flies were 16941, wrote of ". . . a glittering fly, the about five inches long, across the rod, at one of the types of lures used in these body composed of red twisted silk, in- about a foot above where the lower methods of fishing.18 termingled with silver and an eye of hand grips it. On this they wind the line Interestingly, Mackintosh's flies were gold. . . ." and " . . . his dubbing bag forming a figure of eight. It should, enormous, rangin8 from slightly less contained all sorts of thrums, threads, however, be understood, that such per- than two inches ( /o to 7/0) to 3 inches silks, moccado-ends, silver and gold sons use very strong tackle, and rarely (l0/o) in shank length. Rather than cast- twist; which are of excellent use to think of giving more line than happens to ing these large flies, it is entirely possible adorn your fly. . . ."I9 James Chetham, in be out when the fish takes the fly. . . .'" that Mackintosh may have engaged in The Angler's Vade Mecum (London: (Italics are mine.) hurling on some of the rivers he men- Thos. Bassett, 1681), when writing about Although the winch, which possibly tioned fishing (the Spey, the Dee, the salmon flies stated, "Silver-twist and came into use ureviouslv. was first dis- Tav). It occurs to me that uerhavs Gold-twist, are good to use in Dubbing /I cussed in angling literature during the Mickintosh may have wanted (is [presumably ribbing] the bodies." Tin- middle of the seventeenth centurv.,, it salmon flies to fish deever than was sels of this proximate period were listed was comparatively rudimentary and usual, possibly while hurling, and to ac- by G. M. in The Youzg Sportsman's In- most probably served as a storage device complish that purpose he may have structor (England: sold at the Gold Ring by which the line could be shortened or made the fly's body entirely out of plait- in Little Britain, possibly published lengthened.l3 It is highly unlikely that a ing (lace) in order to add weight. In ad- about 1706 or 1707) in the materials rec- typically rambunctious salmon of any dition, it would not be particularly sur- ommended for fly dressing: " . . . Wire size could have been successfully fought prising had Mackintosh used hooks and Twist, Silver Twist, Gold Twist, Sil- with one of those crude implements. It with extra long shanks; i.e., hooks with ver and Gold Wire . . . and the like. . . ." may very well have been that a good a shank length equivalent to a 6/o or 7/0, (from Turrell, Ancient Angling Authors, deal of the fly fishing for salmon during but having a correspondingly shorter p. 170). I do not know when flat tinsel in this period, such that it was, consisted gap, similar to the "Dee" hooks of the angling literature was first discussed, of fishing" for immature salmon (includ- latter Dart of the nineteenth centurv. but apparently flat tinsel was made dur- ing sea trout) and, in the event that a There is no direct evidence of that oc- ing the eighteenth century by hammer- salmon was hooked. the rod and winch curring in Mackintosh's books, but he ing gold or silver wire until it was flat. (if a winch was used) may have been set did specify for one of his patterns to "let Richard Brookes, in the sixth edition of aside and the fight continued by hand.l4 the hook be the same size as the former, The Art of Angling (London: W. Loun- In order for the winch to function No. 1, only something shorter in the des, 1785), mentioned "Gold and Silver properly, a twisted or braided line with- shank. . . I' This would appear to indi- flatted wire." out knots at frequent intervals became a cate possibly that hooks were being necessity. Early lines were generally ". . . made with variable shank lengths to suit composed of lengths of twisted horse- the fly dresser's purpose, not a very dif- hair which could not be more than 3 ficult proposition to achieve. Samuel feet long, each length knotted to the Taylor, in Angling in All its Branches We know that Mackintosh had been next. . . these knots were apt to catch in (London: T. N. Longman and 0. Rees, fishing for salmon at least as early as the rod-rings [line-guides]. . . reels were I~OO),also suggested that ". . . if the 1765, because he said: " . . . I caught one used by salmon-anglers who used un- shanks are too long, there must be some when angling with the fly at Castle- dressed silk line rather than a horse-hair taken [cut?] off, according to the length Menzies in the year 1765, that weighed line . . . silk line was prone to tangles, and size of the fly you intend to make fifty-four pounds and a half." It would and too light for casting small baits or . . . . not be cavalier to speculate that as tackle fly -but good for casting heavy baitsl'ls Second, the gold and silver tinsel evolved and the winch became more (Italics are mine.) necessary for metal-bodied flies were, to functional, and as fly fishing for salmon Robert Howlett, in The Angler's Sure my knowledge, first discussed in angling became more widespread, some un- Guide (London: G. Convers at the Ring, literature by Thomas Barker in The Art known fly fisher or, more likely, fly fish- and T. Baliard at the Rising Sun, in Lit- of Angling (London: Oliver Fletcher, ers, probably in more than one geo- tle Britain, 1706), was one of the earliest 1651) and Barker's Delight (London: graphic area, made metal-bodied sal- to discuss another necessarv tackle Richard Marriot, 1657). Barker, who was mon flies and found them to be success- item-line guides. Howlett, in reference the earliest known author to give explic- ful, or at least as successful as other to salmon fishing, stated: ". . . the Loops it instructions for dressing artificial flies. types of salmon flies. It may even have [line-guides] on your top may range used gold and silver forvribbing trout been a metal-bodied trout or sea trout with the Loops on your Stock in a flies. He was also the earliest author to fly to which a salmon rose.20 Or perhaps

12 THE AMERICAN FLY FISHER a metal-bodied lure was used while rather limited number of salmon flv enteenth- or eighteenth-century sport spinning or hurling, which resulted in fishermen, it does not appear that it fishing in the rivers of continental Eu- the idea that a metal-bodied salmon fly was customary to routinely report, as rope. Salmon inhabited many rivers, might prove to be effecti~e.~~ matters of consequence, the experimen- from Spain and Portugal in the south It is not likely that the nine or ten tation with different fly-dressing mate- and west, to Russia in the north and books published during the latter half of rials or the development of new fly pat- east, and it is almost inconceivable that the seventeenth centurv.,, and which. at terns during this period (proprietary se- throughout this vast geographic region, least in part, discussed angling, were crecy may have been one contributing some form of fly fishing for salmon necessarily descriptive of all the fishing motive). A notable exception is the would not have occurred. Spain, for ex- methods or of all the types of artificial Bowlkers (TheArt of Angling, Worcester, ample, had a huge fishery. Anthony flies generally employed during the pe- England: M. Olivers, 1758? and later edi- Netboy, in The Melancholy Fate of the riod. Undoubtedly most information tions). Most of the fly patterns included Spanish Salmon, referred to the Histori- was passed on from generation to gen- in the angling literature of this period cal Dictionary of the National Fishing eration and from teacher to student by were those from The Treatyse, as well as Arts (1791-1795): " . . . 2,000 salmon were word of mouth. If, however, one also Charles Cotton and James Chetham. then caught daily in the province of As- considers the fifteen or so angling-relat- Also. there mav not have been much turias." Spain had, at one time, at least ed books - excluding reprints or subse- that was unusual enough to report or fifty salmon rivers and Enrique Camino, quent editions -published during the record concerning salmon flies. It is "one of the leading contemporary eighteenth century and the relative lack possible that, for the most part, they [twentieth century] authorities on the of information covering the topic of were oversized trout flies made out of Spanish salmon:' said "it is not ventur- salmon flies, one may come to two con- locally available components, including ing too much to suppose that . . . no less clusion~.~~One, that until the end of the gaudy materials. James Saunders dis- than 8,000 to io,ooo fish per day were eighteenth century there was not much missed the importance of discrete caught at the end of the eighteenth cen- demand for angling literature dealing salmon fly patterns by saying "if he [the tury" (Salmon and Trout Magazine, no. with salmon fishing; and two, that, at salmon] will take a Fly, the same may be 173, January 1965). Presumably netting least through the first half of the eigh- used, and in the same manner managYd and spearing were the modes then com- teenth century, and possibly longer in as for a Trout." monly practiced, since fly fishing was certain regions, fly fishing for salmon not mentioned. It would not be unrea- may have been comparatively little fol- sonable, I think. to anticiuate that fu- lowed, other than, perhaps, as a relative- N UNKNOWN COMMENTATOR (''A ture research may disclose the existence ly localized sport of the landed gentry Reviewer") made an interesting of continental fly fishing for salmon and military men stationed in those ar- Aobservation regarding early trout during this time period.24 eas where salmon came into the rivers, and salmon fishing and related angling Looking then to the history of including, possibly, North America. "Tis literature in Salmon and Trout Maga- Britain to see what was transpiring, the very rare," wrote James Saunders in The zine, no. 48, July 1927: eighteenth century began to provide, in Complete Fisherman W. general, a more stable political environ- (London: . . . before about 1800 there is really not Mears, etc., i724), "that the Salmon is much to indicate that anglers thought ment than the bloody seventeenth, and fished for with a Fly, or that he will bite more highly of one species [of fish] than by the i75os, rebellion in Scotland had at a Fly. . . ." I do not know whether another except in so far as it might be big- been extinguished.25 With domestic

Saunders's perspective on fly fishing for ger and better to eat. No doubt the full glo- Deuce (tranauilitvL, would be much too salmon was typical or widely held; but ry of the Salmonidae became more appar- strong a word) came the growth of a he also added: "the Sport . . . [was] not ent as travelling communications got better. larger gentry class, deriving a share of worth the patien~e."~3 They tend to flourish as a race somewhat the new wealth and privilege created by Although difficult to ascertain, it removed from the busier centres of human the expansion of empire and the begin- would appear that to the extent sport life, and there must have been many an- nings of the Industrial Revolution. With gling enthusiasts about 1800 who had little fishing for salmon occurred during the chance of getting to know them at all well, increased communication and improve- eighteenth century (as opposed to though coarse fish [fish other than sal- ments in transportation to the salmon- spearing, netting, shooting, etc.), bait mon, trout, and grayling-not a pejora- fishing regions - including those in fishing was the method more common- tive term], may have been within their Scotland and Ireland that coincided ly practiced, possibly because heavier scheme of things. And it was mostly en- with advances in tackle-fly fishing for terminal tackle was available, thereby thusiasts in the bigger centres in those days salmon would have become more wide- reducing or eliminating the necessity for who were at all voluble and committed to ly and more commonly practiced.26 It functional running gear. Richard books. So trout literature was scanty, and also seems to me that North America Brookes, in The Art of Angling (sixth salmon literature as such still scantier be- may have played a larger role in the in- fore the Nineteenth Century opened. creased early interest in salmon fishing edition, 1785), devoted considerably (Italics are mine.) more space to baits than he did to the than is generally believed. If one consid- artificial fly (he only described one I am not sure that I necessarily agree ers that many of the salmon rivers in salmon fly: the Horse-leech). He also with all of these comments, but I think the British Isles were, in general, strictly advised, "When you make use of the Fly, that, with respect to salmon fishing, preserved, while the North American let your hook be strong and large; but it there is more than a little bit of truth salmon rivers, which literally teemed would be better to have two well- contained therein. with salmon, were for the most part free scoured Lob-worms, as they have been Though there is not much in English through the early part of the nineteenth most successful in fishing at the Bot- angling literature concerning fly fishing century, then many British military and tom." for salmon prior to the nineteenth cen- government men may have initially In addition to what may have been a tury, we know virtually nothing of sev- developed a salmon fishing interest

