Once every few years a very special book comes on the market. In recent years we have had an abundance of fly-fishing books that cover every aspect of the sport of fly-fishing. While many of these books have provide fly-fishers with valuable information about various aspects of the sport many of them have merely been a rehash of what has already been published elsewhere. Tying Catskill-Style Dry Flies is a truly outstanding addition to angling literature, and a substantial contribution to the history of one of the truly special places and special people that have left us a considerable legacy.
I really love fishing these fly patterns. I will have to check out "Tying Catskill-Style Dry Flies, by Mike Valla. Thank You for the heads - up on this new book!
Steven, the Elsie Darbie darby flies were dressed by Elsie. I got the pictures from Terry Hellekson, who in turn got the flies from Glenn Overton’s fly collection. Yeah, the Wonder Wax Glenn Overton. He used to hang out at the Darbee’s house as a kid.
Here’s a tie of mine, a version of the Cross Special, designed by Rube Cross. The fly, according to Rube, was not named after himself, rather the fly is a “cross” between a Hendrickson and a Cahill.
Yes. The Catskill style is different from the “Western” or modern style found in a lot of books. The hackles could get even longer, up to 2 1/2 times the hook gap. There is also an important gap at the front of the fly between the eye and the head, which sets the wing back just a bit. The tails were longer as well, from behind the eye to the end of the bend, not shank length as is typical now. The wings were tall too, something I’ve never quite fully agreed with, as tall wings make a fly prone to tipping. For my own fishing I don’t quite stick to the Catskill standard, tying a more compact dry in the style of Fran Betters.
Eric
