193:(1895) for pattern advice. Her first paying fly tying work came when a Sir Charles Clauson requested she convert more than a dozen gut-eyed salmon flies onto the more modern eyed hooks or "irons". After seeing her work, local salmon anglers began asking Megan to tie flies for them and her reputation began to grow. Megan made her reputation by tying classic and traditional flies such as the Jock Scott, Silver Doctor, Durham Ranger and Wilkinson. She always claimed she tied flies for anglers and resisted tying for commercial fly houses. Her flies were extraordinarily durable and lasted many seasons. Over the course of her 65-year tying career, some estimate she tied tens of thousands of salmon flies. Yet despite the huge numbers of salmon that could not resist her flies, she never fished herself.
211:
137:. Boyd, a renowned figure in the Scottish Highlands, was known for her fly tying skills, eccentric style, and service during World War II. Despite never fishing herself, Boyd's precision and quality in fly tying made her creations sought after by local anglers. She invented a traditional pattern called "The Megan Boyd," and her work earned her the
226:. The cottage was built from second hand materials in 1906 and did not have electricity or running water until the 1980s. She set up a small, kidney-shaped fly tying desk in a potting shed next to the cottage where she routinely worked 14-hour days tying flies to fill orders. Visiting anglers from around the world who came to fish the
33:
261:(1970) after polling the best of the world's fly tiers has been quoted as saying "The best are in Scotland, and of course Megan Boyd is the best in Scotland." Bates included several flies tied by Boyd in the color plates of his 1970 book. In a 1996 tribute to women who have influenced fly fishing in
169:
she held various jobs including delivering milk and duties as an auxiliary coast watcher. Boyd was described as full of energy and a much-loved local figure in Brora. Country dancing was her favorite relaxation and she took an active role in helping the old and disabled locally. Considered eccentric
352:
Boyd tied flies for almost six decades using only natural light or a gas lantern for illumination. At the age of 70, her eyesight began to fail and she was forced to retire from commercial tying in 1985. In 1988 she moved from her
Kintradwell cottage into Brora. In 2000, Prince Charles paid her a
182:
At the age of 12, Megan began taking fly tying lessons from Bob
Trussler, another river keeper on the estate. Trussler's tutelage went on for many years with emphasis on precision and quality. Boyd also relied on two classic salmon fly publications for tying instructions and pattern recipes. She
280:
and invited her to
Buckingham Palace to receive the medal. Boyd wrote to the Queen explaining she could not attend because she was busy playing bridge and no one could look after her dog Patch. The Queen wrote back explaining she understood as she had dogs herself. Later that year,
293:
Dear
Charlie. Best wishes to you and Lady Diana. May you enjoy a lifetime of peace and happiness. I have made a special fly for the occasion that I would like you to give to your wife. Tell her you will have the best catch you will ever
709:
802:
285:, an avid user of her flies, presented Boyd the medal at his fishing lodge in the Highlands. They became friends and he visited Boyd at her cottage or in Brora on a number of occasions. When he married
234:
for salmon would stop by her cottage to watch her tie flies and place orders. If she was not at home, she left a small notepad and pencil under her doormat for visitors to write down their orders.
237:
Boyd for the most part tied traditional patterns, but is credited with one of her own invention – The Megan Boyd – which proved to be a very effective low water pattern in the
Scottish Highlands.
265:, author Lyla Foggia said this about Boyd: "During six decades that Megan Boyd created her magical concoctions out of feathers and fur, she did indeed produce flies that many regard as 'The
360:
and its efforts to preserve remaining stocks of wild salmon to their native rivers. Boyd regularly donated examples of her flies for auctions to raise funds for the salmon.
806:
935:
170:
by some, Boyd dressed in men's clothes, with man's shirt and tie, sport jacket and heavy army-style boots. She cut her own hair in a very short crop known as the
356:
She is remembered for her devotion to her work, living by herself and working many hours a day. She was a dedicated conservationist and a major supporter of the
668:
599:
532:
491:
940:
141:
in 1971. Boyd retired at 70 due to failing eyesight but remained a major supporter of the North
Atlantic Salmon Fund until her death in 2001.
867:
317:
433:
576:
246:
930:
732:
710:"Edinburgh Film Festival 2013: New Megan Boyd film explores life of 'eccentric master of flies' and friend of Prince Charles"
651:
471:
218:
In 1935, at the age of twenty, Boyd left her family home and moved into a small cottage at
Kintradwell overlooking the
197:
Now to disappoint all my customers, I do not fish, have no interest in fishing, and cannot even tie a fly to a cast.
