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Mick Hall: a chapter from the history of fly fishing. (abridged)
An old friend of mine,
John Rumpf, describes the many facets of flyfishing as being like a large
spoked wheel. The hub represents the history and theory of the art, while
the spokes represent the many directions that can be explored.
Each spoke itself can be traveled in stages. For example, nymph fishing can
be practiced until one achieves some degree of success before moving on to
another method, or spoke, such as the dry fly. But to learn most of what is
known about either ( history or theory ) — to reach the outer rim of
our wheel—will take many years of study and practice. There are so many
spokes that it would take a lifetime just to explore most of what has been
recorded by those who came before us. Hunting with flies has a delightful
written history that for me brings an extra resonance into the rivers and
valleys where I go to fish.
Ghosts of the Snowy Mountains.
A tale of some of our first flyfishing pioneers.
It is argued that trout
were first successfully released into the waters of New South Wales in the
year of 1888. It is written that the great experiment had entered another
phase when in that year Messrs. John Gale and F. Campbell of Queanbeyan imported
some 300 brown trout yearlings fromBallarat in Victoria. The liberations were
so successful that within a few years natural spawning had produced the first
native born wild trout that inhabited the waters of the Monaro and Snowy River
systems.
For the first time men with long fly rods traveled into a region practicing
an art unknown and unseen on the virgin waters of the great southern highland.
They left their footsteps and they left their dreams to drift with the wind.
All are now gone, but today their spirits reside in the shadows of those who
cast a fly on the waters they once fished.
It was a time of discovery and experiment. As an example, the fishing tackle
was a lot different than that used today; they often designed their own fly
rods, some were made of Australian spotted gum, gray gum or iron bark. Other
anglers with a little more than a moderate income, favoured the traditional
Greenheart fly rods. Often the action of a Greenheart was considered far superior
than the local materials, including split cane. Built cane fly rods with a
steel centre were new and expensive (around (6/0/0), and acceptance was slow,
due to the stiffness of action when compared with the latter.
It was the opinion of the day that tackle should be a little on the light
side so that one could obtain the fullest gratification from the pursuit of
their sport. The reels were either made of wood or brass and the fly lines
were oiled, plaited silk, available in either level or double tapered construction.
The vast majority of trout and salmon flies were imported from England from
either the House of Hardy or Ogden of Cheltenham. A number of our early fly
fishers designed their own patterns, some of which are lost, but a few patterns
are still with us today. It is interesting to note that Atlantic salmon flies
were once a favourite lure for large rainbow trout in both New Zealand and
Australia around the turn of the century. Unfortunately, little is recorded
in print of fly fishing in those early days.
One John Gale of Queanbeyan produced the first fishing book on trout fishing
in 1904, called ’Trout Fishing on the Goodradigbee River’, a simple
booklet of some thirteen pages that records a fly fishing trip into this tributary
of the great Murrumbidgee River. Some of our old newspapers tell us that there
were fly tiers/fly fishers in the colonies, for we read of the arrival on
the goldfields of Ballarat in 1849 of Alfred Ronalds and his family. Ronalds
was the author of ‘The Fly Fisher’s Entomology’, first published
in 1836, an English work that for the first time listed the insect with itsrelevant
pattern; today it has become a universally sought after classic.
During the 1860s Maria Shanklin, Ronald’s daughter, was building a reputation
as a fly tier of note and mention is made of one of her flies, The Wennel,
in The Australasian of Sept 1876. Only scanty details of the pattern is recorded,
that being an imitation of a tadpole, olive green on the back and white under.
The pattern is recommended as being “a very killing fly” for native
perch in Gippsland waters. Construction methods for these patterns have never
come to light and, unfortunately, it seems that they may be lost for all time.
Early Australian
Fly Fishers.
Even though Tasmania
and Victoria collectively had trout in their waters for over a quarter of
a century prior to their liberation in the Southern highlands. It was left
to a group of dedicated anglers in New South Wales to give us our first insight
into fishing with a fly in Australia. John Gale’s endeavours were to
earn him the title of the father of trout fishing in the Monaro. He was a
keen fly fisher and fly tier and it is written that he was still tying his
own flies at the age of 77.
Howard Joseland, Flyfisher, author, architect.
History has shown that whenever a group of dedicated people channel their
thoughts and deeds, one or two stand out and the same is with theabove mentioned.
Richard George Howard Joseland (1860-1930) was one who stood tall and has
left his mark in many ways, principally as an angler and architect. A forward
thinking man, his direction and dedication contributed to the development
of the Federation style of home, a design which is just as popular today as
it was around the turn of last century.
