Welcome to Just Old Flies

Welcome to 'just old flies,' a section of methods and flies that used-to-be. These flies were tied with the only materials available. Long before the advent of 'modern' tying materials, they were created and improved upon at a far slower pace than todays modern counterparts; limited by materials available and the tiers imagination.

Once long gone, there existed a 'fraternity' of anglers who felt an obligation to use only the 'standard' patterns of the day. We hope to bring a bit of nostalgia to these pages and to you. And sometimes what you find here will not always be about fishing. Perhaps you will enjoy them. Perhaps you will fish the flies. Perhaps . . .

Part One hundred-twenty

Quill Gordon

Quill Gordon

Compiled and Tied By Thomas C. Duncan, Sr.
Photo by James Birkholm
"The first Quill Gordon was tied by Theodore Gordon, and very few changes have been made in his original dressing. Whether Iron Fraudator [currently Epoerus Pluralis] was the natural Mr. Gordon copied, I do not know, but the fly bearing his name will take fish consistently when this May fly is on the water."

The pattern is:
    Hook:   No. 12 or 14.

    Tail:   Few wisps Blue Dun barb or spade hackle.

    Body:  Quill from Peacock eye, light.

    Hackle:   Natural Blue Dun, medium.

    Wing:   Flank feather of Mandarin or Wood Duck.

Note: When the hackle is tied more heavily and the tail is fashioned of medium Elk hair, this fly is well-suited to Western waters where it has been taking Trout for a great many years. A Rusty Dun hackle is most commonly used to tie the fly. ~ Thomas C. Duncan, Sr.

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