Long before modern salmon dry flies became a staple on Atlantic salmon rivers, two pioneering anglers changed the course of fly-fishing history.
In the 1920s, Colonel Ambrose Monell and his close friend, author George M. La Branche, challenged conventional wisdom on New Brunswick's famed Upsalquitch River. At a time when Atlantic salmon were pursued almost exclusively with sunken wet flies, they believed these magnificent fish would rise to a properly presented floating fly.
Their answer was the bushy palmer-hackle dry fly that would become known as the Colonel Monell. Designed to drift naturally on the surface or create a subtle wake, the pattern proved their theory correct and opened an entirely new chapter in Atlantic salmon fishing.
Documented in La Branche's landmark 1924 book, The Salmon and The Dry Fly, the Colonel Monell became a cornerstone in the evolution of surface fishing for salmon. Its influence can still be seen today in many modern salmon and steelhead dry flies, including the classic Bomber.
At Goose Creek Fly Fishing, we celebrate patterns like the Colonel Monell not only for their effectiveness but for the rich heritage they represent. Every fly tells a story, and this one helped shape the future of salmon fishing.
In the 1920s, Colonel Ambrose Monell and his close friend, author George M. La Branche, challenged conventional wisdom on New Brunswick's famed Upsalquitch River. At a time when Atlantic salmon were pursued almost exclusively with sunken wet flies, they believed these magnificent fish would rise to a properly presented floating fly.
Their answer was the bushy palmer-hackle dry fly that would become known as the Colonel Monell. Designed to drift naturally on the surface or create a subtle wake, the pattern proved their theory correct and opened an entirely new chapter in Atlantic salmon fishing.
Documented in La Branche's landmark 1924 book, The Salmon and The Dry Fly, the Colonel Monell became a cornerstone in the evolution of surface fishing for salmon. Its influence can still be seen today in many modern salmon and steelhead dry flies, including the classic Bomber.
At Goose Creek Fly Fishing, we celebrate patterns like the Colonel Monell not only for their effectiveness but for the rich heritage they represent. Every fly tells a story, and this one helped shape the future of salmon fishing.
- Category
- Steelheads
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