Red Quill

The Red Quill is a classic American Catskill dry fly that imitates the male of the mayfly Ephemerella subvaria - the somewhat darker, reddish form often overlooked during the well-known Hendrickson hatch. Art Flick developed his pattern in 1933 after noticing that trout were ignoring the usual pink-bodied Hendrickson imitations in favor of these darker flies, and published it in 1947 in his influential "Streamside Guide". For the slim, segmented body he used the quill from a Rhode Island Red rooster hackle - a technique Theodore Gordon had already experimented with. The name "Red Quill" had, however, already been in use for older British patterns since the 1880s.

Classically, the Red Quill is fished dead-drift during the Hendrickson hatch from late April through mid-May, when trout key in specifically on the darker males - an essential companion to the classic Hendrickson fly for freestone stretches and pool-riffle water.

Fair Trade, Full Circle

Your flies are tied fairly, with the best materials, on a barbless hook. "Fliegenfischen mit Herz" is building a base for women in Nairobi. The women there own and run the tying workshop themselves, giving them economic independence, pride in their craft, and joy in their customers. Let's work together toward a more balanced world.

Please follow this link - thank you for your support and for spreading the word.

READ MORE ABOUT THE "FAIR FLY" PROJECT