Quill Gordon

Materials to Order Material, click the link
Hook	TMC 100, #12-16
Thread	Danville Flymaster 6/0 Tan
Body	2 Stripped Peacock Quill
Tail	Medium Dun Spade Hackle Fibers
Wing	Dyed Mallard Flank Woodduck, upright and divided
Hackle	Med Dun

Theodore Gordon

Quill Gordon

Early American fly tiers, such as Theodore Gordon (photo at right), began the Catskill Dry Fly type in the late 1800’s with his Quill Gordon. Gordon is considered the American “Father of the Dry Fly” , a title shared by his counterpart Frederick Halford in Great Britain. The two were actually close friends and Halford introduced Gordon to the dry flies he was using in Britain with a large sample of flies sent in February 22, 1890. It was evident that Halford’s flies would need to be adapted to the wilder rivers and streams of the Eastern United States and Gordon set out to design his own patterns with the Quill Gordon, Light Cahill, March Brown, Gray Fox, and the fan wing Royal Coachman.

These dressings were rather sparse with thin tapered bodies and stiff, glossy hackles. The favored wing material was lemon barred side of the wood duck. The tails were also of stiff, glossy hackles that would lift the fly above the water surface. This was an aspect that Halford insisted upon as well.