TSB

Trailing Shuck & Biot


Hook: Kamasan B175 #14
Thread: Moser Powersilk 10/0, olive
Hackle: Hen, badger
Tail / shuck: Zelon, mayfly brown, sparse
Abdomen: Turkey biot, olive
Thorax: Seal sub, amber

(Materials in the order they are tied in)

~Dave

The rain has hardly stopped, and with the arrival of a Northerly breeze, winter is certainly here. With the amount of water we have had, it is amazing that the rivers have remained within their banks; unlike some areas of the country. When I crossed the River Chew the other day, it was pleasing to see a few spinners fluttering above the stream, ever hopeful of making the most of a slighly warmer, drier spell in the middle of the day. It always amazes me that upwings will hatch, even when the air temperature is so low. With the persistant wind and rain of recent weeks, my chances of casting a line have been very limited. Hopefully, the wetter weather will ease and we can get down to some proper cold-weather grayling fishing. I will certainly report back when I do.



The River Fly Box seems to be getting a good number of visitors - so thanks if you have taken a look. There are more updates soon - so you can thank the wind and rain for that at least.

~ Dave

The CDC Dun - new addition to the River Fly Box

I was asked alot about the CDC Dun when I was tying at the BFFI. As promised, I have added a tying sequence to the River Fly Box for the pattern.

Please check out the River Fly Box - Tying the CDC Dun.







~ Dave

Pheasant Tail Nymph - New addition to the River Fly Box

I have just finished a new addition to the River Fly Box: Tying the Pheasant Tail Nymph






~Dave

Another excellent online resource. I was asked to submit the tying sequence for the Brassie to Front Range Anglers.



Front Range Anglers

Front Range Anglers - November Newsletter

The smallest things...

...can make the biggest difference.

Here are two very similar soft-hackled flies tied this morning. Only changing thread type, the simplest of changes can bring a pattern into a new light:




In the order the materials are tied:
Hook: Grip 12003 #14
Thread: Moser Power-silk 10/0
Hackle: Starling
Tail: Woodduck
Body: Rabbit
Rib: Tying thread




In the order the materials are tied:
Hook: Grip 12003 #14
Thread: Sheer 14/0, orange
Hackle: Starling
Tail: Woodduck
Body: Rabbit
Rib: Tying thread

~Dave

Check the BFFI 2009 on Sky Sports.

http://www.skysports.com/video/inline/0,26691,13019_5707799,00.html

Specifically featured is Ulf Hagstrom: fly tying genius & good guy.

~Dave.

As we get hammered by wind and rain, it really feels as though winter is on its way. So for the time being, the rods are on stand-by and when we get a break in the weather-front, I'll try and get out for an hour or two. It's not looking hopeful at the moment. Although also limited, time in front the vice has been welcome, and I've just finished a couple of new articles for the new year...



If you're in need of a little 'warming up', take a look at the Catch magazine #8

~D

BFFI - the reflections

It was a fantastic show, as expected. Every year it seems to go from strength to strength and this was no exception. Bundles of amazing talent and some serious, serious skill to watch, experience and hopefully absorb. It wa all well supported by some serious humour and all round fun. It's great to see some friends there and meet some new ones too. If you visited, I hope you enjoyed it. If I chatted with you, thanks for coming over - your contributions made the weekend go fantastically. A big thanks to Steve Cooper for the invitation. His (and his family's) organisation and hard work has paid dividends - a great, great show.

If you couldn't make it (or even if you could!) enjoy the following:

Johan Put (Netherlands)

Here's Johan's (unfinished) efforts to give the concept of tying spiders a truly different slant:

Martin Stout (Netherlands)

Me!

No pressure as I am watched by George Barron (a pleasure to tie next to him all weekend - a great guy and superb tyer):

Roy Christie (England)

Some of Roy's flies:

Ulf Hagstrom (Sweden)


Ulf Hagstrom's SRM Emerger (of which I am now a proud owner- thanks Ulf!):

Hans Weillenman (Netherlands)



Nik Dahlin (Sweden)




A copydex variant of Ulf's Killer (tied by Dennis Shaw):

Dates for 2010 are already released. I'm sure there will be more photos on the BFFI site soon.

~Dave.

Display for the BFFI

I have tried to tie up a few dozen flies for the display clips at the BFFI. A row of heavy weight bugs and shrimps, some smaller loop nymphs (a fly that has done well for me for grayling already this year), some loop wing emergers and some paraduns.



Hook: TMC 102Y #19
Thread: Sheer 14/0, tan
Hackle: Badger, rooster
Wing: TMC Aerowing, tan
Tail: Coq de Leon fibres
Abdomen: Wapsi superfine, lt. brown
Thorax: Rabbit under-fur

~Dave.

River Fly Box

With over 9000 hits to the blog since last December, it has been far more successful than I could have imagined. Thanks for visiting!

I also have a new venture on the go too: the River Fly Box.

Deisgned to host a range of tutorials for tyng my favourite patterns, I have already started with half a dozen patterns or so.

Hopefully I'll have some guest tyers appear too and perhaps some galleries of photos.

Please do take a look.

River Fly Box

~Dave.