Culture and Economy Change the Fly
The gorgeous salmon fly was born in Ireland, spread to Britain, reached the peak of its popularity at the end of the 19th century and then was on the decline. In the 20th century Pryce-Tannatt tried in vain to revive it. I am afraid that no one can change the trend of times. Since then the gorgeous salmon fly has never come back to Britain.
The fly made in the 20th century can be described in a word as tied in a pragmatic fashion. Needless to say, it reflects the American trend that spread all over the world after the world war two when America became the biggest power in the world.
The salmon fly is greatly influenced by the economic power of the day, as is true of prawn, which gives an image to the salmon fly. The salmon fly made dramatic development in Britain when Britain became the biggest economic power we have ever seen in the history and in possession of most wealth in the world. Prawn, expensive food, also tends to come together to the economic centre of the day, London and then New York.
I Admire the Beautiful Fly
"Any fly will do as far as we can get fish with it", this view did not have its origin in this century but exists in any time. Some decades before the gorgeous salmon fly was highly admired in Britain, Francis Francis had already been disappointed with such a view, saying "What a pity trend it is!" Today at the end of the 20th century, most flies are far from beautiful or pretty in Japan or America. So I am sure that many of fly fishing lovers as well as Francis Francis must have some doubts about what the fly is or what figure it should have.
Anglers used to enjoy catching fish as the game of fly fishing which had strict rules. But now we often see new types of flies that could not be imagined at that time. It is not uncommon that all except for the real baits or lures are accepted as flies. I cannot agree with this passive approach at all.
It is very natural, however, that once a certain trend is widespread the opposite idea appears. As the exclusively functional fly has spread, a desire to long for the most beautiful fly has grown.
I want to make a beautiful fly. I want to get fish with my beautiful fly.-- If an angler has got such an idea, if he learns about the history of the beautiful fly, if he sees splendid flies in the past that were made in the same idea as his, he will dedicate himself to searching for the world of the beautiful fly.
At the beginning of 1980's I was just such an angler. Since my first fly fishing I have admired the beautiful fly of both dry and wet genre. I also wanted to cast my fly line beautifully to make all the process of fly fishing beautiful. Since I saw the classic salmon fly for the first time I have long dreamt of tying it on my own, catching fish with it and finally Atlantic salmon some day.
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| September Blue Old Limerick 7/0 |
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At first I used my fly to fish for steelhead. I tied it slowly and cautiously and put it in my fly box gingerly. Steelhead was the fish of my dream at that time. Therefore it was a big problem for me what fly should be used to catch it. All the flies introduced in the handbook for steelhead that I happened to have were not good enough to catch my dream fish at all. However carefully I looked at the flies there, I did not feel like making one. The only good point the handbook taught me was that all the flies for Atlantic salmon were also suitable for steelhead. I followed this advice and tied my flies. Fortunately, I could make a great success.
Steelhead, which bites any fly, can be called a welcome fish for anglers. Some anglers think that any fly will do to catch steelhead, whereas others want to catch it with the perfect fly. As you know, I belonged to the latter type and I was totally mad about making the fly, which was really suitable for getting this beloved fish. I felt really happy to land it with my beautiful fly in its mouth.
Cherry salmon was also the fish of my dream, so my fly for it had to be beautiful as well. Those flies without a sense of beauty or those with weight in them were not acceptable at all. Using those flies seemed to me to insult fish, that means to make my fly fishing superficial. Later I was deeply moved to tie the fly for Atlantic salmon, which I had most adored for a long time.
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| Dream Tactics Old Limerick 8/0 |
The Classic Salmon Fly
Nowadays the gorgeous salmon fly I mentioned at the beginning is called classic. In the light of practical viewpoint of attracting and catching fish, there is no doubt that even the hook is the valuable cultural heritage. Moreover, not only excellent technique but also a lot of time and money are necessary to make it. Therefore, it is quite natural that it is admired but avoided from the ordinary fishing. However, passion and ideas, which a lot of anglers had given to their flies for many years, never disappeared but have been sleeping in their pattern lists with matchless beauty.
I began to tie salmon flies following the pattern lists in the available books. They were good enough to get steelhead but further questions were raised one after another as I knew the beauty of the fly and also a hint of death hidden in it. I was absorbed in looking up the old fishing literature but there was no answer. On the contrary, I had more questions. I realized that I could not solve the problems without looking up the original texts. Then I asked many acquaintances to help me.
Soon I was astonished to read some of original texts I fortunately got. I was awed by the fact that there was such supreme world more than a hundred years ago. Splendid illustrations in the texts (there was no photo in those days) were formidable beyond my description. As I read a huge number of pattern lists my energy welled up in me. I had never felt such a tremendous energy. I was just in the mood to reproduce these patterns at any cost.
I want to see these flies! Flies only kept in these pattern lists! I knew the only way was to tie them on my own.
Fortunately, Mr. Alan Bramley, the then director of Partridge of Redditch in Britain, promised at my request to reproduce the hooks used in the 19th century. He also guided me to famous rivers in Scotland. Furthermore, Mr. James Hardy, my old acquaintance, lent me "The Salmon Fishing" by J.J. Hardy, the last book unavailable for me, when I dropped by his factory. Thanks to them, I could reproduce approximately 500 salmon flies in two years. I tied them at unbelievably high speed and I was never tired of tying for a minute. I read over twice as many patterns as I tied. While reading the pattern books I selected patterns which were characteristic of both the trend of the times and the mind of the author as well as which were surely considered to get a lot of fish.
By looking at each of a huge number of flies that I reproduced I could find how anglers in those days thought about the fly, what was the excellent fly and what was the beautiful fly.
Then I could also imagine each angler's skill through his flies. I was impressed to know that the fly really tells us not only angler's philosophy but also his character.
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