With the exception of the Montreal, all of these flies had their
origin in the United Kingdom centuries ago. While they are a far cry
from the hatch-specific patterns that are in current use today, they
still have a long and successful track record of being effective
“fish getters”.
You may find some variations in the pattern recipes from those I
have listed here. However, most of the differences are relatively
minor, and do not seem to affect their performance. I have had the
greatest success when I tie them in size #12. Of course, there will
be instances where going up or down one size can really produce a
dramatic improvement in results.
While it can be difficult to determine exactly why the fish take
them, the trout truly seem to go for them. My best guess is that
these patterns act like emerging or egg-laying caddis. Using these
old wet fly patterns can also be an easy introduction to fishing
with tandem flies. This is a method that was once standard for fly
fishers, and is making a strong comeback in recent years.
If you are interested in tracing the histories of these, and many
other traditional wet fly patterns, I suggest that you look through
the book, “FAVORITE FLIES AND THEIR HISTORIES” by Mary Orvis Marbury
published by The Wellfleet Press in 1988. In any event, you should
at least give these old flies a try. You might be pleasantly
surprised.
~Paul DiNolo