As an angler Joseland was active in many areas, his love of fishing in all
its branches is evident in many of his achievements. Joseland claims that
in the year of 1900 he was among the first to practice beach casting off the
reel in New South Wales. At the time he was with fellow anglers H.B. Joseland
and T. Owen at the entrance of Tuggerah Lakes. He sought and fished for most
species but fly fishing the Southern highlands of New South Wales for trout
was his true love.
Joseland’s first Australian trout was from the River Ouse on a red-tipped
Governor, consequently it was the only trout for the trip. He also writes
of a later trip taking a few trout to three pound on Devon minnows and Archer
lures and using artificial hoppers. He states that fishing the fly was slow,
being November the weather was typical of this time of the year with fine
days and cool evenings. I feel he favoured the various comforts of an English
looking Inn he had found in the vicinity, it may even have slowed down his
fishing.
A meeting between Howard Joseland and T.W. Carr, it is stated, lead to the
formation of the New South Wales Rod Fisher’s Society in 1904. Joseland
wrote a number of articles which were published in the Fishing Gazette (England),
Town and Country Journal, The Pastoralist’s Review (Sydney), Australian
Shooting and Fishing Annual and in later years, the 1927 edition of Hardy’s
Angler’s Guide and a number of editions of The Australian Sporting and
Dramatic News, until his passing in 1930.
Howard Joseland gave us the first flyfishing book written in Australia, “Angling
in Australia and Elsewhere”, published by Art in Australia Limited, Sydney,
in 1921 and today is a much sought after work for collectors of Australian
fishing literature. Joseland’s book features all aspects of angling,
from fishing with lure, fly and bait, from surf to inlet, from native species,
to his beloved wild Australian trout. The key message of this work surrounds
the mysteries and delights of fishing with a fly. In doing so Joseland gives
the reader an insight to the methods, flies, and tackle used during his lifetime.
The book was started on a trip from Sydney to England in 1907 and was 14 years
in the making. “Angling in Australia and Elsewhere”’s key mark
in history is that it was the first work to actually list a range of Australian
designed trout flies. Joseland features a list of nine recommended flies,
six of which were of his design. The list is as follows.
TABLE OF FLIES.
NOTE: I have taken the
liberty to add relevant information or comments in all cases, these are under
the heading of ‘Notes’.
JOSELAND’S FAVOURITE
(Wet Fly) Designed by H. Joseland.
BODY: Buff Seals fur, ribbed with gold twist
HACKLE: Dark Claret
LEGS: (tail) Pig’s bristle dyed claret
WINGS: Light Speckled Turkey
UNDERWINGS: Yellow Tipped with Black
NOTES: The underwing mentioned in this pattern has for years been a contentious
issue but one source quotes it as being
from the front of a mallard’s wing.
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AUSTRAL (wet fly) Designed by Howard Joseland.
BODY: Hare’s Fur, ribbed silver twist
HACKLE: Light Brown
TAIL: Light red fibres
WINGS: Light Turkey
UNDERWING: Kingfisher Blue
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BROWN ANT (wet or dry ) originator unknown
BODY: Seal’s or possum’s fur
HACKLE: Reddish Brown
NOTE: If possum is used as recommended, this pattern must be Australian, the
question is, who developed this pattern?
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HACKLE HOPPER (wet or dry) Designed by Howard Joseland.
BODY: Raffia grass over kapok
HACKLE: Partridge
UNDER HACKLE: Golden Pheasant or yellow hackle
TAIL: Claret bristles
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CLARET HACKLE (wet or dry) Designed by Howard Joseland.
BODY: Claret fur
HACKLE: Black & White (Badger)
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ORANGE WASP (wet or dry) Designed by Howard Joseland.
BODY: Black fur tipped with orange
HACKLE: Dyed orange
WINGS: Orange hackle tip
HEAD: Black Ostrich
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GREAT RED SPINNER (wet fly) An adaptation of Alfred Ronald’s Great Red
spinner.
BODY: Light red fur
HACKLE: Red
WINGS: Grizzled hackle dyed red
TAIL: Red fibres
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BLACK SPINNER (wet fly) Originator unknown
BODY: Mulberry floss silk ribbed with quill of Peacock herl
HACKLE: Black
WINGS: Grizzled hackle tips
TAIL: Stripped fibre of peacock herl
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TUROSS (wet or dry ) designed by Howard Joseland.
BODY: Gray green fur
HACKLE: Cinnamon
WINGS: Buff Orpington
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As you drift through the pages of this work, other little snippets of fly
patterns come to light such as the “Expert”, dressed as a Claret
& Mallard but with a red tip and a very dark claret fur body and hackle.
