"The Grizzly King was a pattern by Professor James
Wilson, brother of John Wilson [creator of the
Professor fly]. In Rod and Gun, 1840, he
describes his fly as:
"The Grizzly King is a hackle par excellence.
They call him Coomberland in the northern parts
of merry England. His wings are broad and burly,
formed of any undyed feather, bearing narrow natural
bars of black and white, and he bristles with many
stripes from head to heel, his dark green body
being wound about with gray or mottled hackle, and
terminated by a fiery tail, turned up in what
naturalists call an ensiform manner - that is,
somewhat after the fashion of a sword."
"What seems his head,
The likeness of a kingly crown has on."
It is believe to have been tied in imitation of
the dark green drake.
A present day tying compared to the Morman Girl
discloses only a different colored body."
Grizzly King
About 1820 James Wilson was reputed "'the
best trout angler with the fly in Europe.'"
The 'wet fly' version, or fishing version of the
Grizzly King is below.
Publisher's Note: As is common in researching
old flies, there are many versions of the 'original'
recipe. The version Eric used is the Ray Bergman
tie.
~ DLB
Credits: Text and recipe from Fly
Patterns and Their Origins by Harold
Hinsdill Smedley. Flies tied by Eric Austin.
Color photo by James Birkholm.
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