By
Bob Petti
| "The proper
coloring of the lure is determined by viewing the object which it
is desired to simulate through a prism and coloring the lure in
exactly the same manner as it appears through the prism." |
The above quote
was taken from a Patent Number 2,188,753 which was assigned to Mr. Preston
Jennings of Brooklyn, New York in January of 1940*. It offers a clear
and consice description of what he was attempting with many of his designs,
both streamers, nymphs, and wet flies. While his flies may not be "in
vogue" in the 21st Century, his ideas should not be tossed aside
as outdated. Mr. Jennings was one of those rare individuals who saw
things differently than most folks. It would certainly be in our best
interested to learn more about his work and his thoughts on color separation
when we design our own flies. To learn more about Mr. Jennings, there
is an excellent chapter in the recent Schmookler and Sils book Forgotten
Flies.
I first learned
of Mr. Jennings' flies from the reference source for most streamer information,
Col. Bates' Streamer Fly Tying and Fishing. The 1995 edition
features a plate of authentic Iris streamers tied by the originator
and photographed brilliantly by Mr. Michael Radencich. The bright colors
of the Iris #1 caught my eye immediately. With the publication of the
Schmookler and Sils book, it became apparent that there was more than
enough material for Raske's band of streamer flingers to pay homage
to this pioneer of fly design.
Bob Petti
October 2000
* This information
was supplied by the American Museum of Fly Fishing, courtesy of Lindsey
Grandison.
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Murky Iris
Tied by Bryant Freeman
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Hook:
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Partridge
CS-17 Ken Baker |
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Tag:
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Oval
Gold Tinsel |
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Tail:
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Golden
Pheasant Crest, Dyed Red |
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Body:
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Flat
Gold Tinsel |
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Rib:
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Oval
Gold Tinsel |
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Wing:
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From
bottom to top - pink swan, orange swan, four strands of
peacock herl, green swan, hyacinth macaq, on each side
a red cock hackle |
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Hackle:
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Orange |
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Sides:
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Badger
Hackle |
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Cheek:
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Jungle
Cock |
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Head:
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Black
fore and red thread aft |
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Lord Iris
Tied by Bob Petti
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Hook:
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Daiichi
2340 |
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Tail:
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Married
strips of swan, red over blue over yellow. |
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Body:
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Flat
Gold Tinsel |
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Rib:
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Oval
Gold Tinsel |
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Hackle:
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Yellow |
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Wing:
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Furnace
Hackles |
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Sides:
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Married
strips of swan, red over blue over yellow |
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Cheek:
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Jungle
Cock |
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Head:
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Black |
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Iris #4
Tied by Chris Del Plato
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Hook:
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Partridge
CS-17 Ken Baker |
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Tag:
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Flat
Gold Tinsel |
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Body:
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Dark
Red Floss |
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Rib:
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Flat
Gold Tinsel |
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Wing:
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Polar
bear or bucktail - blue over brown. |
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Cheek:
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Jungle
Cock |
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Head:
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Black
fore and red thread aft |
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Silhouette Minnow, Light
Tied by R. Emmett Johnson
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Hook:
|
Gaelic
Supreme Mike Martinek |
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Tag:
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Flat
Silver Tinsel |
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Tail:
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Black
Cock Hackle |
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Body:
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Black
Floss |
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Rib:
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Flat
Silver Tinsel |
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Wing:
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Four
White Cock Hackle |
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Hackle:
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Grizzly
Cock Hackle |
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Cheek:
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Jungle
Cock |
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Head:
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Black
red fore and red thread aft |
|
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Iris #3
Tied by R. Emmett Johnson
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Hook:
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Up-eye
Salmon Hook |
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Tag:
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Oval
Gold Tinsel |
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Body:
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Flat
Gold Tinsel |
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Rib:
|
Oval
Gold Tinsel |
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Wing:
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Top
to bottom - Dark Blue Bucktail or Polar Bear, Medium Green,
Red |
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Cheek:
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Jungle
Cock |
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Head:
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Black
red fore and red thread aft |
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Iris #2
Tied by R. Emmett Johnson
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Hook:
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Up-eye
Salmon Hook |
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Tag:
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Oval
Silver Tinsel |
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Body:
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Flat
Silver Tinsel |
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Rib:
|
Oval
Silver Tinsel |
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Wing:
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Top
to Bottom - Blue Bucktail or Polar Bear, Light Green,
Orange, Red. |
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Cheek:
|
Jungle
Cock |
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Head:
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Black
red fore and red thread aft |
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Lady Iris Streamer
Tied by Lindsey Grandison
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Hook:
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Mustad
94720 |
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Tag:
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Oval
Silver Tinsel |
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Tail:
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Golden
Pheasant Tippet and Lady Amherst Crest |
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Body:
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Flat
Silver Tinsel |
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Rib:
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Oval
Silver Tinsel |
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Wing:
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Bottom
to Top - Red Swan, Yellow Swan, Green Swan, Blue Swan,
Four strands of Peacock Herl, a Yellow Cock Hackle on
each side |
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Hackle:
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Yellow |
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Sides:
|
Badger
Hackle |
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Cheek:
|
Jungle
Cock |
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Head:
|
Black
fore and red thread aft |
|
Unidentified
Tied by Robb Nicewonger
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Hook:
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Gaelic
Supreme Mike Martinek |
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Tag:
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Oval
Silver Tinsel |
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Body:
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Flat
Silver Tinsel |
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Rib:
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Oval
Silver Tinsel |
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Wing:
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Light
Purple Bucktail underwing, Two Medium Blue Cock Hackles |
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Hackle:
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Light
Purple Cock hackle |
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Sides:
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Badger
Hackle |
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Head:
|
Black |
|
 |
 |
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Iris #1
Tied by Bob Skehan
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Hook:
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Mustad 9575,
size 6 |
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Body:
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Medium flat
silver tinsel |
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Ribbing:
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Very fine oval
silver tinsel |
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Wing:
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A very small
bunch of red polar bear hair, over which is a very small
bunch of yellow polar bear hair, over which is a very
small bunch of pale green polar bear hair, with a very
small bunch of light blue polar bear hair over this. (bucktail
may be substituted for the polar bear hair, if desired) |
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Head:
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Black, with
painted red band at rear |
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Cheeks:
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Jungle cock |
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Silhouette Minnow, Dark
Tied by Darren Bua
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Hook:
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Mustad
94720 |
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Tag:
|
Oval
Silver Tinsel |
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Tail:
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Yellow
Golden Pheasant Flank Fibers |
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Body:
|
Flat
Silver Tinsel |
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Rib:
|
Oval
Silver Tinsel |
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Wing:
|
Four
Black Cock Hackles |
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Hackle:
|
Blue
Cock Hackle |
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Cheek:
|
Jungle
Cock |
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Head:
|
Black |
|
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Copyright
© 1998 - 2000 R.A. Skehan, Raske's
New England Streamers. All rights reserved.
R.A. Skehan: A GFF Network Partner.
|
