Orleans Barber

[Old Hat 0]

A new addition to the fly pattern database has been submitted by Old Hat:

 

Orleans Barber

 

[Old Hat 0]

About as simple a tie as it gets. This pattern dates to the 30's/40's and originated on N. Cal's Klamath River.

[Brian Brown75 0]

Thats a good lookin fly

[Bud Guidry 0]

wonderful little fly old hat, the name got my attention

 

 

Bud

[Old Hat 0]

Thanks guys, it has a striking color scheme that I just like.

 

wonderful little fly old hat, the name got my attention

 

 

Bud

 

Thanks Bud, fly was named for a barber who lived in Orleans, Ca. and developed the fly. His name is unknown.

[Ridleyffo 0]

Look at my post on 1935-40 fly tying books. I added a pdf and a jpeg of a color plate from the 1940 Stugis book "Fly-tying" It has your Orleans' Barber pictured. I just received the book but will look for any other historical detail if you are interested.

[Old Hat 0]

Look at my post on 1935-40 fly tying books. I added a pdf and a jpeg of a color plate from the 1940 Stugis book "Fly-tying" It has your Orleans' Barber pictured. I just received the book but will look for any other historical detail if you are interested.

 

That is cool Ridleyffo. Thanks so much for sharing that. I have found reference to the fly in just a couple books, and plates in only two that I had previously known of. Your post is the oldest plate I have seen and dates to the right time. I noticed that the tail in your plate is very sparse. The other plates that I have seen have a much wider tail. Very interesting. I know that the fly was originated by a barber in Orleans but popularized and named by another. I have the name of that person but have found no name of the barber. I would love to hear what the Stugis book says about the fly.

[Ridleyffo 0]

Here is the info from"Fly-tying" by W.B. Sturgis 1940

 

The caption at the bottom of the color plate:

Steelhead flies by C. Jim Pray

Salmon Flies by Hardy Bros., Ltd.

 

I would think the plate was a for sale catalog and these were the retailers. Possibly C. Jim Pray was or was close to whomever invented it. What is the name you had for who popularized it?

 

the Orleans Barber is listed as the 14th on the selected list of steelhead flies

Where Used: Eel and Klamath Rivers

 

1940 Recipe: (as written)

Tail: "Barred Wood Duck" (mandarin), one strip.

Body: scarlet chenille

Hackle: Grey Plymouth Rock, at shoulder only.

 

Under:

Origin of Some of the Better-Known Patterns

 

"The Orleans Barber was made popular by a barber in Orleans, a small town just north of the Hoopa Valley Indian Reservation of Northern California. Many of the Indians on the Klamath River come into Eureka each year for a supply of these flies. "

 

Another plate in the book had his tying bench. Looks like he tied free hand with no bobbin. There is a mounted tool that looks like it would keep tension on an open line.

[Ridleyffo 0]

Go catch one now

[Old Hat 0]

Thanks Ridleyffo. Yes, I have Jim Pray as christening the fly in 1934 for identification and commercial purposes in honor of the Orleans barber who invented the fly and was never recorded.

[halcyon 0]

Old Hat,

Lovely job of making a simple fly look very elegant. Well done.

According to the fly fishing historian Jack W. Berryman in "Fly-Fishing Pioneers and Legends of teh Northwest" on pp. 47-48 I found the following regarding the Orleans Barber fly pattern. "Also in 1934, Pray [C. James Pray] developed the Orleans Barber for his barber friend John Berisa of that town on the Klamath."

So it would seem that the orginator is known as is the man the fly was named after along with the year of creation of the pattern.

Also, in Trey Combs first steelhead book "The Steelhead Trout", 1971 the pattern is listed exactly as you have shown it above.

Hope this of some assistance and interest.

Bruce

[Old Hat 0]

Old Hat,

Lovely job of making a simple fly look very elegant. Well done.

According to the fly fishing historian Jack W. Berryman in "Fly-Fishing Pioneers and Legends of teh Northwest" on pp. 47-48 I found the following regarding the Orleans Barber fly pattern. "Also in 1934, Pray [C. James Pray] developed the Orleans Barber for his barber friend John Berisa of that town on the Klamath."

So it would seem that the orginator is known as is the man the fly was named after along with the year of creation of the pattern.

Also, in Trey Combs first steelhead book "The Steelhead Trout", 1971 the pattern is listed exactly as you have shown it above.

Hope this of some assistance and interest.

Bruce

 

Thanks Halcylon. Wow, thanks. I figured that the info would have to come from word of mouth somewhere. My family has a ranch in Orleans and it is believed that the barber shop at the time was in the store located on the ranch. My next step was to find the name of the barber (just out of curiosity) by talking to some of the elders in the area. Now I have a name to follow. Cool. I love this site.

[Ridleyffo 0]

This is cool! It is like good detective story. Let us know what you find out.

[Old Hat 0]

Wow, thanks Cencalfly for a perfect story. You made my night.

 

 

Hi OH, I thought you might be interested in this:

 

 

I'm currently involved in a swap where we're tying some old-time Northern California steelhead flies, and what's cool is one of the swappers chose to do the Orleans Barber (I was hoping someone would choose the pattern). It's one of those patterns that has a good story to go with it like the Thor or Herniator and others. Anyway, the gentleman who is tying the flies was kind enough to send an excerpt of a story about the fly. When I saw it I thought you might find it interesting.

 

Let me know if it is too hard to read. I can pm or post the transcript.

[smallieFanatic 0]

Sweet little SH, looks like it would deadly on the trout streams.

 

 

 

Jan