Tonight was a night for a visit back to the Catskills. Three of my favorite patterns were the object of my attention. Tying Catskill patterns for me is like indulging in a cross between fine art and a course in history. I’m torn between the nostalgia of the patterns, and the compulsive need to get them “right”. They all seem to be patterns that draw you in to tie them, cry to be fished and beg to simply be propped up and looked at.
You and I have the feelings concerning Catskill style flies. I do tye them and fish but I really like looking at them.
Very nice, traditional Catskill flies are beautiful and so much fun to tie.
Gene
I’m a little disappointed.
I was hoping for a video 
Beautiful ties.
SHEW!..A video? Pressure…nothing like pressure. 
Really like the quill bodied ones
Pattern name?
No particular pattern
But a good looking fly nonetheless.
I guess I’m wrong. I was thinking Cahill Quill.
In time this fly may become known as NPP. In future decades, people will post on Internet fora asking about the true name and origin of this classic, deadly pattern, the NPP. Someone will post a fascinating dissertation on the origins of the NPP, North Poppoosic Prowler. The essay will espouse that the North Poppoosic is an old and now disused name for the favorite small trout stream on an arcane group of Catskill anglers and tyers dating back to the mid- to late-twentieth century. Some fragmented descriptions of the stream and anglers will be presented, along with an anecdote or three. Links between the NPP group and famous angers of the past will be made. Suggestions as to the actual stream will be included. This will be accepted as truth for a year or two, even appearing on a glossy magazine or two. A few people will post their memories relating to the stream and the group of now semi-mythological angers and tyers. Then some clever, truth-driven researcher will stumble across this thread and another great myth of fly-tying will be shattered. For some, egg will become a facial fashion accessory. You saw it here, first!
Regards,
Ed
P.S. Beautiful fly porn guys, thanks!
Ed,
You have a flair for writing. I enjoyed reading your post. It all sounded so familar…
That fly, with a different colored hackle would be similar to a Quill Gordon, I believe.
Forced into his cabin by a heavy downpour, Byron sat at his tying bench to while the time away. He was an unknown tier, but tied well enough, he thought. What fly to tie during this fishing hiatus? A Sparkle Dun he thought. But, where did he put that fine deer hair?
Rummaging through the drawers on his desk, he spotted some old, deteriorated peacock herl. Byron noticed that the fuzz had nearly all come off the Herl stem! Inspecting the naked Herl more closely, his years of obscure tying kicked in…“why not complete nature’s job and remove all the fuzz from the herl? It might make an interesting body for a delicate dry!”
Byron finished the new fly with divided wings and hackling. The rain had stopped. He returned to the stream. It was almost too easy! Fish after fish on the new fly!
When darkness hit, Byron stopped at the old fly shop on his way to the local cafe. He told everyone in the shop who would listen of his great afternoon of catching on his new fly. “What fly was working for you?” They asked. “Oh…no particular pattern, Byron replied” and showed them his new creation. The NPP was born. It became “The Fly” used by all later that season with great success by all. Soon Byron’s fly, the NPP spread throughout the region.
Then, one day, a fisherman saw the fly in the local shop. “Oh, he said, I’ll take a couple of these variants of the Quill Gordon”…
The alert shop owner called Byron…“You got that article ready for ‘Fly Tier’ magazine on your NPP? Better cancel, I think there’s a problem.”
Nah, wouldn’t happen that way. The national magazines are all too happy to publish old flies with new names.
OK, article should be ready for Monday’s mail.
Byron, thanks for the compliment. It isn’t really a flair. Really I’m just full of <expletive deleted>.
If you had studied history closely enough you would have known that the bards and skalds of yore would never let an inconvenient bit of truth get in the way of a good story.
Next week we reveal the truth about legendary Catskill angler and fly tyer, Gordon Quill…
Ed
Mr. Quill himself!??!
By the way, would you let this individual into your local fly tying club?
