I first became aware of Robert Adam's "Lethal Weapon" in an article by Bob Carnill who highlighted the pattern in the now no longer published Trout Fisherman magazine in 1998.
This pattern really caught my attention as it has the natural colours and materials I like to see especially in a trout fly pattern developed for wild brown trout.
I recall tying a bunch of these patterns for my friend and I for a couple of trips up to the Inchnadamph and Loch Assynt area and having great success with them especially one evening at the mouth of a burn running Into the east end of Loch Assynt as well as some of the other lochs we fished on those fishing trips to Sutherland.
Recently I was once again reminded of the Lethal Weapon after watching Japan based Scottish flytyer Martyn White give a demonstration on how to tie it on his excellent Flckingfeathers flytying YouTube Channel. I highly recommend Martin's Channel and you can see him tie the Lethal Weapon here @
Martyn White Flicking Feathers
Martyn mentioned to me that he reckoned Rab Adam from Kilbirnie in North Ayrhire had devised the Lethal Weapon long before Stan Headly created and published his palmered March Brown which is a very similar fly to Rab's.
I do have a keen interest in the origins and history of fly patterns, therefore I was I intrigued to find out more.
Therefore I decided to look through my boxes of old fishing magazines to once again read Bob's article in the Trout Fisherman as well as Stan's book of Trout and salmon flies of Scotland.
Although both patterns are similar there are small differences in the dressings referenced so I'm not at all convinced they are the same fly. Perhaps one is a variant of the other. But which came first? It's all very intriguing.
In the magazine its stated that Rab sent the author a Lethal Weapon so to speak, to him in 1995. Stan's book was published in 1997.
It's safe to assume that both fisherman probably tied and fished their respective patterns long before both dates mentioned so who knows who devised the pattern first. Only one person can truly know that.
There is no doubt however that the Lethal Weapon is a fly of definite Scottish origin and is a very good all round wet fly pattern on Scottish Lochs and lowland reservoirs too.
Do yourself a favour and get a few in your box and give it a go the next time you are out!
Martyn mentioned to me that he reckoned Rab Adam from Kilbirnie in North Ayrhire had devised the Lethal Weapon long before Stan Headly created and published his palmered March Brown which is a very similar fly to Rab's.
I do have a keen interest in the origins and history of fly patterns, therefore I was I intrigued to find out more.
Therefore I decided to look through my boxes of old fishing magazines to once again read Bob's article in the Trout Fisherman as well as Stan's book of Trout and salmon flies of Scotland.
Although both patterns are similar there are small differences in the dressings referenced so I'm not at all convinced they are the same fly. Perhaps one is a variant of the other. But which came first? It's all very intriguing.
In the magazine its stated that Rab sent the author a Lethal Weapon so to speak, to him in 1995. Stan's book was published in 1997.
It's safe to assume that both fisherman probably tied and fished their respective patterns long before both dates mentioned so who knows who devised the pattern first. Only one person can truly know that.
There is no doubt however that the Lethal Weapon is a fly of definite Scottish origin and is a very good all round wet fly pattern on Scottish Lochs and lowland reservoirs too.
Do yourself a favour and get a few in your box and give it a go the next time you are out!