Or another, unnamed, with a peacock body, black hackle and gray wing. He also
makes note of a pattern called Ti-Tree, but gives no pattern.
Joseland also gives us the first mention of fabulous hatches of large gray
duns on the Murrumbidgee River. Reading this passage it would seem obvious
that Joseland may have been describing what we now call the Kosciusko Dun.
One paragraph from his book that must be quoted, for it arguably makes mention
of what many may call the first Australian fly, reads as follows.
One of the most killing flies is the “Bredbo” and this, I think,
may lay claim to being the first artificial locally made fly. The original
was tried at Jindabyne about 1896 by Mr C.R. Burnside and Dr. A.J. Brady,
who with myself may be said to be among the pioneers of fly fishing in Australia.
The question of whether the Bredbo is in fact the first Australian pattern
has been the cause of many a debate, as mentioned earlier, The Wennel of Maria
Shanklin precedes it by twenty years. Then again, many regard C.R. Burnside
and A.J. Brady as being the originators this pattern. Read the statement again,
Joseland states it was first tried by the above mentioned gentlemen, not tied
by them, as quoted in other works.
Joseland’s Palmers
Dry flies used during these early days were often “double hackled”,
this was achieved by placing a hackle along the body or tying extra hackles
in at the head to assist with flotation. Joseland often makes mention of palmered
flies and even gives instruction on making them, using three hackles, he would
start from the head of the fly and work backwards, tying off at the bend and
leaving the tips as tails. Although Joseland failed to leave a precise description
to manufacture his flies, there are enough details, coupled with a little
guessing, that will enable us to put the patterns together.
Joseland recommended the use of a Chinaman’s feather duster as a source
for hackles, he used coloured fur dubbing for the bodies, being dyed black,
brown, claret, yellow or red. Further reference is made of a ginger palmer
with silver tinsel body.
As early as 1906 Eastways Trout Catalogue & Guide offered for sale many
of Joseland’s patterns and brings into question just how many of our
early patterns did Joseland design, for he writes, I generally use flies of
my own making notably the Ti-tree, Red and Black wasps “Moonbah and ”bougong”
(sic) (Eastways have had Mr. Joseland’s flies specially made). The article
then goes on to quote English patterns.
Eastways describe the “Ti-Tree”, I believe, as being the same fly
as mentioned by Joseland earlier as having a black fur body, brown wing and
hackle and the “Moonbah” as having a yellow body, red tip hackle,
brown turkey wing striped with yellow and green. The catalogue fails to make
mention of a description for the “Bougong”.
Howard Joseland’s name is so deeply embedded in our history, he will
never be forgotten . He left us a legacy and an insight to the early days
of fly fishing on the Snowy River and other streams within the region and
left many clues to the patterns he developed, along with those of a few of
his friends. In future years those fly patterns that exist in name only, may
come to light in some old diary or notes that are stored away, but only time
will tell.
Based in Melbourne there is a book collectors’ society named after Howard
Joseland in honour of his book Angling In Australia and Elsewhere; they meet,
talk of fishing books and such like paraphernalia. The society’s members
are from all parts of Australia and they will ensure that the story of Howard
Joseland lives on.
With thanks:
It must be stated that I am indebted to Bob Dunn of the Antiquarian Angler
in Sydney for his help in sourcing and forwarding much of the research material
used in the preparation of this work.
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PATTERNS FOR FLIES MENTIONED
IN TEXT.
BREDBO Circa 1896
TAIL: None
BODY: Yellow floss
RIB: Oval gold tinsel
HACKLE : Brown partridge back
WING: Tied long, an underwing of golden pheasant tippets, overwing of brown
speckled hen wing quill.
NOTE: Eastways catalogue 1906 quotes a yellow body, yet other versions show
orange.
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COOMA Originator unknown Circa pre 1906
BODY: Yellow floss
RIB: Green floss
WING: Orange quill with black quill over
HACKLE: Orange
NOTE: J.M. Gillies version shows gold wire ribbing and ginger hackle
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JINDABYNE Circa pre 1905, originator unknown
BODY: Orange floss
RIB: Brown floss
WING Brown and white check partridge wing
HACKLE: Brown
NOTE: H. Jackson states (1905) this is a bee pattern. J.M. Gillies tie is
somewhat different with an orange body ribbed with
peacock herl and a wing of teal breast with red brown hackle.
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BEE FLY Circa pre 1906, originator unknown
BODY: Yellow
RIB: Peacock herl
WING: Grey Partridge wing
HACKLE: Brown
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