Published Jul 14. 2003 - 20 years ago
Updated or edited Feb 20. 2019

Bert Quimby

Another entry in the continuing series of features highlighting the flies of the founders of the art of streamer tying. Bert Quimby is not as well known as many, but his flies are just as beautiful and original.

Although their popularity may have waned since their heyday in the 1940's and 50's, the Green Ghost, Lady Ghost and York's Kennebago are flies that are firmly cemented in streamer fly history. While his streamers are often wallet-mates of quintessential patterns by famed creators such as Carrie Stevens and Herb Welch, the aforementioned patterns' originator, Bert Quimby, does not share the same legendary status
as those two streamer luminaries. As is commonly the case with fly pattern history, the longevity and wide acceptance of a pattern or patterns does not ensure that its creator will be as easily remembered as his creations - especially as time advances. Such seems to be the case with Mr. Quimby. Yet, looking back, it is plainly obvious that Bert Quimby had his finger on the pulse of northeastern streamer development and influenced it to a degree that few today may realize.

Bert Quimby worked as a guide, camp manager and newspaper reporter, a vocation shared by some fellow streamer notables such as Gene Letourneau. It was while working as a reporter that Quimby first met Ai Wellington Ballou - generally acknowledged as the father of the marabou streamer. Why exactly Bert was at the mouth of the Songo River on Sebago Lake is unclear, but this meeting may have had a profound impact on not only Quimby's life, but also Maine streamer history in general. For Ballou not only went on to coach Bert Quimby on the finer points of fishing, but more importantly, also gave him his indoctrination into the craft of fly tying. A rather fortunate set of circumstances for other Maine anglers to come, both prominent and otherwise, as well as for us today.

From South Windham, Maine, where he resided, Bert Quimby would not only generate his own streamer designs, but would also have a hand in many other soon-to-be-well-known patterns. As for his own flies, he is perhaps best known for the Green Ghost and Lady Ghost. The Green Ghost is thought to have evolved from a melding of Carrie Stevens' Gray Ghost and the interest in green-winged streamers of the day, attributed to the popularity of the Dr. Sanborn's Nine-Three. Both the Green and Lady Ghosts were chiefly known and used as trolling flies during that time. It has been said that in Maine during the 1940's and 1950's, the Lady Ghost was considered by many to be an indispensable pattern.

An original Silver Ghost by Bert Quimby
An original Silver Ghost by Bert Quimby

Quimby also cast forth some other intriguing streamer 'apparitions' - his Galloping Ghost, which sports a wing of Bali duck, and a Silver Ghost (shown in the accompanying photo), which is attributed to Quimby by Harold Smedley in his book "Fly Patterns and Their Origins." (Smedley, however, also makes mention of a Red Ghost and Kennebago Special by Mr. Quimby, but this is likely erroneous as those patterns are generally accepted to be originated by Ray Salminen and Bill Edson, respectively.) There were, of course, his less 'ghostly' streamers as well. The York's Kennebago, perhaps Quimby's third most recognized pattern, was named for T. Lewis York of York's Camps. This handsome, badger-winged streamer was developed to imitate a baitfish of Kennebago Lake - perhaps dace or possibly a Lake Chub, which possesses similar dace-like characteristics. Bert himself particularly favored the Lady Ghost and York's Kennebago over his other patterns. Most of his flies were tied on looped-eye Allcock 2811 hooks, a common favorite among streamer tyers of that time.

Additionally, Quimby created his Dusty Streamer (first tested on Moosehead Lake), the Governor Brann (for which he tied and presented the pattern to the former Maine Governor at the Sportsmen's Show in Boston), tied the first Nimrod Bucktail for its pattern originator Henry Beverage (then fishing editor of the Portland Press Herald) and perhaps originated the Ross McKenney (named for the popular Maine guide). Quimby is also credited with assisting Chief Needahbeh in the development of his namesake bi-plane streamer. Bert was the Chief's main source for this pattern, though Needahbeh stated that Quimby eventually tied and preferred his own Chief Needabeh variation, using only yellow hackles as opposed to the original combination of red and yellow.

