Old Bass Bugs, some 60 yrs old. (Pic Heavy)

[Kirk Dietrich 0]

Some of these bugs are 60 yrs old.

Enjoy ye ole bug makers...

Kirk

This is an overview pic of the bug my friend Ted Cabali lent me from his collection to photograph.

 

Bill Gallasch’s Skipping Bug tied by Bill, named by Joe Brooks. Bill was Joe Brooks personal tier. According to Lefty Kreh, Joe didn’t do much fly tying. Bill originally made these from Cedar but then began making them from balsa; he drilled a hole near the bottom and inserted/glued the hook with bucktail and chenille into the hole. When Orvis was selling them, Bill was tying them for Orvis, so, if you bought any of these from Orvis way back, you have a Skipping Bug tied by the originator.

 

The Pac Man bug tied by local New Orleanean Ronnie Leonard, who is now deceased.

 

Fayard Crippled Minnow.

 

Christy bug tied and sold by and in New Orleans.

 

Pecks poppers, the large one was tied by Accardo’s company after he bought out Pecks. The smaller one was by Pecks.

 

The label says it.

 

More Pecks poppers tied by Pecks. Bottom - Dragon Fly, Center- Cricket, Top – Grasshopper.

 

Peck’s Parker Feather Minnow tied by Pecks. This pattern was given to Peckinpaugh by a cotton broker in New Orleans named Parker.

[utyer 0]

That is a great page of history. Thanks for sharing.

[agn54 0]

Awesome stuff Kirk. Is that the same Joe Brooks who made the Brooks' Blonde? It's crazy that he didn't tie much. I guess he came up with one awesome pattern that has stood the test of time and figured that was enough.

[SILKHDH 0]

I love looking at stuff like that. I have a small museum in my basement. LOL.

Thanks, enjoyed it.

[Kirk Dietrich 0]

AGN, yes it is the same Joe Brooks. I'm curious now if Joe came up with the Blonde, like the Skipping Bug, he may have just named it or conveyed the idea to Bill who maybe then tied it. I used to work for a guy that was a guide and he tied some but didn't have much time with all the fishing he did. Often he would talk to me about an idea and have me come up with something and we would tweak it from there; could be Joe and Bill had a similar relationship.

 

SILK, that's cool, I wish I had saved stuff from back in my beginning fly days. Glad you liked the pics of the old bugs; you should maybe photo some of your bugs and post them.

 

Kirk

[ditz2 0]

As you know, I have really enjoyed the pics as well. I could be wrong I seem to remember that Helen Shaw tied some stuff for Joe Brooks. I try to read all the stuff I find on the old pioneers. Lefty, Ted Williams, Stu Apt, Joe Brooksl, Chi Chi, Zane Grey, Hemmingway.....I am sure there are a few others that I have forgotten at the moment.

[Kirk Dietrich 0]

Ditz, with Joe being one of the pioneer flyfishermen back then, I'll bet you are right about Helen having tied for him as she was well known and respected and of that era. I guess when Lefty told me Bill was Joe's personal tier, it could have been that when Joe called Bill, he could be assured Bill would tie what he wanted how he wanted it??? Not sure. I do know Lefty said that Joe Brooks rarely tied flies.

[Guest]

Great pictures. I've actually got quite a few of those bugs and have them mounted in a shadow box frame on the wall. Wouldn't think of ever using them. Sure wish I had the original cards they came on.

 

Dave

[spider4 0]

Love the the poppers. It is nice to see the old time patterns are still out there. Will have to try making some.

[FlaFly 0]

Lots of folks share pictures of their tying benches... If people have "museums" or displays of old fishing gear, I'd like to see them. I think I'll post this idea as a new thread. Look for it.

[tidewaterfly 0]

Kirk, very cool post & flies! I had some skipping bugs like those Bill Gallasch made at one time, but that's been a long, long time so can't be sure they were made by him. A local tackle shop used to sell them.

 

Back in 1989 when I first started tying commercially I had the pleasure of meeting & chatting with both Tony Accardo & Tom Eggler (Gaines) at a Fly Tackle Dealer show in Boston.

 

Both men were a pleasure to talk to & it's a shame, but it seems that there are now very few still around like them. I have to wonder what the "popper" business would have been like without what they both contributed.

[Kirk Dietrich 0]

Dave, thanks; that shadow box must be nice.

 

Spider, they'll certainly work as good as anything "new" from today.

 

Fla, gotta love the old stuff, good idea on the post I wish I had something to contribute. I was never a collector and all the stuff from my younger fly fishing days was lost to Katrina.

 

Tide, thanks. Gallasch used to tie his Skipping Bugs commercially in fact, when Orvis carried his bug, they were all tied by him, not some third world fly tier like flies today. I only met Accardo once at a "Sportsman's Show" show here in New Orleans and didn't get much time to chat with him. Tom Eggler has/had a great commercial popper.

 

Kirk

[add147 0]

The basic shape hasn't changed to much over time I do not think...Great looking flies and it is a piece of fishing history. I like the one that looks like Pac-Man...LOL...Thanks for sharing...I'd put them in a nice display frame and hang them up in your man cave!!!

[Kirk Dietrich 0]

Add147, I'd surely do that but they are just on loan for me to photograph for possible inclusion in my Bug Making Manual I'm working on. I have to return them to my friend Ted Cabali.

[add147 0]

Add147, I'd surely do that but they are just on loan for me to photograph for possible inclusion in my Bug Making Manual I'm working on. I have to return them to my friend Ted Cabali.

Well you could always say what popper? I have no idea what you are talking about! I'm just kidding...Those are very nice to see. It amazes me how folks fished back them. My Dad grew up in the Pineywoods of east Texas and he told me that they would go cut some cane and ties some string on the cane using a half hitch loop. When he was growing up he never knew what a rod and reel was. They were just poor ole country folks fishing the Sulphur River for brim, crappie, and catfish.

If would be funny to bring someone from the past into today's fishing world. They would be so intrigued with everything we have now!!!