So many notable fly anglers have passed on this past few years. Another, John Goddard passed the day after Christmas (2012). I admit I knew little of the man save a pattern the Goddard Caddis. But, upon a bit of reading in a recent news article, it is evident he was a true student of why trout ate the fly and we have benefited from his efforts.
John Goddard, born August 27 1923, died December 26 2012
Fly: Larry Medina, Photograph: Hans Weilenmann (Danica Site)
“…in the late 1950s, that Goddard began to develop his interest in entomology. Realising that if he were to catch more fish on this difficult river it would be helpful to invent more realistic patterns, he and a friend, Cliff Henry, decided to take life-size close-up photographs of the species of insect life on the river.
They brought the insects home, and in order to keep them still and arrange them in the correct position to be photographed, sedated them by holding them in a test-tube against a lit electric light bulb. “That winter we slaved away at the fly-tying bench,” Goddard later wrote, “trying to develop more imitative patterns with the help of these photographs.” (more)
Photo from Wandel Piscators (Also, a nice piece about Goddard)
One of my favourite flies! I am sure Mr. John Goddard will find some great rivers to fish up there!
Great looking fly. Love the profile.
It’s been a fairly mild winter so far although the older I get, cold is just cold. Snow pack is close to normal, pretty good up high but a little light at mid, low elevations? Not a lot of sunshine! Bought to go batty from that by itself! I’d take an arctic high just to see some sunshine, pretty sad eh?
Well living in Portland, I understand the basic grey days that close in after awhile and that cold penetrates more than it use to.
Goddard was higly influential, particularly in the Uk where he and Brian Clarke co-authored a book “The Trout and the Fly” which detailed a gread deal about the way trout saw the world, the effects of the mirrored surface, Snell’s window and how trout keyed in on flies. John Goddard was particularly involved with photographing both the insects and imitations from “underwater” courtesy of a specifically designed sloping sided tank. The most famous fly from those experiments was the “USD” (Upside down) Dun. RIP John.
That’s a great fly he gave us. One of the real killers. Just the thought of hat fly skittered across the surface on a mid summer evening gives me goose bumps. Thanks John!
Yes indeed! Hope you’re staying warm? Thanks for commenting.