Monday 27 August 2012

fins

Yes, folks,
just fins
 

these wild browns are so beautiful.

This little guy took my dry Sulfur #18 first cast through a long ninety second drift.
Now, that is one long slow drift alright.
It was the first time this year that I had fished my Hardy Fibalite glass 7ft #3/4
Crisp as the day she was built and spot on accuracy this is a classic 1960's glass,
plays fish softly and positively, almost as good as bamboo
The thing is those little trouty teeth can wreck a fly.
First cast, one fly, one fish, fly gnarled beyond recognition
 
I can see the satisfaction in his eye for the perfect wreckage of a good dry fly
 
 

Sunday 19 August 2012

The river was high  so I took a trip toward the headwaters.
I found a pool where some small browns were taking emerging baetis in a slick,
 a dozen or so fish rising freely and gently.
My offering of a #18 reversed parachute Greenwells yielded five in ten minutes.
I then changed to a #20 revpara Rusty emerger with a tiny slip of bronze mallard
 for a hint of wing, tied by my neighbour and friend at Small Fly Funk, Andy Baird,
result...


another pretty brown.
I had a dozen for the evening and returned to my open fire.

Friday 10 August 2012


The local streams are low and clear
I have moved home from London to Armoy,
Northern Ireland
The streams have beautiful, sometimes fussy brown trout
taking BWO, caddis olives and Tups Indispensibles
I'm home


Tuesday 29 May 2012

Mayfly time again


It's Mayfly time again.
Here is a selection which will do the job
French Partridge Mayflies,
Black Gnats
Reversed parachute Danica
and some dries.

Sunday 13 May 2012

E. Danica Flat Spent Spinner

Built for floating sidelong
- the fly, that is.


Anyone at the Dutch Fly Fair next weekend, come say hello
  

Saturday 7 April 2012

UpSideDown Flies

Occasionally I feel a need for a very specific design.

This is a size #18 Olive
built to roll cast up a small stream.
It is extremely water resistant by design and always lands correctly
Thus you can roll cast it in narrow confines without having to repeatedly false cast.
This enables also a less frightening approach to the prey.

Hope you like it.

Wednesday 14 March 2012

End of the season for grayling

On my last day out for grayling before season's end
I had a treat from the bounteous stream

beauty

Tuesday 13 March 2012

Monday 12 March 2012

Fly Swap SNOFLY IX the flies No. 13


13
Gary Hitterman  - size 20 Floro chironomid

Fly Swap SNOFLY IX the flies No. 12


12
John Larson - Sabasa Kabari (Yusurika) Adult Size 20
       This is a Tenkara Pattern

Fly Swap SNOFLY IX the flies No. 11


11
Ian Christie - Olive with Flame Orange Cheeks Buzzer

Fly Swap SNOFLY IX the flies No. 10


10
tied by Anthony Naples
whose blog is www.castingaround.com

Fly Swap SNOFLY IX the flies No. 9


9
John Larson - Tanytarsus Adult Cripple Size 24

Fly Swap SNOFLY IX the flies No. 8


8
John Larson - Size 18 Glo-Lite Series Blood Chironomid Larva

Fly Swap SNOFLY IX the flies No. 7


7
John Larson - Size 18 Glo-Lite Series Blood Chironomid Larva

Fly Swap SNOFLY IX the flies No. 6


6
John Larson Size 24 Transluscent Series Flash Chironomid (Red)
  Tied also in Orange, Pink, Olive, Tan, & Chartreuse

Fly Swap SNOFLY IX the flies No. 5



5

Fly Swap SNOFLY IX the flies No. 4


4
tied by  Reelsister (Avril)

Fly Swap SNOFLY IX the flies No. 3


3
John Larson - Size 16 Virtual Horse Fly

Fly Swap SNOFLY IX the flies No. 2

mine



2

This is a reversed parachute emerger.
It is tied to match the hatch, change the body and hackle
to mimic midge, mayfly, caddis or any other creature stuck
at the surface of the water, grasshoppers, craneflies or whatever
This fly is designed to sink the tippet on impact at the surface

Fly Swap SNOFLY IX the flies No. 1


1

Saturday 11 February 2012

CCG Large Dark Olive

Large Dark Olive

Blue Dun hackle
Olive sealfur thorax
Quillbody with Mylar tip
coated in Clear Cure Goo
Tails - Blue Dun hakkle fibres

Tuesday 7 February 2012

Danica emerger


Reversed Parachute Danica emerger
on a #14 Klinkhamer hook

I am tying a few flies for the start of the season
and getting some practice tying for the year's events
Looking forward to the Dutch Fly Fair
and BFFI and the Irish International Fly Fair.

 

Olive midge #16


Olive midge #16
Antron breathers
fluor orange wingbuds
ClearCureGoo over pearl mylar body
ribbed orange silk
Honey dun hackle
Olive seal fur thorax