SPRING 1992 13 while in North America.27 and in Buckland and Oglesby's A Guide (London: Bentley, 1834) in which, with It is necessary to remember the sal- to Salmon Flies, although the latter respect to salmon flies, Belton said: mon's rather capricious nature regard- replication does not appear to reflect ei- "The Limerick flies are almost always ing artificial flies - in many instances, ther the two-component wing of heron's very gaudy and have silk bodies; where- especially during the summer, the wing and turkey's tail intermixed or as those tied in Dublin are usually of salmon can be seen, but often cannot be Mackintosh's divided wing: ". . . bring mohair and fur, and much more sober induced to take the fly. There must have the wings forward, divide them with the in their colours, although infinitely been an increase in the diverse theories gold twist . . . bringing it three or four more showy than the Scotch salmon among fishermen and tackle dealers re- times backwards and forwards between flies." Because many of the waters of Ire- garding those patterns of salmon flies the wings, making it appear as much as land flow through or rise in regions which might possibly prove to be more possible about the head. . . ." which contain huge deposits of peat and efficacious. Gradually during the last are heavily stained, it occurs to me that half of the eighteenth century more pat- the same conditions which may have terns and various types of salmon flies given rise to the gaudy salmon fly (i.e., came into use. One can see this result in Were Mackintosh's metal-bodied dark waters) also tended to discourage the salmon-related angling literature of salmon flies evolutionary, including the use of metal-bodied flies, inasmuch the early nineteenth century and in the those of his predecessors (if any), or do as the acidity of the water would con- expanded descriptions of salmon fly they represent anomalies? And was tribute to accelerated tarnishing. patterns included in such books. Ac- Scotland the birthplace of the concept? None of the later Irish authors- cordingly then, salmon flies evolved and On the one hand, there is not much to Blacker, O'Gorman, or Newland - of interest in them increased in resvonse to be found on the subject other than the the 1840s and 1850s, or Fitzgibbon (with perceived needs. This was not necessari- sources mentioned near the beginning respect to Irish rivers), discussed metal- ly because of any revolutionary break- of this article. In Letters on Sporting bodied flies, except the previously men- throughs in knowledge of the salmon's (London: J. Cornes, 1815), Richard Las- tioned use of the Dunkeld at Ballyshan- habits or important technical fly-dress- celles blatantly plagiarized Mackintosh's non. The earliest metal-bodied Irish fly ing innovations -the metal tinsels, patterns with respect to salmon flies that I have been able to find is William gaudy materials, and exo-tic feathers recommended for Scotland. However, Doherty's Judge, which was referred to (more or less) were already available- Lascelles, who admitted that he was no in Francis's second edition of A Book on but in response to a sport which, for a great salmon fisher, apparently did not Angling (1867). Despite numerous Irish variety of factors, could be practicably think much of the metal-bodied flies patterns that were received from many pursued. because he modified the dressings for different Irish fly dressers and recorded Therefore, it would not be unreason- the gold-bodied and silver-bodied flies: by Francis, the Judge was the only listed able to speculate that metal-bodied " . . . the body should be made of green pattern having a metal body. salmon flies probably appeared during silk, ribbed with gold [or silver, as the Undoubtedly metal-bodied salmon the latter half of the eighteenth century, case may be]. . . I' On the other hand, I flies were being fished in English rivers which was also the same general time find it more than somewhat curious near midcentury, but from the time of frame during which mixed-wing salmon that the metal-bodied salmon flies re- Mackintosh (and there is no indication flies were developed. To my knowledge, ferred to during the first half of the as to whether he used his salmon fly Mackintosh's mixed-wings, calling for nineteenth century, with the possible patterns solely in Scottish rivers or also up to five or six different feathers, repre- exception of the Aglaia for which no in English rivers, although all of his sented an advance, at least in complexi- origin was given, and those of a short anecdotal references concerning salmon ty, over any salmon fly dressings previ- time later-the flies of the Canon fishing relate to Scotland), the earliest ously published. Perhaps more answers Greenwell and P. S. Wilkinson, as well as dated mention which I have been able relating to metal-bodies or mixed-wings those of James Wright (e.g., Silver Grey, to locate of metal-bodied flies recom- lie in books or periodicals which I have Silver Doctor, Byrel, and Lion) -all had mended specifically for English rivers is not seen or which angling historians the same thing in common: Scotland. in Francis's fifth edition of A Book on have not commented uvon.L, or are in E. J. Malone in Irish Trout and Angling (1880). I have not seen the archival documents which have not yet Salmon Flies (Gerrards Cross, England: fourth edition of 1876 in which a metal- come to light. Colin Smythe, 1984) said, "The early bodied pattern is given for the river In any event, Mackintosh listed history of Irish fly-fishing and fly-mak- Tyne. Sir Herbert Maxwell, in Salmon dressings for seven salmon flies, includ- ing is unknown and even this date can and Sea Trout (London: George Rout- ing a dressing for the Black Dog and a only be established by the colour plates ledge and Sons, 1898), recalled a day mixed-wing dressing for the Tartan (the of [trout] flies . . . reproduced in An An- during 1867 when he used the Silver Sec- dressing for which is provided at the gler's Entomology by J. R. Harris. . ." retary: "It was probably the first silver- end of this Mackintosh's ([American edition:] Woodstock, Ver- bodied fly that ever swam in that river dressings were more sophisticated than mont: The Countryman Press, 1952).3l [the Tyne] ." the earlier dressings for salmon flie~.~9Although many patterns for gaudy Concerning Wales, and I am not Samuel Taylor's Angling in All its salmon flies were developed in Ireland convinced that the salmon fly "with a Branches and Rev. W. B. Daniels's Rural during the first half of the nineteenth thick gold body" referred to in Thomas Sports (London: Bunny & Gold, fourth century (if not earlier as well), it ap- Medwin's The Angler in Wales, was [?I edition, 1807) were two such early pears that in lieu of utilizing metal bod- made of tinsel and not some other ma- reference w0rks.3~ Replications of ies the Irish employed exotic feathers, terial; to my knowledge no other dress- Mackintosh's Black Dog were illustrated bright colors, and multiple toppings to ing for a metal-bodied salmon fly hav- in Eric Taverner's Salmon Fishing (Lon- achieve that purp0se.3~Malone quoted ing a Welsh origin appeared in angling don: Seeley, Service & Company, 1931) William Belton's The Angler in Ireland literature until Francis's second edition

14 THE AMERICAN FLY FISHER I I 'Xscertaining the Weightnfiom William Scrope, Days and Nights of Salmon Fishing in the Tweed (London:John Murray, 1843). From the collection of the author.

of A Book on Angling (1867) listed one dams, the salmon is only found in the flies among their suggested patterns. such fly which he had obtained from C. principal estuaries; and as these are large Tolfrey's flies were rather somber col- Blackwell, Esq., secretary of the Conway and deep, they are of no value to the an- ored; some of Alexander's could be de- gler. . . . So far as our own experience scribed as moderately gaudy. In fact, Club: ". . . and the patterns may, there- goes, we only know of one river, within fore, be thoroughly relied on. They are the limits of the Union, which affords the somber colored salmon flies were also all capital general flies, and would kill angler good salmon fishing, and that is recommended by several later authori- on many rivers." This fly was designated the Aroostook, in Maine. [Lanman, to my ties, and although a few opted for gaudy as No. 5 for the river Conway and is knowledge, is the only nineteenth-centu- flies, no mention was made of metal- somewhat unusual in that the major ry writer who extolled the Aroostook.] bodied ones3 Tolfrey referred to the component of the wings was "plenty of We have been informed, however, that the flies he used for salmon as " . . . differ- wood duck slips." I have looked through regular salmon is taken in many of those ing materially from those I had been ac- Moc Morgan's Fly Patterns for the Rivers rivers, in the northern part of New York, customed to gaze upon as a youth in the which empty into Lake Ontario and the Q Lakes of Wales (Llandysul, Wales: several London shops; they [the Canadi- Upper St. Lawrence, but we are compelled an flies] were not so gaudy, for he [Tol- Gomer, 1984), but was unable to find to doubt the truth of the statement. Such any salmon fly having a similar wing. may have been the case in former times, frey's friend] abominated everything in With respect to the United States, but we think it is not so now. . . .34 the shape of gold or silver twist. . . . "37 books which discussed angling were Tolfrey was twenty-two years old in first published during the middle part 1816, so one could guess the years of his of the nineteenth century, and even then E MUST, THEREFORE, look to "youth" as being circa 1810 and probably relatively few instances of salmon fish- Canada. Although The Sports- be accurate to within a year or two. ing were recorded. By that time the man in Canada (London: T. Robert Barnwell Roosevelt, one of salmon fisheries of the United States, for wC. Newby) was published in 1845, Fred- America's early advocates of stringent all intents, had ceased to exist. Henry eric Tolfrey related from "a few loose conservation laws and enforcement, William Herbert said in 1850: ". . . it can- leaves of an old journal" his experiences wrote in Game Fish of the Northern not now be pursued by the American which had taken place during the earlier States of America and British Provinces angler except [in Canada] at the ex- part of the century (1816 to about 1818). (New York: Carleton, 1862) that he pense of some not inconsiderable time And Colonel James Alexander edited agreed with Tolfrey's observations: ". . . Salmon Fishing in Canada (London: and trouble."33 Charles Lanman. writingU The flies, contrary to the received opin- in 1846, was of a similar opinion: Longman, Green, Longman, and ion in Europe, should be dark . . ." and Roberts, 1860), which covered experi- when Roosevelt referred to Alexander's . . . the tributaries of the Androscoggin, ences occurring over an extended peri- salmon flies, he said, " . . . some of them Kennebec, and Penobscot [in Maine], 0d.35 Both Tolfrey and Alexander do are gay flies, gaudier than I should rec- having all been blocked up with mill- not, however, list metal-bodied salmon ommend; modest colors suit the

SPRING 1992 15 salmon." Apparently Roosevelt distin- guide of the Passamaquoddy tribe in We do know that to the extent that guished between "the Canadas" (On- Maine who ". . . was well known to the metal-bodied salmon flies were first tario and Quebec) where Tolfrey and anglers, who back in the 1870s visited used in North America, they were Alexander fished, and New Brunswick Grand Lake Stream. . . . "4O British patterns, such as the Silver Doc- where he had his experience because he Additionally, metal-bodied flies were tor or Dusty Miller. On the other hand, remarked, " . . . the reader . . . [should] routinely being used by at least the late it was also probable that there were bear in mind that larger and brighter 1840s in Canadian waters while fishing homegrown patterns of such localized or flies are permitted among the rougher for sea trout (sea-run brook trout). Mr. limited interest, that no contemporary waters and heavier fish of the Canadas." Perley, Her Majesty's Emigration Officer author was aware of them, or was suffi- Thaddeus Norris, in The American An- in St. Johns, New Brunswick, sent infor- ciently impressed to feel that comment gler's Book (Philadelphia: Porter & mation to Henry William Herbert that was advisable. To my knowledge, it Coates, second edition, 1865), also said, was published in Fish and Fishing. Mr. wasn't until the latter part of the nine- "Very few of the flies imported from Perley stated: ". . . In the salt water they England and Ireland are suitable for the are caught with the 'Prince Edward's Is- rivers of New Brunswick, being general- land Fly' . . . the body of which is of ly too large and showy for those clear scarlet with gold tinsel, or ofgold tinsel Mackintosh's Tartan waters. The gaudy Irish flies tied for the only. . . ." Herbert also reported, pre- Shannon would frighten the Salmon on sumably on the authority of Mr. Perley, HOOK: this side of the Atlantic. . . . "38 since at the time of Herbert's writing he . . . let the hook be No. 1, the shank Notwithstanding Tolfrey's advice had never fished for sea trout, that "in three inches or more in length. . . .[This (Alexander's book was not published the fresh water, within the rivers, they shank length is equivalent to a 1°/o in until 1860 and Roosevelt's was published [the sea trout] are taken . . . best of all, the Dublin-Limerick scale.] during 1862) some midcentury salmon with a scarlet Ibis fly, with a gold tinsel TAG: fishers must have used gaudy salmon body. . . ."4I (Italics are mine.) St. Johns, [None given] flies. Campbell Hardy, in Sporting Ad- New Brunswick, was a port of entry for ventures in the New World: or Days and manv, flv , fishers who intended to fish for TAIL: Nights of Moose-Hunting in the Pine salmon in what was then referred to as . . . for the fork, or tails, use the dark Forests of Acadia (London: Hurst & the Northeastern British provinces. But mottled feather from behind the wild Blackett, 1855), stated: "Every river in to my knowledge no record exists of the mallard's wings. . . . Nova Scotia and New Brunswick, has its use during that time of the Prince Ed- particular fly, or series of flies adapted ward's Island Fly or the tinsel-bodied BODY: for salmon fishing. Some of these flies, Scarlet Ibis for salmon fishing, and I am . . . of four, five, or more different particularly those used in the dark not aware of any documentation for the colours, yellow, light blue, green, dark streams of Nova Scotia, would be con- origin of these patterns. red, orange, and purple [hog's wool], sidered monstrous, both as regarded As was true in Britain, salmon and and as many more colours as the fancy [sic] their gaudiness and size, by a sea trout inhabited many of the same may lead the angler to...... take your gold plaiting, or twist sportsman of the Old World."39 We do Canadian rivers. The La Val. a stream . . . and work it gradually upwards till not know whether or not these flies had that flows into the St. ~awrenceabout you come close up to the. . . wings. . . metal bodies; however, at some point in sixty miles below the Saguenay, was de- then take your ["black and red," fur- this proximate period (1850s to 1870s) it scribed by Roosevelt as a superior nace or coch-a-bonddu] hackle and would appear that such salmon fly types salmon and trout river. In his "Our work it up neatly between the lappings were being used in North America. The Finny Tribes" piece (see endnote 34) of gold, till you come close to the but of indomitable George Kelson, in an in- Charles Lanman said, "Some of the pe- the wings. . . . triguing snippet from The Fishing culiar charms of fly fishing in this re- Gazette, September 13, 1884, said, ". . . gion, are owing to the fact that you are WINGS: Some of the coloured samples of the not always sure of the genus of your fish . . . the feather for the wings, the plain [flat tinsel] make splendid bodies even after you have hooked him, for it darkish brown speckled, from the turkey's tail, and mixed with about . . . . 'Canadian Wonder' . . . of aqua ma- may be a forty or twenty pound salmon, twelve harls from the peacock's tail, di- rine [is an] . . . old and valued specimen and then again it may be a salmon-trout viding them that there may be six in . . . the brilliancy, though, does not sur- [sea trout], or a four pound specimen of each wing; the next feathers for wings vive long, and the dye disappears alto- the common trout. .-. ." ow ever, Roo- to these large flies, are kite, buzzard, bit- gether after a certain amount of work." sevelt had a different perspective: ". . . tern, and heron's wings. . . .49 (Italics are mine.) Unfortunately, George To the [salmon fisher] . . . the trout ...... then take the feather for the was uncharacteristically terse, for that is a trial and a nuisance. Abundant and wings, which has lain back [forward, was all he said. voracious, he often rushes in advance of over the end of the shank] all this time, Metal-bodied flies, however, were be- the lordly salmon, seizes the fly . . . dis- and turn it down towards the tail of the ing used, possibly as early as the 1860s, turbs the pool. . . ." I think it is not un- fly... for landlocked salmon fishing in Maine. likely that there were many occasions HEAD: Among the early patterns were the where sea trout fishermen using the . . . take a bit of copper-coloured mo- Prouty, having a half-body of silver tin- metal-bodied fly caught, to their sur- hair, and twist it thin on your silk, and sel and a forward part of black chenille, prise, the more highly-prized quarry - begin at the end [tip] of the hook and and the Tomah-Jo, with a silver body. the salmon. Of course this is specula- lap it neatly four or five times up to the Lorenzo Prouty fished considerably in tion, but some of those fly fishers must . . . wings; make two or three nooses Grand Lake Stream, Maine, during the have concluded that metal-bodied flies close to the wings, and finish the opera- i86os, and Tomah-Joseph was an Indian might be effective for salmon fishing. tion with completing the head of the fly.

