The phrase, popularized by Carrie Stevens, a outstanding determine in fly fishing, refers to a particular and extremely efficient streamer fly sample. This distinctive lure sometimes contains a vibrant yellow physique, usually manufactured from bucktail, and contrasting darker wing sections, designed to mimic a small baitfish. Variations exist, using completely different colours and supplies, however the core design rules stay constant. As an example, some variations incorporate feathers or artificial fibers to boost motion and appeal to fish.
This explicit fly sample has earned a big popularity throughout the angling group for its efficacy in attracting quite a lot of sport fish, particularly in difficult circumstances. Its success is usually attributed to the mix of coloration, measurement, and motion, which triggers a predatory response. Traditionally, its growth marked a notable development in fly fishing lure design and continues to be a staple in lots of anglers’ sort out containers. The fly’s enduring recognition speaks to its practicality and persevering with effectiveness.
This exploration of the sample’s design, variations, and historic affect will present a complete understanding of its significance throughout the broader context of fly fishing. Subsequent sections will delve into particular methods for tying and fishing this basic streamer, providing sensible recommendation for each novice and skilled anglers.
1. Carrie Stevens’ Creation
Carrie Stevens’ legacy as a famend fly tyer is inextricably linked to the “Who’s Your Daddy” streamer. This explicit fly stands as a testomony to her revolutionary strategy to lure design, mixing artistry with practicality. Stevens’ meticulous craftsmanship and eager statement of aquatic life led to the event of a sample that successfully mimics the looks and motion of baitfish, a main meals supply for a lot of sport fish. This understanding of predator-prey relationships is key to the fly’s success. For instance, the contrasting colours and strategic use of supplies like bucktail create a lifelike phantasm that triggers predatory instincts in fish like landlocked salmon and brook trout, species generally focused with streamers. The fly’s effectiveness stems straight from Stevens’ potential to translate her observations right into a tangible, practical design.
The “Who’s Your Daddy” sample’s affect extends past its fast fishing software. It represents a big milestone within the evolution of fly tying, notably throughout the realm of streamer design. Stevens’ revolutionary use of coloration and supplies influenced subsequent generations of fly tyers, inspiring numerous variations and diversifications of her authentic idea. This ripple impact solidifies her contribution to the game, highlighting the significance of particular person innovation in shaping broader practices. Her creation serves as a tangible instance of how cautious statement and inventive experimentation can result in lasting developments inside a specialised discipline. Modern fly tyers proceed to attract inspiration from Stevens’ work, demonstrating the enduring relevance of her design rules.
Understanding the hyperlink between Stevens’ inventive course of and the ensuing “Who’s Your Daddy” fly offers helpful perception into the event and effectiveness of this iconic sample. Her legacy underscores the importance of meticulous statement, revolutionary design, and sensible software on the planet of fly fishing. Whereas challenges resembling materials availability and variations in tying methods exist, the core rules established by Stevens proceed to information anglers and fly tyers alike. The “Who’s Your Daddy” fly stands not solely as a profitable fishing lure but additionally as an emblem of particular person ingenuity and its lasting affect on a time-honored custom.
2. Streamer Fly Sample
The “Who’s Your Daddy” fly, created by Carrie Stevens, stands as a notable instance of a streamer fly sample. Streamer flies are designed to mimic baitfish, leeches, or different aquatic prey, attractive predatory fish by their measurement, motion, and coloration. Understanding the traits of streamer flies, and the way the “Who’s Your Daddy” embodies these traits, offers helpful perception into its enduring recognition and effectiveness.
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Imitating Baitfish:
Streamer flies excel at mimicking baitfish, a main meals supply for a lot of sport fish. This imitation hinges on a number of elements: profile, coloration, and motion within the water. “Who’s Your Daddy,” with its elongated form, vibrant physique, and contrasting wing sections, successfully replicates the looks of a small, injured baitfish. This realism is essential to triggering a predatory response in goal species.
