Emerson
O’Dell Underhill
Emerson O’Dell Underhill was born on November 17, 1931 at Barnettville, New
Brunswick. He is the son of Catherine Myrna Elizabeth (nee Sturgeon) and the
late Henry James O’Dell Underhill.
As
the result of a motor vehicle accident on October 24, 1965, Emerson
immediately became a paraplegic. The accident didn’t stop him though from
raising a family, and accomplishing many goals.
In 1966, while a
patient at the old Victoria Hospital in Fredericton, he met the late Herman
Hare from Sunny Corner, New Brunswick. Herman, a notable fly tier from the
northwest Miramichi River area, had his fly tying gear with him. Herman
wanted Emerson to try tying a fly. Herman gave the instruction as Emerson
tied his very first fly. It was an “Orange Butt Black Bear”, which he still
has. They were very pleased with the way the fly turned out considering it
was Emerson Underhill’s first time at a fly-tying vice. The experience caused
Emerson to become extremely interested in the art of fly tying.
After they returned home from the
hospital they kept in close contact with each other. Their love for fly tying
helped draw them closer together, and it helped to keep them active also.
They were continuously sharing patterns and exchanging flies. Herman helped
Emerson buy fly tying materials from Veniards in England, because Herman
understood the value and exchange on the English currency. “Herman Hare was a
wonderful friend, and a very talented fly tier. He could tie the fully
dressed flies just about as good as anyone. He continuously gave me help and
encouragement with my fly tying right up until his death in 1979”, says
Emerson.
In the Early
1980’s, when they held the Farmer’s Market in Doaktown on Saturday mornings,
Emerson Underhill went there to sell his salmon flies and leatherwork. It was
during this time that he originated the “Green Machine” salmon fly.
Origin of the
Green Machine
By
Emerson O. Underhill
“There wasn’t a lot of thought
behind creating the “Green Machine.” I was experimenting with the deer hair
for the body of the “Shady Lady.” I was dying a lot of deer hair and
experimenting with the colors on different bugs too. When I first tied the
“Green Machine” I used dark green deer hair. I also tied the same fly using
deer hair dyed Kelly green, Forest green with a small bit of Insect green
mixed in. Sometimes I would add a little touch of dark olive dye to get just
the right color green. The fly was not tied first using light green hair as
stated in a well-known book written about Atlantic salmon flies. It was a
while later before other fly tiers tied the “Green Machine” using the brighter
green-colored deer hair. I use it some now also, but most of the fishermen I
know prefer the dark green color. Dressed as it is with spun deer hair, you’d
tend to fish it dry but it is meant to be fished wet fly style”, says
Emerson.
A little six-year-old boy named the
“Green Machine”. The boy would stand around Emerson’s fly tying table every
Saturday morning at the Farmers Market. He was always asking Emerson what the
flies were called. He would go about pointing to this one, and that one,
wanting to know their names. One morning Emerson was displaying the little
green deer hair bug. Sure enough, the little boy arrived as usual and he
immediately pointed to the fly and asked what it was called. Emerson told him
it didn’t have a name. The youngster’s response was, “It’s a “Green
Machine.” Emerson said, “All right, that’s what we’ll call it.” A long time
after Emerson stopped going to the Farmers Market, he wondered where the
little boy got that name. “The only thing I can think of is that, around that
same time, a toy manufacturer sold a child’s all-plastic 3-wheel tricycle
called the “Green Machine”. Whether the little boy had one of those
tricycles, or whether he was thinking about something else, I’ll never know,
and sadly I have no idea who the little boy was, because I never thought to
ask him his name”, says Emerson.
Since the time that Emerson started
tying the “Green Machine” he’s had fishermen drive all the way from Juniper,
New Brunswick just to get the dark green deer hair he dyes especially for
tying the “Green Machine”.
Over the past 15
years Emerson told only a few very close friends about the origin of the
“Green Machine”, and how it got its name. It was in the summer of 1997, when
those same friends went to Emerson and persuaded him to go public with the
story. It was then that he decided to give his story to Dewey Gillespie so it
could be published. “It was very hard for me to do for I am a shy person who
doesn’t look for any kind of recognition. Telling this story is not about
recognition for myself, but simply to set the fly tying history books
straight. This New Brunswick favorite and extremely successful salmon fly was
originated by me, and named by a little boy from Doaktown, New Brunswick.
Beyond a
doubt, the “Green Machine” has become one of the best known and extremely
successful salmon flies on all the rivers in New Brunswick. I am so proud of
the little fly. It deserves all the recognition for its contribution in
making many a successful angler”, says Emerson.
