HENRYVILLE SPECIAL - Old Flies - November 02, 2009

[rtidd]

HENRYVILLE SPECIAL

The fly known as the Henryville Special was first tied by Hiram Brobst, an old-time Pocono fly tier from LeHighton Pa. The fly was developed to be use for a caddis imitation on the fast boiling pocket water of the Pocono Mountains.

[Steven McGarthwaite]

Larry:

Great article, about the history of the "Henryville Special", and about the area it was fished, and the person who originated the patten.

There is another "Henryville Special" article, that is in the" Fly of the Week" archives, from Feb 26, 2001. That was written by Skip Morris, from the "Art of Tying the Dry Fly" by Skip Morris, with permission by Frank Amato Publications, Inc., for use by FAOL.

Skip Morris version of the Henryville Special

Larry. I like your dressing of the "Henryville Special" better than the version by Skip Morris. Even though his would also be effective.

Either pattern would be a good (great?) dry fly caddisfly pattern, when dress for the angler's local waters.

Again, thank you for your contribution to "Just Old Flies and stuff"!

~Parnelli (Chartered Member of "Friends of FAOL")

I have both fly pattern in PDF format (Adobe Reader required), as well as all other fly patterns on FAOL, for download to your computer. These are free, as my way of contributing to FAOL, and its members!

[Flap Jack]

Thanks Steven

I'm glad you liked it. Some of the old timers might say that the wings are too dark , but on the water I fish a darker wing seems to work better. I've had good luck fishing this fly tied down to size 16 or 18 durning the little black caddis hatch. It seems to work fished as a dry or just under the surface.
I think it's great how you keep archives, it so helpful to be able to go back and get additional information when you need it.

Larry

[Ray Kunz]

Why does Skip Morris's version have the mallard wings tied on upside down? I've noticed this on some older British patterns. What is the reasoning? Thanks.

[Flap Jack]

Ray

The wings on the Heneryville Special are tied down, tent-style to imitate the wings of the caddisfly which folds its wings back over their bodies when not in flight. J. Edson Leonard explains in his book "Flies" that the wings tied points down is one of the oldest ways to tie wings and that wings tied in this manner are less flexable. I have also seen in many fly tying instruction books that it really doesn't make any real difference which way the wings point.
It really is the option of the tier. Tiers today seem to perfer the look of the fly with the wings points up but years ago tiers perfered points down.

Larry

[Mark Vendon]

Here's a link to a picture of an original tied by Hiram Brobst if anyone here hasn't seen it. One of my favorite dry fly patterns.

http://www.sportingspirit.com/pages/...ies&startat=17

Regards,
Mark