Fountains of Youth – Classic trout flies that have withstood the test of time … flies that remain “forever young”
by Rusty Dunn
Hundreds of thousands (perhaps millions) of unique fly patterns have been designed over the centuries, but the vast majority of them are like icebergs in an ocean. They draw great attention when born but, after drifting around for a while, their significance declines, and they eventually disappear. A fortunate few reappear later with fashionable new names, but most are never heard from again. Only the best flies persist in our fly boxes for decades, and only the best of the best last for centuries. Such flies have survived the most rigorous test of all: the test of public opinion. In a world driven by survival of the fittest, they are Darwin’s timeless champions. Space in your fly box is precious habitat, and it is where great trout flies live. Trout, of course, are the ultimate judges of fly effectiveness, and those that remain popular for centuries have survived for good reason. You would be wise to give them some stream time, for they will be catching trout long after you have shuffled off this mortal coil.
‘Palmer’-style flies have been largely unchanged for over 350 years. Their defining feature is a widely-spaced spiral of hackle wrapped along the entire length of a hook shank. Most Palmers are wet flies, and angling authors through the centuries uniformly praise their trout-catching abilities. Few of these authors, however, agree on what Palmers imitate. Some suggest caterpillars or woolly bears. Others propose baitfish or insect nymphs tumbling in the drift. G.E.M. Skues credited their prowess to the “buzz” of hackle, whose movement gives an impression of struggling insects. Whether Palmers imitate insects, baitfish, or are simply optical illusions matters little, because the opinions of those who matter most – the trout – are unanimous: Palmer flies are a good tasty meal.
The term “palmer” originated in the 1300s, but how the word came to be associated with fly fishing is uncertain. English pilgrims to the Holy Lands were known as “palmers” in the Middle Ages, because they tradition-ally returned home with a palm branch or leaf to mark their pilgrimage. Evangelical pilgrims wandered about Europe preaching the gospel, and “palmer” grew to be synonymous with an itinerant lifestyle, not only of Christian pilgrims but also of creatures great and small. Caterpillars, for example, were called ‘palmer-worms’ by the 1500s. One theory for the origin of ‘Palmer flies’ is that they were tied to imitate palmer-worms. Palm trees are absent from the cold climates of northern Europe, but Christian clergy at the time used branches of local trees in lieu of palm fronds for religious ceremonies. Pussy willow was a favorite, and a second theory for the origin of ‘Palmer flies’ is that they look like the hairy, furry catkins of pussy willow branches.
Although the linguistic origin of Palmer flies is uncertain, the timing is not. Thomas Barker described the first Palmer fly in The Art of Angling (1651). Barker’s book is historic, for it is the first to give explicit instructions on how to tie an artificial fly. Earlier books contained lists of the ingredients for artificial flies, but none described the appearance of finished flies or gave instructions on how to tie them. Barker’s ‘Winged Palmer Flie’ was the very first fly in the very first book to have an instructional narrative. Palmer-style flies continue today in the form of Woolly Worms, Woolly Buggers, English Bumbles, Bivisibles, and many others. The term ‘palmer’ is today used more often as a verb to describe the act of wrapping hackle spirally along the length of a hook shank.
Barker described five Palmer flies in The Art of Angling. The great entomologist Alfred Ronalds described them as ‘a good fat bait”, one that is “never totally out of season“. Materials have evolved, and the names have changed, but the basic profile of a Palmer fly remains true to Barker’s original. Try one on your next pilgrimage in search of trout. Once you experience Palmer magic, you might become an itinerant trout-fishing evangelical yourself.
