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 fourty-nine

Grey Eagle

Grey Eagle

Compiled by Deanna Birkholm, fly tied by Paul Ptalis
If I had been able to find the Patriot fly it would be here. Lacking that, here is the closest I could find to fit the current situation. It will require a substitution unless you have 'legal' eagle, but perhaps it will allow someone to tie a fly with some special significance. The fly is thought to have originated by Mr.Murdock, this pattern per Captain J.H. Hale, from How To Tie Salmon Flies 1892.

Grey Eagle

    Hook: 7/0 antique Harrison's spring steel sprout.

    [Head: Black silk.]

    Tail: Tip of Golden Pheasant breast feather.

    Body: Lemon-yellow, pale-blue and scarlet seal fur.

    Rib: Flat silver tinsel.

    Hackle: Grey Eagle.

    Throat: Teal.

    Wings: Grey mottled turkey, set flat, (original pattern calls for brown mottled turkey).

~ DLB

Credits: Photo and text from Century End, A Fly Tying Journey by Paul Ptalis, published by Frank Amato Publications, Inc.

Archive of Old Flies