John Morrisey Storey

1910 – 1971

 John Morrisey “Jack” Storey was born on April 11, 1910 in Storeytown, a small settlement situated on the north side of the river across from Doaktown, New Brunswick.

 “Jack” Storey started tying flies in the early 1930’s.  During his first few years of  tying he was aided by Bert Miner and D’Arcy O’Donnell.  He eventually developed his own style of tying and was considered an excellent tyer.  He started tying his own flies because he believed that the flies people were tying were not what they should be if they were going to be used for catching salmon.  He believed salmon flies should resemble the colour of the bugs inhabiting the river.  This is what he patterned most of his flies after.  John would search the river bottom for insects, which he would examine.  He would study the under body of the insects and document their colours.  He would then try to duplicate the colours and incorporate it into his flies.  He loved patterning flies with red bodies.  John’s son, Washburn Storey, says that one could always tell his father’s flies because his never used lacquer on the fly heads.  John seldom, if ever, tied Streamer flies.

Most of his fly tying material was gathered from local birds and animals.  

He also became interested in fishing salmon at an early age.  As a result of growing up near the banks of the Miramichi River, he also became very skilled at handling a canoe in any water.  This came to serve him well in later years when he became involved in the guiding profession.  The reputation of the guide can be based on his ability to take fisherman to locations where fish can be hooked.  Because Jack was an experienced angler, his success in this respect earned him a place among the top guides on the Miramichi.

He possessed all the qualities necessary to be a top-notch guide.  One of his many sport fishermen “Jack” guided said, “He was always courteous, dependable and an excellent guide, always trying to do more for you than you would ask for, or expect.

Keith Fulsher, the well-known fly tyer and angler from Northern Wisconsin, and co-authors of “Hair-Wing Atlantic Salmon Flies” referred to “Jack” Storey as a cherished friend and the finest salmon guide he ever knew.  “Jack” showed him the secrets of the river on many salmon fishing trips.

On page thirteen of the book Fulsher refers to an incident where “Jack” was fishing the Miramichi River with him around 1970.  The following pattern was used by “Jack” to hook the only salmon that would look at a fly after three days of heavy pounding the river.  After hooking the fish they modified the pattern and took twenty three salmon on it in the next four days.

Squirrel Tail

Tail:      Dyed red hackle fibers

Body:   Black wool

Rib:      Oval silver tinsel

Throat: Brown hackle

Wing:   hair from the tail of a Red Squirrel

Head:   Black

(Modified) Squirrel Tail

Tag:      Oval silver tinsel

Tip:      Orange fluorescent floss

Tail:      About a dozen wavy hairs from the bottom of a red dyed calf tail

Body:   Black wool

Rib:      Oval silver tinsel

Throat: Brown hackle

Wing:   hair from the tail of a Red Squirrel

Head:   Black

The tail is tied short and the fly is tied to occupy about three quarters of the shank on a #8 low water hook.

In 1985 John Morrisey Storey was inducted into the Sportsman Hall of Fame in the Atlantic Salmon Museum at Doaktown, New Brunswick.