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Dimension and Motion:
The dimensions of a streamer fly influences its attraction to completely different fish species. Bigger streamers usually appeal to bigger predators, whereas smaller patterns could be efficient for extra cautious or smaller fish. The “Who’s Your Daddy” sometimes falls inside a measurement vary appropriate for quite a lot of species. Furthermore, its development, usually incorporating supplies like bucktail and feathers, imparts lifelike motion within the water, additional enhancing its attractiveness. This dynamic presentation contributes considerably to its success.
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Coloration and Supplies:
Coloration performs a vital function within the effectiveness of a streamer fly. Shiny, contrasting colours like these discovered within the “Who’s Your Daddy” are sometimes extremely seen in numerous water circumstances, attracting fish from a distance. Materials choice influences each the fly’s look and its motion within the water. Bucktail, a typical materials in “Who’s Your Daddy” patterns, offers each sturdiness and a pure, pulsating motion that enhances the phantasm of a dwelling baitfish.
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Approach and Presentation:
Whereas the design of the “Who’s Your Daddy” contributes considerably to its success, correct fishing method and presentation are equally essential. Retrieving the fly with brief, jerky strips or a gradual retrieve can impart completely different actions, mimicking the actions of injured or fleeing baitfish. Understanding successfully current the fly in numerous water circumstances and depths is crucial for maximizing its effectiveness.
The “Who’s Your Daddy” fly successfully embodies the core rules of streamer fly design. Its mixture of life like baitfish imitation, strategic use of coloration and supplies, and responsiveness to assorted retrieval methods contributes to its widespread use and enduring recognition amongst anglers. By understanding how this particular fly exemplifies the broader class of streamer patterns, anglers can respect its effectiveness and adapt their fishing methods to maximise their possibilities of success.
3. Shiny, Contrasting Colours
The effectiveness of Carrie Stevens’ “Who’s Your Daddy” streamer fly is considerably attributed to its strategic use of vibrant, contrasting colours. This design factor serves a number of essential functions, impacting the fly’s visibility, attractiveness, and total success in attracting fish. The interaction of colours creates a placing visible distinction that enhances the fly’s silhouette within the water, making it extra noticeable to predatory fish, even in difficult mild circumstances or murky water. This enhanced visibility will increase the chance of a fish detecting and reacting to the fly, notably from a distance. The particular coloration mixtures employed, usually that includes a vibrant yellow or orange physique juxtaposed with darker wing sections, are believed to imitate the looks of injured baitfish, triggering a predatory response. As an example, the flash of yellow towards a darker background can recommend a susceptible prey merchandise, attractive a strike.
Sensible purposes of this understanding are readily obvious in fly fishing. Anglers usually choose “Who’s Your Daddy” patterns, or related brightly coloured streamers, when fishing in stained or dark-colored water the place visibility is lowered. The excessive distinction helps the fly stand out, rising the possibility of attracting fish. Conversely, in clear water, the intense colours can set off aggressive strikes from species like smallmouth bass or largemouth bass which might be interested in flashy shows. Variations in coloration mixtures may also be tailor-made to focus on particular species primarily based on their identified prey preferences. Modifying wing colours or physique hues can improve the fly’s effectiveness relying on the goal species and prevailing water circumstances. This adaptability contributes to the fly’s versatility and continued recognition.
The strategic use of vibrant, contrasting colours within the “Who’s Your Daddy” fly represents a key factor in its design and effectiveness. This coloration technique enhances visibility, triggers predatory instincts, and permits for adaptation to various water circumstances and goal species. Challenges in choosing applicable coloration mixtures primarily based on environmental elements exist, requiring anglers to think about water readability, mild ranges, and goal species conduct. Nevertheless, the underlying precept of utilizing contrasting colours to create a extremely seen and engaging lure stays a cornerstone of profitable streamer fly design, as exemplified by Carrie Stevens’ enduring creation.
