Undoubtedly, most fly fishermen will relate the name Bill
Edson with the Dark and Light Edson Tiger streamers that bear
his name. They are prominent in streamer lore, fly catalogs,
fly wallets, and with just cause - they have been exceptional
fish takers from their inception. Some may recall the motto
“Less Alibies With Edson-Made Flies” printed across the cover
of his fly catalogs. Others might picture the Bill Edson flybook
they had owned many years ago. However, if there is one thing
that sets Bill Edson apart in the minds of the well-studied
streamer advocate, it is perhaps his use of gold 'reflector
cheeks' on his flies - one of the most unique characteristics
of any original freshwater streamer.
Bill Edson's roots in the business of fly fishing and tying
began in Massachusetts, where he worked as a representative
for Montague Rods. Lured by the challenge of the Atlantic
Salmon, he later moved to Portland Maine and began working
at Edwards & Walker, a combination hardware / sporting goods
store near his home. He eventually established his own commercial
fly catalog business, featuring streamer flies of his own
design. At some point, Bill began experimenting with changes
to his existing patterns. The cheeks (or eyes, as they're
often referred to) were most likely an innovation borne of
Bill's background as a lure and jig specialist at Edwards
& Walker. Purportedly, Bill either lived in close proximity
to, or had a friend who was involved in a stamping/machining
business. It is believed the cheeks themselves were thin gold
stampings or 'findings' - scrap pieces left from the manufacture
of clock faces and backs (perhaps keyholes for winding?).
Bill described the evolution and growing popularity of the
cheeks in one of his fly catalogs -
“At first, my customers were slow to accept this gold reflector
cheek, thus I made it optional. Each year, more orders came
in for gold reflectors on their flies; last season over 85
percent of the orders specified gold reflector cheeks. From
now on Edson-made streamer flies will have gold reflector
cheeks as standard. These gold reflector cheeks are made of
gold-filled stock; they will retain their brightness indefinitely
and are tied in at the head of the fly same as jungle cock.
They will not split or catch on the leader.”
These reflector cheeks were believed to enhance Edson's patterns
in two ways. Firstly, to better attract fish by the addition
of flash and secondly, by giving the streamer some added weight,
thus enabling it to swim deeper. The thought may be that the
motivation for the cheeks was to replace costly jungle cock
cheeks that are a common element of many traditional streamer
flies. However, one need only to look at Edson's Kennebago
Special to possibly argue against this, as the pattern uses
both jungle cock and gold reflector cheeks. Whatever the main
reason for his using them, no one can deny the effectiveness
of Bill's patterns tied with or without the cheeks.
In his catalogs, he referred to his streamers by the name
'Fishermen's Favorite Streamer Flies.' Among them, the Dot
Edson, Bill Edson Special (or Bill Special) and the Gold and
Silver Spratts. He described the Dot Edson as “the most popular
fly I make.” It is also interesting to note that the flies
we often refer to as the Edson Light Tiger and Edson Dark
Tiger, he labels the Tiger Light and Tiger Dark. The Tigers'
were the first streamers Bill originated and he believed that
as a result of their great popularity, and the fact that almost
anyone who tied flies made them, in many cases other tyers
'sadly cheapened' his original patterns. It is thought that
the origination of Edson's Light Tiger (or Tiger Light) was
influenced by a fly named 'Dick's Killer', given him by Dick
Eastman of New Hampshire in 1928 (ref. “Streamer Fly Tying
and Fishing” by Joseph D. Bates, Jr.).
As a man, Bill Edson was a fisherman above all else. Often
recalled as being the first one to the water when going fishing
with others, and the last one to pull in his line when it
was time to leave. Edson was also known to be one of the champion
fly casters of the era, and a fixture at many a northeastern
sportsmen's show. His tall, thin figure was a common sight
there, demonstrating his casting prowess alongside the likes
of Herb Welch and other notables.
In addition, Bill was a major proponent of Atlantic Salmon
fishing in the Dennys River. Portions of his fly catalogs
often read like a tourist brochure for the Dennysville region,
giving a virtual sporting tour in printed word. He was intimate
with every inch of the Dennys flow, from the outlet of Meddybemps
Lake to Tidewater, the upper narrows, as well as the many
salmon pools such as 'Hell's Vestibule' and on down through
Little Falls. In addition to his mail order fly business,
Bill began making the popular 'Bill Edson Fly Book.' Also
to be found in Edson's catalogs were the Bill Edson series
of fly rods, which included split bamboo Atlantic Salmon models,
as well as Atlantic Salmon flies tied by Bill, such as the
Yellow Peril, Fiery Brown, Black Eagle and the Blue Charm.
Bill Edson passed away in the 1960's.
Notes: The Edson Reflector Cheeks used in the flies for this
feature were fabricated using a Fiskars 5/16” Tear Drop craft
punch and 0.003” brass shim stock. A special thanks to John
Swan, Mike Martinek and Donald Wilson for their input and
to Clyde Watson for the suggestion of the punch for the reflector
cheeks.