Given the extent of Mr. Quimby's involvement and contributions discussed above, we might now view his patterns with renewed interest. Members of the Streamers@ email discussion group have recreated these streamers here, serving as either an introduction or a call to revisit, in the hopes that you might be stirred to tie and fish them. A reference list for Bert Quimby's patterns is also given below.

Chris Del Plato
5/2003


Chief Needahbeh Variation

Tyer: Scott Daskiewich
Head: Black
Tag: Three or four turns of narrow flat silver tinsel
Body: Red silk floss
Rib: Narrow flat silver tinsel
Wing: Yellow saddle hackles, rather long
Cheek: Jungle cock, rather long
Collar: Red saddle hackle

Dr. Milne Streamer

Dr. Milne Streamer

Tyer: Dave Talley
Head: Black
Tag: Four or five turns of flat gold tinsel
Tail: Golden pheasant crest curving upwards
Body: Yellow Chenille
Wing: Sparse black bear hair ending at the tail, over which are four gray neck hackles extending well beyond the tail.
Topping: Thin section of red dyed goose feather as long as the cheek.
Shoulder: Bronze mallard flank feather, about half the wing length
Cheek: Jungle cock, medium length

Dusty Streamer #2

Dusty Streamer #2

Tyer: Ron McKusick
Wing: Grizzly hackle
Cheeks: Jungle Cock
Body: Silver Tinsel
Belly: Peacock herl, longer under body
Throat: Brown over white
Tail: Peacock Herl

Dusty Streamer (late version)

Dusty Streamer (late version)

Tyer: Dean Endress
Tag: Four or fine turns narrow flat silver tinsel
Body: Black silk, dressed very thin
Rib: Narrow flat silver tinsel
Belly: Six peacock herls, under which is a small bunch of white bucktail, both as long as the wing
Wing: Four well-defined barred plymouth rock hackles (grizzly)
Cheek: Jungle cock

Dusty Streamer (original)

Dusty Streamer (original)

Tyer: Bob Petti
Head: Black
Tag: Four or five turns narrow flat silver tinsel
Body: Red silk, dressed very thin
Rib: Narrow flat silver tinsel
Belly: Six strands peacock herl, under which is a small bunch of white bucktail, both as long as the wing.
Throat: Short golden pheasant crest curving upward
Wing: Four well-defined barred plymouth rock hackles
Cheek: Jungle cock

Galloping Ghost

Galloping Ghost

Tyer: Chris Del Plato
Head: Black
Tag: A few turns of medium embossed silver tinsel
Tail: Section of red dyed duck quill
Body: Orange floss
Rib: Medium embossed silver tinsel
Throat: Red-orange hackle fibers
Wing: Two Bali duck shoulder feathers, light edge on top, extending beyond the tail
Cheek: Jungle Cock
Note: The few established streamer patterns (Bali Streamer, Jess Wood, Galloping Ghost) that use Bali feathers as a wing, seem to have perhaps used them stripped on one side to give the wing a light top and dark bottom half and a low profile (though Bergman hints in 'Trout' that the Bali Streamer may have been a flatwing design). The variation shown here uses the whole feather, tied in typical upright streamer wing

Governor Brann

Governor Brann

Tyer: Deryn Lacombe
Head: Black
Tail: Narrow section of red dyed duck wing, rather long
Body: Medium flat silver tinsel
Rib: Narrow oval silver tinsel
Throat: A very small bunch of dark brown bucktail, nearly as long as the wing
Wing: For olive green saddle hackles, flanked on each side by furnace saddle hackle
Cheek: Jungle cock
Notes: Bates comments that Mr. Quimby had deleted the throat in later versions.

Green Ghost

Green Ghost

Tyer: Emmett Johnson
Head: Black
Tag: Three or four turns of narrow flat silver tinsel
Body: Orange silk dressed thin
Rib: Narrow flat silver tinsel
Belly: Five or six strands of peacock herl, under which is a small bunch of white bucktail, both extending past the hook barb
Wing: Four medium green saddle hackles
Topping: Golden pheasant crest (optional)
Shoulder: Silver pheasant body feather, 1/3 length of wing
Cheek: Jungle cock

Lady Ghost (original)

Lady Ghost (original)

Tyer: Wes Autio
Hook: Mustad 94720, #6
Tail: Golden Pheasant Tippet
Body: Red Silk
Rib: Flat Silver Tinsel
Belly: Six Peacock Herls, below which is white bucktail
Wing: Four Golden Badger hackles
Shoulder: Reeve's Pheasant body feather
Cheek: Jungle Cock extended to the edge of the brown band on the shoulder.
Head: Black
Notes: Bates states that the Reeve's pheasant shoulder in the original pattern had a white base.

