For 30 years ending with a fire in 1997, I was the principal provider of Atlantic salmon flies for destination rivers in Iceland, Norway, and in Russia as it opened up in the 80's. Working with Gardner Grant and the Fitzgeralds, I supplied the flies for the first Frontiers International introduction of American anglers to the Kolvitsa River on the Kola then to the great Ponoi.
During the 70's and 80's I produced framed flies now at the Miramichi Salmon Museum -- the museum's original name. Flies are depicted in Joe Hubert's Salmon - Salmon, a magnificent tomb focusing on the fine art of fishing with classic flies in Iceland. Also, for Joe Bates I produced the Baron fly in tying steps to show the construction of this complex fly. The plate is in his: Art of the Atlantic Salmon Fly published in 1980. I also tied a quite number of other gaudy and plain salmon flies for this work that are displayed in a number of other plates.
Joe McCafferty religiously fished Pinkums for many decades of his life. He loved the salmon, the guides, and the great sport during the good years and the not so good. The following is taken from a letter he sent to me.
"All these fish, save one, were pretty well behaved and stayed in the pools where they were hooked. The exception - the 40 pounder the evening of June 16 - decided to go back to sea and was netted after dark and after a wild mile of fast water and an hour and 20 minutes later."
"The same Godfrey #6 Arseneault Silver Rat accounted for nearly 200 pounds of fish landed, not to mention the probably 40 + pounds of two other fish lost. Now, that is a hell of beating for a tiny bundle of hair and wire! But, the little critter not only survived, it looks almost as good as when it left your vise."
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