MORE CLASSIC FLIES
Last week I wrote about the Adams, a classic dry fly pattern that has gone through a number of alterations since its original inception but has still retained its basic characteristics. Whether tied as a parachute pattern, with or without wings, or tied with a hi-vis wing it still retains the basic characteristics of the original.
The Griffith Gnat is another classic pattern that is found in the fly boxes of anglers worldwide. Even simpler than the Adams, the Griffith Gnat originated in Michigan, and is attributed to George Griffith, one of the founders of Trout Unlimited. I had the great privilege to know George personally and fished his water on Michigan’s Au Sable River back in the 60’s. The pattern consists of nothing but a peacock herl body with Grizzly hackle wound palmer-style over the body. Originally tied to represent midge clusters it also can be used to represent skating caddis flies. Like the Adams, but even more basic, it’s a basic pattern that has earned a respected spot in any trout anglers fly box.
Another classic is the Royal Coachman. The Royal Coachman is likely a variant of the older Coachman fly. The Coachman was originally a wet fly tied with Golden Pheasant Tippet tails, Peacock Herl body that was sometimes reverse ribbed with gold wire, white duck wings, and brown hackle. Later this fly was tied as a dry fly with upright white duck quill wings and Coachman Brown hackle. To make a Royal Coachman all that was needed was a red center band.
The fly that was subsequently named the Royal Coachman was first tied in 1878 by John Haily in New York City. John Haily has the unique distinction of being the first dealer to sell fly tying materials in the United States when he opened his shop in 1877. Although John Haily originated the Royal Coachman it was Charles F. Orvis that gave the fly its name. The account of how the name originated is quite interesting.
“The Royal Coachman was first offered to purchasers by me. It did not, however, originate with me. The fly-tier I mentioned long ago [John Haily] sent me a sample of the same, saying, ‘I have just been tying some flies to order for a gentleman. He says he likes the coachman better than any other fly, but he finds it very frail, and he wants me to tie some with red silk in the middle, to make them stronger, and he also want a spring of wood duck for the jib.[tail] I send you a fly to see. I think it quite handsome.’
“‘I’ll tell you,’ exclaimed Mr. L. C. Orvis, ‘that is an extra fine Coachman; all that scarlet makes it quite magnificent – call it – call it – the Royal Coachman!’ This seemed suitable, so the fly was christened. Not long after I published a list of flies, and included the ‘Royal Coachman’ in the number.” [From a letter written by Charles F. Orvis to Fred Mather, July 1885]
From this simple beginning the Royal Coachman has become one of the most universally recognized flies. It has been tied in a variety of styles from the ostentatious fan winged version to the hair-winged Wulff-style, parachute- style, and the down-winged Trude style. I tie this pattern in a variety of styles and sizes, including some small – 18 and 20’s – parachute-style versions that I often use on the Montana Spring Creeks near my home. It might surprise a number of anglers that, when nothing else will bring a strike, the old Royal Coachman, even in the larger sizes, will often fool even a sophisticated spring creek trout. While many theories have been offered to explain the success of the Royal Coachman the fact remains that it works. While it resembles nothing that I have seen in the natural world I keep a good supply of them in my fly box.
The Hare’s Ear is another classic fly that has undergone many changes over the ages. Like the Royal Coachman it seems to have its origin in a wet fly version. The Hare’s Ear wet fly was first mentioned by Thomas Christopher Hofland in his book British Anglers Manual in 1839. Thomas referred to it as the ‘Hares Ear Dun.’ In Scotland this fly was called the ‘Hare Lug.’ [Lug is the Scottish word for ear] The name of the fly originates from the material that is used in its construction; the fur between the ears of the hare’s mask. Subsequently it was tied as a dry fly and later as a nymph. It is the nymphal form that is the most common today. Often referred to as the Gold-ribbed Hare’s Ear it is a simple pattern consisting of a body of Hare’s mask, a rib of gold tinsel, and ringneck pheasant tail fibers tied beard-style for legs. I substitute a couple wraps of Gray partridge hackle for the pheasant tail fibers, and sometimes I simply pick out the hare’s mask to simulate the legs and leave out the hackle. I have also tied this fly as a parachute-style dry fly with a short brown hackle fiber tail, dubbed and picked out body without the gold rib, white post wing, and grizzly and brown hackle.
Not all classic flies are ancient patterns. One fly that I consider a classic is the Elk Hair Caddis, a pattern that was originated by Al Troth. The original fly was tied as a wet fly when Al lived in Pennsylvania in the 1950’s. Later Al retired and moved to Dillon, Montana he perfected the fly that today we called the Elk Hair Caddis. While not the first fly to use elk hair for a wing the construction of the Elk Hair Caddis is unique, and it is that uniqueness that makes it distinct.
Unlike most similar patterns the Elk Hair Caddis does not rely on hackle to support the fly on the surface. The fly consists of a dubbed body – hare’s mask was used in the original – and ribbed with fine gold wire. Furnace hackle was palmered over the body, not for support but to represent legs. The elk hair wing is tied down over the body but the key to making this fly efficient is to use your thumb nail to compress the base of the wing back against the body. This causes the wing to splay out around the body and provides the cushion the fly on the water. If you perform this maneuver after you apply head cement to the wing butts they will stand up out of the way allowing easy access to the eye of the hook.
I tie the Elk Hair Caddis in a variety of sizes and body colors to imitate a variety of different caddis flies. In the larger sizes it will even fool trout feeding on grasshoppers and small stone flies. I will often pull it under at the end of a drift and fish it back as a wet fly just under the surface. This is another fly that I would not be without when fishing for trout.
There are a number of other classic ties, and the list is too long to detail each one. Some have a distinct regional flavor with limited universal application, and each angler could probably make their own list. It’s important to remember that just because a once popular pattern is no longer offered by your local fly shop does not mean that it is no longer effective. My fly boxes contain far more patterns that have been around for decades than the latest and greatest invention from the vice and imaginative mind of our modern day fly innovators. Over the course of the season I seem to catch just as many fish on these old patterns as my angling companions with their new and improved patterns. If you haven’t taken a look at some of the old classic patterns this might be a good time to take a second look.
[References used were Fish Flies, The Encyclopedia of the Fly Tier’s Art, by Terry Hellekson, 2005, Gibbs, Smith Publishers, Fly Patterns and Their Origins by Harold Smedley, 1950, Westshore Publications, and Favorite Flies and Their Histories by Mary Orvis Marbury, 2001 edition, Lyons Press]