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2023 Sowbug Roundup – Auction Flies

Royal Coachman Lake Fly

Sowbug Roundup is a three day fly tying and fly fishing show that is held in Mountain Home, Arkansas. The next event will be held Mar 23rd, 24th, and 25th, 2023.

I will be a fly tying demonstrator at this year’s Roundup. Part of the duties of a demonstrator is to donate three flies for the auction. The flies will be put into a framed collage and sold at the Fly Tyer’s Dinner on March 24th.

For my auction flies, I have chosen three flies from Mary Orvis Marbury’s magnificent 1892 book Favorite Flies and Their Histories. It’s a revolutionary book for its time and one I refer to often.

One of my flies is from the Lake Fly section, one is from the Trout Fly section, and one is from the Bass Fly section. Here are my flies as well as the images from the book where they came from.

No. 40 Royal Coachman (Lake Fly)

Royal Coachman Lake Fly
No. 40 Royal Coachman
Royal Coachman Lake Fly
40 Royal Coachman – Created by John Haily of New York City, a professional fly-dresser, in 1878

No. 143 Grizzly King (Trout Fly)

Grizzly King Trout Fly
No. 143 Grizzly King
Grizzly King Trout Fly
143 Grizzly King – A variation of John & James Wilson’s “Professor” wet fly

No. 273 Mather (Bass Fly)

Mather Bass Fly
No. 273 Mather
Mather Bass Fly
273 Mather – Created by C. F. Orvis; named by A. N. Cheney in compliment to his friend, Mr. Fred Mather

2 thoughts on “2023 Sowbug Roundup – Auction Flies

  1. Good looking flies! I still have some Coachmen I tied years ago- they still look usable. Hope to try them out this spring!

  2. Very artistic looking flies Darrell! Good luck at the Round Up! UB

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