Lady Ghost (later version)

Lady Ghost

Tyer: Wes Autio
Hook: Mustad 94720, #4
Body: Flat silver tinsel
Rib: Oval silver tinsel
Belly: Six Peacock Herls, below which is white bucktail
Throat: Golden pheasant crest curled upward
Underwing: Golden pheasant crest curled upward
Wing: Four golden badger hackles
Shoulder: Reeve's pheasant body feather
Cheek: Jungle cock extended to the edge of the brown band on the shoulder
Head: Black
Notes: It appears from photographs that Quimby used a much shorter hook, probably no more than a 3x, such that the hook was less than one half the length of the wing.

Ross McKenney

Ross McKenney

Tyer: Lindsey Grandison
Head: Black
Tail: Narrow sections of married red and white duck wing feather, above which is a short golden pheasant crest feather, all curving upward
Body: Medium flat silver tinsel, built up toward the head
Rib: Fine oval silver tinsel
Throat: Small bunch of white hackle fibers, medium length
Wing: Four dyed duck bread feathers, 1/3 as long as the wing and dress and dressed on wing.
Horns: Single fiber from the Blue Macaw tail, 2/3 as long as wing
Cheek: Jungle Cock
Notes: Bates suggested that the Ross McKenney, the Dana, and the Bonbright were all the same pattern. Leonard and Smedley seem to show the Ross McKenney as similar, but not quite the same, not mentioning some details such as the horns.

Trout Rock #1

Trout Rock #1

Tyer: Bob Petti
Wing: Black over white bucktail
Body: Black floss
Rib: Silver tinsel
Tail: Red hackle fibers
Shoulder: Jungle cock

Trout Rock #2

Trout Rock #2

Tyer: Monte Smith
Wing: Black over red over yellow bucktail
Body: Black floss
Rib: Silver tinsel
Shoulder: Jungle cock

Trout Rock #3

Trout Rock #3

Tyer: Bruce Whittle
Wing: Brown bucktail
Body: Brown wool
Tip/Tag: Silver
Shoulder: Jungle cock

Trout Rock #4

Trout Rock #4

Tyer: Lindsey Grandison
Wing: Red over white bucktail
Body: Silver tinsel
Rib: Silver wire
Shoulder: Jungle cock

Trout Rock #5

Trout Rock #5

Tyer: John Bayerl
Wing: Black hair
Body: Brown wool
Tip/Tag: Silver
Shoulder: Jungle cock

Trout Rock #6

Trout Rock #6

Tyer: Alan Petrucci
Wing: Squirrel
Body: Red floss
Rib: Silver
Shoulder: Jungle cock

White Pheasant Streamer

White Pheasant Streamer

Tyer: Clyde Watson
Head: Black
Tag: Flat silver tinsel
Tail: Golden Pheasant crest and Peacock sword
Butt: Red chenille
Body: Flat silver tinsel
Rib: Silver tinsel lace
Throat: Red hackle fibers, under which are orange hackle fibers
Wing: Four white neck hackles
Topping: Strands of peacock sword, about half as long as wing
Shoulder: Golden Pheasant tippet

York's Kennebago

York's Kennebago

Tyer: Chris Leonard
Head: Black
Tag: Three or four turns of narrow flat silver tinsel
Tail: Short Golden Pheasant crest feather curing upward
Butt: Scarlet floss, three or four turns located about 2/3 the way back from the eye
Body: Flat silver tinsel
Rib: Oval silver tinsel
Throat: Small bunch of red hackle fibers, about 1/3 the length of the wing
Wing: Four honey badger saddles hackles, extending quite long past the hook bend
Topping: Small bunch of red hackle fibers, as long as throat
Cheek: Jungle Cock

