by David Klausmeyer
The great Lee Wulff tied this example of his famous fly, the Royal Wulff! Joan Wulff and her husband, Ted Rogowski, lent this sample to me so I could give you an exclusive up-close look at Lee’s version of this pattern. Just how important is the Royal Wulff to our sport? In addition to being featured on a US postage stamp, the Royal Wulff has been jokingly referred to as the state bird of Montana. Here we see a larger version designed for catching Atlantic salmon, but this bushy-collared pattern has spawned dozens—probably hundreds—of similar flies, many created for catching trout. Does Lee’s Royal Wulff look a tad disheveled? That’s because he tied flies without using a vise!
