Historic English fly tying styles.

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wsbailey
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Location: Fort Wayne Indiana

Historic English fly tying styles.

Post by wsbailey » Mon Jan 02, 2023 1:40 pm

Historically there were a number of fly tying styles in England. In the nineteenth and early twentieth century information and travel were much more limited. So fishermen living in Yorkshire would have known the North Country style of flies, for example. This plate from Skues gives some idea of the different types. When reading the old books it’s helpful to note where the author was from or pursued his sport.

DA357C13-A4F2-436F-8B9D-2399E76FA1B0.jpeg
DA357C13-A4F2-436F-8B9D-2399E76FA1B0.jpeg (149.33 KiB) Viewed 14739 times
Fishnkilts
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Re: Historic English fly tying styles.

Post by Fishnkilts » Mon Jan 02, 2023 2:01 pm

That's a great bit of information. I like the flies on the plate and where they were from or fished.
Variant
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Re: Historic English fly tying styles.

Post by Variant » Mon Jan 02, 2023 2:25 pm

Bill ,
Thanks for posting the different tying styles.
I favor the very sparse Scottish tying styles of the Tummel and the Clyde.

Lou
In sport,method is everything.The more the skill the method calls for,the higher it’s yield of emotional stir and satisfaction,the higher it’s place must be in a sportsman’s scale of values. RODERICK HAIG-BROWN
chugbug
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Re: Historic English fly tying styles.

Post by chugbug » Mon Jan 02, 2023 2:39 pm

You're a treasure Mr Bailey thx for posting
wsbailey
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Re: Historic English fly tying styles.

Post by wsbailey » Mon Jan 02, 2023 3:18 pm

I’m happy to hear that my post was something people wanted to see. In regard to the Clyde and Tummel style flies; in "Scottish Trout Flies" by W H Lawrie the author wrote "It has been said that the Highlander liked two things naked - his whisky and his women - but the old Tummel fishers extended this preference to their trout flies…
RickA
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Re: Historic English fly tying styles.

Post by RickA » Tue Jan 03, 2023 9:18 am

That plate would look great framed... and a theme for a future swap.
Thanks for sharing that.
wsbailey
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Re: Historic English fly tying styles.

Post by wsbailey » Tue Jan 03, 2023 11:16 am

If anyone wants to follow RickA’s suggestion I can offer a few clues.

Hampshire: Halford
Derbyshire: Ogden, Hofland
Yorkshire: Pritt, Edmonds & Lee
The Commonplace: David McPhail
Devon: Cutcliffe
Tweed: David Webster
Clyde & Tummel: Reid
Usk & Teme: Flies of Wales by Moc Morgan might have something.
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hankaye
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Re: Historic English fly tying styles.

Post by hankaye » Wed Jan 04, 2023 11:08 am

Howdy All;

Several years ago I was prompted to find a copy of Roger Woolley's
"Modern Trout Fly Dressings".

I got lucky and found a 1st. edition from 1932. It covers a majority
if not all the styles covered in that for each fly's dressing the various
'Style" are broken down including dry versions.

hank
Striving for a less complicated life since 1949...
"Every day I beat my own previous record for number
of consecutive days I've stayed alive." George Carlin
wsbailey
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Re: Historic English fly tying styles.

Post by wsbailey » Wed Jan 04, 2023 11:42 am

Great tip hank!
DOUGSDEN
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Re: Historic English fly tying styles.

Post by DOUGSDEN » Wed Jan 04, 2023 10:41 pm

Beautiful Bill! I love this!
D.
Fish when you can, not when you should! Anything short of this is just a disaster.
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