Pattern references

Green Ghost - B, H, L, S, S&L, S&S, W
Lady Ghost -- B, L, S&L, S&S
Dr. Milne Streamer -- B, S&L, S&S
Dusty Streamer (original) - B, S&S
Dusty Streamer #2 - L, S&S
Dusty Streamer (late) - B, S&L, S&S
Governor Brann Streamer -- B, S&S
Trout Rock Fly (6 variations) - L, S&S
White Pheasant Streamer - B, S&S
York's Kennebago - B, L, S&L, S&S, W
Galloping Ghost Streamer - B, L, S, S&L
Ross McKenney - B, L, S, S&S
Chief Needahbeh variation - B, L

Reference Key:
B - Bates (Streamer Fly Tying & Fishing 1995)
H - Hilyard (Carrie Stevens)
L - Leonard (Flies)
S - Smedley (Fly Patterns & Their Origins)
S&L - Stewart & Leeman (Trolling Flies For Trout & Salmon)
S&S - Schmookler & Sils (Forgotten Flies)
W - Wilson (Smelt Fly Patterns)

Comments

hello, My name is Ev...

hello, My name is Evan Quimby. Bert was my great grandfather. I have MANY of his original flies as well as several pictures. several with the chief. if you ever wanted to discuss, feel free to contact me, id be happy to send you somne pictures.

hello bob, can you ...

hello bob,
can you please send a photo of the trout rock to me?

bill davis i have so...

bill davis i have some of berts streamers.contact me if you are still interested.

I have a "Joe King,"...

I have a "Joe King," a "Trout Rock #1," and one other.
Can you tell me what the value might be.

This is part of a collection from about the 1940"s

Any suggestions would be appreciated

William W. Anderson

In the 1950's our pa...

In the 1950's our parents would on occasion would visit with Bert and Jackie Quimby. I believe Jackie to be my father's cousin. At any rate, my recollection was that Jackie and perhaps Bert also tied flies for LL Bean in that time period. At this time my father (Edward Davis) was an avid fly fisherman and received many streamer flies from the quimby's as well as from LL Bean himself as we lived nearby and father plowed his driveway in the winter.
To the crutx of the matter, I have my father's fly roll and I have tied a duplicate of every fly therin. However, I would love to aquire one or two of the original flies tied by Jackie or Bert in the original paper and cellophane wrappers. If anyone can help please e-mail me.

Bill

My wife's Uncle Bob ...

My wife's Uncle Bob Ballou (Ai Ballou's oldest son) recently sent her copy of the Article "The Steamers Flies of Bert Quimby" dated 10/30/07. The author of the article wondered out loud, why Quimby was at the mouth of the Songo River on Sebago Lake, when he first met my wife's grandfather Ai Wellington Ballou. I met Ai Ballou very few times, too my regret. Truely, a wonderful man and sportsman. Quimby met Ai Ballou at the mouth of the Songo River because that was where the Salmon were. My vivid memory recalls the stories he would tell of his fishing feats as well as the stories behind each "trophy catch". My summer home is on Crescent Lake, in Raymond and he therefore told of the many times he would trek to the "Migis Lodge" fish with his friends at the mouth of the Songo.
His fly tying laboratory (small upstairs corner room)was a marvel with all the bird feathers he gathered from around the world. My best recollection was the story of the patch of grey dog fur that he had stored away in a bottom drawer and the story of how he got the dog's owner, a 9 year old girl, who he extolled to cut off a swatch of this dog's fur. This dog fur became the heart of his famous and very successful fly he named after the dog. "Growling Bill" was to go down in Ai's book as a favorite of his flies. Have any of your readers any knowledge of "Growling Bill" fly?

looking for picture ...

looking for picture and value of green ghost and black ghost from the upper dam region of maine

Relationship to Bert Quimby ...

Just to correct the record. I recently discovered pictures of Bert Quimby in uniform from World War One and his letter to my Grandmother, Grace Miller Davis. They were cousins living in Whitefield New Hampshire in 1917. My twin brother, Bill Davis commented on 2018 that he believed we were related to Bert’s wife Jackie but the actual relationship is to Bert. I am looking for any information on Bert.

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