945:
357:
286:
282:
165:'s sporting estate. She attended local schools until she was 15 when she took her first fly tying work. During
683:
614:
547:
506:
322:
829:
639:
254:
313:
925:
920:
915:
277:
138:
117:
331:
779:
273:
162:
154:
890:
312:, an 80-minute documentary on Megan Boyd's fly tying life. The film was shown at both the 2013
863:
647:
467:
410:
153:, England. She was the youngest of three children. In 1918 her father moved the family to the
388:
266:
231:
126:
189:
909:
245:
As early as 1938, Boyd's flies were winning awards in competitions such as the 1938
210:
166:
227:
158:
129:
flies. She lived most of her adult life in a small cottage in
Kintradwell, near
353:
visit in the nursing home where they discussed her favourite fly: the Popham.
305:
289:, Boyd sent the prince some flies as a wedding gift with the following note:
883:
219:
171:
326:
magazine who was apprenticed with Boyd one summer during his youth, said:
546:(4). Manchester, VT: American Museum of Fly Fishing: 25–26. Archived from
187:(1914) by T. E. Pryce-Tannatt as her "bible". She also relied on Kelson's
682:(2). Manchester, VT: American Museum of Fly Fishing: 2–13. Archived from
505:(4). Manchester, VT: American Museum of Fly Fishing: 2–29. Archived from
134:
122:
733:"Cast from the Past; Eccentric Scot Made Flies for Anglers around World"
613:(2). Manchester, VT: American Museum of Fly Fishing: 37. Archived from
364:
250:
79:
32:
754:
334:
of the fishing world. You could say she wove a certain kind of magic.
150:
60:
884:
Hour long programme about Boyd, broadcast on 27 January 2015 on BBC4
223:
209:
130:
330:
She had the most delicate feminine hands; her creations were the
149:
Megan Boyd was born Rosina Megan Boyd on 29 January 1915 in
803:"Megan Boyd: the Scottish fishing fly maker who wove magic"
780:"Fishing fly-tying master Megan Boyd's story told in film"
434:"Megan Boyd, Eccentric Master of Fish Flies, Dies at 86"
257:
whose seminal works on
Atlantic salmon flies include:
320:. In the film, David Profumo, the fishing editor of
830:"Megan Boyd, 86; Renowned Crafter of Fishing Flies"
157:to take a job as a bailiff or river watcher on the
121:(29 January 1915 – 15 November 2001) was a British
103:
95:
87:
68:
42:
23:
466:. San Francisco: Chronicle Books. pp. 26–31.
253:where her flies won the Open award. Angler author
214:Boyd's cottage as it looked in 2012, in disrepair.
464:The Atlantic Salmon Fly - The Tyers and their Art
185:How To Dress Salmon Flies-A Handbook for Amateurs
328:
291:
195:
577:"Lady of the Flies: Previewing Kiss the Water"
8:
860:Megan Boyd: The Story of a Salmon Flydresser
570:
568:
383:
381:
379:
413:. Edinburgh: The Scotsman. 4 December 2001
31:
20:
669:"Reel Women: The World of Women Who Fish"
891:"NPR Interview - Remembering Megan Boyd"
457:
455:
805:. London: The Telegraph. Archived from
485:
483:
375:
936:Recipients of the British Empire Medal
889:Wertheimer, Linda (26 November 2001).
858:Mills, Derek; Younger, Jimmy (2016).
462:Dunham, Judith (1991). "Megan Boyd".
7:
432:Martin, Douglas (11 December 2001).
646:. Harrisburg, PA: Stackpole Books.
575:Ramaswamyr, Chitra (23 June 2013).
14:
828:Hyman, Steve (14 December 2001).
644:Atlantic salmon flies and fishing
363:Boyd died on 15 November 2001 in
259:Atlantic Salmon Flies and Fishing
941:People from Surrey (before 1965)
801:Tyzack, Anna (4 February 2014).
782:. London: BBC News. 25 June 2013
735:. Glasgow: Scottish Daily Record
731:McQueen, Craig (1 July 2013).
492:"The Women of A Graceful Rise"
1:
708:Gray, Louise (18 June 2013).
598:Bates, Pamela (Spring 2002).
