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Traditional Scottish Salmon Flies of the 19th Century

The photographs below show fully dressed salmon flies in common use during the nineteenth century and early part of the twentieth century. Such intricately dressed fly patterns were widely used in Atlantic salmon fly fishing throughout Scotland and elsewhere into the twentieth century. It was during the Victorian period that the art of salmon fly dressing reach its peak, rare feathers from exotic birds being employed to create a great variety of gaudy patterns. The popularity of such salmon flies continued into the early part of the twentieth century, during which they were gradually superseded by simpler hairwing patterns and low water dresssings, as used on the Dee by A.H.E. Wood of Cairnton.

For more about the development of Scottish salmon flies, see salmon flies

Scottish Salmon Flies

Traditional Salmon Flies - Plate 1 click image to enlarge

Blue Doctor	Wilkinson	Poyander	Dunkeld
Black Doctor	Red Drummond	Black Dog	Dusty Miller
Silver Doctor	Silver Grey	Claret Major	Childers
Jock Scott	Butcher	Durham Ranger	Red Rover

Traditional Salmon Flies - Plate 2 click image to enlarge

Duchess	Stevenson	Gordon
Black Prince	Silver Test	Benchill
Mar Lodge	Green Highlander	Sir Herbert Maxwell

Traditional Salmon Flies - Plate 3 click image to enlarge

Dandy	Thunder & Lightning	Winterton	Sherbrooke
Beaconsfield	Canary	Greenwell	President
Red Ranger	Hunter Whitewing	Baker	Yellow Babnet
Bull Dog	Olive	Blue Highlander	Jonah

Traditional Salmon Flies - Plate 4 click image to enlarge

Lemon Grey	Kerry Olive	Blue Palmer	Moray Downe
Blue Jay	Claret	Gold Canary	Lee Blue
Garibaldi	Orange Grey	Fotler	Pale Lemon Grey
Black and Gold	Spring Blue	Peacock	Dawson