FLYMPH FORUM

Is anyone familiar with this pattern?



They came out of a A&F Wheatley swing leaf box--with flies from the 1930s -1950s or so. I'm stumped on this one. Any thoughts?

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I’ve tried searching Terry Hellekson, Ray Bergman, Helen Shaw, and Mary Orvis Marbury books, but no luck so far. Will keep searching.

Distinctive features:
Orange floss body (perhaps silk or buttonhole twist)
White floss center band
White or cream hackle
Primrose silk tying thread
Buttonhole thread
White hackle tail

Fun puzzle Joe.

Thanks, Ray. All of the flies in the box were very well tied--these were in the same row as the mystery flies:



I'm thinking UK-something--but we will see.

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It took a second or two, but I finally noticed just how long the tails are on those flies. I love a good mystery...

Lil' Dorothy immediately jumps to my mind, save for the 'hot spot' and tail.

There is a small mayfly nymph I sometime find in my home river with a distinct white band in the center, but otherwise a tan or dark brown.

Thanks, Kevin--yeah, those Dorotheas! LOL.

I always find lots of Frankenflies and quirky stuff in old boxes--but these stopped me in my tracks because they were well tied, consistently tied, and the other flies in the box were likewise very well done--so there was something deliberate about them, which made me think somebody knew what they were doing. And I'm curious to know what the hell it is.

Looks like a creamsicle!... The trademark on the creamsicle dates back to 1937. Maybe a tyer who really, really liked them?

https://tmsearch.uspto.gov/bin/showfiel ... 6rgdh.2.22

Joe,
Do you have anymore info on the box itself? Who owned it? What part of the country? What country? Sometimes this helps to narrow down the possibilities!
Dougsden

LOL about the creamsicle.

Doug, the box came from Quebec--which as you say does give a context (and which might explain why some patterns seem to have a UK influence and others Catskill....). These look to be size 14.

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Niveker wrote: ↑Thu Jan 27, 2022 7:32 am Lil' Dorothy immediately jumps to my mind, save for the 'hot spot' and tail.

That was exactly my thought. In fact, it seemed so obvious that I decided against pointing it out.