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?

Beauty

Compiled By James Birkholm


Quoting from Favorite Flies and Their Histories, "The Beauty is a fancy fly having a modest dress that would suggest use as well as attractiveness. We know but little of it further than that it is a pet fly with several successful anglers."

Beauty, as tied by Ray Bergman

Tag:  Silver tinsel.

Tail:  Guinea fowl.

Body:  Dark gray floss.

Rib:  Silver tinsel.

Hackle:  Black.

Wing:  Guinea fowl.

~ JC

Credits: Quoted portions and photo from Favorite Flies and Their Histories by Mary Orvis Marbury and published by The Lyons Press, photo and recipe from: Forgotten Flies published by Complete Sportsman.

Archive of Old Flies