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Fly of the Month 02.24a Infallible [Dry Fly]
The Infallible [Dry Fly] and Improved Infallible [Dry Fly] are very exclusive fly patterns utilized
primarily on the private trout waters of the Armstong Creek Flycasters club. The Infallible is a
suggestive caddis dry fly pattern which was originated and tied by Cato Holler of Marion, North
Carolina beginning in the late 1960s.
As side note, Cato was one of the original founders of the first North Carolina chapter of Trout
Unlimited in the early-1960s when the national organization was being formed. Later, the North
Carolina chapter would become a council with chapters emerging in a number of local
communities across North Carolina.
Cato designed the caddis fly pattern to imitate the abundant, local caddis hatch on Armstrong
Creek. His grandson, Chris Holler, attributes the success of the fly, primarily, to the ability to see
the fly and offer the silhouette of a caddis floating on the water. The floating properties of the fly
pattern handle the riffles in our Blue Ridge Mountain streams.
Cato was an adventurer and traveled to the Arctic where he hunted and killed a polar bear when
it was legal to do so. Upon his return, he began experimenting with polar bear hair, dying patches
in many different colors and of course, reinventing his Infallible fly pattern with the use of polar
bear hair as the wing. Thus, in 1971, Cato Holler also originated the Improved Infallible. The
properties of the polar bear hair make the fly much more visable and much more buoyant.
Even though the Infallible and the Improved Infallible are somewhat a "attractor" fly patterns
and even more of are “suggestive” fly patterns, rather than an exact "imitation," it is
exceptionally easy to tie and basic fly patterns that aspiring Southern Appalachian tiers should
learn to tie and use on our Southern Appalachian trout waters.
Donated for this article by grandson Chris Holler, these photo’s were taken of the actual flies
hand tied by Cato Holler himself. Chris continues the traditions of his grandfather at the
Armstrong Creek Flycasters club. The precious remaining patches of the original polar bear skin
are carefully allocated to these fly patterns for use by club members and as donations for fund
raisers by Trout Unlimited chapters. A sample polar bear patch with Cato’s flies are on exhibit at
the Fly Fishing Museum of the Southern Appalachians in Bryson City, North Carolina.
Fly of the Month 01.24a Infallible [Dry Fly]
Infallible
Hook: Mustad 94840 Dry Fly,
standard length, or equivalent
Size: 12, 14
Thread: Tan
Tail: Badger tail guard fibers
Body: Mink fur dubbing
Wing: Wood duck flank, Trude style
Hackle: Brown
Improved Infallible
Hook: Mustad 94840 Dry Fly,
standard length, or equivalent
Size: 12, 14
Thread: Tan
Tail: Badger tail guard fibers
Body: Mink fur dubbing
Wing: Polar bear hair, Trude style
(or a hair substitution)
Hackle: Brown
Reference: Southern Appalachian Flies - Fly of the Month - Volume II (2020), page 24.
Directions:
1)
2)
- Tom Adams, Alen Baker
The Infallible [Dry Fly] and Improved Infallible [Dry Fly] are very exclusive fly patterns utilized
primarily on the private trout waters of the Armstong Creek Flycasters club. The Infallible is a
suggestive caddis dry fly pattern which was originated and tied by Cato Holler of Marion, North
Carolina beginning in the late 1960s.
As side note, Cato was one of the original founders of the first North Carolina chapter of Trout
Unlimited in the early-1960s when the national organization was being formed. Later, the North
Carolina chapter would become a council with chapters emerging in a number of local
communities across North Carolina.
Cato designed the caddis fly pattern to imitate the abundant, local caddis hatch on Armstrong
Creek. His grandson, Chris Holler, attributes the success of the fly, primarily, to the ability to see
the fly and offer the silhouette of a caddis floating on the water. The floating properties of the fly
pattern handle the riffles in our Blue Ridge Mountain streams.
Cato was an adventurer and traveled to the Arctic where he hunted and killed a polar bear when
it was legal to do so. Upon his return, he began experimenting with polar bear hair, dying patches
in many different colors and of course, reinventing his Infallible fly pattern with the use of polar
bear hair as the wing. Thus, in 1971, Cato Holler also originated the Improved Infallible. The
properties of the polar bear hair make the fly much more visable and much more buoyant.
Even though the Infallible and the Improved Infallible are somewhat a "attractor" fly patterns
and even more of are “suggestive” fly patterns, rather than an exact "imitation," it is
exceptionally easy to tie and basic fly patterns that aspiring Southern Appalachian tiers should
learn to tie and use on our Southern Appalachian trout waters.
Donated for this article by grandson Chris Holler, these photo’s were taken of the actual flies
hand tied by Cato Holler himself. Chris continues the traditions of his grandfather at the
Armstrong Creek Flycasters club. The precious remaining patches of the original polar bear skin
are carefully allocated to these fly patterns for use by club members and as donations for fund
raisers by Trout Unlimited chapters. A sample polar bear patch with Cato’s flies are on exhibit at
the Fly Fishing Museum of the Southern Appalachians in Bryson City, North Carolina.
Fly of the Month 01.24a Infallible [Dry Fly]
Infallible
Hook: Mustad 94840 Dry Fly,
standard length, or equivalent
Size: 12, 14
Thread: Tan
Tail: Badger tail guard fibers
Body: Mink fur dubbing
Wing: Wood duck flank, Trude style
Hackle: Brown
Improved Infallible
Hook: Mustad 94840 Dry Fly,
standard length, or equivalent
Size: 12, 14
Thread: Tan
Tail: Badger tail guard fibers
Body: Mink fur dubbing
Wing: Polar bear hair, Trude style
(or a hair substitution)
Hackle: Brown
Reference: Southern Appalachian Flies - Fly of the Month - Volume II (2020), page 24.
Directions:
1)
2)
- Tom Adams, Alen Baker