We have all been presented with the question, "Which came first, the chicken or the egg?" I'm certain that I know but since I was not there my belief is only a theory. Much of what we believe is at best based on speculation, especially when it concerns things that cannot be reproduced.

In fly fishing, at least among angling historians, there is a discussion about the origins of fly fishing, and more to point, the origins of dry fly fishing. Pouring over musty old tomes they attempt to assign meaning to words that are written in languages that have long been lost to the mists of time. They extrapolate time lines, they assign dates and they devise a theory. They give us a neat package all tied up with referenced footnotes but the question still remains, which came first?

On May 31, 2014 FAOL lost a good friend and a frequent contributor; Tom Deschaine.

Tom contributed many articles on fly tying, fly tying history, especially on fly tiers from Michigan, and many recipes.

My last communication with him was on April 17, 2014 when he sent me his last article – The Collared Caddis. This was a pattern that he had been working on for several years and he concluded his description of the fly with these words: "Over my thirty some years of fishing and tying I have created many productive fly patterns. Some have been moderate successes and some have been better than moderate successes. Yes, some have been complete flops! But this fly – this is the magic!"

FAOL and the fly fishing fraternity have lost a great friend. All of us at FAOL extend our condolences to his family and many friends.

I would presume that all of the readers of this column are planning to do some fishing in the coming months. Many of you have probably already spent more than a few hours wetting a line, but it's never too late to review a few basis safety tips. Each year here in Montana a few folks head out for a day of fishing and never come back. It can happen to you unless you listen up and practice a few simple safety tips each time you head out to your favorite fishing spot.

If you fish the saltwater then you are very familiar with what bait minnows are in season and where they should be found. Furthermore the savvy saltwater angler learns about the baitfish that the gamefish feed on, how they swim, at what depth of the water column they are generally found and if they school or are found as singles. In this column we will discuss four of the minnows that I have found to be effective in Florida and patterns that I use to imitate them. I will list the scientific name for each baitfish that I cover, just like in trout fishing where a single Mayfly can be known by several different common names the same is true with baitfish minnow they all have several different names depending on the part of the country you are from.

I have always been generous about giving people flies that I tie. I was fortunate enough to have had other generous fishermen do the same for me as I was learning my craft so it just seems a natural thing to do when the occasion arises. Many times the act will result in an order for more of the same later on so that can be a bonus when it occurs. I never realized that this rather mundane act of kindness (and potential business) might one day have such huge ramifications for me.

Tom was a retired biology instructor who hailed from Westland, Michigan.  He had over 30 years experience on the water and at the bench.  Tom was a historian of old Michigan dry flies and their creators. His flies, tying tips and articles have appeared in such publications as American Angler, Fly Tyer, Flyfishing & Tying Journal, Trout Fisherman and Cedar Sweeper.

Tom has many patterns that are not listed here, but these are the Fly of the week articles from Tom on FAOL.

For this issue's fly of the week Neil has chosen Sunset Sulfur. Think of Tom the next time you try one of these.

The Briar Creek that I grew up near was the epitome of a perfect wild brook trout stream. A fact that was not contemplated during my youth yet became painfully obvious when I became an adult and started to travel the country. It was a true rarity. A jewel of the outdoors that not only was in its prime as I knew it, but was also vastly left alone by local fishermen. It was perfection within the trout world, and the best of trout streams to a 12 year old boy with a hand-me-down fly rod and a tin of wet flies. To that boy, it was water equal to any of those found in the pages of magazines, with brookies so brilliant and plentiful that no rival was possible. At least in my young mind it was so.

This is the only day in about 13 days that I can be on a pond; an experience not to be missed. So the 1 weight and a boo rod get into the truck. I had a fly box that had some patterns that I had found this winter and tied. This seemed to be a good time to try them.

I headed to a pond that I have received an invitation to fish. The owner takes some bass out and wants panfish taken out to help balance the pond. I am happy to help him. He did tell me when I saw him that some other folks would be coming out to the pond