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?

Jungle Cock

By Alec Stansell, Cape Cod, MA
The Jungle Cock is a particularly beautiful classic bass fly; and it's always nice to have an appropriate use for those Jungle Cock body feathers! It was first tied by C. F. Orvis in 1879 and his daughter tells us that it "ranked high among the favorites." It is indeed a killing fly. Let's tie one!

Jungle Cock

    Hook: Mustad 80300BR size 10.

    Tail: Black, scarlet red, and mottled brown slips.

    Body: Yellow floss.

    Ribbing: Green thread.

    Wing: Cock Pheasant, Jungle Cock body over.

    Hackle: Yellow.

    ~ AS

About Alec:

Alec Stansell lives and fishes on Cape Cod Massachusetts. In the 1990's he owned and operated Port City Fly and Tackle in Portland Maine. He is a founding member of The Samuel Tisdale Society, a club of Northeastern warmwater fly anglers that meet several times a year to enjoy fishing and food. He is currently writing a book entitled Tying and Fishing the Classic American Bass Fly. You can reach him at alec@favoriteflies.com ~ EA

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