Sylvester Nemes Soft-Hackles

[William Anderson]

There are a number of pics in the back of the latest update to the first book called, The Soft-Hackled Fly and Tiny Soft-Hackles. The pics in the back offer an array of patterns certainly designed for the Western water.

This fly is not included in that list, or any, but it's construction aligns with the "smut" patterns. It's larger and bright, but I have to think this is in that vein. On any account, it's a lovely tie.

[William Anderson]

A few more spider patterna from Mr. Nemes box.

Grouse and Gold Soft Hackle



Grouse and Brown Soft Hackle



Partridge and Gold Soft Hackle

[zen leecher]

I received some of the Syl Nemes soft hackles from Blue Ribbon. I'll have to post a picture of two of them as it seems they were tied by someone else. Nemes has a neat and tidy style I've noted in all his flies. These have a longer head. It may have been he was imitating something with a longer head but if not.....

[William Anderson]

Bill, there is quite a range in the flies I have, and it wouldn't surprise me to see some oddballs. He definitely experimented with technique and materials his entire career. How about this one. If someone can tell me what it is intended as I would appreciate it.



And this midge has the same tail but a very different construction. At least I assume it's a midge.



w

[zen leecher]

My two "oddballs" have long heads similar to what you posted.

[William Anderson]

Well I'll round this off with a beauty and a couple beasts.

This is one of the nicest of the bunch. Nearly a classic pattern but modified to something beyond whatever traditional UK pattern it derived from. One of his nicer ties.


Not elegant but probably a solid pattern.


This must have been a productive pattern, chewed up pretty good. The pheasant tail herl head is broken loose, and the body has taken a beating. Nice dubbing blend.


All right. That's all I've got to share. Please add others here if you like, or add comments regarding the flies posted. If anyone has further information on the patterns, or their lineage or just fishing comments, I'd love to hear them.

[Roadkill]

William,

The first one looks like a tie of a Light Spanish Needle.

[William Anderson]

The first one looks like a tie of a Light Spanish Needle.

Yea, it's similar, as many of his flies are, but the Light Spanish Needle is usually tied with a red silk, sometimes orange, and always with a game hackle. Sometimes a peacock head, sometimes magpie. I take your point. Most of his patterns are a contemporary, localized version of a distant UK cousin, but not close enough that I would connect the fly with the name. He's just using the kit of parts as we all do, and historic reproduction isn't a serious pursuit. It's a beautiful little fly.

This is from Lister:

13. Light Spanish Needle:
Hook: 00 (#16)
Hackle: feather from under Snipe's wing or under Starling's wing
Body: orange silk
Head: Magpie hurl
Note: capital standard fly all season through


This is from Pritt:

23. Light Spanish Needle:　
Hook: 0 (#15)
Wings: hackled with a feather from inside a Jack-Snipe's
wing, or from the breast of a young Starling
Body: crimson silk
Head: Peacock hurl


This is from Turton:

69. Winter Brown: (October and November)
Wings and Legs: Woodcock’s under-wing feather
Body: bright orange silk, headed with Magpie’s tail green feather
Silk: orange

Everything I know about Nemes I gleaned from his books, but it would be great to hear from someone who understood more of his personality how these flies fit into his overall approach. If someone were routing through my boxes after I passed they would find all kinds of stuff, historic flies, adapted versions, experiments that never got fished, flies spanning from my first attempts at tying and voids were all my best flies were and are no longer in the boxes. The story would be misinformed at best.

[Roadkill]

William,

I don't know how the darkest part of a brown owl's wing is colored but IMO that fly looks like the fly posted in Nemes Two Centuries of Soft-Hackled Flies as the Dark Needle from The Fishing Gazette. I called it Light based on the Color of the Hackle used. I readily admit that I can't keep track of the multitude of UK naming conventions with the change of one shade or origin of feather.

[William Anderson]

Bill thanks for looking that up. I'll admit recently I've read (mostly) books 1-3...but my copy of two centuries is very dusty. =). I wonder if all the ambiguity were removed from all those historic UK dressing names if part of the fun would be lost.