490:Comar, Cathrine (Fall 2011).
411:"Megan Boyd, salmon fly-tier"
367:, Scotland at the age of 86.
667:Foggia, Lyla (Spring 1996).
269:of the twentieth century'".
204:The Women of a Graceful Rise
202:Attributed to Megan Boyd in
531:Salminen, Ray (Fall 1997).
962:
358:North Atlantic Salmon Fund
600:"In Memoriam: Megan Boyd"
579:. Edinburgh: The Scotsman
533:"A Visit with Megan Boyd"
30:
893:. National Public Radio
759:, a film by Eric Steel"
712:. London: The Telegraph
676:The American Fly Fisher
607:The American Fly Fisher
540:The American Fly Fisher
499:The American Fly Fisher
318:Edinburgh Film Festival
263:The American Fly Fisher
931:People from Sutherland
862:. Merlin Unwin Books.
391:. Flyanglersonline.com
345:
308:produced and directed
302:
215:
208:
314:Tribeca Film Festival
213:
107:Atlantic salmon flies
640:Bates, Joseph D. Jr.
278:British Empire Medal
139:British Empire Medal
689:on 26 December 2014
620:on 26 December 2014
553:on 6 September 2015
512:on 23 December 2014
304:In 2013, filmmaker
255:Joseph D. Bates Jr.
125:most noted for her
809:on 4 February 2014
274:Queen Elizabeth II
216:
163:Duke of Sutherland
155:Scottish Highlands
946:People from Brora
869:978-1-9107-232-41
836:. Los Angeles, CA
834:Los Angeles Times
276:awarded Boyd the
247:Empire Exhibition
241:Awards and legacy
114:Rosina Megan Boyd
111:
110:
47:Rosina Megan Boyd
953:
902:
900:
898:
873:
846:
845:
843:
841:
825:
819:
818:
816:
814:
798:
792:
791:
789:
787:
776:
770:
769:
767:
765:
751:
745:
744:
742:
740:
728:
722:
721:
719:
717:
705:
699:
698:
696:
694:
688:
673:
664:
658:
657:
636:
630:
629:
627:
625:
619:
604:
595:
589:
588:
586:
584:
572:
563:
562:
560:
558:
552:
537:
528:
522:
521:
519:
517:
511:
496:
487:
478:
477:
459:
450:
449:
447:
445:
429:
423:
422:
420:
418:
407:
401:
400:
398:
396:
385:
343:
300:
206:
120:
75:
72:15 November 2001
56:
54:
35:
21:
16:British fly tyer
961:
960:
956:
955:
954:
952:
951:
950:
906:
905:
896:
894:
888:
880:
870:
857:
854:
852:Further reading
849:
839:
837:
827:
826:
822:
812:
810:
800:
799:
795:
785:
783:
778:
777:
773:
763:
761:
753:
752:
748:
738:
736:
730:
729:
725:
715:
713:
707:
706:
702:
692:
690:
686:
671:
666:
665:
661:
654:
638:
637:
633:
623:
621:
617:
602:
597:
596:
592:
582:
580:
574:
573:
566:
556:
554:
550:
535:
530:
529:
525:
515:
513:
509:
494:
489:
488:
481:
474:
461:
460:
453:
443:
441:
431:
430:
426:
416:
414:
409:
408:
404:
394:
392:
387:
386:
377:
373:
350:
344:
339:David Profumo,
338:
301:
298:
243:
207:
201:
180:
147:
127:Atlantic salmon
116:
83:
77:
73:
64:
58:
57:29 January 1915
52:
50:
49:
48:
38:
26:
17:
12:
11:
5:
959:
957:
949:
948:
943:
938:
933:
928:
923:
918:
908:
907:
904:
903:
886:
879:
878:External links
876:
875:
874:
868:
853:
850:
848:
847:
820:
793:
771:
757:Kiss The Water
746:
723:
700:
659:
652:
631:
590:
564:
523:
479:
472:
451:
438:New York Times
424:
402:
374:
372:
369:
349:
346:
341:Kiss the Water
336:
310:Kiss The Water
296:
283:Prince Charles
242:
239:
222:just north of
199:
190:The Salmon Fly
179:
176:
146:
143:
109:
108:
105:
104:Known for
101:
100:
97:
93:
92:
89:
85:
84:
78:
