Tony's Gems by Anthony Smith

While I was recently contemplating which Aerosmith CD to listen to, one disc in particular grabbed my attention. However, it wasn?t because I craved some smash hit or tune on it, but rather because it reminded me of something that we classic salmon fly tiers often encounter in the classic books, thus inspiring this article. You see, the particular CD is titled ?Gems?. It is a compilation of various Aerosmith songs that never quite made it into the limelight, but are nonetheless admirable or unique compositions in one way or another- their obscurity sparking intrigue among fans. As I looked at the name of each song it brought to mind the fact that many salmon flies are in the same boat. These flies go virtually unrecognized by many tiers as they thumb through a book in pursuit of the popular Rangers, Jocks, Doctors and Barons, just as a music fan may only pay attention to an album?s hits.

For one reason or another, I?ve found that obscurity kindles delight in my fly-tying? ?Traherne?s Wonder? is probably my favorite classic! I have found much satisfaction in straying from the popular and exploring the lesser known, separating myself from the mainstream. This isn?t to say that I don?t admire Green Highlanders and Dusty Millers, I?m just saying that there are countless other flies of equal magnificence and challenge waiting to be recognized. From the Golden Age we can retrieve a Penpergwm Pet or Ike Dean, while further back we may stumble on Tolfrey?s Switcher or Ephemera?s Ondine. I don?t know about you, but just the names of these flies is a breath of fresh air- but even in their heyday the latter two were likely concealed by the smog of popularity surrounding the (then) newly-conceived Jock Scott. Of course at that time it was more important as to what was hooking salmon rather than variety. However, from a contemporary view of mere art and admiration, we may be more free to bid ?the oddities? due homage.

Readers may also find variations and unnamed patterns within the classic texts. For instance, Kelson noted that a common variation of the "Smith" was to construct the body of flat silver tinsel instead of oval, or that a variation of the Tri-Colour, dressed with a throat of red golden pheasant breast and white wings, is known as "The Killer". In the chapter following the fly dressings, Mr. Kelson describes a fly he dressed one night when he was unable to sleep. It is certainly unusual, containing goat?s beard manes and numerous body sections and a wing unlike any conventional fly of his time. Kelson, writing for the Gazette and Land and Water also made mention of popular fly variations of the time. These included dressing a Jock Scott with seal fur body and containing different wing components, and also a married wing Chatterer.

Embracing these ancient diversities, we will find an array of interesting deviations from the norm. Instead of wool or herl butts, there is chatterer hackle (Ike Dean), some patterns call for two different hackles wound simultaneously up the body (Una), two entirely different feathers back-to-back as underwings (Lion), tinseled heads (Harlequin), wool tags (Lee Blue) and flies with two sets of horns (Duchess). Don?t forget the maned flies such as Owenmore, with "manes" of goat?s beard or mohair veiling the top of the body. Winding a butt of three or four chatterer feathers- each daintier than a #30 dry fly hackle and must be doubled- in neat and compact turns may tap into your patience reserves. Or, have you ever tried stacking two sets of horns in the arched, over-the-top fashion? Looks particularly fine when finished, and you?ll probably feel worthy of a job as a brain surgeon!

To round things off, and maybe switch gears from the complex and gaudy while still being classic, there are the simpler flies like the Abinger. Such flies may be simpler, but certainly aid in honing your skills with bronze mallard, etc. I believe Syd Glasso was a model well-rounded classic tier, as the flies by him that I?ve observed wholly encompass the variety set forth in the old books.

Oftentimes I have looked at a dressing, and to my mind?s eye, the fly seemed unappealing, only to have my mind changed after having tied it. Envisioning the fly by mere imagination may not do it justice, so tie one even if you have doubts, and maybe you?ll be pleasantly surprised. Just as in other areas of life, things don?t usually turn out as imagined.

Never mind flies that have been ignored despite being published, but how about old, undocumented patterns? In the realm of classics, could there be any flies that were never cataloged? Thumbing through the hundreds of patterns in the most popular texts, one might not think so. How could Kelson, in his omniscience, ever have missed a dressing from anywhere in the United Kingdom, or how could Hardy?s catalog not list every fly known to man? Well, how have modern scientists missed the hundreds of new species discovered each year? They don?t necessarily go looking for new species, but rather "happen upon" them when exploring some out-of-the-way territory. Some may exist right under the nose of science, yet have been passed over because of the overwhelming presence of other, more established species. This is similar to all of the "other" classics going unnoticed in the presence of Doctors, Ranger and Jocks.

Usually found in old fly wallets, old, unnamed flies flies provide some mystique to the fly dresser?s experience. Looking through antique fly boxes and wallets in anticipation of such treasures, one is occasionally rewarded with beholding a fly that was perhaps only familiar to the locals in an out-of-the-way village where the wallet?s original owner lived. Did they have a name for it? Was it one-of-a-kind, the result of a spontaneous mid-winter brainstorm while restocking the fly boxes? Was it perhaps a mainstream pattern dressed in variance due to lack of original materials? Many of the encountered unnamed patterns bear no resemblance to any particular documented classic. The flies may resemble Irish or Victorian style, but remain otherwise obscure. For example, there exists one unnamed antique, clearly of Victorian influence, yet bearing no resemblance to its contemporaries, particularly in the fact that this one fly contains quetzal in the tag, underwing and throat. There exists another exhibiting multiple joints which are both butted with hackle and veiled with feathers back-to-back. These flies have recently been dubbed ?unnamed Blacker flies? as some experts agree that the originals both resemble and coincide with Blacker?s time and gaudy style. Who know for sure? That?s what make is all the more appealing!

Today, nearly every fisherman carries their own hybrid or original "special" pattern not found in any text or fly shop, and it is safe to assume that this is not a new practice. Some flies as such may have names, but never "make it big". On one occasion, there was a fly wallet that contained a caption on one of the pages, stating "Malloch?s 3 Fancy Flies" of which only one was present. Still no text nor person has identified it, despite Malloch?s fame.

In this age of artistic, and increasingly radical, salmon fly tying, it seems that the classics of our heritage are falling by the wayside, even the most popular dressings. While creativity is a wonderful endeavor, we may be losing sight of our roots and the vast array of historical patterns. Some may argue I am using the past as an anchor, that is not true- this article is merely a reminder that, to contemporary tiers, there remains unexplored territory of salmon fly history which holds some exciting discoveries. So if you are looking for something "different", pay a little homage to the flies lost to history...you may even use the past as a rudder, finding some "new" ideas to incorporate into your creative patterns.

In any event, I hope that the next time you crave the classic salmon fly, this article might inspire you to give a second glance to the gems that have been playing second fiddle. It seems like as in the music business, only the chart-toppers stand out, but there exists other admirable, unique and challenging compositions. With this article in mind, I have proposed to John the idea of launching a page from his site in which I will choose a ?gem? (either from a classic book or antique fly wallet) that all interested can tie and contribute their photo to, and we can have a gallery and admire/discuss each other?s work and share techniques and ideas on tying that particular pattern. I feel this will be interesting for 2 reasons: We will see an array of classic patterns that people might not otherwise tie, and it may encourage others to delve into the realm locating old, unnamed patterns. I look forward to seeing everyone?s contributions and he information we may be exchanging!