Medieval and Renaissance Flies: July 2010

“You are to note, that there are twelve kinds of artificial-made Flies to angle with upon the top of the water.” So writes Izaak Walton in 1653, paraphrasing the words of Dame Juliana Berners which read “Thyse ben the .xij. flyes wyth whyche ye shall angle to ye trought and grayllyng and dubbe lyke as ye shall now here me tell.”

The following twelve flies are some of the earliest written in the English language, indeed some of the earliest patterns written that we know of. Originally found in Dame Juliana Berners “ A Treatyse of Fyssynge Wyth an Angle,” published in 1496 by Wynkyn de Worde, they have been translated and copied ever since. Most of us might also recognize them from Izaak Walton’s great work, "The Compleat Angler," wherein they form his list of twelve, only slightly changed from the originals, and that change being simply translation differences between the English of 1496 and 153 years later in 1653

Both authors have the patterns listed by month, a tradition kept there-after, well into the 18th century. I am keeping to it here but, to avoid confusion and also to aid researchers, I will first present all of the patterns for each month, from the Treatyse, (in italics) with translation from various sources for each fly individually for that month, as listed below. Then I will present the pattern from the 1938 edition of "The Compleat Angler". After that I will list it in modern standard format, with notes as applicable.

Marche
The donne flye. the body of the donne woll & the wyngis of the pertryche. Another doone flye the body of blacke woll: the wynges of the blackyst drake: and the lay vnder the wynge & vnder the tayle.

March
The Dun Fly: the body of the dun wool and the wings of the partridge (March Brown?)

Another Dun Fly: the body of black wool; the wings of the blackest drake; and the jay under the wing and under the tail. (Olive dun?)

Walton:
“The first is the Dun-fly, in March: the body is made of dun wool, the wings of the partridge's feathers.”

1: Dun Fly 1 (March)
Body: dun wool
Wing: partridge feathers
Notes: could be either Cotton #’s 14, 15, or 16, probably 15, so size average is 14
Silk probably black or yellow

“The second is another Dun-fly: the body of black wool, and the wings made of the black drake's feathers, and of the feathers under his tail.”

2: Dun Fly 2 (March)
Body: black wool
Wing: black drake and under tail of drake
Notes: could be either Cotton #’s 14, 15, or 16, probably 14 or 16, so size average is 14
Silk probably black or yellow

Apryll
The stone flye. the body of blacke wull: & yelowe vnder the wynge. & vnder the tayle & the wynges of the drake.

April
The Stone Fly: the body of black wool, and yellow under the wing and under the tail; and the wings, of the drake. (The Stone fly)
“The third is the Stone-fly, in April: body is made of black wool, made yellow under the wings, and under the tail, and so made with wings of the drake.”

3: Stone fly (April)
Body: Black wool made yellow under wings and tail
Wing: Drake
Notes: doesn’t correspond to anything in Cotton, but the sizes average this month is 14. The Stonefly of May is size 10-12 2x long
Silk probably black or yellow

In the begynnynge of May a good flye. the body of roddyd wull and lappid abowte wyth blacke sylke: the wynges of the drake & of the redde capons hakyll.

In the beginning of May, a good fly: the body of reddened wool and lapped about with black silk; the wings, of the drake and the red capon's hackle. (Great Red Spinner?)

Walton:
“The fourth is the Ruddy-fly, in the beginning of May: the body made of red wool wrapt about with black silk, and the feathers are the wings of the drake; with the feathers of a red capon also, which hang dangling on his sides next to the tail.”

4: Ruddy Fly (beginning of May)
Body: red wool
Rib: black silk
Hackle: red capon saddle, palmer
Wing: drake
*Hook Size: 12
Silk probably black or red
May
The yelow flye. the body of yelow wull: the wynges of the redde cocke hakyll & of the drake lyttyd below. The blacke louper. the body of blacke wull & lappyd abowte wyth the herle of the pecok tayle: & the wynges of the redde capon with a blewe heed.

May
The Yellow Fly: the body of yellow wool; the wings of red cock's hackle and of the drake dyed yellow (The Mayfly or Yellow May Dun?)

Walton:
“The fifth is the yellow or greenish in May likewise: the body made of yellow wool, and the wings made of the cock's hackle or tail.”

5: Yellow or greenish fly (May)
Body: Yellow wool
Hackle: red capons neck or saddle (palmer)
*Hook Size: 12-14
Notes: #26 in Cotton, silk yellow could also be #35 the Mayfly, hook size 8-10 2x long

The blacke louper. the body of blacke wull & lappyd abowte wyth the herle of the pecok tayle: & the wynges of the redde capon with a blewe heed.

