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Vincent Marinaro Wet Flies

Posted: Mon Nov 11, 2019 11:35 pm
by Greenwell
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I thought some of you might like to see some very rare spider flies dressed by Vince Marinaro. All Marinaro flies are quite scarce but wet his wet flies are almost unknown. Of course Marinaro, the author of A Modern Dry Fly Code and In the Ring of the Rise will forever be associated with the floating fly but during the last few years of his life he became fascinated with soft hackled wet flies after he had access to the Henry Walbran Cooper/E.A. Bennett collection of flies and materials, which included the original John Swarbrick manuscript.

The patterns here appear to be Marinaro's own although the middle one looks like a rather full bodied Partridge & Orange. Notice the long tail on the bottom fly, which appears to be Pintail flank feather fibers. It also looks like the body is Condor Quill.

This was a rather hasty photo and I hope to do the flies better justice when I get a chance to re-shoot them.

Re: Vincent Marinaro Wet Flies

Posted: Tue Nov 12, 2019 2:21 am
by Johnno
Lovely! I would have associated VM with wet flies..... :
8-)

Re: Vincent Marinaro Wet Flies

Posted: Tue Nov 12, 2019 7:04 am
by DOUGSDEN
John,
Fascinating flies from an unlikely source! I am very interested in the history behind these patterns and the man who tied them! Thank you for bringing this us! You did it well as always!
Dougsden

Re: Vincent Marinaro Wet Flies

Posted: Tue Nov 12, 2019 8:19 am
by upstatetrout
In a Modern Dry Fly Code Vince did mention that there were expert wet fly fisherman plying their trade on the Letort but that subject would require another book. I suspect his interest may have been there since the beginning of his fishing career! Very interesting subject John! And, your photography is great!

Also in his book In the Ring of the Rise Marinaro relates a story of the Greenwells Glory fly that he tied as a dry and would not float but was a definite fish catcher during a sulphur hatch. He did not remove the sunken fly but continued to fish it getting many strikes..

Looking forward to more on this subject.

Tom.

Re: Vincent Marinaro Wet Flies

Posted: Tue Nov 12, 2019 10:14 am
by Variant
Very interesting topic!
Can not wait to read more.

Thanks, Lou

Re: Vincent Marinaro Wet Flies

Posted: Tue Nov 12, 2019 11:04 am
by NJpatbee
Vince Marinaro had a big influence on the dry flies I tie and use for finicky brown trout on PA limestones and other freestone waters as well. Those soft hackle flies are a great find and it is too that we (I?) do not know of any of Vince's elaboration of the flies and fishing tactics on waters like the Letort Spring Creek.

Re: Vincent Marinaro Wet Flies

Posted: Tue Nov 12, 2019 1:05 pm
by letumgo
John - Would you have any idea what hook the top fly is tyed on? I am guessing the middle fly is tyed on a Model Perfect bend hook, and the bottom fly is a sneck bend hook. Do you agree?

Would it also be possible to get a measurement of the size of each fly (millimeters)?

What a treasure!

Re: Vincent Marinaro Wet Flies

Posted: Tue Nov 12, 2019 9:05 pm
by Greenwell
letumgo wrote: Tue Nov 12, 2019 1:05 pm John - Would you have any idea what hook the top fly is tyed on? I am guessing the middle fly is tyed on a Model Perfect bend hook, and the bottom fly is a sneck bend hook. Do you agree?

Would it also be possible to get a measurement of the size of each fly (millimeters)?

What a treasure!
Ray,

The hooks look to be:
Top fly Veniard's Wide Gape Trout, Up-eye size 12
Middle fly Veniard's Round Bend Trout, size 13 which to my eye is the most beautiful of all trout hooks.
Bottom fly Sneck Bend size 14.

E. Veniard supplied many of the English made fly hooks in the US for many years, from the late 1940's right into the 1970's. I well remember ordering their Wide Gape Trout hooks when I was a young fly tier and I still have a few left that I bought then.

Re: Vincent Marinaro Wet Flies

Posted: Wed Nov 13, 2019 6:51 am
by daringduffer
I wonder where Veniard sourced those hooks? Ought to be from Redditch but might be from different makers.
I like the top fly the most and agree on the beauty of the round bend hook.

dd

Re: Vincent Marinaro Wet Flies

Posted: Wed Nov 13, 2019 10:54 am
by redietz
Fascinating.

I can attest that wets do work on the Letort.