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Fly Tying News

When is the next Fly Fishing Show??

Feb 2008
...should be good!

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Master Fly Tyers Desks

I have always had a fascination with the master fly tyers of the Catskills. When I visited the Catskill Fly Fishing Center and museum a few years ago I was in fly tyers heaven. Of all of the really wonderful things they have on display, the actual fly tying desks of Darbee's stood out.

On This Page:

Elsie and Harry Darbee's desks:

Harry and Elsie's fly tying desks are on display at the Catskill Fly Fishing Museum in New York. This photo was taken inside the museum.

Harry and Elsie Darbee Desk at Catskill Museum

Walt and Winnie Dette

Walt Dette at his desk. This photo was scanned from the wonderful Dette book, "The Dette's - A Catskill Legend" by Eric Leiser. This is a masterfully written book jam-packed with rich history of the Catskills and techniques that Walt and Winnie Dette perfected and passed along to their daughter, Mary Dette.

Walt Dette at the tying desk Winnie Dette at the tying desk


 

 

 

 

Reuben Cross

My all-time favorite fly tyer is Reuben Cross. He is perhaps the finest Catskill fly tyer that ever lived. His flies without a doubt are extremely hard to obtain. After about 10 years of looking for a Cross fly, asking about Cross flies and making life-long friends in new places was lucky enough to acquire one a couple of years ago. It is a McGinty.

Reuben Cross McGinty fly

 

 

 

 

This is Reuben Cross at his desk:

Reuben Cross at the tying desk

 

 

 

 

Here is another scanned photograph from his book, "Tying American Trout Lures". From this humble desk came some of the finest Catskill flies ever tied.

Reuben Cross's fly tying desk

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Art Flick

Art Flick

 

 

 

 

 

 

Lee Wulff

Lee Wulff