16 THE AMERICAN FLY FISHER teenth century that references were fishers of continental Europe have? done so would have been clearly coun- made to specific metal-bodied North Undeniably a great deal more went terproductive and inappropriate. My American salmon fly patterns, such as on than is reflected in archival angling purpose was to try to clarify some issues Sandford White's Night Hawk, which history, and unquestionably much in- and answer some questions. I am afraid, was probably developed during the late novation and exverimentation was not however, that I have succeeded in rais- 1880s or early 1890s.4~Another North recorded; even sime of that which has ing more questions than I have an- American fly was John Shields's (the been, especially anectodal recollections, swered. Still, it is desired that this article Brookline, Massachusetts tackle maker) is suspect. I should like to emphasize will be found informative, and that Notion, possibly developed during the this because even though much of what some of the questions posed and con- 1880s, having a half-body of gold tinsel I have written is based on careful re- clusions arrived at, however tentatively, and a forward part of brown dubbing.43 search, some of my speculations and will serve to provoke future research conclusions, however reasoned, may and comment. - prove to be incorrect in view of other interpretations or additional informa- I would like to thank Peter J. Caluori of tion that may be brought to light. I New York City, for the invaluable assis- I believe that there were manv more would not be surprised, for example, to tance and information which he has given patterns for salmon flies than we have find that there were metal-bodied Irish in connection with the preparation of this knowledge of, and I do not wish to give salmon flies prior to, or coincident with, article. A. J. C. the impression that the forgoing discus- William Doherty's Judge, and though I sions of early metal-bodied salmon fly have seen some indications of that, the patterns used for fishing in Ireland, provenance is so poor that I am unable ENDNOTES England, Wales, and North America to, in all good conscience, rely on such I. In order to better appreciate the difficulties were the first of such flies developed. information. It also appears that addi- encountered and the thought processes necessary They are the earliest that I was not only tional research will be necessary to de- to replicate the artificial flies found in the Treatyse able to find evidence of, but also those termine the early connection, if any, be- or George Scotcher's The Fly Fisher's Legacy (Chepstow, England: M. Willett, c. 18io), one which I have been able to both satisfac- tween the advent of metal-bodied should refer to John McDonald's Quill Gordon torilv date and attribute to their resvec- salmon flies and those used while fish- (New York: Alfred A. Knopf, i97z), specifically the tive geographic regions. There were, for ing for sea trout; likewise with regard to chapter entitled "The First Modern Trout Flies," example, other metal-bodied patterns, North America, the possible connection and to Jack Heddon's Scotcher Notes (London: Honey Dun Press, 1975). respectively. See also "An such as the Silver Popham and the Eng- between metal-bodied flies used while Attempt to Reproduce Early Nineteenth-Century lish salmon flies of Dick Routledge for fishing for sea trout (brook trout), land- Fly Dressings," by Jack Heddon, The American Fly the river Eden, which, for one reason or locked salmon, salmon, and black bass. Fisher, vol. 2, no. z, Spring 1975, pp 10-12. another, could not satisfy these require- Candidly speaking, I have little inter- 2. Such early books with illustrations include: Reverend W. B. Daniels's Rural Sports (London: ments.44 I believe, however, that the est in firsts when it comes to artificial Bunny & Gold, 1801 and later editions), contain- preceding paragraphs serve properly flies, nor do I believe that such so-called ing illustrations of salmon flies (the 1807 edition one of the purposes of this article, discoveries are worthy, in most instances, has a plate with two salmon flies)-some editions which is to give a sense of what was then of being considered matters of impor- have plates which may have been issued in color- transpiring: where, when, and possibly tant consequence. Most of the claims or (see "The Daniels Fly Plates:' by the editors and R. J. W. Coleby, The American Fly Fisher, vol. 8., no. by whom. Regretfully, the half dozen or nominations for firsts lack documenta- 3, Summer 1981, pp. 7-9); G. C. Bainbridge's Fly- so North American sources from the tion or reliability, for a variety of rea- Fisher's Guide (Liverpool: G. F. Harris's Widow period prior to 1865 were less than suffi- sons, and cannot be corroborated satis- and Brothers, 1816 and later editions) provides a cient to establish more than a very lim- fa~torily.4~Be that as it may, Alexander color plate of five salmon flies; T. F. Salter's The Angler's Guide, sixth edition (London: Sherwood ited perspective.45 Mackintosh's reporting in the early part and Co., 1825), has a plate of three salmon flies (al- Due to the dearth of recorded history of the nineteenth century about his in- though the first edition was published in 1808, I on the subject of early metal-bodied volvement with metal-bodied salmon have not seen the first five editions and do not salmon flies, it is difficult to arrive at flies (and mixed-wings as well), in ad- know if such editions contained this plate); and James A. Rennie's Alphabet of Scientific Angling any conclusions without qualification, dition to his giving specific instructions (London: William Orr, 1833 and later editions), except that such types of salmon flies on how to dress salmon flies, should be provides illustrations of six salmon flies. appear to have had relatively limited, if regarded as an important milestone in 3. Such books include: William Blacker, Art of any, popularity until after midcentury. the evolution and history of the Atlantic Angling (London: published by author, 1842) and One may safely say, however, that all salmon fly47 Also, and the record is Art of Fly-Making (London: published by author, 1855); Edward Fitzgibbon, Book of the Salmon indications point to Scotland as the quite clear, salmon flies with mixed- (London: Longman, Brown, Green, and Long- vlace where these flies were initiallv wings, as well as gaudy ones, originated mans, 1850); Hewett Wheatley, The Rod and Line popularized, and neither the Aglaia, at an earlier time than appears to be (London: Longman, Brown, Green, and Long- the Wilkinson, nor the Dunkeld were commonly supposed. Samuel Taylor, at mans, 1848); Rev. Henry Newland, The Erne: Its Legends and its Fly-Fishing (London: Chapman & the earliest of such flies. There are, how- least, probably Mackintosh, and who Hall, 1851); Thomas Tod Stoddart, The Angler's ever, many intriguing questions for knows how many countless others, must Companion (Edinburgh and London: William which we would like to have answers. have fished mixed-wings and gaudy flies Blackwood and Sons, 1847 and later editions); When or where were the origins of the prior to the beginning of the nineteenth William Scrope, Days and Nights of Salmon Fish- ing in the Tweed (London: John Murray, 1843 and Dusty Miller, Dunkeld, and Aglaia? cent~ry.4~ later editions); and Francis Francis, A Book on An- When were James Wright's metal-bod- When I began this article, knowing gling (London: Longmans, Green, and Company, ied patterns developed? What was the that some research material was exceed- 1867 and later editions). origin of the Canadian Wonder and the ingly nebulous, I had no desire to at- 4. William Henderson, who, I believe, was the earliest to make mention of the fly developed by P. time period when it was first fished? tempt to establish history with respect to S. Wilkinson, referred to it as the "Wilkinson," but What role, if any, did the salmon fly the subject matter discussed; to have did not describe it. I do not know whether suffi-

SPRING 1992 17 cient documentation or evidence exists that would and 0. Rees, 18oo), pp. 245 and 249, as twist and 24. Spain has a trout fly-fishing tradition as permit successful correlation of P. S. Wilkinson's "narrow gold or silver plating." Captain T. least as old as that of Britain. See The American Fly fly with the patterns published during the 1880s Williamson, in The Complete Angler's Vade Fisher, "The Evidence for Early European Angling, and 1890s which were named the "Wilkinson" and Mecum (London: Payne and Mackinlay, 1808, p. I: Basurto's Dialogo of 1539,'' (vol. 11, no. 4, Fall "Silver Wilkinson." Accordingly, reference by these 297) also mentioned plating. 1984, pp. 2-9), and "Part 11: The Mysterious Man- three authors to the "Silver Wilkinson" is, with all q.The winch was first discussed by Izaak Wal- uscript of Astorga:' (vol. 16, no. 3, Fall 1990, pp. 8- due respect, more than somewhat questionable; ton in The Compleat Angler (London: Rich Mar- 16), both by Richard C. Hoffmann; also "El even more so in the context of primacy. riot, second edition, 1655), and by Thomas Barker, Tratadico de la Pesca-The Little Treatise on Fish- 5. In The Art of the Atlantic Salmon Fly, Bates in Barker's Delight (London: Richard Marriot, ing,'' by Fernando Basurto, translated by Thomas said: " . . . until Fitzgibbon wrote about it, I never 1657); both referred to its use in the context of V. Cohen and Richard C. Hoffmann (vol. 11, no. 3, heard of flat tinsel used for fly bodies. . . . It [the salmon fishing. Modern books dealing with an- Summer 1984, pp. 8-13). If Spain had early fly fish- Aglaia] is my candidate for the first metaled-body tique reels have not mentioned anything which ing for trout, why not for salmon? [sic] fly. . ." (p. 59). And later, ". . . There is a con- would cast doubt on this time period, even 25. Amid widespread unrest due to changes in troversy as to whether this [the Silver Wilkinson] though the technology to make a winch was avail- land use allocation and religious intolerance, was the first one with a silver body. Some opt for able much earlier. Britain was tumultuous during this period. Scot- the Aglaia . . :' (p. 114). Although Bates did refer to 14. James Chetham in The Angler's Vade land invaded England during 1639, the Civil War flat tinsel throughout this article, unless necessary Mecum (London: William Battersby, third edition, followed, and Oliver Cromwell was established as for descriptive purposes, I shall make no distinc- 1700, p. 110) said: "The . . . Salmon Smelts (which dictator during 1648, succeeded by the Restoration tion between the types of tinsel, since I consider are about the bigness of a Fresh Herring) are yet of 1658; the English Revolution by which King reference to the metal body answers the fishing lighter and better food [than the Salmon]. . . . James, a Scot, was expelled, occurred during 1688; desideratum and the type of tinsel used is generally [The Salmon] swims in the deep and broad parts and during the 1640s came rebellion in Ireland, a matter of personal preference. of the Water, and usually in the middle, and near tantamount to civil war, bringing with it, in addi- 6. Bates, ibid., stated, "Authorities in Ireland the Ground [the bottom], where he's to be fished tion to confiscation of lands, extensive bloodshed have told me that there is oral evidence that Pat for. [N.B. This would seem to indicate bait fishing, and destruction occurring over many years. The McKay was one of the early nineteenth-century fly rather than fly fishing.] But the Salmon Smelts Act of Union between England and Scotland was dressers who knew about this fly. . . I haven't been commonly lie in the rough and upper part of a passed during 1701; however, it was not until 1746 able to discover the authentic origin . . . " (p. 59). gentle Stream, and in the middle thereof. . . . that the last significant Scottish rebellion was bru- 7. Although anecdotal, F. Harcourt Gooch, Young Salmons are very tender Mouthed. . . and tally suppressed at Culloden Moor. (From A His- writing in The Field (December lo, 1910, p. 1115) are frequently lost by their breaking hold, after tory of English Speaking Peoples, Winston Church- recalled "many happy memories of old friends hooked. Therefore some persons fasten two ill, 1956; reprinted New York: Dorset Press, 1990). who fished the Tweed fifty years ago [c. 18601 . . . Hooks together. . . and on them they make their 26. T. F. Salter said, "The Salmon is a fish the Wilkinson fly. . . [was] introduced about that Fly, that if one Hook break hold, the other Hook which is seldom taken by the Angler in South time by Percy Wilkinson. . . . It was shortly after may not fail." Britain. In Ireland and Wales, as well as in North the battle of Magenta [1859, leading to the unifica- 15. Charles Chenevix Trench, A History of An- Britain, the art of Angling for Salmon is much tion of Italy during 18601 that a new colour was gling (Chicago: Follett Publishing Company, 1974), practised, and well understood. . . :' (TheAngler's much in fashion, to which the name of magenta P. 65. Guide [sixth edition, 18251, p. 156.) was given, and it is the magenta hackle that distin- 16. W. J. Turrell, Ancient Angling Authors (Lon- 27. Britain was required to dispatch troops and guishes the Wilkinson from other silver-bodied don: Gurney and Jackson, lglo), p. 163. maintain a military presence in North America. flies, such as the Silver Doctor and Silver Grey, or 17. John Waller Hills, A History of Fly Fishing Warfare with the French colonies broke out dur- flies, of similar character, such as the Greenwell, for Trout, 1921 (reprinted, Rockville Center, New ing 1754 and was concluded in 1760; during 1775 which about that time began to supersede the old- York: Freshet Press, 1971), p. 87. the War of Independence in the English colonies fashioned turkey wing flies on the Tweed. The 18. Francis Francis, in By Lake and River (Lon- commenced, the Americans invaded Canada, and Greenwell was the invention of Percy Wilkinson's don: The Field Office, 1874), described hurling the Loyalists sought refuge there. After the War friendly rival Canon Wm. Greenwell, of Dunham, while fishing on the Tay: " . . . it is a very lazy style there was no doubt that the Americans coveted and the Silver Doctor, a favorite creation of that of fishing . . .you do not even cast the fly . . . in the rest of eastern British North America. Britain unsurpassable fly dresser, James Wright of Sprous- hurling there is no skill whatever required . . . be- responded by maintaining a military presence, ton. ing rowed gently to and fro . . :' (p. 262). and then came the War of 1812, with all remaining "All that time the rage for magenta as a colour 19. Franck supposedly wrote Northern Mem- issues not resolved until 1817. was so great that it was even adapted to adorn the oirs during 1658, although it was first published in 28. This fly may have been an evolutionary straw hats of the Durham School eleven in 1861, of 1694. predecessor to the Tartan for the River Tay de- which I happened that year to be captain." 20. At the conclusion of the section on salmon scribed in Francis, A Book on Angling (second edi- 8. The Fishing Gazette, June 20, 1885, pp. 287- flies Mackintosh said, "The same sort of flies are tion, 1867), p. 364. 88. used for Salmon-trout [sea trout], and other fish 29. In the first edition of The Art of Angling 9. See "Selections from The Angler in Wales, of the Salmon kind, (at times) only smaller hooks Bowlker mentioned the names of two salmon flies Or The Days and Nights of Sportsmen:' edited by . . ." (p. no). This reference, I believe, is one of the (the Dragon Fly and the King's Fisher or Peacock David R. Klausmeyer, The American Fly Fisher earliest to discuss the use of metal-bodied sea- Fly), but the patterns were not described until the (vol. 15, no. 2, Fall 1989, pp. 16-21) for selected ex- trout and trout flies. seventh edition published during 1826. (Eric Tav- cerpts and a discussion of the author's possible 21. In A True Treatise on the Art of Fly Fishing, erner, Salmon Fishing, The Lonsdale Library, 1931, identity. Trolling, etc. (London: Simpkin,, Marshall, and PP. 324 and 325.) lo. However Richard Lascelles, in Letters on Company, 1838), by William Shipley, edited by Ed- 30. Samuel Taylor began his fishing experi- Sporting (London: J. Cornes, 1815), said with re- ward Fitzgibbon, the author, in connection with ences in England, " . . . and hearing that there gard to salmon flies, ". . . (recollect I am now trolling a minnow, remarked on page 219, ". . . the were excellent rivers and anglers in Wales, Scot- speaking of North Wales) The wings. . . should be shanks of the hooks are to be lapped with silver land, and Ireland, I visited these countries . . . and of various colors . . . [including] a little blue, pur- tinsel, in order that every part of them may cor- experienced angling through the various countries ple, yellow, or gaudy colors of foreign birds . . ." respond with the silvery colour of the minnow's and places. . . ." (p. xv). His book was "the result (p. 18). Later he stated ". . . I am no great salmon- belly. . . ." of experience . . . for upwards of forty years" (p. fisher myself, but this information comes from 22. I have only seen a few of the angling books ix). Taylor listed the dressings for three salmon those whose unwearied pursuit . . . entitles it to published during the eighteenth century: Richard flies, two of which had two-component wings "in- the highest consideration and credit . . . " (p. 25). Brookes's The Art of Angling (sixth edition, 1785) termixed:' and also went on to state, with respect 11. Publication dates obtained from Westwood and Thomas Shirley's The Angler's Museum (Lon- to salmon flies for the summer, that ". . . your and Satchell's Bibliotheca Piscatoria (London: W. don: John Fielding, third edition, 1784) For com- feathers must be intermixed with different gaudy Satchell, 1883) pp. 137-38. mentaries on books of that century, however, I shades, such as golden and other pheasant's, par- 12. Additionally, Mackintosh discussed else- have primarily relied on both W. J. Turrell's An- rot's, peacock's, and in short, of all other birds that where in his book the use of "gold and silver flat- cient Angling Authors (which, in my opinion, in- are fit for the purpose, either foreign or domestic; ted wire and twisted" (p. 96); it is fairly clear that cludes the most comprehensive extant review of and others dyed, including hackles of various had Mackintosh wanted to use flat tinsel for the such books) and on Eric Taverner, the Lonsdale colours . . ." (p. 249). Although it is unfortunate metal bodies of his salmon flies, he would have Library's Salmon Fishing (London: Seeley, Service that no specific dressings were presented for these specified flatted wire. The tinsels of Mackintosh's & Company, 1931). gaudy flies, Taylor revealed, more importantly, time were also recorded by Samuel Taylor in An- 23. Earl Buxton, Fishing and Shooting (Lon- that the concept of the gaudy mixed-wing was gling in All its Branches (London: T. N. Longman don: John Murray, 1902), p. 116. known at least by the 179os, and possibly earlier.

