Once Upon A Time

WHAT'S IN A NAME ?

What Is Royal ?

how many variations ?

FROM HUMBLE BEGINNINGS

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..Once upon a time it seemed possible to catalog all the known flies for fishing.
.. In 1984 "Perrault's Standard Dictionary Of Fishing Flies" was self published. It listed over 16,000 patterns and was mostly alphabetized.
.. There are copies available all over the place. Google it and buy one if you choose. It is a minor bit of fly fishing history.

COACHMAN

.. Once upon a time fishing with a fly was still a new and novel pastime that was outside the mainstream of culture in England, Scotland and the United States.
.. Once upon a time individual fly patterns became famous and dominated fly fishers' boxes in all waters, (even the salt and elsewhere.)
.. Once upon a time names were as magic as the flies that they referred to.
.. Such is the name "COACHMAN." Since it's first mention between 1800 and 1815, and it's original variation the Lead Wing Coachman in 1830, (or so,) the moniker has attached itself to a myriad of variations on the theme.

LEADWING COACHMAN

.. The theme is simple enough: a bit of brown and/or black hackle wrapped in front of a peacock hurl body. These elements plus idiosyncratic additions will produce millions of references and patterns when searched on the web.
.. By 1984 the Coachman variations in Perrault's tome numbered nearly 200. Today there are probably twice that number floating around the fly world; given the ego maniacal bent of each generation of fly tiers.

STANDARD DICTIONARY

..  Once upon a time, (not too many years ago,) the neighbors decided to try to replicate all the flies detailed in the 1984 dictionary.
.. The recipes are detailed in the most spartan manner but, are adequate for a more than reasonable facsimile.
.. The neighborhood project has reached the nearly the half way point. There are now 96 specimens. 
.. It took no great pressure for the assembled hoard to convince us to undertake a series of posts that highlight these flies.
.. Periodically, as time and images allow, the flies and their names, (as recorded by Perrault,) will be posted here.
.. Since the project is ongoing, and since the flies exist in various locations, this will of necessity be a herky-jerky process.
.. Of course these names and recipes will not match your idealized names or recipes. Such it is in the world of "ONCE UPON A TIME."

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Fan Wing Royal Wulff

Hook:  # 6-20.

Thread: Black.

Wing: White Calf Body Hair; divided.

Tail: Dark Moose Hair.

Rib: Fine Copper Wire.

Body: Peacock Herl and Red Floss.

Hackle: Brown Rooster Hackle.

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Fan Wing Royal Coachman
Hook:  # 6-20  

Thread: Black. 

Tail: Golden Pheasant Tippets. 

Wings: White Duck Flats. 

Body: Peacock Herl/Red Floss/Peacock Herl. 

Hackle: Coachman Brown (dark brown)

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LadyCoachman
Hook:  # 6-20  

Thread: Black. 

Tail: Golden Pheasant Tippets. 

Wings: Mallard Wing Segments. 

Body: Peacock Herl/Yellow Floss/Peacock Herl. 

Hackle: Yellow Starling Fibers Beard.

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RED TAIL COACHMAN

.. Three down, ninety three to go. It's warming up and lunch is done. 16°F might just be today's high.

.. No nap time. More reels and lines to fiddle with.
.. Only six inches of dry fluff last night and another two or three feet due for the next week or so. Good for the fish.

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WALLPAPER:  SOURDOUGH BOULE