Jack Gartside Collection

Bring up Jack Gartside to any Massachusetts fly angler and they will be sure to laugh and tell you a quirky personal story about their beloved fly tying cabbie. The AMFF houses over 100 of his original patterns including the Gurgler, which has been hailed by many anglers as the best topwater attractor one can use. It is tied using closed cell foam- a departure from Gartside’s usual adherence to all natural materials in his numerous patterns. The fly is light, easier to cast than hard bodied conventional poppers, and it easily collapses when taken by a fish, causing few misses. The pattern’s body, shell, and extended lip (the sound producer) are all formed with a single four or five inch strip of foam. Hair and flash material round out the dressing. Over the years many variations on the original were built by Gartside, including the use of double pieces of foam rather than usual single strip. Check out the Gurgler and more of Jack’s patterns in our collection.