Bloody Butcher Fly
The Bloody Butcher is a pattern that appears in a little black notebook that Harry K. Cameron (1894-1973) made back in the 1960s. He also included it in a stack of index cards. It’s part of a collection of over 170 flies, including 99 different patterns, all drawn with colored pencils with their recipes written in blue ink.
Pop made a note with the Bloody Butcher, “By Leonard.” He often made notes of who the originator of the fly was, and in many cases, they are well-known historical figures. But several flies have references to personal friends or someone I can’t find any information about.
Especially with these personal or unknown people, I’m really interested to know any history I can find. In the case of Leonard, it took a little digging.
Pop was an electrician and member of the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers (IBEW #113) in Colorado Springs, Colorado, for over 50 years, starting in 1919. He served in leadership roles within the union and was well respected by his fellow members.
Leonard Jenkins Rowe. Photo credit: Gazette
Connections within the union are one of the first places I search for references to people within Pop’s collection. In this case, a search online for “IBEW 113 Leonard” turned up an obituary for Leonard Jenkins Rowe, a Colorado native providing the first clue for a possible connection to the fly in Pop’s notes.
Rowe’s obituary stated, “Leonard was a member of the IBEW Local Union 113 for 58 years and was a Colorado State electrical inspector for 20 years.” To top it off, his obituary continues, “Leonard was an avid outdoorsman who loved hiking, fishing, and hunting. Each summer, Leonard took his family camping in the mountains west of Buena Vista.
Pop and Leonard were connected through overlapping membership of IBEW 113 from 1953 to 1969, the activity of fishing, and a history of spending regular time in the quaint town of Buena Vista, Colorado.
Despite the almost 40-year age difference, this connection through the Bloody Butcher indicates a camaraderie and friendship beyond the union.
As for the fly itself, Leonard may have been the source of the pattern for Pop, but the history of the fly goes back much further.
The origins of the Bloody Butcher date back to 1835 in Tunbridge Wells, England. It was originally called Moon’s Fly, and it was created by a butcher known as Mr. Moon. Its red tail may have represented the bloodied cleaver, and the blue wings echoed the dark stripe historically associated with butcher’s aprons.
In 1838, the fly was renamed the Butcher by William Blacker, a renowned fly tier and author. Over time, it evolved into the Bloody Butcher, a variation of the original pattern with a more vivid red accent.
Pop’s detailed drawings and recipes of the Bloody Butcher make me feel deeply connected to this timeless piece of fly-tying history. I also feel a connection with this fellow angler that I didn’t have a chance to meet.
The fondness for this fly got even deeper when two faithful followers of Pop’s Flies on Instagram tied, photographed, and shared their renditions. See the tied flies below from Freddy Block and Ryan Morgan.
If you have additional information about anything shared in the post, please include it in the comments.
