Joe Brooks Original Blonde Bucktail
Joe Brooks’ Blonde Bucktail is the earliest fly to gain widespread popularity in saltwater fly-fishing. By early, I mean back when saltwater fly-fishing was still in diapers – in the 50’s, 60’s, 70’s, and even the 80s.
Now it may come as a surprise, but the Blonde was not Joe Brooks’ creation. Joe himself gave that credit to Homer Rhode, Jr., who designed the fly to fish for tarpon back in the 1940s. Homer Rhodes Jr is perhaps the most intriguing and mysterious figure in the entire history of saltwater fly-fishing. If you would like to know more about him, on my site’s magazine page, is an article I wrote on this extremely gifted man. By the way, the Seaducer is his fly as well. Still, there is no doubt that it was Brooks that brought this fly to the public’s attention.
Joe Brooks Original Blonde Bucktail
In the photo is one of Joe Brooks’ original Blonde Bucktails. Joe had his flies tied for him by the famous Bill Upperman of Atlantic City, New Jersey. If you want to see another such fly view this link. This particular Blonde rides a 3/0 hook. The tail and wing are all-white bucktail. The shank is wrapped in silver embossed Mylar, that has corroded over the years. I bet the original thread was white as well, but the head cement has yellowed it. And unlike today’s commercially tied Blondes, it is dressed very full. Overall length is 4.5″.
Joe called the all-white Blonde the Platinum Blonde. He also recommended a Strawberry Blonde (orange tail, red wing), a Honey Blonde (yellow tail, yellow wing), a Black Blonde (black tail, black wing), a Pink Blonde 1# (pink tail, pink wing), a Pink Blonde 2# (white tail, pink wing) and an Argentine Blonde (white tail, medium blue wing).
Today, this fly is rarely seen in any angler’s fly box, having been completely replaced by Lefty’s Deceiver and Bob Clouser’s Deep Minnow. Both of which are excellent flies. Regardless, the Blonde was and still is effective and an important part of our sport’s history.
