Munro Bass Fly
The Munro can be found under the heading "Bass Flies" in Mary Orvis Marbury's book "Favorite Flies and Their Histories". The version depicted here however is closer to the one found in Ray Bergman's "Trout", and more a traditional wet fly. I've tied it that way as the originator used it for trout.
The fly was invented by Mr. Julius P. Bucke, of Sarnia, Ontario, Canada. Here is what he says about the "creation" of this fly: "the original of it was found in a bush, on a stream emptying into Lake Superior, by a friend, who found it to work well, had it repeated at Toronto, and gave me one for a pattern. I have called it after him."
So what was the origin of the original fly, the one found? We may never know. Mr. Bucke goes on to say: "These flies will catch trout, and so will others, but I always have had success with them, [Munro and Lord Baltimore] and feel confident and like going in to win when they are on the cast. Of course, I always like to have a general assortment of winged flies and hackles along, for, as a Spiritualist once observed during his lecture in this town, "sometimes the spirits will work, and sometimes they won't; it depends upon the conditions." Trout are fickle also." (There I days on the stream when I could use a Spiritualist, I know that for a fact. Some days even talking to the spirit of a dead fish would be better than the alternative of no fish at all.)
The fly was invented by Mr. Julius P. Bucke, of Sarnia, Ontario, Canada. Here is what he says about the "creation" of this fly: "the original of it was found in a bush, on a stream emptying into Lake Superior, by a friend, who found it to work well, had it repeated at Toronto, and gave me one for a pattern. I have called it after him."
So what was the origin of the original fly, the one found? We may never know. Mr. Bucke goes on to say: "These flies will catch trout, and so will others, but I always have had success with them, [Munro and Lord Baltimore] and feel confident and like going in to win when they are on the cast. Of course, I always like to have a general assortment of winged flies and hackles along, for, as a Spiritualist once observed during his lecture in this town, "sometimes the spirits will work, and sometimes they won't; it depends upon the conditions." Trout are fickle also." (There I days on the stream when I could use a Spiritualist, I know that for a fact. Some days even talking to the spirit of a dead fish would be better than the alternative of no fish at all.)
Here's the recipe from Ray Bergman:
Body: Green floss
Ribbing: Gold tinsel
Tip: Gold Tinsel
Tail: Scarlet and yellow (mallard)
Hackle: Yellow
Wing: Scarlet with brown turkey stripe
Body: Green floss
Ribbing: Gold tinsel
Tip: Gold Tinsel
Tail: Scarlet and yellow (mallard)
Hackle: Yellow
Wing: Scarlet with brown turkey stripe