The Classic Quill

 

  “I understand that not everyone is so lucky; a precious few have it easier, but most have it harder. I might once have said that you make that kind of luck for yourself, and in some ways you do, but it’s just as often true that people end up where they are through no fault of their own and are then faced with making the best of it.” - John Gierach

I'm old enough to know that my collection of fly fishing and fly tying books is older than most of the fly fishers that I meet on the stream.  These are classics by the best of 20th century flyfishing luminaries   such as Gordon, Skues, Jenkins, Flick, Marinaro, Schwiebert, Darbee and Dette among others. This collection contains techniques and materials that, for no good reason, appear to be heading for the dust bin of flytying history.

Size 20 Quill Spinners

It may be safe to assume that in the first half of the 20th century most dry fly bodies were made of quill and it would be safe to say that many wet fly patterns were also. But dubbing began to rule the day because it is easier to work with but dubbing can't give you the beautiful segmented effect of a well tied quill body.  The "beautiful segmented effect" may not mean shit to the trout but fly tiers liked it and it probably didn't stop trout from trying to eat it either. In short, quill bodies have a history of working AND just look soooo good when hanging from a trout's jaw!!

How To Make Them

We all have a bag of grade B and C hackle capes hanging around and they are perfect.  

1. Pull out 3 or 4 of the hackles from a cape and strip the hackle fibers from them.  Soak the hackle stems in hot water, boiling water if you like, and then keep them in the water (an hour at least) until you use them. (the water can cool.  It's ok)

2. Now, tie in the thin section of the hackle stem to the hook at the bend point and slowly wrap forward. The larger the fly (size 10 to 14) the thicker the hackle stem should be. A size 18 fly can have the thinnest portion of the stem wrapped on to it. A size 14 fly should have the thickest part on the stem wrapped onto it.

3. The fly in the photo is a size 16 wrapped with a reddish brown hackle stem.  Good segmentation is seen. The thorax is just plain old reliable brownish rabbit fur. 

One can put wings, hackle or a tail on this subsurface fly or just leave it as is.

Stay Warm

The second and third weeks of January have historically been the coldest of a New England Winter.  9 more days to Ground Hog Day!!

Ken