18 THE AMERICAN FLY FISHER (Quotes are from Taylor's Angling in All its scribed by Tolfrey are probably the earliest used in 46. This situation should be of little surprise. Branches.) North America for which we have any record. At There has always been much controversy over who Daniels, for all intents and purposes, bor- least some of these patterns may also be among first developed specific patterns of artificial flies, rowed heavily from Samuel Taylor, although he the earliest Irish patterns described. In The Sports- even regarding some of those which were intro- also gave additional patterns for seven salmon flies man in Canada Tolfrey said, "Some of the patterns duced as recently as the 1960s and 1970s. having one-component wings. are unknown to the generality of London fly-mak- 47. I do not know whether or not Mackintosh 31. Commencing with the Elizabethan wars ers . . . [as] my benevolent Instructor [a major in was the earliest in angling literature to discuss during the 1560s, many districts in Ireland were the British military, stationed in Canada] was a metal-bodied salmon flies. Dean Sage, in The Res- more or less in a state of continual unrest or rebel- native of the Emerald Isle, I might have found tigouche and its Salmon Fishing (Goshen, Con- lion, especially through the end of the eighteenth some difficulty in procuring the exact patterns, necticut: The Angler's and Shooter's Press, 1888; century. The Act of Union with Ireland did not had not [William Blacker been] . . . recommended reprinted 1973), referred to The Angler's Pocket occur until the beginning of the nineteenth centu- to me by my friend [the] Major. . . . This emperor Book (London: H. K. Causton, third edition, ry and the emancipation of the Catholics was de- of fly-makers . . . has fished every river in Ireland, 1805), in which the anonymous author recom- layed for nearly thirty years afterwards. (Ireland, A Scotland, England, and Wales; and on my describ- mended " . . . fishing with a large, gaudy, artificial History, Robert Kee, [Boston, Toronto: Little, ing the particular flies, as tied by my old friend the fly, its body brilliant with gold or silver. . . ." It is Brown & Company], 1980.) Major, Mr. Blacker told me he knew them well, possible that the author may have been referring 32. Ireland was a major source for the develop- and had frequently used them on the Bann [in to metal-bodied salmon flies, but, since I have not ment of the gaudy salmon fly, but I do not believe Ireland], and found them very killing . . ." (pp. 253 seen this book, there is nothing further I can add. it was entirely responsible for the concept nor the and 254). Interestingly, the author also suggested decorating only geographic area where gaudy flies initially 38. Least we forget that the interest in certain the fly: "a real butterfly on the point of the hook achieved any degree of acceptance. Samuel Taylor patterns of salmon flies has not always had an en- improves the bait," p. loo. did fish in Ireland, as well as all of Great Britain, tirely rational basis, and on more than one occa- 48. In Mikael Frodin's interesting book, Classic however, he did not discuss the geographic loca- sion has been the object of fads, among Dean Salmon Flies (Gothenburg, Sweden: A. B. Nord- tions where he used, or first saw the use, of gaudy Sage's (The Restigouche and its Salmon Fishing bok, 1991), he refers to the gaudy fly appearing in salmon flies. Mackintosh, in describing the spring [Edinburgh: David Douglas, 18881) favorite flies George Bainbridge's Fly-Fisher's Guide (1816), and salmon fly patterns presented in his books, also were the Dusty Miller and the Silver Doctor. makes some comments which are in need of clari- said, "These, for the spring season, must be made 39. Paul Schullery, American Fly Fishing ( New fication: "The reason I include this fly is that the much larger, but not quite so gaudy as those used York: Nick Lyons Books, 1987) p. 50. Gaudy Fly is of great historical importance . . . It is in summer. . ." (p. 99). Richard Lascelles in Letters 40. Harold Smedley, Fly Patterns and Their one of the very first salmon flies which were truly on Sporting also described gaudy patterns for use Origins (Muskegon, Michigan: Westshore Publica- colourful . . ." (p. 84). I do not think that anyone in North Wales. tions, second edition, i944), pp. 104 and 106. can make the latter statement, simply because we 33. Frank Forester's Fish and Fishing in the 41. In American Fly Fishing Paul Schullery gave do not know when gaudy flies for salmon first United States and British Provinces of North Ameri- an account of the first fly-fishing experience evolved. Although we do not know when Bain- ca (New York: Stringer & Townsend, second edi- known to have occurred in North America. The bridge developed the gaudy fly, or if it had been tion, 1850), p. 225. year was 1766 and the angler, a Joseph Banks, publicized previous to his book, Samuel Taylor, 34. "Our Finny Tribes-American Rivers and made the following entry in his diary: "Trout of- Alexander Mackintosh, Richard Lascelles, and the Sea-Coasts:' by Charles Lanman, The American fered good Diversion to an angler biting very well unknown author of The Angler's Pocket Book, Whig Review, vol. 6, 1847; see The American Fly at the artificial Particularly if it has gold about it supra, all of whom referred to or described gaudy Fisher, vol. 12, no. 2, Spring 1985, pp. 8-13. . . . in the rivers . . . from about two hours before flies, preceded Bainbridge. Also, London tackle- 35. Several of Charles Lanman's books-A highwater till Ebb . . ." (p. 21). It appears that dealers were selling gaudy salmon flies before The Tour of the River Saguenay in Lower Canada Banks was fishing for sea trout (brook trout) and Fly-Fisher's Guide was published (see Frederic Tol- (Phildadelphia: Carey and Hart, 1848), Adventures it is not unlikely that the artificial was a fly, but hey). Frodin also stated: "In the early nineteenth in the Wilds of the United States and British Ameri- could it have had a metal body of gold tinsel, and century almost all salmon flies were imitations of can Provinces, vol. I1 (Philadelphia: John W. was it related to the Prince Edward's Island Fly? butterflies, dragon flies and other insects. . . . Moore, 1856), and Recollections of Curious Charac- Without additional information, I have no idea. When dyed materials were used, they were not ters and Pleasant Places (Edinburgh: David Dou- 42. White was the architect who designed the dyed in the bright colours which became popular glas, 1881)-have accounts of salmon fishing, but clubhouse, built during the 189os, for the Camp at a later date, but in a variety of shades" (p. 84). they add little to our knowledge of salmon fly pat- Harmony Angling Club (of which Dean Sage was With all due respect, both of these comments are terns. cofounder) on the Restigouche River. incorrect historically; several authors mentioned 36. John Brown in The American Angler's 43. This fly is illustrated in Mary Orvis Mar- or described salmon flies made during this period Guide (New York: H. Long & Brother, fourth edi- bury's Favorite Flies and Their Histories (Boston: which were neither insect imitations nor sober tion, 1850) offered a tackle-dealer's perspective: Charles T. Branford Company, 1892; reprinted, colored. Although the provenance leaves some- "The flies used in this country for taking salmon, 1955). She said, "It was intended for land-locked thing to be desired, one of the earliest patterns we do not differ materially from those used in Eng- salmon, but we hear of it as also successful for have knowledge of had dyed orange and red pig's land, Ireland, or Scotland. In the fly season, those salmon. . ." (p. 64). wool and mohair in the body. Eric Taverner, in of the most gaudy description are generally used 44. In The Fishing Gazette of March iz, 1887, Salmon Fishing, said: "The earliest example of a . . ." (p. 69). The ten fly patterns offered by Brown, pp. 163-64, Francis Walbran described several of salmon-fly I could find is said to have been however, did not have metal bodies. In Fish and Dick Routledge's salmon flies, including the Grey dressed in 1775 . . ." (p. 3.25). Fishing Henry William Herbert apparently agreed Doctor and the Eden Fly, as each having a silver- 49. W. H. Maxwell, in The Field Book: or Sports with Brown: "The best [flies] are, in my opinion, tinsel body; Walbran obtained the patterns from and Pastimes of the British Isles (London: W. combinations of peacock harl; and jay's wing, with Routledge's daughter subsequent to Routledge's Tweedie, 1833), described the common buzzard: "A body of pink, blue or green silk twined with gold passing (I have been unable to find this date). . . . species of hawk about twenty inches in length, or silver tinsel; there are, however, many other gay Francis Francis also gave an account of having and in breadth four feet and a half. . . the upper and gaudy feathers which are nearly equally killing fished with Routlege in an article published in The parts of the body are of a dusky brown colour; the . . ." (p. 250). It appears from his text, however, Field (London) of July 24, 1875, which article I wings and tail are marked with bars of a darker that Brown was not personally acquainted with have not seen; perhaps more information relating hue. . . . But birds of this species are subject to a the salmon, and though Herbert was undoubtedly to these flies was discussed therein. greater variations than most other birds, and a salmon fisherman when he lived in Britain, there 45. Francis Francis, in his six editions of A scarcely two are alike; some are entirely white . . . is no indication that he fished for the North Book on Angling (1865 to 1885), serves as a very and the others again are mottled brown and American salmon because he did not relate any good source for the British Isles, since, in his ca- white" (pp. 78 and 79). Also described were the personal experiences in Fish and Fishing. In a pacity as fishing editor (and later editor) of The honey buzzard and the moor buzzard, both hav- veiled reference to Brown, Charles Lanman, in the Field, he traveled extensively and obtained salmon ing not dissimilar coloration. Maxwell also de- American Whig Review (see endnote 34, above) flies from many sources and numerous different scribed one species of kite with quills of dark said, "Our books tell us, that a gaudy fly is com- fly dressers throughout the Kingdom. If, along brown. Accordingly, I have selected as alternative monly the best killer, but our own experience in- with Francis, one considers the number of salmon materials for the buzzard and kite components of clines us to the belief, that a large brown or black fly patterns described by William Blacker in The the wing feathers in this dressing, mottled turkey hackle, or any neatly-made gray fly is much Art of Fly Making, and also by Edward Fitzgibbon tail and dark cinnamon turkey tail, respectively, preferable to the finest fancy specimens . . . "(p. in his Book of the Salmon, a fairly clear picture as and, additionally, I have used golden pheasant side 10). to the regional popularity of certain types of tails and gray turkey in lieu of bittern and heron, 37. The eighteen patterns of salmon flies de- salmon flies begins to emerge. respectively.

