Seeing this video of Matt Grobert tying a Catskill-style dry fly, here a Hendrickson, brought back fond memories. Trips to the Beaverkill River in the Catskills region of New York State with my Dad and brother some 25 years ago where a highly anticipated event.
Up before dawn for the 2-hour ride to Roscoe, New York, a town dubbed “Trout Town USA”, seemed to take forever but were always worth it. Our first stop in town was usually at the Little Store, a general store of sorts, to stock up on flies and see what was hatching.
Back then the only flies I fished were dry flies and on the Beaverkill they were always Catskill-style dry flies. On occasion we would go directly to Dette’s Trout Flies to get our flies directly from master tyers, Walt, Winnie and daughter Mary Dette, who popularized the Catskill-style dry fly.
To this day, when I think of a dry fly I always think of a Catskill-style dry fly, although admittedly I don’t fish them very often anymore. In fact I don’t fish many dry flies at all anymore. Maybe it’s time to dig out some of the old fly boxes and given them another go.
Catskill-Style Hendrickson Dry Fly
Hook: Standard dry-fly hook (here, a TMC 100), sizes 12-14
Thread: Olive, 6/0
Wing: Wood duck flank feather
Tail: Dark dun hackle fibers
Abdomen: Hendrickson Australian possum dubbing
Hackle: Dark dun
Head: Tying thread
Enjoy!