Jack Gartside

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Jack Gartside

Born 1946
Revere, Massachusetts, USA
Occupation fly tyer, author, fisherman

Jack Gartside (born 1946 in Revere, Massachusetts) is an acclaimed American fly tyer and fly fishing author.


Considered one of the most talented and innovative fly tyers of the modern era, Gartside was taught how to tie flies at the age of 10 by Ted Williams, the Boston Red Sox outfielder. Among his best-known original patterns are the Sparrow, the Soft Hackle Streamer, the Pheasant Hopper, the Gartside Leech, the FishHead, and the Gurgler. His designs have been featured in Eric Leiser's "Book of Fly Patterns," Judith Dunham's "The Art of the Trout Fly," Lefty Kreh's "Salt Water Fly Patterns," Dick Stewart's "Salt Water Flies," and Dick Brown's "Flyfishing for Bonefish." He was one of the first fly tyers to be profiled in Sports Illustrated (October 12, 1982).


He currently resides in Winthrop, Massachusetts.


[edit] Tying style

Gartside is a proponent of natural materials and the impressionist style of tying. A common theme in his patterns is blood marabou wound as hackle, as seen in his Soft Hackle Streamer and Soft Hackle Deceiver patterns. Although limited in his use of synthetic materials, he is credited with popularizing the use of corsair tubing (as seen in his FishHead and Floating Minnow patterns), and closed-cell foam (as used in his Gurgler pattern).


[edit] Published works

  • Flies for the 21st Century
  • Fly Patterns for the Adventurous Tyer
  • Flyfisherman's Guide to Boston Harbor
  • Original Salt Water Fly Patterns
  • Scratching the Surface
  • Secret Flies
  • Striper Flies
  • Striper Strategies


[edit] External links