Copyright 2020, Rusty Dunn
Red Palmer
Barker described both Red and Black Palmers. His Black Palmer has a black body, silver tinsel, and black hackle.
| Hook: |
Heavy, long-shank, wet-fly hook, #8 – #14 |
| Weight: |
An underbody of wire (optional) |
| Thread: |
8/0 or 6/0, color to match the body |
| Body: |
Blood-red wool or dubbing, long in fiber |
| Rib: |
Flat gold tinsel |
| Hackle: |
Natural red hen hackle or schlappen (tail feathers of a rooster). Strip the hackle barbs from one side of the stem before wrapping. |
Red Palmer
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Last Updated: December 17, 2020 by Drew Kasel
by Rusty Dunn
Hundreds of thousands (perhaps millions) of unique fly patterns have been designed over the centuries, but the vast majority of them are like icebergs in an ocean. They draw great attention when born but, after drifting around for a while, their significance declines, and they eventually disappear. A fortunate few reappear later with fashionable new names, but most are never heard from again. Only the best flies persist in our fly boxes for decades, and only the best of the best last for centuries. Such flies have survived the most rigorous test of all: the test of public opinion. In a world driven by survival of the fittest, they are Darwin’s timeless champions. Space in your fly box is precious habitat, and it is where great trout flies live. Trout, of course, are the ultimate judges of fly effectiveness, and those that remain popular for centuries have survived for good reason. You would be wise to give them some stream time, for they will be catching trout long after you have shuffled off this mortal coil.
‘Palmer’-style flies have been largely unchanged for over 350 years. Their defining feature is a widely-spaced spiral of hackle wrapped along the entire length of a hook shank. Most Palmers are wet flies, and angling authors through the centuries uniformly praise their trout-catching abilities. Few of these authors, however, agree on what Palmers imitate. Some suggest caterpillars or woolly bears. Others propose baitfish or insect nymphs tumbling in the drift. G.E.M. Skues credited their prowess to the “buzz” of hackle, whose movement gives an impression of struggling insects. Whether Palmers imitate insects, baitfish, or are simply optical illusions matters little, because the opinions of those who matter most – the trout – are unanimous: Palmer flies are a good tasty meal.
The term “palmer” originated in the 1300s, but how the word came to be associated with fly fishing is uncertain. English pilgrims to the Holy Lands were known as “palmers” in the Middle Ages, because they tradition-ally returned home with a palm branch or leaf to mark their pilgrimage. Evangelical pilgrims wandered about Europe preaching the gospel, and “palmer” grew to be synonymous with an itinerant lifestyle, not only of Christian pilgrims but also of creatures great and small. Caterpillars, for example, were called ‘palmer-worms’ by the 1500s. One theory for the origin of ‘Palmer flies’ is that they were tied to imitate palmer-worms. Palm trees are absent from the cold climates of northern Europe, but Christian clergy at the time used branches of local trees in lieu of palm fronds for religious ceremonies. Pussy willow was a favorite, and a second theory for the origin of ‘Palmer flies’ is that they look like the hairy, furry catkins of pussy willow branches.
Although the linguistic origin of Palmer flies is uncertain, the timing is not. Thomas Barker described the first Palmer fly in The Art of Angling (1651). Barker’s book is historic, for it is the first to give explicit instructions on how to tie an artificial fly. Earlier books contained lists of the ingredients for artificial flies, but none described the appearance of finished flies or gave instructions on how to tie them. Barker’s ‘Winged Palmer Flie’ was the very first fly in the very first book to have an instructional narrative. Palmer-style flies continue today in the form of Woolly Worms, Woolly Buggers, English Bumbles, Bivisibles, and many others. The term ‘palmer’ is today used more often as a verb to describe the act of wrapping hackle spirally along the length of a hook shank.
Barker described five Palmer flies in The Art of Angling. The great entomologist Alfred Ronalds described them as ‘a good fat bait”, one that is “never totally out of season“. Materials have evolved, and the names have changed, but the basic profile of a Palmer fly remains true to Barker’s original. Try one on your next pilgrimage in search of trout. Once you experience Palmer magic, you might become an itinerant trout-fishing evangelical yourself.
Copyright 2020, Rusty Dunn
Red Palmer
Barker described both Red and Black Palmers. His Black Palmer has a black body, silver tinsel, and black hackle.
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