The Black Leaper: the body of black wool and lapped about with the herl of the peacock's tail; and the wings of the red capon with a blue head.

Walton:
“The sixth is the Black-fly, in May also: the body made of black wool, and lapped about with the herle of a peacock's tail; the wings are made of the wings of a brown capon with his blue feathers in his head.”

6: Black Fly (May)
Body: Black wool
Rib: peacock herl
Hackle: brown capon
Wing: blue as hackle?
*Hook Size: 8-10 2x long
Silk probably black or yellow

I have presented three possible interpretations of this fly due to the ambiguous nature of the descriptions given. I do not claim any one to be correct, only offer possabilities. I leave it to the reader to decide and offer comments if they feel so inclined.

lune
The donne cutte: the body of blacke wull & a yelow lyste after eyther syde: the wynges of the bosarde bounde on with barkyd hempe. The maure flye. the body of doske wull the wynges of the blackest mayle of the wylde drake. The tandy flye at saynt Wyllyams daye. the body of tandy wull & the wynges contrary eyther ayenst other of the whitest mayle of the wylde drake

June
The Dun Cut: the body of black wool, and a yellow stripe along either side; the wings, of the buzzard, bound on with hemp that has been treated with tanbark. (A sedge perhaps?)

Walton:
“The seventh is the Sad-yellow-fly in June: the body is made of black wool, with a yellow list on either side, and the wings taken off the wings of a buzzard, bound with black braked hemp.”

7: Sad-yellow fly (June)
Body: black wool with a stripe of yellow on each side
Rib: black braked hemp
Wing: buzzard
*Hook Size: 12-14 2x long
Silk probably black
Corresponds to Cotton #32

Braking refers to dying the hemp in the liquid obtained from crushed walnut husks.

The Maure Fly: the body of dusky wool, the wings of the blackest feathers of the wild drake. (The Alder fly?)

Walton:
“The eighth is the Moorish-fly: made with the body of duskish wool, and the wings made with the blackish mail of the drake.”

8: Moorish fly (June)
Body: duskish wool
Wing: blackish mail of a drake
*Hook Size: 12
Silk probably black

The Tandy Fly at St. William's Day : the body of tandy wool; and the wings the opposite, either against the other, of the whitest breast feathers of the wild drake (Either a Dung fly or the Oak fly ?)

Walton:
“The ninth is the Tawny-fly, good until the middle of June: the body of tawny wool, the wings made contrary one against the other, made of the whitish mail of the wild-drake.”

9: Tawny fly (middle of June)
Body: Tawny wool
Wing: made contrary to each other, from the whitish mail of the wild drake
Notes: suggests whole feather wing
*Hook Size: 12
Silk probably black or red

Iuyll
The waspe flye. the body of black wull & lappid abowte with yelow threde: the winges of the bosarde. The shell flye at saynt Thomas daye. the body of grene wull & lappyd abowte wyth the herle of the pecoks tayle: wynges of the bosarde.

July
The Wasp Fly: the body of black wool and lapped about with yellow thread; the wings, of the buzzard. (A wasp)

Walton:
“The tenth is the Wasp-fly, in July: the body made of black wool, lapped about with yellow silk; the wings made of the feathers of the drake, or of the buzzard.”

10: Wasp fly (July)
Body: Black wool
Rib: yellow silk
Wing: drake or buzzard
*Hook Size: 10-12
Silk probably black or yellow

The Shell Fly at St. Thomas' Day: the body of green wool and lapped about with the herl of the peacock's tail; wings, of the buzzard. (The Grannom)

Walton:
“The eleventh is the Shell-fly, good in mid-July: the body made of greenish wool, lapped about with the herle of a peacock's tail, and the wings made of the wings of the buzzard.”

11: Shell fly (mid July)
Body: Greenish wool
Rib: peacock herl
Wing: Buzzard
*Hook Size: 12-14 2x long
Silk probably yellow

August
The drake flye. the body of blacke wull & lappyd abowte wyth blacke sylke: wynges of the mayle of the blacke drake wyth a blacke heed.

August
The Drake Fly: the body of black wool and lapped about with black silk; wings of the breast feathers of the black drake with a black head.

Walton:
“The twelfth is the dark Drake-fly, good in August: the body made with black wool, lapped about with black silk; his wings are made with the mail of the black-drake, with a black head.”

12: Dark Drake fly (August)
Body: Black wool
Rib: Black silk
Wing: Mail of the black drake
Head: black
*Hook Size: 12
Silk probably black

“Thus have you a jury of flies likely to betray and condemn all the Trouts in the river.”