SPRING 1992 19 FIRST PERSON

ICK LYONS IS ARGUABLY the sin- IN 1968 I HAD BEEN TEACHING literature They were both published in Field & gle most important figure in the at Hunter College for seven years. Stream (in 1968 and 1969), and they an- zeld of outdoor publishing since During four of those years I had also nounced to me, after a lot of dry acade- EugeneNf l? Connett, although he will blush worked as an editor at Crown Pub- mic writing, the presence of an earthy and sputter to be so touted. In the process lishers in Manhattan. Both were full- personal voice I knew at once would of defining and revitalizing modern fly- time jobs, but their salaries still did not drive out all other voices. I found I fishing book publishing over the past allow a husband and father of four to loved to write about fly fishing, and I twenty years, Nick has rescued, along the pay his bills in New York City. So in still marvel that you can get paid for way, languishing authors/books aban- those few years I would, in addition, something you love so much. doned by larger publishing houses, pro- write a scholarly book on a Quietist Hawkes was Frank Mele, a new friend moted obscure authors (Sparse Grey American poet; publish essays on Tho- I'd made in Woodstock, New York, and Hackle, my grandfather, was one), en- mas Nashe, Tolstoy, and Ka&a; and he suggested to me some time in the couraged budding writers, and with his ghostwrite four books: one about the winter of 1968 that I reprint Art Flick's backlist eventually provided a veritable mother of a president, one for a femi- Streamside Guide to Naturals and Their who's who of fly fishing to the public. nist, another for a veterinarian, and one Imitations. Frank knew Art and got me Look at the works cited in the following for an adopted woman who had, after his winter address in Jensen Beach, article and see for yourself how seminal twenty years of searching, found her Florida. I promptly hunted up a copy of his influence has been- he has directly or natural parents. I also fished with a pas- that little gem and proposed it to indirectly touched nearly every reading fly sion-had, in fact, lost my heart to fly Crown. The editor-in-chief said "no"; fisher in America through the legion of fishing, and I had just begun to write Crown had once published a fishing books he has published or republished. about my affliction. book and it had not sold. Besides, the Here, from the horse's mouth, is how Nick My first published angling stories guide was twenty years old and had sold Lyons put his remarkable publishing were about a trout that I had gigged only modestly when it was first pub- house together. when I was eight years old and a bril- lished by Putnam. MARGOTPAGE liant maverick angler I called Hawkes. Dave Kashner, then a buyer for the

20 THE AMERICAN FLY FISHER Orvis Company, was decisive in my re- gle, came in 1973. Crown was a free- book writing was an embarrassment to publication of the Flick; he told me in wheeling place then, with some warts the teaching profession and that, if I writing that he thought Orvis could sell but also with a great capacity to let an continued it, I would never be promot- several thousand covies within the first editor play out his hand in his own way. ed to full professor. In response, I wrote year (they sold far more than that even- It seemed axiomatic to me that the sin- more shaggy fish stories than ever, tually). Crown kept calling Orvis gle best place to sell fly-fishing books stopped all scholarly writing, and, when "Orbis" (the name of a book producer was a tackle shop, few of which carried a lady fly fisher became chairperson of with whom they dealt), but they always books then, so I began to clip ads, accu- the English Department, I was eventual- listened to numbers -and I think they mulate the addresses of stores across the ly made a full professor. knew that I had grown restless with country one by one, and file the names I had by this time published or re- books on baseball, medical malpractice, on 3-by-5 index cards. Then I'd send published in Crown's "Sportsmen's and macrame and had to be thrown a each a flyer, a personal letter (I still use a Classics" series some fifty books, most bone . . . or at least a fly. So they acqui- manual typewriter and do all my own on fly fishing, including such old and esced, though the editor-in-chief resist- correspondence), and some follow-up new titles as Roderick Haig-Brown's ed my pleas for a water-resistant bind- material. I did this regularly, every day, seasons series, his Return to the River ing with a counter-proposal that we even obsessively. It was not especially (1974) and A River Never Sleeps (1974); bind the streamside guide in lead. clever of me; but I was a bulldog about Howard Walden's two fine books in one The little guide did not sink: we sold it and we soon had some 1,000 new ac- volume; Marinaro's new In the Ring of 7,500 by Christmas (1969) and another counts in the field. I'm still a bit bats the Rise (1976); Robert Traver's warm 5,000 the next spring. Crown was im- about index cards; everyone at Lyons & Trout Magic (1974); Lefty Kreh's pio- pressed. They asked me to find more Burford collects names. You can publish neering Fly Fishing in Salt Water (1974); such books. They began to call Orvis the best fly-fishing books of all time, but my friend Mike Migel's Stream "Orvis." They encouraged me to put to- if they are not sold, the business will not Conservation Handbook (1974); a second gether an anthology, which I did, enti- survive and such publication cannot book by Doug Swisher and Carl tled Fisherman's Bounty (1970), and as a continue. Richards (1975); some important fly-ty- result I was suddenly in contact with a Those were exciting years. I felt that ing books, such as Art Flick's Master dozen fine writers about the sport, in- Jerry, fresh from Pennsylvania State, and Fly-Tying Guide (1973) and Eric Leiser's cluding Vince Marinaro, whose A I were breaking new territory constant- excellent Fly-Tying Materials (1973); and Modern Dry-Fly Code (at Mele's strong ly, and that getting more good fly-fish- a raft of others. Back then I liked, and insistence) I republished in 1971. I also ing books out and into the hands of fly still do, the concept of mixing reprinted republished Preston Jennings's A Book fishers was a thing of true value. I can older books of true importance with the of Trout Flies in 1970 and the next year remember hand-carrying books to best new books I could find. Then, in published, at Art Flick's suggestion, Abercrombie & Fitch at 45th Street and 1976, Jerry went to Stackpole and I, for a Selective Trout, a new book by a couple Madison Avenue, and to Jim Deren's number of reasons - including Crown's of young whizzes (Doug Swisher and crowded Angler's Roost in the Chrysler shady and shabby treatment of au- Carl Richards) he'd met recently. The Building; arranging signings for Sparse thors-quit the publishing world, I books did well. Marinaro's, which had at William Mills and at Trout Unlim- thought forever. Crown did not seem sold fewer than 700 copies when it was ited banquets; devising posters; writing disappointed when I left. They had em- first published in 1950 by Putnam, sold (with Jerry) a "Sportsmen's Classics barked on a fast track, with million-dol- more than 15,000 copies; the Jennings, Newsletter" that got mailed to everyone lar advances to best-selling authors, and whose minimal sales had disappointed we could think of. We were unsystemat- my fly-fishing books were mere min- that great author sorely, sold out four ic, tenacious, self-mocking (we once in- nows. (In 1987, that fast track led off a printings; Selective Trout was an instant cluded some choice passages from au- cliff-and they are now a division of a success-and, over the past twenty years thors we published, such as Charles much larger firm.) I'd had a good run, has sold more than 150,000 copies. But Ritz's odd maxim. "Never fish down- and I was writing more fishing essays my greatest pleasure was to persuade stream from a Belgian"), hugely enthu- myself then, including my "Seasonable Sparse Grey Hackle to expand Fishless siastic, evangelical, and passionate Angler" column for Fly Fisherman mag- Days, a book privately printed by The about everything we did. People who azine, and I was still very much devoted Anglers' Club of New York, into Fishless were more intimately connected to their to my teaching. Fish-book publishing Days, Angling Nights. The editor-in- sport, through a vehicle like the broad had been a kind of secret life, after all. chief almost let that big one get away, literature of fly fishing, would do more Timothy Benn, a publisher and fly too. I proposed it to him, Sparse agreed to protect it-its ethics, its best prac- fisher in England, came to me in 1978 to the terms, and then Crown sat on the tices, the conservation of the resources and asked if I'd start a subsidiary for contract for six months. Sparse, with a without which it cannot be practiced. I him in the American colonies, to be backbone and pride like steel, balked still believe these principles to be true. called Nick Lyons Books, with a strong and demanded his manuscript back. I Then, in the mid-lg7os, there was a emphasis on fly fishing and other out- returned it but kept cajoling him. He fi- sudden glut of fly-fishing books, a nasty door leisure sports. He wanted me to nally relented and I published the book bit of cutthroat discounting, a flatness function as a packager-a producer of in 1971 with immense love for the great to the market, and, for me, a sharp re- books that were sold, in their entire edi- old fellow and for his prose. What fun buke from Hunter College, which de- tion, to another publisher who then we had-and what good friends we be- manded that I stop holding two full- handled all sales, promotion, and distri- came. time jobs, though my teaching (I ar- bution. He picked Doubleday as our At first I worked alone at Crown- gued) was only better for my knowledge publishing partner, and between 1978 selecting, editing, even marketing the of the practical world of publishing. I and 1980, working out of my living books; my one assistant, Jerry Hoffna- was also told at that time that my fish- room with the help of several free-

SPRING 1992 21 Some of the material archived in the American Museum of Fly Fishing that follows the evolution ofNick Lyons in

Caddisflies in 1981), to Schocken and W. whose sole occupation was still packag- W. Norton with those on other subjects. ing books for others. My fish-book life was growing more Though we did some good books lancers, I produced eight books for scattered, untidier and untidier. during those early years of indepen- them and engineered their purchase of I had an office now-rather. I sublet dence from 1984 to 1986, the work was John Goddard and Brian Clark's The a room from another small publisher- perpetually frustrating. At first we con- Trout and the Fly (1980) and Jackie and I hired Peter Burford (whom I'd tinued to ~ackage" books out of financial Wakeford's Fly-Tying Techniques (1980). known since he was a senior at Prince- necessity. Our staff was miniscule and Both were produced by Timothy's staff ton) away from Crown to help. He cramped. (The present editor of The in England and both are excellent books proved a brilliant second member of the American Fly Fisher worked for Nick that sold very well over here. My first staff and, seven years ago, he became a Lyons Books then, and will remember book under this arrangement was partner of inestimable value. our 500 square feet on 26th and Fifth, William Humphrey's My Moby Dick Soon after Peter came to work with our shared office with a lunatic whose (1978) and I'm still hugely proud to have me, Timothy Benn was summarily dis- greatest joy was to buy a carload of im- published it. charged in 1984 as chairman of the pounded Maharini furniture, and who The Doubleday relationship matured board of his hundred-year-old family once caused me to send the small staff and then rotted a bit, and I began to feel firm: Benn Brothers was taken over by a home when he went fully off the wall increasingly disembodied from the company with the awful name of Extel. and had a shotgun available to him.) We process, as I produced the books and We were told that the new British own- next moved to quarters five streets then lost all control of them to people ers had no interest in books, especially south that were three times as large" as for whom they might have been widgets not fly-fishing books, and that we we needed- and nearly went bankrupt. or pickles. It was less and less fun. would be sold off if we did not offer For the first time in my publishing life But the Benn Group would not enough for the business ourselves. Since we lost-with great pain-a whole slew budge on the issue of packaging and I was then the principal asset, I said I re- of fine first authors; we contracted for Doubleday clearly did not want either fused to be sold; and since I did not books that no other publisher would the more technical fly-fishing books think I should pay much for myself, we buy from us; and increasingly I found (such as Gary LaFontaine's Caddisflies) bid what the Benn negotiator called that I no longer had the energy to edit or as many books as I now wanted to "two peanuts." Six months later they and teach and write full-time. publish. In fact, I had begun to publish agreed to the same offer, we raised a lit- Within the last five years, Peter and I more and more books outside of the fly- tle money from seven fly-fishing friends have done those thingsnecessary to give fishing field: in other outdoor leisure (enough to buy the business and keep us the independence we need to publish sports, natural history, art, and adven- us afloat for a few months), put up as we think best-with maximum free- ture. I went to Winchester Press with some cash ourselves, and had a nice lit- dom. We have taken great risks to bring the fishing books (they published tle untidy business, whose books were all the functions of a publishing house

22 THE AMERICAN FLY FISHER und focus what we do. We now sign on, pro- do with tackle shops; more publishers duce, sell, and distribute all our own are "trying on" a fly-fishing book or books. Lyons & Burford with the grace of the two, to get in on a "hot" field. Many au- In the process we bought back all the new technologies in full color-has not thors have decided to self-publish. books we'd packaged for Doubleday; we supplanted it. Doug Swisher and Carl Several "continuity" programs aie in the bought all stock and rights to the books Richards did Emergers with us in 1991, planning stages for books in the field. I'd edited at Crown that were still viable; and we have published revisions of Fly-fishing books will surely become after some bitter disputes with Win- some of the old "Sportsmen's Classics" a smaller and smaller part of our busi- chester, we made a bid for all the books books from Crown, including Fly Fish- ness as we grow-though we'll always we'd packaged for them and it was even- ing in Salt Water (1986) and Practical try to find those we can't resist, that tually accepted. I cannot think of anoth- Fishing Knots (1991). New authors, such ought to be published. er publishing firm that has bought back as Tom Rosenbauer, Dave Whitlock, and I don't think I'll ever again feel the its packaged books in this way. And we Dick Talleur, bring great practical expe- excitement I felt when I signed up Art hired an outside sales manager for sev- rience to their books-and they have Flick's book and saw it prepare to take eral years, an experienced hand who sold very well. Some authors I edited wing, or the day Sparse dropped by, plugged us into five groups of book twenty years ago have moved on to what placed his manuscript back on my desk, sales representatives; we set up a surro- they consider larger and better houses, and said, "All right, Bub, you can pub- gate group of sales reps just for the for much larger advances than we offer. lish it-but it won't sell 1,000 copies" sporting field; we installed a computer, We have published distinguished treas- (he was, for once, dead wrong: we sold hired a biller, began to build our own uries including Ed Zern's Hunting and 13,000);or the day we arranged to get all lists, and gradually learned how to mar- Fishing from "A" to Zern and revisions of our sporting books back from ket our own books. We changed the of classic titles such as Lee Wulff's The Winchester Press and consolidated our name of the business to d ions & Atlantic Salmon (1982). About loo of independence. Burford, Publishers. to reflect Peter's our 225 books are on matters piscatori- I never wanted to be a latter-day status as a full partner. I retired from al; some eighty-five, more than any Derrydale Press, and we're not at all like teaching after twenty-six years to devote publishing house has ever had in print that distinguished sporting-book house; my best energies to publishing. And we at one time, are on fly fishing. we are not as exclusive, not focused only began to increase the number of books In recent years the market has on sport, and we do little that compares we published in fields other than fly changed and matured. Many reviewers with Eugene V. Connett's brilliant book- fishing to reduce our dependency on have - thankfully -become more de- making. But we do good books. We're a that one field, however deeply loved. I manding and more books celebrating small, fiercely independent house, fi- still acquire and edit most of the fly- the pictorial pleasures of fly fishing are nancially solid, increasingly diverse, full fishing titles, and many of the principles being published (though not by us). of surprises (I think), and always anx- I began with in 1968 still obtain. Our "market share" has surely dimin- ious to vublish books better. Art Flick's little guide continues to ished, though we're publishing more In twenty years, or in fifty or loo, it sell a thousand copies a year; a new fly-fishing books than ever. Several ag- will be easier to tell if we've also pub- stream identification guide -Dick Pobst's gressive wholesalers handle an increas- lished important and lasting books on Trout Stream Insects (1991) published by ing percentage of the book business we fly fishing. -