On May 16, 1989, George Gruenefeld,
a writer for the Montreal Gazette wrote about Emerson Underhill dressing
original patterns of the “Green Machine”, “Shady Lady” and a blue version
called the “Smurf.”
Origin of the
“Deer Hair” Shady Lady
By Emerson O.
Underhill
The “Shady Lady” was originated in
the early 1950’s. The original pattern was tied with a black dun wool body.
Some later fly tiers tied the fly with a black chenille body. In the 1980’s,
the Shady Lady’s pattern changed again, this time to a body made from black
deer hair. This version seems to be the most successful and widely used for
salmon fishing in New Brunswick. Emerson Underhill is the fly tier
responsible for the latest change to the “Shady Lady.” Here’s how it
happened.
“While displaying
my salmon flies at the Farmer’s Market at Doaktown in the mid 1980’s, I met
Tom Balash, a fine fly tier from the United States, who I later became very
good friends with. Tom had a camp on the Miramichi River near Doaktown. On
the weekends he would visit the market where we’d discuss fly patterns. One
day I was looking through some of his flies and found a pattern that resembled
a little black bug. I asked Tom what the fly was called and he told me it was
a “Shady Lady.” Up until that time I never heard of the fly. I began asking
a lot of the older fishermen and fly tiers about the fly, but I couldn’t find
anyone that knew, or heard anything about it.”
“One day I decided
I would tie some “Shady Ladies”, but when I tried to put the feather on the
chenille body it didn’t work that good so I decided to try tying it with black
deer hair. When I first started tying the “Shady Lady” I tied it with a red
butt and a little red tag. Then I tied some with a green butt and a little
red tag. I also tied it with a double butt and red tag. It’ll also work well
with a brown hackle.
Fishermen started
using the fly and when the word got around I couldn’t keep up with the
demand. For a long time fishermen thought that the name “Shady Lady” was a
joke. They’d never heard of a fly by that name. After all these years the
fly has never died out. I used to laugh when I would read in the paper about
someone catching a salmon on the “Shady Lady.” From time to time someone
would announce on the radio that the fly-of-the-day was a “Shady Lady.” The
“Shady Lady” is one of the best salmon flies on the Miramichi River.
For a long time I
thought of making the story known, but just put it off. Being the type of man
that I am I’ve always been a bit shy when trying to speak for myself. I
worried that people would feel I was trying to glorify myself. This summer a
friend from Georgia, U.S.A. who knew the story came to me and persuaded me to
write the story for Dewey Gillespie’s new book that he’s doing about New
Brunswick fly tiers. This is when I decided to give the story to Gillespie.
For the past 30
years Emerson tied salmon flies for a countless number of people and
businesses. In one year he tied two thousand Bombers for just one order. He
remembers selling them for fifty cents each. He’s tied flies for people from
all over the world, and has people coming to my home to visit and to buy his
salmon flies. The wonderful people complement him about his flies. Although
he appreciates the compliments he never takes them to serious for he feels
that someone else could probably tie them better.
“Ted Williams and his long-time guide, the late
Roy Curtis, visited me regularly, and were good friends of mine. Nearly every
day, through the window in my fly tying shop, I would watch them drive by.
Every year they would bring me a couple of fish. Ted would pick up some
materials, and of course they always had a story or two to tell. I remember
showing Ted how to tie the “Green Machine.” It was a wonderful experience and
a great pastime. The contribution these people made enabled me to live a more
comfortable life confined to a wheelchair. I always appreciate the help and
encouragement so many wonderful people give to me, especially the local people
from along the Miramichi River. They are very special people”, says Emerson.
Emerson believes there can be no one more deserving of his thanks than his
children, and wife Ruth. In a time of need they were always present to
fulfill his requests as best they could. There is no way to repay them for
this. “I sometimes wonder how many dustpans of deer hair Ruth swept up behind
me over the past 38 years.”
Thirty eight years of fly tying has gone by quickly, but Emerson hopes to tie
flies for another thirty years because he hasn’t yet tied half the flies he
wants to. He estimates that he has tied one hundred and fifty thousand flies
thus far. He’s heard about as many fishing stories too. If God’s willing,
Emerson Underhill will be tying salmon flies for a long time yet.
Green Machine
Head:
Black
Tip:
Oval silver tinsel
Tail:
Red yarn
Butt:
Green yarn
Body:
Green Deer hair
Body Hackle:
Brown
“Green
Machine” originated and tied by Emerson O. Underhill
Emerson
Underhill at the tying bench in 2000
