THE MAR LODGE
fly & photo Peter Dunne.

The Mar Lodge is one of the oldest classics which has retained its popularity throughout the years. It originated from the Scottish river Dee, and its name is taken from a salmon fishing lodge which was slightly upriver from the upper Mar Beat; thus we have the Mar Lodge, and what an appropriate name for such a splendid salmon fly. It was often dressed on very large salmon irons and the originator (John Lamon) wrote in a letter (1893) that Her Royal Highness, The Duchess of Fife, had great success while fishing with it, and Kelson suggests applying to Garden, Aberdeen for samples.
The unusual black middle section was sometimes replaced with other bright pastel colours, thus called by another name, but these variations never really caught on.
The Mar Lodge is mentioned in other great works of that time including J.J.Hardy, Maxwell, and Pryce Tannatt. Some of these works specify a different dressing for this lovely fly.






The Dressing: (Kelson, Hardy, Hale)

Tag: Silver tinsel.
Tail: A topping, and points of small Jungle Cock feathers above, back to back.
Butt: Black Ostrich herl.
Body: In three equal sections; No.1 and No.3 of silver tinsel. With the centre of black silk.
Throat: Gallina..
Wings: Underwing of married strips of swan dyed yellow, red, and blue; strips of peacock wing, summer duck, grey mallard, dark mottled turkey, golden pheasant tail and a topping.
Sides: Jungle Cock.
Horns: Blue Macaw.
Head: Black wool.


The Dressing: (Maxwell)

Tag: Silver tinsel.
Tail: A topping, and points of small Jungle Cock feathers above, back to back.
Butt: Black chenille.
Body: In three equal sections; No.1 and No.3 of silver tinsel. With the centre of black silk.
Ribs: Flat silver tinsel.
Throat: Gallina..
Wing: Sections of brown turkey, golden pheasant tail (short), and barred wood-duck. and a topping.
Cheeks: Jungle Cock.
Horns: Blue Macaw.
Head: Black wool.


The Dressing: (Pryce Tannatt)

Tag: Silver tinsel.
Tail: A topping, and points of small Jungle Cock feathers above, back to back.
Butt: Black chenille.
Body: In three sections; No.1 and No.3 of silver tinsel. With the centre of black silk (a few turns of black silk only).
Ribs: Thin silver tinsel.
Throat: Gallina..
Wing: Underwing of mixed tippets in strands; married strands of white swan, bustard, florican, cinnamon, motled grey and mottled brown turkey tail, and golden pheasant tail. and barred wood-duck. and a topping.
Sides: Wide barred wood-duck sections and jungle cock.
Horns: Blue Macaw.
Head: Black wool.

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