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?

Colonel Monell

Compiled by Deanna Birkholm

"One of the earliest dryflies for salmon was the Colonel Monell, developed by and consequently named after Colonel Ambrose Monell, in 1912. The Colonel had a camp on the Upsalquitch River in New Brunswick.

It proved to be successful when tied on a No. 2x long hook.

The tying was; Plymouth Rock palmer hackled on a peacock herl, scarlet ribbed body."

Credits: Text from Fly Patterns and Their Origins by Harold Hinsdill Smedly. Photo from Forgotten Flies, published by Complete Sportsman. We appreciate use permission. ~ DLB

Archive of Old Flies