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

by Rusty Dunn

Wet flies were the mainstay of fly angling for hundreds of years.  Dry flies appeared only in the mid- to late 1800s, when light wire eyed hooks became available.  Whether introduction of light wire hooks enabled dry fly fishing or, alterna­tively, whether increased demand for floating flies in the late 1800s motivated inventors and engineers to improve hook manufacturing is uncertain.  Whatever the reason, wet fly fishing was the method choice for hundreds of years.  Read More

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

by Rusty Dunn

A few dozen miles southeast of London lie peaceful valleys of the Hampshire countryside, where legen­d­ary rivers such as the Avon, Test, and Itchen flow to the sea through wooded meadows of mag­nifi­cent beauty.  Fed by mineral rich springs of a “chalk” (white limestone) aquifer, the rivers support im­mense popu­lations of insects and trout.  The area is steeped in tradition, and some of angling’s finest literature sprang from its gin clear waters.  Read More