Fountains of Youth – Classic trout flies that have withstood the test of time … flies that remain “forever young”

by Rusty Dunn

The popularity of many fly-tying materials changes with time. New materials appear in the market, are popular for a few years or maybe even a few decades, but even­tually fade from use, being replaced by newer (usually better) materials. The old materials disap­pear into obscu­rity, only to be encountered later as amusing odd­ities. Try to find flies today tied of hog’s wool, sea swal­low, stoat tail, kapok, hedge­hog belly, wren tail, or mon­key fur. It won’t be easy. Each of these materials had its fifteen minutes of fame, but they are now oddball rel­ics found mostly in antique fly boxes and long-forgotten angling books. On the other hand, some tying materials have graced our hooks for cen­tu­ries. They are the furs, feath­ers, fibers, and flash whose ability to fool trout has never been surpassed. Such mater­ials that have sur­vived the most demand­ing test of all … the test of time. Read More