SPRING 1992 23 GALLERY

HE AMERICAN MUSEUM of Fly Fishing is proud to President John Quincy Adams's handsome forest green house the artifacts of such prominent American leather fly book with geometric threaded fly envelopes figures as President John Quincy Adams, President (hand-stitched) and scalloped finishing trim, was loaned T to the Museum in 1987 by Trustee James Taylor. Jimmy and First Lady Rosalynn Carter, President Grover Cleveland, President and General Dwight D. Eisenhower, At center is the Orvis 8 l/z-foot impregnated bamboo President Herbert Hoover, General George S. Patton, Jr., two-piece "Manchester" rod and the St. George Hardy and statesman Daniel Webster. This personal fishing reel that belonged to President and General Dwight D. memorabilia gives us a brief glimpse into the limited pri- Eisenhower, inscribed: "General Dwight D. Eisenhower as vate lives of those who gave their public life to their coun- presented by Mamie Dowd Eisenhower." Eisenhower fly try. One can only imagine the succor a tumbling, pure fished all around the country, but particularly loved the trout stream gave to generals and presidents during times trout streams of Colorado. The rod and reel were donated of war and national crisis. Not to mention election years. by Mamie Eisenhower in 1969. Shown from the upper left corner is the optimistically The painted ash rod owned by statesman Daniel Web- large bamboo and leather creel, with nickle-plated brass ster (1782-1852) was made by B. D. Welch in 1847. It was fittings, belonging to George S. Patton, Jr., General, U.S. acquired for the Musem by Alvin Macauley from Samuel Army, which was donated to the Museum by his great- Mitchell in 1979. The cracked leather case and the absent nephew John Reed in 1983. tip, lost long ago, attest to the age of this set; the rod is in- Seventy-one of President Grover Cleveland's salmon scribed in delicate spidery handwriting: "Daniel Webster flies are housed in a three-tiered metal fly box, donated to Marshfield Mass." and signed by "B. D. Welch Maker NY." the Museum in 1986 by Mrs. Elizabeth Browne. President Jimmy and First Lady Rosalynn Carter do- President Herbert Hoover's rush creel with leather trim nated their two Fenwick two-piece g-foot for 5-weight was donated, along with other fly-fishing gear, by his son, graphite rods in 1991. The Carters continue to fly fish en- Herbert Hoover Jr., in 1968. thusiastically. -

Photograph by Cook Neilson 24 THE AMERICAN FLY FISHER NOTES & COMMENT

A Trout by a Hair by Norm Crisp

N JUNE OF 1991 a business trip took According to Izaak, hairs from a light- "scabbyness" somewhere along the me to Chicago, not far from where colored horse were the best if you could length of the hair. I could find it by Imy friend Charlie lives in Wisconsin. find ones that weren't flat and uneven. grasping each end of the hair between Of course I went to visit him, but also to So difficult were they to find, however, my thumbs and forefingers and giving a brag of fishing exploits and enjoy an that Izaak cautioned, "If you get a lock quick jerk or two-the hair would in- evening of angling on one of his favorite of right, round, clear, glass-color hair, evitably break at the scab. Generally the local streams, Black Earth Creek. While make much of it." He pronounced the break left me with about a 15- to &inch we were walking back to the car, Charlie second best as black hairs. When I asked length of usable tippet. My second les- picked some horsehairs off a pasture one of my coworkers who has horses if I son that evening was about the brittle- fence. With a twinkle in his eye he could have some of their tail hairs, he ness of horsehair and the difficulty in asked, "You think you could land a trout looked at me strangely but said I was tying knots that wouldn't break when I on one of these? That's how old Izaak welcome to pluck all I wanted. A Satur- tightened them up. I headed home after had to do it." Our good-natured rivalry day in the country gave me a lot of po- dark a little disappointed. I hadn't wouldn't let me pass up the challenge. I tential tippets. caught any fish and it looked like a "big" told him, "Not only could I catch a With the dining room table cleared trout might be out of the question. trout, but I could catch a big trout." Af- of everything, I started examining my About a week after the bluegill exper- ter a great deal of discussion as to what booty in search of a "glass-color hair iment, the answer to the brittle hair was an acceptable definition of "big," we that I could make much of" to use in problem revealed itself to me while I settled on fifteen inches or more as the meeting my goal. Izaak was right. My was taking my morning shower. Old critical measurement. coworker now had a horse with a sparse Izaak had said, "first let your hair be Back home in Prairie Village, Kansas, tail and I didn't have a single glass-col- clean washed." He had been right about with the horsehairs Charlie found, I had ored tippet. They were all flat, uneven, light-colored hairs and scabbyness; so some second thoughts about meeting and broke under the slightest tension. I why wouldn't he be right about cleanli- the challenge. Pulling one of the hairs, decided I'd always liked black tippets ness? I'd give it a try. That evening I and seeing how easily it snapped, told anyway. shampooed the hairs and soaked them me that even though they had a diame- Armed with a sandwich bag full of in conditioner. This "salon treatment" ter of about .oo8 inches, they weren't black horsehairs, my +weight rod, and really helped to soften the hairs, but typical jx to 4x tippet material with a some "sponge spiders," I headed for my they still often parted at the knots. After breaking strength of 7 or 8 pounds. That favorite local farm pond for some ex- attempting several combinations, I set- night I started rereading a copy of The perimentation on bluegills. On my third tled on a "Surgeon's Knot" for the Compleat Angler a friend had given me. cast, a palm-sized bluegill inhaled the leader-to-hair connection and a loose I found the information I needed in spider, leaving with it and half of my "Duncan's Loop" for the hair-to-fly Chapter XXI: "Direction for the making hair tippet. That was my first lesson. I connection. Armed with this informa- of a Line, and for the coloring of both hadn't checked the black hairs for, as tion about the best knots and twenty of Rod and Line." Izaak put it, "galls and scabbyness." my finest hand-picked and shampooed Illustration from American Turf Register and Sport- Close examination of the other hairs tippets, I was prepared to head to the ing Magazine, vol. IV, April 1833. showed that they all had an area of Encampment River in southern Wy-

SPRING 1992 25 oming for a week of friendship and fish- steep-walled flume, but in a few places the boulder before the chaffing wore ing with Charlie. The possibility of the flume gives way to less rugged con- through the tippet or the leader. catching a trout in the way of a "Com- ditions on one bank or the other. In Though he still had some fight left in pleat Angler" seemed distinct. these areas the velocity slows a hair and him, it seemed that evicting him from It is an 800-mile drive from the the river gets a little bit tamer. One of behind his rock had broken his spirit. Kansas City area to the Bureau of Land these oases, in particular, has always As quickly as I dared, I moved him ~ana~ementcampground on the En- held a big trout for me during other toward me into the slower and shallow- campment River where Charlie and I trips made in October in search of er water along the bank and into my traditionally fish together. The trout in spawners. I always get a rise, but I don't net. For a moment I just stood there this section of the Encampment River always land the trout. and looked at him. The realization that I are very civilized; they don't consider By the time I reached the area I had in fact caught a "big" trout on a rising to even the best presentation until wanted to fish, it was nearing noon and horsehair suddenly hit, and I sponta- at least 8:30 A.M. when the sun has start- the sun was at its fullest. Nothing neously started doing a little jig that my ed to clear the canyon rim. The social seemed to be emerging and I didn't see sons call "Dad's happy feet." If catching grace of Encampment River trout al- any rises. With the angle of the sun it him had been hard, deciding what to do lowed us plenty of time to drink coffee was hard to see my fly on the water, with him was even harder. I generally and prepare for the upcoming day's even with polarizing glasses. Since noth- release most of the fish I catch, so I fishing. With all the fanfare I could ing seemed to be going on, I figured I don't know if it was pride in my trophy muster, I rigged out my rod and cere- might just as well use something like a or the primordial instincts of the hunter moniously chose my finest tippet. Be- size 14 Royal Wulff that I could see rea- as provider (probably a lot of both), but sides being the best fisherman I know, sonably well. Slowly working my way I decided to bring him back to camp. Charlie is also a good fly tyer; it only upstream, I covered the boulder area Carefully taking my prize from the seemed fitting that one of Charlie's flies from every angle, but each cast floated net, I broke off the horsehair tippet should adorn the end of my horsehair. back toward me without stirring the in- from the leader, leaving the fly and tip- The morning tent check for newly terest of a single fish. It looked like the pet mated to my trout. Plucking some emerged insects that cluster on the rain tongue was my last opportunity. Stop- grass from the stream bank I ceremoni- fly indicated a dark brown, mottled cad- ping just short of the best casting posi- ally wrapped him and placed him in the dis, about size 16, might be the right tion, I tested my knots and regreased back pouch of my vest for the trip back choice. Charlie's "Woodchuck Caddis" my fly and horsehair. to camp. The walk back down the would make a good match. Just as it had been at the boulder, canyon didn't take nearly as long as the With high expectations Charlie and I every drift of my fly passed through the trip up, but I don't think that was en- started up the encampment. On the first tongue and over a potential lie as if it tirely due to the downhill grade. series of passes Charlie connected with a was barren. I decided to take one more Slipping the trout out of my vest, I brown of about twelve inches. The day desperation cast, then eat my squashed removed my prize and laid him out for was starting out right. There was noth- peanut-butter sandwich. I cast without Charlie to see. After admiring him and ing for me in the first pool, but on the thinking really, which took my Royal teasing me about leaving the fly and tip- first drift across the second hole, a Wulff to the very heart of the current pet in his jaw, he said, "Well, to make it brown made a wild splashing rise. Try- and the fastest water. Out of the corner official I'd better get a tape out and ing to balance my strike with a force of my eye I caught a glimpse of motion measure him." I think Charlie always that would set the hook, but not break as my big trout shot up from the bot- measures trout a little short, at least the fish off at either the fly-to-hair or tom like an arrow. Without even rip- when he is measuring mine, so when he hair-to-leader knots, I raised my rod tip. pling the surface, he took the fly and pronounced my prize as officially "big" The knots held and my first Horsehair plunged to the bottom with such au- at 16 inches, I knew I had easily, at least Trout and I did battle. I was so nervous thority that setting the hook was unnec- as far as size goes, met his challenge. about the knots that I played him like he essary. Once at the bottom, he turned Halfway through my recounting of was the one big fish that comes along and rocketed back to the surface and the catch, Charlie excused himself, rose during each trip. Slowly I worked him through it. Reversing direction, like a from the log he was sitting on and head- to me and gently slid the net under him. springboard diver, he fell back and ed for his tent. He returned with an old I had caught a trout using a horsehair! sliced into the water. In what seemed to blue book in his hand. As I finished my As nonchalantly as I possibly could, I be slow motion, he repeated his perfor- story, Charlie, having apparently found held my 11-inch treasure up for Charlie mance for a second and third time. As what he was looking for, looked up at to see before I slipped him back into the he entered the water after each jump, I me and said, "Well, you did it. But you river. was certain that I had seen the last of did it the hard way. Your copy of The A breakfast of brookies, pan fried in him. Compleat Angler must not be the Izaak a little wild sage, eggs over easy, and a With a burst of energy, and using the Walton and Charles Cotton edition. cup of strong camp coffee was a great current as his ally, he made a run for the Here, in Part I1 of my copy-"The Sec- way to start the next day. Warming my- midstream boulder. Afraid to put too ond Day, Chapter V, Of Fly Fishing"- it self in the first rays of sun that had much strain on the horsehair, I lowered says, 'But he that cannot kill a trout of topped the rim of the canyon, I finished my rod tip and pointed it at him. 20 inches long with two deserves not the my coffee and decided to hike up the Pulling my line to the start of the back- name of an Angler."' river to a spot near where Hog Park ing, he reached the boulder and shot "Walton and Cotton twisted two hairs Creek, one of the Encampment's tribu- into its shelter. Reaching out across the together for a tippet. They didn't use a taries, joins the river. The area I wanted current with my rod parallel to the wa- single hair like you did. I think a 16- to fish is canyon country; in this section ter, I was able to apply enough lateral incher on a single hair is equal to a 20- the Encampment rushes through a pressure to lead him out from behind incher on two." m

