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 fifty

Jane Craig Streamer

Jane Craig Streamer

Compiled by Deanna Birkholm
From Streamer Fly Tying & Fishing by Joseph D. Bates, Jr., "This is one of the earliest and best known of the Maine streamers. It was originated by Mr. Herbert L. Welch, of Mooselookmeguntic, Maine, and name in honor of Jane Craig, a vaudeville actress of the team of Dalton and Craig, which toured the Keith Circuit when this fly was originated in about 1923. Mr. Welch later dressed the fly with yellow hackles and named it the Yellow Jane Craig. The white version was dressed to imitate a smelt. The yellow adaptation was designed to give the fly greater visibility on dark days or in discolored water. Mr. Welch considers saddle hackles vastly superior to the heavier neck or shoulder hackles because they make a more streamlined fly and give better action in the water."

Jane Craig Streamer (as dressed by the originator)

    Head: Black.

    Body: Medium flat silver tinsel.

    Throat: A small bunch of white hackle fibers.

    Wing: Six white saddle hackles.

    Topping: Seven or eight strands of bright green peacock herl, as long as the wing.

    Cheeks: Jungle cock.

~ DLB

Credits: Photo from Forgotten Flies by Paul Schmookler and Ingrid V. Sills, published by the Complete Sportsman. Text and recipe from: Streamer Fly Tying & Fishing by Joseph D. Bates, Jr., published by Stackpole Books.

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