RANGELEY – In honor of the town’s sesquicentennial party this weekend, Gray Wolf, a local fly tyer, will be creating a limited number of specially made streamer flies.
The fly was an original creation of Wolf’s and will be featured on the cover of Fly Tyer magazine. But Wolf says that being a part of such an historical moment is what really makes him happy.
“For me to be a part of something that’s not going to be repeated for 50 years, internally it’s a really good feeling,” he said. “It makes me feel very humble.”
Streamer flies are normally intended for underwater fishing, not surface fishing. However, Wolf stressed that these flies, like many others that he makes, are “presentation flies,” and should be seen as “a work of art,” rather than something that would actually be used for fishing.
“It’s a gift I have that I can actually sit down and create original flies,” said Wolf, who has been tying flies since he was 12. “I sit down and I put my colors together and I try to put something together that’s pretty to the eye.”
Wolf created the colorful streamers from many different materials, including feathers from a Junglecock bird and iridescent blue peacock breast feathers. He said that it takes him a little over two hours to make each fly. The flies are tied together by hand.
In total, Wolf is making 54 of the unique flies, with 50 being sold as limited-edition copies for $150 apiece.
The other four have specific targets in mind: one is going to the Rangeley Historical Society, where it will be displayed; one is going to Gov. Baldacci, who will be attending the weekend’s event; one is going to the descendants of Squire Rangeley, the town’s founder; and one will be going to a close friend of Wolf’s.
Wolf will also be at the sesquicentennial event on Saturday, demonstrating fly tying at Lakeside Park.
Comments are no longer available on this story