Denver Fly Fishing Show

Well the Denver Fly Fishing Show is done and has moved out of town for another year. I tied flies again this year at show Saturday and Sunday. Had a good time as always, got to see old friends, made some new ones, received a few custom orders, Thanks Gents! Want to thank all who stopped by to watch me twist up a few bugs. Here is a photo of one of Sunday's more popular bugs. The photo was taken by Carl P. Check out his blog CP's Fly Fishing and Tying.

This fly is my Prince Nymph Hybrid called The Stoned Prince.

Hook: Partridge CZ #12

Thread: Benecchi 12/0 Brown

Bead: Gold Tungsten 1/8

Tail: Dubbing Mix of Performance Flies UV Black Ice Dub and Life Cycle Golden Stone

Body: Same as above

Rib: Mono Chameleon

Wings: Spirit River vinyl wing material Wings and Things Clear motted

Legs: Partridge

Thorax Same as tail and body

Prince Style wings: White Goose Biots

Hot Spot: UV black Ice mix with blue fine sybai flash.

other version tied over the weekend, had hot spots added by using Glo Brite Thread Fl. Pink and Fl. Yellow. Thorax's had Bronze Siman Peacock. Will try and post pictures later this week.

Soldarini Barbless Hooks

Just a quick update on Soldarini Barbless Hooks! I have received quite a few emails about where to get these hooks, they are available at http://www.performanceflies.com/ Check them out. I think you will enjoy these hooks.

Also I will be tying at the Denver Fly Fishing Show this weekend, Saturday and Sunday. Come by and check it out.

Go Barbless in 2012

2012 is here and the world is upon a re-birthing of sorts. The Mayan calendar comes to an end this year and all sorts of folks have different views to what is going to happen. From the complete destruction of earth, to Alien invasion, to higher level of consciousness, and many other crazy ideas have emerged.

I am going to suggest another crazy idea for 2012! Let us as fly fisherman, go to barbless hooks! I have been using barbless for years, I find they are easier to release a fish without using forceps, because the hooks easily slides out. I have also found it is easier to remove from my skin on an errant gone bad cast. I think they some of the barbless hooks hold better then barbed hooks, they are easier to penetrate the fish lips for a good hook up. The barb sometime complicates the hook up and you lose your fish. There are some great barbless hooks on the market from some of the well known names you know and use daily, to some European style models, and this year landing stateside is yet another new barbless brand.

These barbless hooks are called Soldarini and come from Italy and the mind of Sandro Soldarini himself. He is introducing a very well thought out and strong barbless hook. These Hooks went through years of ongoing research, development and testing and is made from some of the best steel on the market. The series of hooks has four different models. The D-Series is a classic nymph hook straight, black finish and in sizes 10-16. The J series is a jig hook(not pictured) black nickle finish in sizes 10-16. The G series is the grub/scud hook, bronze finish in sizes 10-16. The S series is a long shank streamer hook, with a black nickle finish in sizes 8-10.

At first glance of the g or grub/scud hook it should intrigue the tyers here in the U.S. because of the uniformed shape of this particular hook. When looking at it, it appears to be the same shape as most scud hooks that you are used to tying on. Like the TMC 2487, 2457, Dai Riki 135 and the Daiichi 1120 hooks. This hook resembles these hooks with its very uniformed curved shape that will appeal to tyers here in the US. Take a glance below at the continued curved shank. They also have a brownish bronze-patina finish, and hook spear is pointed up much like the Dohiku Grub hook, but the curved shank is what is appealing about this hook and the hook gap looks to be a sure fish holder as well.

Grub/Scud Hooks

Classic Nymph Hook

Streamer Hooks

Various Twists

Just finished up a few orders of flies. Here is some various pics of flies that were twisted up.

Have a Happy Holiday Season.

Dynamic Nymphing

Once in awhile comes along a good read and here is the newest good read. This book is worth checking out and learning a few new tricks. I think its actual release date is in January. But you can get a copy now for the Holidays from Performance Flies.

Here is book worth looking into.

M.I.A. missing in action

Howdy,

Sorry I have been missing in action. It has been sometime since my last post. Have had a very busy fall. Wish I could say I have been fishing and tying flies like crazy and taking a ton of pictures, but neither has happened for some time. Hopefully going to get some river time here very soon.

With the kids back in school and my social director keeping us pretty busy, I have found very little time at the bench and on the river. I how ever did escape to Jamaica for a nice relaxing vacation with the wife and several good friends which was very very groovy. Good times. Thought we would deep sea fish while there, but we opted for laying on the beach, swimming in the ocean and being served cocktails all day long. We did manage to get into the hills, up to Negril, out to see some local music and try the local eats. All good, mon!!!

Well now, I am back and eager to get cranking on things again. A few updates for you all.

Hend's flytying materials out of Czech Republic has landed stateside over at Performance Flies. Hend's offers some really good products and one of my favorites that Kevin is stocking is their line of Lacquers. Great stuff. Check it out. He also has Hooks, Body Quills, CDC, Threads and dubbings to offer. Also he has a special going on right now. Spend a $100.00 and get this, Flyfishing and Fly tying, The second, English edition was written by Jaromir Karafiat and Miroslav Machacek, two exceptional fly tiers and anglers from the Czech Republic. The work includes 150+ pages of step-by-step fly tying instructions and photo galleries of Mayfly and Caddis Dry Fly patterns, Czech Nymphs, Wet Flies, Beadhead and Jig Nymphs, Tungsten Thorax Nymphs, Bloodworms, Buzzers (Chironomids), Fry Flies, and Streamers. It is truly one of the finest European fly tying books to emerge in recent years. The set also includes a DVD which provides interesting angling footage as well as tying instruction. Check it out!!!!

Getting back to the dungeon. Since it was a few weeks since I tied some flies, and left for vacation, I finally made it down to the dungeon this weekend to twist up a few bugs, had two styles I was going to do and as I was getting the material set up and ready to go. I had left the hare pelt and the wet winged mallard wings out, from my previous tying session and some little nasty pest got into those and went to town eating them and leaving a neat looking outline of wing. As for the hare pelt, that was pretty much dust. Oh well lesson learned. New pelt on the way for tying and good thing I had back up mallard wings. Just got to remember to put the feathers, pelts, skins, ect... away when done tying.

Ill be tying at the Denver Flyfishing Show this January. As for my flytying demos this winter, there will be a couple, but not many. I hope to spend more time snowboarding and fishing this winter with friends and family.

Anyhow, I am back and working on getting into the fold again of twisting up some bugs.

A few flies to come off the Bench