26 THE AMERICAN FLY FISHER The American Museum of Fly Fishing Post Office Box 42, Manchester, Vermont 05254 802-362-3300

JOIN! Membership Dues (per annum*) Museum Applies For AAM mitment to the highest standards of ex- Associate* $25 Accreditation cellence. The achievement of accredited Sustaining* $50 status will also include a review process Patron* $250 The American Museum of Fly Fish- each year, conducted by the AAM, to Sponsor* $500 ing achieved one of the most important ensure that the Museum will continue Corporate* $1000 goals in our twenty-four-year history to uphold the standards of accreditation. Life $1500 recently when it was accepted as a can- In the last decade, the American Mu- didate for official museum accreditation seum of Fly Fishing has made some ma- Membership dues include the cost of a by the Accreditation Commission of the jor advances. Paul Schullery, Executive subscription ($20) to The American Fly American Association of Museums Director of the Museum from 1978 to Fisher. Please send your application to @AM). 1983, and currently Trustee Emeritus, re- the membership secretary and include Since its inception in 1970, the muse- cently wrote, "Now twenty-four years your mailing address. The Museum is a um accreditation process has had a sig- old, the Museum has reached a state of member of the American Association nificant impact on the museum field. institutional maturity that allows it to of Museums, the American Association The program has promoted the attain- publish limited-edition prints, maintain of State and Local History, the New Eng- ment of high standards among accredit- a vital traveling exhibit program, run a land Association of Museums, the Ver- ed museums and, similarly, increased professionally managed collection in mont Museum and Gallery Alliance, awareness of these standards among all keeping with the standards of the and the International Association of museums. Museum accreditation has greater museum community, and in Sports Museums and Halls of Fame. We given museums a stronger public image. many other ways do the job it was creat- are a nonprofit, educational institution Governments, funding agencies, and ed to do." Needless to say, we've been chartered under the laws of the state of museum audiences recognize accredited able to reach this peak of museological Vermont. status as indicative of quality. The entire activity only through the support of our accreditation process lasts approximate- officers, and many members and volun- SUPPORT! ly two years, including a self-study pro- teers. As an independent, nonprofit institu- gram and a review by peers (colleagues tion, the American Museum of Fly who understand the particular muse- Museum Garners Fishing must rely on the generosity of um's issues and concerns from firsthand public-spirited individuals for substan- experience and also bring an outside Publication Award tial support. We ask that you give our perspective to their evaluation). A Treasury of Reels, by Jim Brown, institution serious consideration when By submitting our application to the took a prestigious second place in the planning for gifts and bequests. AAM, the American Museum of Fly books-and-catalogs category of the New Fishing has affirmed its ongoing com- England Museum Association's (NEMA)

Summer hours (May 1 through October Alanna Fisher 31) are lo to 4. Winter hours (November 1through April 30) are weekdays lo to 4. We are closed on major holidays. BACKISSUES! The following back issues of TheAmer- ican Fly Fisher are available at $4 per copy: Volume 5, Number 3 Volume 6, Numbers 1, 2,3,4 Volume 7, Numbers 2,3,4 Volume 8, Number 3 Volume 9, Numbers 1,2,3 Volume lo, Number 2 Volume 11, Numbers 1,2,3, 4 Volume 12, Number 3 Volume 13, Number 3 Volume 14, Numbers i,2 Volume 15, Numbers i,2 Volume 16, Numbers 1,2,3 Volume 17, Numbers i,z,j Volunteer Joe Pisarro demonstrating the finer points offy tying during a visit Volume 18, Number 1 from the children of Tinmouth Elementary School, Tinmouth, Vermont.

SPRING 1992 27 Alanna Fisher ovation and exvansion which involved a doubling of exhibition space from 1,000 square feet to roughly 2,100 square feet, the creation of an audiolvisual room, and improvements to the publications office and gift shop. The entire program was completed under budget. Don noted that the project was designed to make the Museum building barrier free and that the Agency of Human Services of the State of Vermont had applauded the Museum's commitment in assuring that every citizen has equal access to the Museum's programs. In summarizing Museum activity throughout the year, Don reported that the Museum's full- and part-time pro- fessional staff continued to perform su- Executive Director Don Johnson (left) welcomed visitors Magne Rugsveen, perbly, and that he anticipated increas- curator (center), and 0. 7: Lodstad, photographer (right), of the Norwegian ing the full-time staff in 1992 by adding Forestry Museum of Elverum, Norway. Both museums combined resources a development/membership coordinator. to mount a large, popular exhibition in Norway in 1991. For the fourth consecutive year the American Museum of Fly Fishing's cru- 1991 publications competition. The York state-based artist, is well known cial DinnerIAuction Program showed forty-two entries were drawn from such for his sporting art. His paintings in this improvement, as did other income cate- distinguished institutions as the Yale museum exhibition will include angling gories such as membership, contribu- Center for British Art, Yale University, scenes from Colorado. Montana. and tions, publications, and exhibitions. The the Addison Gallery of American Art, Wyoming, along with images from Alas- American Museum of Fly Fishing also Phillips Academy, the Christian A. ka, Vermont, and Canada. Other impor- increased its activitv in traveling" exhibi- Johnson Gallery, Middlebury College, tant works to be included will feature tions, educational programming, collec- and the Wadsworth Atheneum. North American wildlife and other tions, and publications. Trustee, mem- In addition to the NEMA award, A sporting scenes. ber, and volunteer support also increased Treasury of Reels special limited edition Manocchia's work can be found in a markedly in 1991. of 500 books sold out in three weeks number of private and public collec- when released last spring. The book has tions throughout North America and proven itself to be a research and refer- his paintings have been published in A fiscal 1992 budget totaling nearly ence "tool" of the highest quality, and a dozens of magazines worldwide. He is a $320,000 was reviewed and accepted. As trade edition will be released later this board member of the Society of Animal a point of reference, it is interesting to year. Members interested in obtaining a Artists and an active member of the note that the American Museum of Fly copy of our new deluxe edition or the Outdoor Writers Association of Ameri- Fishing's budget was $186,000 in fiscal trade edition of A Treasury of Reels ca. To commemorate "Water, Sky, and 1988. The increase in the 1992 budget should contact the Museum office for Time," the Museum will publish a spe- will help fund another full-time staff details. cial poster featuring one of Manocchia's position and enable the Museum to superb paintings. publish both the deluxe and trade edi- Third Annual Museum The exhibition will be on display at tions of its award-winning book, A the Museum daily through October 31 Treasury of Reels written by Jim Brown. Festival Planned and weekdays thereafter until Novem- The American Museum of Fly Fish- ber 26,1992. ing will be hosting its Third Annual Museum Festival Weekend June 5, 6, 1991 Annual Meeting Notes A major goal was accomplished in and 7, 1992 in Manchester, Vermont. 1991 when the American Museum of Fly Plans call for a public opening of a ma- Another large group of Museum Fishing was accepted as a candidate for jor contemporary art exhibition on the trustees from every corner of the coun- American Association of Museum Ac- evening of Friday the 5th, the Museum's try assembled in Manchester, Vermont, creditation by their Accreditation Com- ever-popular Manchester dinnerlauc- in October 1991 for the traditional mission. The entire accreditation pro- tion on the evening of June 6, and a trustees' dinnerlauction on October 20, cess will be completed in eighteen to Museum open house including fly-tying before gathering for highly productive twenty-four months, in time, we hope, demonstrations, tours, casting demon- membership and trustee meetings on for the Museum's Twenty-fifth Anniver- strations, refreshments, and more dur- October 21 at the Reluctant Panther Inn. sary in midsummer 1993. ing the day on June 7. The highlight of the weekend may ExEcuT1vEDIREcTOR's REpORT EXHIBITIONS well be the public opening on Friday, Don Johnson, completing his fourth Nineteen ninety-one was a banner June 5, of a five-month exhibition enti- year as the Museum's Executive Direc- year for the American Museum of Fly tled "Water, Sky, and Time: Paintings by tor, reported that the Museum had Fishing. The Museum's national travel- Adriano Manocchia." Manocchia, a New completed an extensive program of ren- ing exhibition "Anglers All" appeared at the Manitowoc Maritime Museum, um's next book will focus on its rod col- execute the American Museum of Fly Manitowoc, Wisconsin. Another large lection and will be written by David Fishing's schedule of celebration activity Museum exhibition, "The Tie That Klausmeyer. Publication is scheduled in Manchester, Vermont, and around Binds," was hosted by the Museum of for 1993. The quality of the Museum's the country. the Jimmy Carter Library, and a signifi- quarterly journal, The American Fly cant showing of many of the compo- Fisher, continued to improve under the nents of the Museum's William Cushner direction of its new editor, Margot Page, The American Museum of Flv Fish- Collection appeared at the Norwegian art director Randall Perkins, copy editor ing's trustees voted unanimously to rec- Forestry Museum in Elverum, Norway. Sarah May Clarkson, and with the sup- ognize the outstanding service given to The latter was the Museum's first large port of the entire Museum staff. the Museum over the last twenty-three international exhibition. In all, the years by honoring outgoing Chairman American Museum of Fly Fishing par- CAPITALCAMPAIGN AND of the Board, Leigh H. Perkins. Leigh ticipated in developing or assisting in ENDOWMENT has been a devoted and generous mem- fourteen exhibitions, including the three The American Museum of Fly Fish- ber of our museum family since he major exhibitions noted above, as well ing's development committee reported helped found the American Museum of as four smaller exhibits, and seven on- the successful completion of "The Cam- Fly Fishing in 1967-1968. Former officer going permanent exhibits. Additionally, paign for the American Museum of Fly and trustee William Herrick and John the American Museum of Fly Fishing's Fishing: Preserving a Rich Heritage for Farnum. the Museum's "general contrac- staff helped design the Museum's new Future Generations." The campaign's tor during our recent renovation and exhibition areas and installed "The stated ~ggo-lggigoal of $200,000 was exvansion. were also thanked for ser- World of Salmon," a highly successful exceeded by over $25,000. Support from vices rendered to the Museum. in-house exhibit. Looking to the future, the Museum's trustees, development we see that "Anglers All" will appear at committee, and members was excep- no less than three museums in 1992 and tional. As a direct result of the success of It was resolved that the 1992 Annual possibly travel on a European tour. the campaign and the generosity of spe- Meeting of the American Museum of cial friends, the Museum was also able Fly Fishing would be held in Denver, PUBLICATIONS to establish its first endowment in 1991. Colorado, in October 1992. The Annual The American Museum of Fly Fish- Meeting will return to Manchester, Ver- ing's first book, A Treasury of Reels, was mont, in 1993 and 1994. published in a special limited-edition of In 1993 the American Museum of Fly 500 copies and subsequently sold out Fishing will be celebrating its Twenty- within three weeks. A Treasury of Reels fifth Anniversary, marking a quarter "Anglers All" to Appear at took second place honors in competi- century of museological activity that in- Three Museums in 1992 tion with forty-two other publications cludes conservation, research, national "Anglers All," the Museum's largest in the 1991 New England Museum Asso- exhibitions, and public education about traveling exhibition, will appear at three ciation publications competition. De- the art, craft, industry, and sport of fly diverse museums during 1992. In Janu- luxe and trade editions of A Treasury of fishing. A Twenty-fifth Anniversary ary 1992, this 2,000-plus-square-foot ex- Reels will be released in 1992. The Muse- Committee has been created to plan and hibit opened at the Catawba Science Center, Hickory, North Carolina. In Au- Margot Page gust 1992, it travels west to the Wildlife of the American West Art Museum in Jackson, Wyoming. And finally, in No- vember, it returns east for a six-month appearance at the Peabody Museum of Natural History, Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut.

The Museum's volicvL, is to reach as many people as possible with its travel- ing exhibitions."Anglers All" will be on the road most of the year with an annu- al in-house inspection of the compo- nents for inventory, insurance, and con- servation purposes. By the end of 1992, "Anglers All" will have appeared in ten states since 1985 and been viewed by over three million people. New Trustees Staff members from the Peabody Museum of Natural History at Yale University met The Museum welcomed six new mo- in Manchester to plan the upcoming exhibit of 'Xnglers All" at the Peabody in the tivated and talented trustees at the 1991 fall of 1992. Left to right: AMFF Curator Alanna Fisher, Ray Pupedis (Collzctions Annual Membership Meeting held in Manager for Entomology, Peabody), AMFF Executive Director Don Johnson, Ken October. They are Richard Tisch (term Ellis (Assistant Director for Public Programs, Peabody), and Michael D. Coe (Cu- ending 1992)) James Hunter (term end- rator of Anthropology, Peabodyj. ing 1993), E. M. Bakwin, Thomas

SPRING 1992 29 Davidson, Audun Fredricksen, and Mal- colm MacKenzie (terms ending 1994).