4. Bucktail and Feather Development
Bucktail and feather development are integral to the “Who’s Your Daddy” fly’s effectiveness, straight influencing its look and motion within the water. Bucktail, a naturally buoyant and sturdy materials derived from the tail hair of deer, offers the fly with a particular profile and pulsating motion. Its inherent stiffness creates a lifelike phantasm of a small baitfish, whereas its potential to entice air bubbles provides to its buoyancy and attractive motion. Feathers, usually integrated for wing sections or tail accents, contribute to the fly’s total silhouette and might improve its motion with delicate undulations or added flash. The mix of those supplies permits the fly to imitate the pure swimming motion of baitfish, triggering predatory instincts in goal species. For instance, the delicate pulsations of bucktail throughout a retrieve can simulate the struggling actions of an injured minnow, attractive a strike from a close-by trout or bass. Equally, strategically positioned feathers can add a fluttering or flashing impact, additional enhancing the fly’s attraction.
Sensible implications of understanding this development are quite a few. Anglers can adapt the fly’s materials composition primarily based on particular fishing circumstances and goal species. As an example, utilizing denser bucktail can create a bulkier profile appropriate for bigger predators, whereas sparser bucktail can produce a extra delicate presentation for smaller or extra cautious fish. Feather choice additionally influences the fly’s motion and visibility. Longer, flowing feathers can impart a extra pronounced swimming movement, whereas shorter, stiffer feathers can add delicate vibrations or flashes of coloration. Recognizing these nuances permits anglers to customise the fly’s development to maximise its effectiveness in numerous eventualities. Think about a state of affairs the place an angler targets trout in a transparent, fast-flowing stream. Utilizing a “Who’s Your Daddy” fly tied with sparse bucktail and delicate feather accents creates a pure, streamlined presentation that successfully imitates small baitfish widespread in such environments.
Bucktail and feather development are basic to the “Who’s Your Daddy” fly’s success, impacting its look, motion, and total fishing effectiveness. Materials choice and development methods enable for personalisation primarily based on particular fishing circumstances and goal species, highlighting the sensible significance of understanding these components. Challenges related to materials availability and variations in tying methods exist, however the underlying rules of utilizing bucktail and feathers to create a lifelike baitfish imitation stay central to this iconic fly’s design and efficiency. This understanding empowers anglers to pick and modify the fly to optimize its effectiveness in numerous fishing environments.
5. Imitates Baitfish
The “Carrie Stevens ‘Who’s Your Daddy'” fly’s effectiveness hinges on its masterful imitation of baitfish, a main meals supply for predatory sport fish. This imitation shouldn’t be merely superficial; it includes a cautious mixture of design components that set off instinctive feeding responses. Understanding how this fly mimics baitfish offers perception into its enduring success and continued relevance in fly fishing.
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Look:
The fly’s profile, coloration, and materials composition contribute to a convincing baitfish imitation. The elongated physique, usually constructed with brightly coloured bucktail, mirrors the form and coloration of varied small baitfish species. Contrasting wing sections, sometimes darker than the physique, additional improve this resemblance. For instance, the basic yellow physique and darker wing mixture can successfully mimic a yellow perch or different equally patterned baitfish.
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Motion:
Past static look, the “Who’s Your Daddy” fly excels in replicating baitfish motion. The bucktail and feather development, coupled with applicable retrieval methods, create a lifelike swimming motion. The pulsating movement of bucktail within the water, mixed with the delicate undulations of feather accents, simulates the erratic actions of a distressed or injured baitfish, a very attractive goal for predators. This dynamic presentation considerably enhances the fly’s effectiveness.
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Dimension:
Dimension concerns play a vital function within the fly’s baitfish imitation. The “Who’s Your Daddy” typically falls inside a measurement vary that represents widespread baitfish species. This measurement appropriateness additional enhances its realism and attraction to predatory fish. Variations in measurement could be employed to focus on particular predators or adapt to various prey availability in several environments. For instance, a smaller model is perhaps simpler in imitating juvenile baitfish or when concentrating on smaller sport fish.
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Triggering Predatory Instincts:
Finally, the effectiveness of the baitfish imitation lies in its potential to set off predatory instincts. The mix of life like look, lifelike motion, and applicable measurement creates a compelling phantasm of a susceptible prey merchandise. This triggers innate feeding responses in sport fish, attractive them to strike the fly. The “Who’s Your Daddy” fly’s success lies in its potential to convincingly current itself as a pure meals supply, exploiting the predator-prey relationship to the angler’s benefit.
