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 seventy

Scarlet Ibis

Scarlet Ibis

Compiled by Deanna Birkholm
This is a fly familiar to many because of it's use on various fly catalogs and fly-shop logos and names over the years. The actual origin seems hard to find. (If you have it, I'd be glad to include it here.) This fly is also known as the Red Ibis. There is a whole series of 'Ibis' flies, all appeared at the turn of the 1900s, the victorian era. Each was tied in part from feathers of the various Ibis birds. The White Ibis was the second most popular fly of the group.

This is the pattern, tied by Don Bastian.

Scarlet Ibis

    Tag:   Gold tinsel.

    Tail:   Scarlet.

    Body:   Scarlet floss.

    Ribbing:   Gold tinsel.

    Hackle:   Scarlet.

    Wing:   Scarlet.

    Head:   Black.

Scarlet Ibis

Here is a very wet variation of the Scarlet Ibis, which is credited to Mary Orvis Marbury, and tied by Paul Rossman:

Scarlet Ibis

    Tag:   Fine oval gold tinsel and pale green floss.

    Tail:   White and scarlet fibers.

    Butt:   Black ostrich herl.

    Body:   Red mohair.

    Ribbing:   Silver tinsel.

    Wing:   Scarlet Ibis.

    Hackle:   Scarlet Ibis.

    Head:   Red mohair.

Credits: Information and photos from Forgotten Flies, we appreciate use permission. ~ DLB

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