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 Ninety-eight

Supervisor

Supervisor

Compiled by Deanna Birkholm


"Joseph S. Stickney, Director of Wildlife Research of the Department of Inland Fisheries and Game of the State of Maine, former Warden Supervisor of Maine, who resides at Seco, where his wife practices Medicine, created the Supervisor. [Named after his former profession] The "Lady Doctor," named after his wife's profession, and the "Warden's Worry" are also his patterns.

    Body:  Silver ribbed with silver oval wire.

    Tail:  Red wool.

    Wing:  White bucktail topped with two light blue and two olive hackle feathers (olive outside). Sometimes tied with jungle-cock shoulders and red hackle throat."

The Supervisor was tied in imitation of a smelt - but Joseph was not a tier. Most of his flies were actually tied by Carrie Stevens, who adapted the fly and called it the Lake Supervisor. In researching this fly I found no less than 6 variations, all called by the same name.

Quoted section from Fly Patterns and Their Origins, published by Westshore Publications, Color photo from Forgotten Flies. We appreciate use permission!

Archive of Old Flies