The “Carrie Stevens ‘Who’s Your Daddy'” fly’s meticulous imitation of baitfish is central to its effectiveness. By combining visible and behavioral cues, this iconic fly successfully triggers predatory responses in sport fish. This understanding of the fly’s design rules, coupled with applicable fishing methods, contributes to its enduring recognition amongst anglers in search of a flexible and efficient streamer sample.
6. Attracts Numerous Sport Fish
The “Carrie Stevens ‘Who’s Your Daddy'” fly’s effectiveness extends to a various vary of sport fish species, a testomony to its versatile design and lifelike imitation of baitfish. This broad attraction stems from the fly’s potential to set off predatory instincts throughout numerous species, making it a helpful software for anglers concentrating on several types of fish in numerous environments. Understanding the fly’s attractiveness to numerous sport fish offers perception into its enduring recognition and sensible purposes in fly fishing.
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Trout Species:
Numerous trout species, together with brook trout, brown trout, and rainbow trout, are readily interested in the “Who’s Your Daddy” fly. Its imitation of widespread baitfish present in trout streams and rivers, coupled with its attractive motion, triggers aggressive feeding responses. The fly’s measurement and coloration variations could be tailor-made to match particular prey preferences inside completely different trout populations, additional enhancing its effectiveness. As an example, smaller, extra subtly coloured variations could show notably efficient for brook trout in smaller streams, whereas bigger, brighter patterns is perhaps most popular for rainbow trout in bigger rivers or lakes.
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Bass Species:
Bass, together with smallmouth bass and largemouth bass, are additionally inclined to the “Who’s Your Daddy” fly’s attract. The fly’s usually vibrant, contrasting colours, mixed with its lively swimming motion, can set off reactionary strikes from these predatory fish. Retrieving the fly with brief, erratic strips can successfully mimic the actions of an injured baitfish, additional attractive bass to strike. Adapting the fly’s measurement and coloration to native forage fish patterns can considerably improve its success when concentrating on bass in several environments.
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Landlocked Salmon:
Landlocked salmon, identified for his or her aggressive feeding habits, are often focused with streamer flies just like the “Who’s Your Daddy.” The fly’s measurement and profile successfully imitate smelt and different small fish that represent a good portion of the landlocked salmon’s eating regimen. Retrieving the fly with a quick, regular retrieve can set off aggressive chases and strikes from these highly effective fish. The fly’s sturdiness additionally makes it well-suited for the hard-fighting nature of landlocked salmon.
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Different Predatory Fish:
Past these main targets, the “Who’s Your Daddy” fly can appeal to quite a lot of different predatory fish species, together with pike, pickerel, and musky. Its versatile design and talent to imitate numerous baitfish make it a helpful software for anglers pursuing numerous species. Adapting the fly’s measurement, coloration, and retrieval method to match the precise preferences of goal species in several environments is essential to maximizing its effectiveness throughout a broader spectrum of predatory fish.
The “Carrie Stevens ‘Who’s Your Daddy'” fly’s attractiveness to a various vary of sport fish underscores its efficient design and flexibility. Its potential to imitate widespread baitfish, coupled with adaptable options like measurement and coloration, makes it a helpful asset for anglers concentrating on numerous species in a mess of fishing environments. The fly’s persevering with recognition speaks to its confirmed potential to persistently appeal to and entice a broad spectrum of predatory sport fish.
7. Enduring Angling Reputation
The enduring recognition of the “Carrie Stevens ‘Who’s Your Daddy'” fly throughout the angling group stems from a confluence of things, all rooted in its confirmed effectiveness and historic significance. This sustained curiosity transcends mere nostalgia and displays the fly’s continued potential to supply leads to numerous fishing eventualities. One key issue contributing to its longevity is its effectiveness throughout numerous sport fish species. Its versatile design and lifelike baitfish imitation appeal to species like trout, bass, and landlocked salmon, solidifying its place in anglers’ sort out containers throughout completely different areas and fishing types. This broad attraction ensures its relevance throughout generations of anglers pursuing numerous targets. The fly’s historic context additionally performs a big function in its enduring recognition. Created by Carrie Stevens, a pioneering determine in fly tying, the “Who’s Your Daddy” represents a milestone in lure growth. Its revolutionary design, that includes vibrant, contrasting colours and the strategic use of bucktail and feathers, influenced subsequent generations of fly tyers and continues to encourage modern patterns. This historic legacy provides to its attract and contributes to its continued recognition throughout the angling group. Actual-world examples abound, illustrating the fly’s enduring effectiveness. Veteran anglers usually recount tales of constant catches utilizing the “Who’s Your Daddy,” whereas novice anglers often uncover its effectiveness early of their fishing journeys. Match outcomes and anecdotal proof from fishing guides additional solidify its popularity as a dependable and productive fly sample.