76:(aged 86)
70:
66:
65:
59:
46:
44:
40:
39:
36:
28:
27:
24:
15:
13:
10:
9:
6:
4:
3:
2:
958:
947:
944:
942:
939:
937:
934:
932:
929:
927:
924:
922:
919:
917:
914:
913:
911:
892:
887:
885:
882:
881:
877:
871:
865:
861:
856:
855:
851:
835:
831:
824:
821:
808:
804:
797:
794:
781:
775:
772:
760:
758:
750:
747:
734:
727:
724:
711:
704:
701:
685:
681:
677:
670:
663:
660:
655:
649:
645:
641:
635:
632:
616:
612:
608:
601:
594:
591:
578:
571:
569:
565:
549:
545:
541:
534:
527:
524:
508:
504:
500:
493:
486:
484:
480:
475:
469:
465:
458:
456:
452:
439:
435:
428:
425:
412:
406:
403:
390:
384:
382:
380:
376:
370:
368:
366:
361:
359:
354:
347:
342:
335:
333:
327:
325:
324:
319:
315:
311:
307:
295:
290:
288:
284:
279:
275:
270:
268:
264:
260:
256:
252:
248:
240:
238:
235:
233:
229:
225:
221:
212:
205:
198:
194:
192:
191:
186:
177:
175:
173:
168:
164:
160:
156:
152:
144:
142:
140:
136:
132:
128:
124:
119:
115:
106:
102:
98:
94:
90:
86:
81:
71:
67:
62:
45:
41:
34:
29:
22:
19:
895:. Retrieved
859:
838:. Retrieved
833:
823:
811:. Retrieved
807:the original
796:
784:. Retrieved
774:
762:. Retrieved
756:
749:
737:. Retrieved
726:
714:. Retrieved
703:
691:. Retrieved
684:the original
679:
675:
662:
643:
634:
622:. Retrieved
615:the original
610:
606:
593:
581:. Retrieved
555:. Retrieved
548:the original
543:
539:
526:
514:. Retrieved
507:the original
502:
498:
463:
442:. Retrieved
437:
427:
415:. Retrieved
405:
393:. Retrieved
389:"Megan Boyd"
362:
355:
351:
340:
329:
323:Country Life
321:
309:
303:
292:
271:
262:
258:
244:
236:
228:Rivers Brora
217:
203:
196:
188:
184:
181:
167:World War II
148:
113:
112:
74:(2001-11-15)
18:
926:2001 deaths
921:1915 births
916:Fly fishing
693:30 November
624:30 November
557:30 November
516:30 November
395:30 November
183:considered
159:River Brora
88:Nationality
910:Categories
897:1 December
840:1 December
813:1 December
786:1 December
764:1 December
739:2 December
716:1 December
653:0811701808
583:1 December
473:0877018006
444:1 December
440:. New York
417:1 December
371:References
306:Eric Steel
299:Megan Boyd
287:Lady Diana
145:Early life
96:Occupation
82:, Scotland
53:1915-01-29
37:Megan Boyd
25:Megan Boyd
272:In 1971,
267:Tiffanies
232:Helmsdale
220:North Sea
172:Eton Crop
63:, England
642:(1970).
337:—
332:Fabergés
316:and the
297:—
200:—
178:Fly tyer
135:Scotland
123:fly tyer
99:Fly tyer
365:Golspie
251:Glasgow
161:on the
91:British
80:Golspie
866:
650:
470:
151:Surrey
61:Surrey
687:(PDF)
672:(PDF)
618:(PDF)
603:(PDF)
551:(PDF)
536:(PDF)
510:(PDF)
495:(PDF)
348:Death
294:have.
224:Brora
131:Brora
899:2014
864:ISBN
842:2014
815:2014
788:2014
766:2014
741:2014
718:2014
695:2014
648:ISBN
626:2014
585:2014
559:2014
518:2014
468:ISBN
446:2014
419:2014
397:2014
230:and
69:Died
43:Born
249:in
118:BEM
912::
832:.
680:22
678:.
674:.
611:28
609:.
605:.
567:^
544:23
542:.
538:.
503:37
501:.
497:.
482:^
454:^
436:.
378:^
174:.
133:,
901:.
872:.
844:.
817:.
790:.
768:.
755:"
743:.
720:.
697:.
656:.
628:.
587:.
561:.
520:.
476:.
448:.
421:.
399:.
55:)
51:(
Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License. Additional terms may apply.
