Carrie G. Stevens

Carrie Stevens established a style of fly tying that is now fundamental to the sport. A Maine milliner by trade, Carrie G. Stevens turned her hat making skills to fly tying and so developed flies that revolutionized the sport of fly fishing. On July 1, 1924, Carrie tied her first fly, a Rangeley Favorite, cast it into Upper Dam Pool in Rangeley, Maine, and caught a 6 lb. 13 oz brook trout. The fish brought her second prize in Field & Stream magazine’s annual fishing contest and the fly made her a professional fly tyer. Her clients ranged from commercial fishing stores to anglers such as President Herbert Hoover and author Zane Grey. Her first fly tied to resemble a smelt; Mrs. Stevens modified her design and eventually produced more than 120 different patterns of flies, including the still popular Gray Ghost. She developed the use of shoulders on trout flies to imitate the gill covers of baitfish and is responsible for the widespread success of the streamer silhouette.