This sustained recognition interprets into sensible significance for each anglers and fly tiers. For anglers, the “Who’s Your Daddy” provides a confirmed sample with a excessive chance of success. Its versatility permits for adaptation to numerous fishing circumstances and goal species, simplifying lure choice and rising the possibilities of a productive outing. For fly tiers, the sample serves as a helpful template for experimentation and innovation. Its enduring recognition encourages exploration of various coloration mixtures, materials substitutions, and tying methods, contributing to the continuing evolution of streamer fly design. Understanding the elements behind the fly’s enduring recognition allows anglers to understand its historic significance and sensible worth, whereas inspiring fly tiers to proceed exploring its potential by inventive adaptation and refinement. For instance, modern tiers would possibly experiment with artificial supplies to boost sturdiness or discover regional coloration variations to optimize the fly’s effectiveness for particular native fish populations.
In abstract, the enduring recognition of the “Carrie Stevens ‘Who’s Your Daddy'” fly is a testomony to its effectiveness, historic significance, and flexibility. Its continued success throughout numerous fishing eventualities ensures its relevance for each seasoned anglers and newcomers to the game. Whereas challenges resembling materials availability and the event of recent fly patterns exist, the “Who’s Your Daddy” fly’s enduring recognition suggests its timeless attraction and its enduring contribution to the artwork and apply of fly fishing. Its legacy throughout the angling group serves as a reminder of the worth of revolutionary design and the facility of a well-crafted fly to attach anglers with the fish they pursue.
Regularly Requested Questions
This part addresses widespread inquiries concerning the “Carrie Stevens ‘Who’s Your Daddy'” fly, offering concise and informative responses to make clear potential uncertainties and improve total understanding.
Query 1: What distinguishes the “Carrie Stevens ‘Who’s Your Daddy'” fly from different streamer patterns?
Its distinctive vibrant, usually yellow, physique mixed with contrasting darker wing sections, sometimes constructed of bucktail and feathers, units it aside. This particular mixture of coloration and supplies, initially conceived by Carrie Stevens, creates a novel profile and motion within the water, successfully mimicking injured baitfish.
Query 2: Which fish species are most successfully focused with this particular fly sample?
Whereas famend for attracting trout species (brook, brown, and rainbow), the fly’s versatility extends to different predatory fish, together with bass (smallmouth and largemouth) and landlocked salmon. Its effectiveness hinges on its baitfish imitation, interesting to the predatory instincts of varied species.
Query 3: Are particular retrieval methods really useful for maximizing the fly’s effectiveness?
Diversified retrieval methods can improve the fly’s motion and attractiveness. Quick, jerky strips can imitate the struggling actions of an injured baitfish, whereas a gradual retrieve can recommend fleeing prey. Adapting the retrieval pace and rhythm to the goal species and water circumstances is essential.
Query 4: What function do coloration variations play within the fly’s efficiency?
Coloration variations cater to completely different water circumstances and goal species preferences. Shiny colours improve visibility in murky or darkish water, whereas particular coloration mixtures can mimic native baitfish patterns. Adapting coloration decisions to the fishing atmosphere is crucial for optimizing effectiveness.
Query 5: How does the development of the fly contribute to its success?
The usage of bucktail and feathers creates a lifelike profile and motion. Bucktail offers buoyancy and a pulsating motion, whereas feathers improve the fly’s silhouette and contribute to delicate undulations or flashes of coloration. This mixture successfully mimics the looks and conduct of baitfish.
