I still haven't been able to find the originator of the Royal Trude
Deb,
Jim Abbs wrote the following on the subject with FFF and it is posted on their website:
" According to many sources, the first of the truly Western flies originated as a lark. Apparently the one-time mayor of Chicago, Mr. Carter Harrison, tied a joke fly on a muskie hook, with a dog hair wing (apparently the first hair wing) and wool from a cabin rug. He presented this fly to Mr. A.S. Trude, owner of ranch Harrison was visiting in Big Springs, Idaho. To make the joke complete, he even named the fly after Mr. Trude. However, this prank fly looked so good it was imitated with slightly different material and became a truly Western fly, totally different from anything back East. "
Steve Schalla