E. M. Bakwin, of Chicago, Illinois, is Audun Fredrickson was born and chairman and director of the Mid-City raised in Norway, but came to the Unit- National Bank of Chicago, of Mid-Cit- ed States to earn a B.S. in chemical engi-

co., Inc.. , and of the National Stock Yards neering from the University of Min- Company, and director of the Robert- nesota-in 1948 and a Master's of Busi- Richard G. Tisch was raised in north- son Onshore Drilling Company. A grad- ness in 1949. Signing on with the 3M ern New Jersey where he has fished the uate of Phillips Exeter Academy (1946), Corporation in 1950, he eventually lakes and streams of the northeastern Hamilton College (1950), and the Uni- served as vice president for all European United States and eastern Canada. He is versity of Chicago (M.B.A., 1961), E. M. operations, and retired early in 1980. He environmental counsel for Union Car- (Pete) has served on a number of not- now lives in San Francisco and Kev Bis- bide Industrial Gases Inc., in Danbury, for-profit boards, including the Univer- cayne and travels to Europe every Connecticut, and adjunct professor of sity of Chicago Advisory since 1972. He chance he can. Verv active in cultural International Environmental Law at is a member of the New York Yacht activities, Audun is avid fly fisher and Pace University Law School in White Club, the World Business Council, and upland bird hunter. He has three chil- Plains, New York. He regularly fishes the Chicago Presidents' Organization, dren and two granchildren. the Beaverkill River in the Catskills and among others. Ira Nozik Photographers the Miramichi River in New Brunswick, Canada. Richard, his wife, Wendy, and son, Alexander, live in Pound Ridge, New York. Barbara Trotter

Thomas N. Davidson, of Key Largo, Malcolm MacKenzie, of Bloomfield, Florida, and Toronto, Ontario, graduat- Connecticut, is president of the Amscot ed from Michigan State University and Printing Group, based in Bloomfield. after eight years with Exxon moved to Born and educated in Scotland, where Toronto, Canada, to establish an entre- he graduated from Glasgow College, James Hunter, of Manchester Center, ~reneurial business career. including" Malcolm came to the United Statesin Vermont, was the president of the James ownership and active involvement in 1962 at age twenty-four. Active in trade Hunter Machine Company in North corporations producing plastic packag- and civic activities, he is, among other Adams, Massachusetts, in addition to ing, residential furniture, steel manufac- things, a national director and member being a past director of New England turing, brass smelting, nuclear reactor of the Executive Committee of the Electric System, Dodge Fibers, the Men- components, and specialty chemicals. Printing Industries of America. An avid nen Company, and past president of the He and his wife, Sally, have four chil- outdoorsman, Malcolm is married and American Textile Machinery Associa- dren, including three sons who are ac- the father of six children (he, under- tion. A graduate of Deerfield Academy tive fly fishers. Tom is now semiretired standably, happens to be the founder (1937) and Harvard Business School (maybe) and actively pursuing fly-fish- and coach of the Granby Rovers Soccer (1945), he and his wife, Irene, have four ing interests on a broader geographic Club). Besides fishing, he enjoys such children and eleven grandchildren. Jim horizon -the Florida Keys, western hobbies as scuba diving, running, farm- has been an Atlantic salmon enthusiast United States, Canada, and South ing, gardening, building, hunting, and for twenty years. America. training dogs.

30 THE AMERICAN FLY FISHER Two Fine History Books for Your Library American Fly Fishing: A History A Treasury of Reels: The Fishing Reel Collection of by Paul Schullery Museum of Fly Fishing Introduction & catalog by Jim Brown The American Museum of Fly Photographs by Bob O'Shaughnessy Fishing is pleased to offer again American Fly Fishing: A History The American Museum of Fly Fishing by Paul Schullery, which is being holds one of the largest and finest pub- republished by Lyons & Burford, lic collections of fly reels in the world. Publishers. Here is the compre- Brought together in this richly diverse hensive book to which all fly collection which includes more than fishers can turn for historical in- 750 reels spanning nearly two centuries formation. Paul Schullery has of British and American reelmaking, sifted through the facts and are antique, classic, and modern reels; myths surrounding the history of fly fishing in America and given those owned by presidents, entertainers, novelists, angling lumi- fresh evaluations of all the major figures of the sport: Thaddeus Nor- naries, and reels owned and used by everyday anglers. ris, John Harrington Keene, Theodore Gordon, Preston Jennings, This deluxe limited edition has been hand-bound in brown Vincent Marinaro, Arnold Gingrich, and many others. Schullery as- Nigerian goatskin with leather along the fore-edge of each board; sesses the impact of technological advances in tackle and fly patterns the front and back boards are an imported Dutch linen cloth, and on fly-fishing history, and the incorporation of European traditions the spine is stamped in 22-carat gold. Each book is sewn with linen into our own. hinges and features Italian paper endsheets, leather endbands at the This now-classic book is written by one of the country's leading top and bottom of the spine, and a ribbon marker. angling historians: Paul Schullery, a Trustee Emeritus and former Ex- The frontispiece features a luminous four-color print of re- ecutive Director of the American Museum of Fly Fishing (1977-1982). nowned artist John Swan's oil painting, New Moon. With over zoo American Fly Fishing: A History was originally commissioned by the black-and-white photographs; more than 75 historic illustrations; American Museum of Fly Fishing; proceeds from the sale of this large 11" x 8 lh" format; over zoo pages. book directly support the Museum. One hundred numbered and signed copies of this deluxe, hand- American Fly Fishing: A History is available for $35 plus shipping bound edition are being offered for sale at $450 each (includes from Lyons & Burford, Publishers, 31 West 21 Street, New York, N. Y. shipping and handling). There are only twenty copies still avail- loolo; 212-620-9580; or in the giftshop of the Museum. able. Send your check or call: The American Museum of Fly Fish- Large 8 %" x 11" format; 278 pages; over 120 historic illustrations. ing, P.O. Box 42, Manchester, Vermont 05254; 802-362-3300. seum Gift S1

%,, ,a I Our ~o~ular background. Our patch is silver and ~-sh;rtsare made of black on a Dartmouth Green back- loo% preshrunk cotton. ground; $5 each, plus $1 postage and Specify color (navy or cream) and size handling. (s,M, L, XL), $15 each, plus $2 postage and handling. Four-color exhibition posters printed on high-quality glossy stock, ample bor- ders. Right, "Time On the Water" by John Swan (26"x 20"). Above, "An Artist's Creel" by Peter Corbin (26"x 23"); $15 each, plus $2.25 postage and handling.

Left, "Lost Pool," special limited edition print by John Swan, printed on acid-free paper (15 %"x 26 %"), ample borders. Each signed and numbered print, $95. Postage and handling included.

Please make checks payable to: AMFF and send to PO. Box 42, Manchester, VT 05254. Mastercard, Visa, and American Express accepted. Call 802-362-3300. CONTRIBUTORS ------Dave Whitlock

As the son of an oil executive, Timothy Belknap grew up mostly in Kenya. But his grandparents had a home in Co- lumbia County, New York, that he would visit some summers, and he has been fishing its streams on and off since the age of eleven. A newspaper reporter, most recently for the Detroit Free Press, and now a senior copy editor at Business Week, Tim lives with his wife, Cathy, and flat-coat retriever, Beau, on New York's West Side, where he fishes for striped bass and Beau points pigeons.

Nick Lyons, a former vrofessor of Eng lish at ~unter~olle~ain New York, il now president of Lyons & Burford, Publishers, which specializes in fly fish- ing titles. He is the author of five books A resident of Dallas, Texas (when he's on fly fishing and a regular column, not fishing in Montana, Wyoming, "The Seasonable Angler" in Fly Fisher- or Idaho, or traveling for business), man. Currently at work on a new book, Albert J. Cohen's interests are in fishing Spring Creek, he served as a Museum history, especially British and Ameri- trustee for many years. can, and in collecting antique flies, fly boxes and wallets, fly-dressing materials, and hooks. He is a member of many angling and conservation groups, in- cluding Trout Unlimited, Federation of Fly Fishermen, Dallas Fly Fishers, Hen- ry's Fork Foundation, B.A.S.S., Yellow- stone Coalition, and the Fly Dressers Guild (England).

Nancy Thrutchley Norm Crisp, a senior water scientist with Region VII of the U. S. Environmental Pro- tection Agency located in Kansas City, holds advanced degrees in both water resources engineering and fisheries biology. His area of expertise is in biological monitoring of water quality, especially the use of Chironomids (midges) as water quality indicators. He is a member of several professional and fishing organizations, including the American Water Resources Association, North American Benthological Society, American Fisheries Society, Trout Unlimited, and the Atlantic Salmon Federation. Norm has been biomon- itoring around the world for trout with a fly rod since his childhood in New Hampshire.

32 THE AMERICAN FLY FISHER Museological Musings

'VE HAD A LONGSTANDING love affair of what is now the Northwest Territo- ty classes during the year; the average with books. In fact, I'm the type of ries. He was also, interestingly enough, a length of visitation grew; square footage Iperson who can't fall asleep without fly fisherman! We really don't know all was multiplied by the renovation pro- reading first. No day, it seems, is ever that much about this aspect of his life. ject. And what about exhibitions? The complete for me until I've buried my We do know, thanks to the diary kept by American Museum of Fly Fishing was nose in a book and read at least a page Dr. John Richardson, that Back fished involved in fourteen traveling and long- or two. It's become a hallowed tradition with the artificial fly on a number of oc- term exhibitions in 1991. Volunteer with me to read as many books as I can casions during Captain (later Sir) John hours totaled approximately 1,400 during the holiday season, that relatively Franklin's first "Northern Land Ex~edi- hours, and this represented in-house quiet time between the end of Novem- tion" between 1819-1822, and that he service here at the Museum. If we add ber and late December when the travel- definitelv was successful catchingu a the thousands of hours contributed by ing stops and Museum traffic slows. I number of species of fish, including our supporters around the country in kept this tradition alive last year by de- grayling. Into the Great Solitude rekin- maintaining and building the Museum's vouring the first two volumes of Peter dled my own interest in George Back successful dinnerlauction program Neuman's riotous trilogy on the Hud- and I plan to travel to a number of mu- alone, one gets a real sense of just how son's Bay Company and the fur trade in seums in Canada this summer to peruse many dedicated individuals believe in Canada's northern vastness; all of Barry his diaries and extant letters. Who the Museum and all that we do. Lopez's compelling Arctic Dreams; a knows what treasures I'll find? In the research area our staff an- book on French wine that I purchased Weil's Rethinking the Museum and swered upwards of sixty-two inquiry at Border's Bookstore in Philadelphia, Other Meditations also opened some letters and 192 phone calls seeking the A. S. Byatt's delicious gothic romance1 new doors for me. Among other things, Museum's assistance; additionally, they mystery, Possession; Robert Perkins's po- he reinforces our philosophy here at the supplied photos and other images to etic Into the Great Solitude; and Rethink- American Museum of Fly Fishing when twenty-three authors, editors, newspa- ing the Museum and Other Meditations he states. ". . . we must envision a higheru pers, etc. And then we can add public by Stephen Weil, a thought-provoking professionalism, one in which museum awareness, since our staff participated in examination of the contemporary mu- staff members become as expert and six sportlangling shows and gave five seum world in North America and skillful in responding to community audio/visual presentations. Finally, pub- abroad. needs and desires as they are today in lications: the Museum upgraded its I particularly enjoyed Perkins's Into collecting, preserving, studying, exhibit- journal; published A Treasury of Reels, the Great Solitude, which was presented ing, and interpreting collections." Fur- its first book (which subsequently gar- to me by the good people who serve on ther, ". . . those who work in small mu- nered a prestigious award after selling the Museum's Boston dinnerlauction seums may have long since recognized out in three weeks); and laid the committee. Briefly, Solitude is a lovingly (or perhaps have never forgotten) what groundwork for the publication of two crafted prose-diary recounting a 700- some people who work in larger muse- additional editions of the same book, as mile solo canoe trip down the Back Riv- ums are only beginning to under- well as another devoted to the Muse- er in Canada's Northwest Territories to stand-that maintenance of profession- um's rod collection. the arctic tidewater. It's also a book al standards. critical as that mav, be., I think all of the above serves as a rel- about life, family, and dreams. Needless cannot be substituted for a sense of evant indicator of both the Museum's to say, this book comes highly recom- community service if a museum is long level of activitv and the auantum service mended, especially to those of you who to survive." Our primary goal at the we conveyed to the public. love the north and delight in reading Museum is to combine, in everything The real challenge that we now face is about wolves, loons, rapids, the Inuit, that we do, stringent professional stan- to build on this level of activity and ser- char, blackflies, musk oxen, and two- dards and an all-encompassing ethic of vice-no easy task, especially in this mile portages. public service. time of recession. Still, I think we'll Perkins's interest in the Back River Weil also got me thinlung about what meet the challenge and then some. And was triggered after he discovered a copy he calls "museological service" (a term I through our success we'll continue to of Narrative of the Arctic Land Expedi- really love) and how it should be deliv- add to the accumulated heritage passed tion to the Mouth of the Great Fish River, ered by museums as particular educa- on to present generations and, more- and Along the Shores of the Arctic Ocean tional institutions. This is, I think, the over, actually build the apparatus in the Years 1833, 1834 and 1835 by Cap- obiective test of anv museum's success. through which we will pass on that re- tain George Back (1796-1878) of Britain's If &e list some of th'e criteria that can be ceived heritage to future generations. Royal Navy. Back was one of those larg- used to document this success, we can My colleagues and I are honored to be er-than-life sailorlexplorers of the nine- intimately observe how our museum able to provide this, the highest form of teenth century who played a fairly sig- progressed in 1991. Staff size was in- service. nificant role in charting the fabled creased; grants received were again up; DONJOHNSON "Northwest Passage," and exploring- staff education was enhanced when EXECUTIVEDIRECTOR on two incredible expeditions-much members of our staff attended universi- THEAMERICAN MUSEUM OF FLY FISHING, a nonprofit educational institution dedicat- ed to preserving the rich heritage of fly fish- ing, was founded in Manchester, Vermont, in 1968. The Museum serves as a repository for, and conservator to, the world's largest collec- tion of angling and angling-related objects. The Museum's collections and exhibits pro- vide the public with thorough documenta- tion of the evolution of fly fishing as a sport, art form, craft, and industry 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 pho- tographs, form the major components of the Museum's collection. The Museum has gained recognition as a unique educational institution. It supports a publications program through which its na- tional quarterly journal, The American Fly Fisher, and books, art prints, catalogs, and newsletters are regularly offered to the pub- lic. The Museum's traveling exhibits pro- gram has made it possible for educational exhibits to be viewed across the United States and abroad. The Museum also pro- vides in-house exhibits, related interpretive programming, and research services for mem- bers, visiting scholars, 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,