Query 6: What accounts for the fly’s enduring recognition amongst anglers?
Its sustained recognition is attributed to its constant effectiveness throughout numerous species and its historic significance inside fly fishing. Developed by Carrie Stevens, a outstanding determine in fly tying, the fly’s enduring success displays its revolutionary design and confirmed potential to draw fish.
Understanding these key features of the “Carrie Stevens ‘Who’s Your Daddy'” fly offers a complete basis for appreciating its distinctive qualities and maximizing its effectiveness on the water.
Additional exploration of particular tying methods, materials choice, and superior retrieval methods can improve sensible software and refine particular person approaches to fishing this versatile and traditionally important fly sample.
Suggestions for Fishing the “Who’s Your Daddy” Fly
Efficient use of the “Who’s Your Daddy” fly requires an understanding of particular methods and methods. The following pointers provide sensible steerage for maximizing this basic streamer sample’s potential.
Tip 1: Fluctuate Retrieve Velocity and Rhythm: Experiment with completely different retrieve speeds and rhythms to seek out what triggers strikes in particular circumstances. Quick, erratic strips can imitate injured baitfish, whereas a gradual retrieve can recommend fleeing prey.
Tip 2: Think about Water Circumstances: Adapt retrieval pace and fly measurement to the water circumstances. Quicker retrieves are sometimes efficient in transferring water, whereas slower shows is perhaps needed in nonetheless water or when fish are much less lively.
Tip 3: Match Fly Dimension to Forage: Choose a fly measurement that matches the prevalent baitfish within the goal space. Smaller flies are sometimes efficient when baitfish are small or when fish are selective.
Tip 4: Modify Depth and Weight: Add weight to the chief or fly to fish deeper water. Sinking strains or weighted fly patterns could be employed to succeed in fish holding close to the underside.
Tip 5: Give attention to Construction: Goal areas with construction like submerged logs, rocks, or weed beds. These areas usually maintain baitfish and appeal to predatory sport fish in search of ambush factors.
Tip 6: Pay Consideration to Present: Current the fly successfully in present by permitting it to swing naturally or by using upstream retrieves to take care of management and a pure presentation. Think about mending the road to stop drag and keep the fly’s supposed depth and motion.
Tip 7: Observe Fish Habits: Take note of any floor exercise or indicators of fish feeding. This statement can inform fly choice, retrieval method, and total fishing technique.
Tip 8: Adapt to Circumstances: Be ready to adapt to altering climate, water circumstances, and fish conduct. Flexibility in fly alternative, retrieval method, and fishing location can considerably improve success.
Constant software of the following pointers, mixed with an understanding of fish conduct and native circumstances, will considerably improve the chance of success when fishing the “Who’s Your Daddy” fly. Its versatility permits for adaptation to numerous fishing eventualities, making it a helpful asset in any angler’s repertoire.
By incorporating these methods and regularly refining methods by statement and experimentation, anglers can maximize the potential of this basic streamer sample and improve their total fly fishing expertise.
Conclusion
This exploration of the “Carrie Stevens ‘Who’s Your Daddy'” fly has highlighted its significance inside fly fishing. From its origins as an revolutionary creation by Carrie Stevens to its enduring recognition amongst modern anglers, this streamer sample’s effectiveness and flexibility stay plain. Key design components, together with its vibrant, contrasting colours, bucktail and feather development, and lifelike imitation of baitfish, contribute to its success in attracting a various vary of sport fish species. Understanding these components, coupled with applicable fishing methods and diversifications to particular circumstances, empowers anglers to successfully make the most of this iconic fly sample.
The “Carrie Stevens ‘Who’s Your Daddy'” fly stands as a testomony to the facility of statement, innovation, and sensible software in lure design. Its enduring legacy throughout the angling group encourages continued exploration of its potential by experimentation with supplies, colours, and methods. This ongoing adaptation ensures the fly’s continued relevance within the ever-evolving world of fly fishing, solidifying its place as a timeless basic and a helpful software for anglers pursuing quite a lot of sport fish species. Its continued use serves as a tribute to Carrie Stevens’ ingenuity and the enduring attraction of a well-crafted fly.
