This week's fly is tied by my friend Andy Brasko,
(AndyB). Andy is a protégé of Don Bastian, and
has studied extensively with him. We became friends
in large part due to our mutual admiration of Don's
work. I began my portion of "Just Old Flies" with
the idea of trying to present flies as Don had in
Forgotten Flies. This, of course, is
easier said than done, but we keep plugging away.
Andy's fly this week is "The Captain," and one of
which he is rightfully proud. I think it's near
perfection. Andy not only ties these flies in the
larger sizes, 6 and 8, but he fishes them as well,
and very successfully. Nobody is as great a promoter
and devote of the classic wet fly as is Andy Brasko.
I hope that we'll see a great deal of Andy's work
here in the coming months.
Andy asked me to come up with a bit of history on
The Captain, but I was unable to help. Ladyfisher
came to the rescue, and we know this much, from
the book Fly Patterns and Their Origins:
"As is true with many flies which have more or
less commonplace names, there are duplications
in the name and variations in the pattern. Much
confusion results when a fly known in one locality
bears the same name as a fly in some other locality.
Sometimes there is a resemblance, oftentimes there
is none.
As to the Captain, there are three distinct
patterns of the same name. One, which is
described by Ray Bergman in his book Trout
can be accepted as a more or less Eastern pattern.
Another is found in the North Central States around
Michigan and Wisconsin. Still another appears in
the West and is popular in some places in Utah, Idaho
and California."
The three patterns are as follows:
East (Bergman)
Body - White.
Tail - Scarlet & yellow.
Wing - Slate.
Hackle - Brown.
Tag - Peacock.
Central
Body - White.
Tail - Mallard & yellow.
Wing - Mallard Brown.
Tag - Peacock.
West
Body - Black (thin).
Tail - Golden pheasant.
Wing - White.
Hackle - Brown.
The Western pattern is the Captain which
Charles McDermand, of San Francisco, found
so successful and praises so highly in his
delightful book Waters of the Golden
Trout Country.
I might add that there is also a Captain full
dress salmon fly, by Kelson, which has absolutely
nothing at all to do with the flies detailed above.
The Captain Kelson talks about has a body of
orange, red-claret, and dark blue Seal's fur. ~ Eric Austin
Credits: Fly Patterns and their Origins by
Harold Hinsdill Smedley; Trout by Ray Bergman.
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