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 eighty

Cardinell

Cardinell

Compiled by Deanna Lee Birkholm
Bill Chiba of Springfield, Mass., showed this fly to Paul Kukkonen of Worchester, Mass., in the late 1960's. Paul popularized the pattern by use of his films on fishing and hunting to more than 25,000 anglers and hunters per year.

Paul changed the pattern as listed below, noting "I have taken all species of trout, landlocks, Atlantic salmon, small mouth bass, large mouth bass, walleye, pike, stripers, blues and coho. This fly took a 5 pound 9 ounce brookie in Maine. I now must consider it in the top 5 streamers. I hear of many new flies every year, 99% of them are failures. This one clicked." This is a very popular pattern in southern New England.

Cardinelle
As tied by Dick Surette

    Hook:  Mustad #3665A or #9575, 4X, 5X or 6X long.

    Thread:  Hot orange.

    Body:  Fluorescent orange or fluorescent red wool body.

    Underwing:  Fluorescent nylon hair, orange or red.

    Wing:  Cerise maribou.

    Hackle:  Yellow saddles, tied back collar style and long.

    Head:  Red.

    Note: This fly has no tail or ribbing.

Credits: Information and recipe from Dick Surette's Trout and Salmon Fly Index, photo from Forgotten Flies.

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