Blue Quill Dun

The Blue Quill Dun traces its roots to early American Catskill-style fly tiers, who favored slim, minimally dressed patterns for matching small, selective mayflies. Its hallmark blue-gray body originally came from stripped or dyed quills, giving the fly a segmented, lifelike profile long before synthetic materials existed. As the Catskill school took hold in the early 20th century, the Blue Quill became a defining pattern—simple, elegant, and precise—earning a reputation for fooling trout in calm water where overly dressed flies failed. Its longevity comes from both its clean design and its ability to imitate delicate duns with remarkable accuracy.

Dry-to-Wet Transition: When hatches are sparse, grease only the hackle and wings of the Blue Quill, allowing the tail to sink slightly. This technique imitates a struggling mayfly transitioning from emerger to adult and often tempts wary trout.