Tradition/Homage

[Ed Wahl]

If the Red Gods smile upon us I'll be fishing with Phil for some Brookies this weekend. Been a loooooong winter for Phil and his injured shoulder.

Since Phil is a Brookie fanatic, even has one tatooed on his leg, I picked up a batch of flies off ebay for him. These flies were from upstate New York. I figure they were tied with Brook trout in mind. And they are old. Real old.

Now, my advice to Phil, which is worth just what it cost, was to use them. Use them all. Lose them on fish, on branches, on snags, whatever. These were tied to be fished many years ago, and in my opinion to not use them would be an insult to the tier.

There were still some bits of tippet material(mono) on them when they arrived,looked like turl knots, I snipped them off and steamed the flies back to new enough condition to fish.

I told Phil it's his choice either way, use them or preserve them. I'd like to hear some other opinions on that, and I think Phil would also.

Here's a peek. They are pretty cool.

http://i13.photobucket.com/albums/a288/edfish333/Flies/flies001.jpg

http://i13.photobucket.com/albums/a288/edfish333/Flies/flies002.jpg

[Fochetti]

Oh man you have to fish those flies. Think of the history involved there, and then to catch a fish on an old school fly like that. I just purchased some ol school patterns myself off ebay to fish them with my bamboo rod, thought it would be a novel idea. Maybe I am just a dork though.

[jbird]

Ed/Phil

I wouldnt fish them personally. Those brookies arent too finicky, you can throw your regular flies at em. I would save these just as a collectors item. They are definitly well aged and look well tied.

I couldnt help but notice the one in the bottom right of the second pic is a little straightened :-) Classic!

[Scott V]

They were meant to be fished, fish them or I will come over and take them from Phil and fish them myself. That's right Phil, I am throwing down the gauntlet.

[Phil Synhorst]

They were meant to be fished, fish them or I will come over and take them from Phil and fish them myself. That's right Phil, I am throwing down the gauntlet.

:lol::lol::lol:
I accept your challenge, sir. They shall be fished.:D
Now the question is, how well will they be utilized?:-k

[Scott V]

:lol::lol::lol:
I accept your challenge, sir. They shall be fished.:D
Now the question is, how well will they be utilized?:-k

If you wear your special shorts I believe they will be utilized to their full extent. I have faith in you, or atleast your "special" shorts.:lol::lol:

[Darian]

Phil,.... I'm with jbird. I would reconsider fishing those flies as they would make a great display of what appears to be antique flies (anything tied before 1960). 8-) Looks like some classic patterns in there. Parmachene Belle, McGinty, Royal Coachman, Fish Hawk, etc. If you're going to fish them, I would choose to fish the soft hackle patterns at Red Lake. :nod:

Phil,.... It's good to have a buddy like Ed.... :D :D

[SteelieD]

Fish 'em!!!... and report back!

[jim p]

Wow, totally torn. A fly tyer that crafts flies for fishing can be no happier than when their tying works. But the history for those flies is something that could happen just once (i.e. breakoff, irretrievable and so forth).

Do both, but be sure to bring your favorite libation with you. When you catch a fish with one of the flies, raise a toast to the tyer and say "thanks, you did good work."

If you break one off or otherwise lose one, raise a toast to the tyer and say "such is fishing, thanks."

If you have 2 or more of certain pattern, just fish one and put the rest away. Unless they're working of course.

And at the end of the day, whether win or lose, put the rest away and raise a toast anyway.

Fine wine is meant to be shared among friends, and sounds like you got a good one. Go fishing.

[troutbm]

I'd fish em, But I'd fish em only when the time was right. Not just any old place but someplace special.

[Ed Wahl]

Jim P, your a man after my own heart.

A long time ago I bought a fly box at a flea market for 5 bucks. Inside it were some of these old wet flys, similar to Phil's. I made it a point to stick a fish on each and every one, it took a few seasons as I only used them on special fish, in special places.

They are now gone for the ages, but I'm still happy that they finally went the only honorable way a fly can go.

I did it as a tribute to some long ago tier, sitting at a desk tying up some dreams. It could have been any one of us, fifty or so years ago.

Cool stuff.

Ed

[jbird]

Wow, totally torn. A fly tyer that crafts flies for fishing can be no happier than when their tying works. But the history for those flies is something that could happen just once (i.e. breakoff, irretrievable and so forth).

Do both, but be sure to bring your favorite libation with you. When you catch a fish with one of the flies, raise a toast to the tyer and say "thanks, you did good work."

If you break one off or otherwise lose one, raise a toast to the tyer and say "such is fishing, thanks."

If you have 2 or more of certain pattern, just fish one and put the rest away. Unless they're working of course.

And at the end of the day, whether win or lose, put the rest away and raise a toast anyway.

Fine wine is meant to be shared among friends, and sounds like you got a good one. Go fishing.


fantastic, thought provoking post!