About the John Storey Trout Fly

John Storey was a riverkeeper on the Ryedale Anglers' Club in N. Yorkshire in ther mid 1800's. "The original wet fly dressing had an underbody of fawn wool, to better absorbwater, and mallard wing fibers sloped back over the peacock herl covered body. The fly has undergone a few changes down the years; for example at the turn of the century the dry fly had even reached this quiet little backwater on the Rye, and so the Storeys brought it into line by deleting the wool underbody, using a stiff cock hackle and setting the wings upright. It worked very well in its new guise." "A further change in the design came about in the mid1930's when the fly started to sport a wing that had a very pronounced forward slope over the eye... This information from Authur Storey" grandson of John Storey and present(1980) riverkeeper.

Expert Tip:

To put a spanner in the works,it has also been attributed to a game keeper,employed by the Earl of Feversham.I would like to think,it was named after the former,as he certainly was named John Storey.Anyway,we will never know,I guess.

Creator of this trout fly: John Storey

Tier of this trout fly: Mandy Shelvey

Country of origin for this trout fly: England

Dressings

• Hook:-10-14s old numbers
• Body:-plain bronze Peacock herl,unribbed
• Hackle:- stiff dark red game
• Wing:-Tip from a speckled Mallard breast feather,tied in front of hackle & pointing forward over the eye.

Wings have been varied over the years,including pale Partridge or Teal,but "always" tied forward.This is a general dry pattern,that does not repesent any particular insect to my knowledge,so what the trout take it for is beyond me,but take it the do. Another variation,from the same stable of Earl of Feversham's gamekeepers,is to use a black hackle & the wing tied,over the back,caddis style.Completely different,style for supposedly the same fly,funny old world. If a good quality cock,is not available(should not be a problem,with todays genetic saddles,then two can be used,to stiffen it up & increase the floating capabilities.So there you go,t