Hi folks, I aquired a book recently " Trout Flies of Shropshire and the Welsh Borderlands" by Michael Leighton from a kindly member of the forum. This has led to the discovery of some new (to me) flies...Abergavenny, Barrett's Bane, Baby Sun Fly, Cound Shrimp, Blue Variant, Cambrian Dun, Orange Otter and the interestingly named Colonel's Game Pie Nymph to name a few.

I have decided to join 'The Gamefishers Club' next season which has rights to fish quite a few of the rivers mentioned in the book. Hence the interest in the above book and the search for a copy of 'Orange Otter'.

What I was wondering is do any of you use these old patterns? I would be keen on any info. While we're at it, do any of you fish the Game Fishers club waters now or past?

Lastly I have some pics in the book but they are a bit muted. I tied the Barretts Bane as per the recipe but have since found a pic on the net where it seems to have a purple body-looks like Pearsalls silk to me .

Any info much appreciated-ta

Chris.

Interesting. Is the author Sir Michael Leighton? I had no idea of his interest in trout and grayling dries; although I've shot at Loton as his guest and heard much of his salmon fishing exploits. Sir Michael Leighton Bt..

I'm only familiar with the Orange Otter, the best Dee and Severn grayling dry I know of, devised by the late Rev Edward Powell, the body - pale otter throat fur dyed (boiled) in picric and red ink. The Sun fly, and baby variant, were Dai Lewis of Tregaron creations, both dressed using rabbit face fur bodies.

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Save the softmouth trout

Chris,

By a strange coincidence I was in conversation with Michael Leighton yesterday, after a days shooting. He farms a few miles North East of Shrewsbury(no relation to Sir Michael).

He told me he that he is considering a partial rewrite/rerun of his book with improved photographs.

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"The first thing we do, let's kill all the lawyers"
Henry VI, William Shakespeare

I'm a great beleiver in the Dogsbody.

I haven't fished the Gamefishers' waters for some years as I let my membership lapse when I joined Salisbury & District AC (just a long drive in a different direction!). My favourite spots were the Monnow just above Pontrilas, and the Honddu at Pandy.

Michael Leighton's little book is a wonder. I bought it at "new" price from Steve Parton over 20 years ago, but copies were sellind at £70 a few years ago. the other book that is vert relevant to the Gamefishers' waters is "Small River Fly Fishing for Trout & Grayling" by James Evans, who was one of the founders of the Club and its President for may years.

You'll enjoy fishing those waters.

cheers,

Andy

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Wm. Salter & Grandson - Merchants
www.wmsalter.co.uk

I don't think it is Sir Michael because this one did talks on his book and the flies inside for fly dressers guild meetings. Would imagine Sir M being a bit to busy for that.

The book 'Orange Otter' is the fishing life story of Rev Edward Powell who was rector of the parish of Munslow in South Shropshire from 1922 until his retirement in 1965. During that time he fished most of the streams in the region. In the book by Courtney Williams 'A Dictionary of Trout Flies' Rev Powell had more listings than anyone except Pritt and Ronalds. He was very busy! His most famous pattern being the Baby Sun-Fly. Those who swear by the fly are members of the 'Baby Brotherhood' . I read his son Reverend Michael Powell has inherited his fathers love of the region and is an accomplished fly fisher to. I am keen to find out more about this semi forgotten period and look forward to trying out the flies from the era.

blithfield...how strange these things happen-your meeting . It would be a good thing if he were to do a re-run updated version. I for one would be looking for a copy pdq. Wonder if he still fishes the same areas, presume so. Wow that guy would be interesting to learn from.

Thanks for the info so far chaps...

Chris.

Thanks Andy, just seen your post...

Are these localised versions just relatively minor variations on more commonly known/used patterns elsewhere? I presume they must be imitating similar flies/bugs to elsewhere. I suppose what I'm wondering is are they actually better at catching fish in the area, or is their appeal more just an interest/tradition thing?

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Hard to say at the moment-that's what I intend to find out. The interest/traditional thing is part of the appeal for me. I think you can look at any flies from anywhere and see influences from other tyings but these do seem a bit different to me. If you google The Trout Flies of Shropshire and the Welsh Borderlands, Hereward books have a picture of two of the four plates. Have a look (if you can make them out ) and see if you think they are diff.

I just opened a page at random and the body for the Dark Spring Olive asks for: Rabbit blue under-fur mixed with a pinch of green mole fur (mole soaked in picric acid overnight).

It sounds like a medieval potion . There is also plenty of hackle mixing going on, many use two different ones. Another goes: A white plumelet from the outer edge of a goose primary feather dyed orange, first in picric acid then in red ink, and wound on as a quill.

Yep they are different-pass my magic wand

Chris.

Leighton's book is quite an interesting one. I have a copy myself that I dip into occasionally.

Roger Smith's new book due to be published later this year also covers some 235 trout and grayling patterns of the area.