Tie-One-On-Athon

Just got all my stuff put away from the Tie-One-On-Athon. I had a great time seeing friends and making new ones. Project Healing Waters is a great cause. I was glad to be able to be involved.

Twitch fly is on my to do list. Thanks Walker Parrot.

Squirmy Wormy is one more to the list of questionable flies I want to tie.

The Umpqua care package was a nice door prize win. Flies that I believe will be good around these parts.

I'll add some more to this as some photos and videos come up about it.

Tie A Thon Update

The room. Looks sort of humble today, but tomorrow it should be rocking with some awesome tiers and tying.

Fly Fishing Film Tour 2011 Edition

7 PM Highland Brewing Co Tasting Room
Saturday night April 9, 2011

Tickets are $10 in advance at Hunter Banks Co
And $15 at the door

Tie A Thon Update

If anyone has really wanted a set of my deer horn tying tool I decided to throw a set in to be sold. Even added a guitar string and nozzle threading tool. A whip finisher, bodkin and thread in one set.

Preparation for S.C.O.F presents The 1st Annual Tie-One-On-Athon

Well the event is tomorrow and I am putting the finishing touches on 7 sets of Trash Flies to be sold to raise money for Project Healing Water. I will have a set of Fishy Fullers Hoppers, Frank Sawyers PT's, Tyveks Tent Wing Caddis, BLH Spiders, and several more. Collections for trout, bass, bluegill, and more. All tie with recycled, reused, and re-purposed materials.

If you have a chance stop by see us and all the other great tyers. Support a truly worthy cause.

Preparation for S.C.O.F presents The 1st Annual Tie-One-On-Athon Day 2 of 7

Tyvek house wrap 'Tent Wing' Caddis. #16 Dry Fly Hook. River Road Creation Caddis wing Cutters.

Preparation for S.C.O.F presents The 1st Annual Tie-One-On-Athon Day 1 of 7

Okay in preperation for next Sundays 1st Annual Tie-One-On-Athon I intend to tie one dozen flies each night till the event. Tonight I tied a dozen BLH's in gray under yellow. A BLH aka Body Legs and a Hook is a version of the foam spider. It catches loads of bluegill and bass thru out the season. The Trash Flies component is the legs are from a recycled "bungee cord". A great source of small and medium legs in every cord. I recommend cutting the cord into sections the desire length or slightly longer. Then skin off the cloth shielding. Found that to be the easiest means to get at them.

Stonefly from craftstore yarn II

Hook: Tiemco 200R #6
Tail, Legs, Antenna: Biots amber
Abdomen: Dubbing under Nymph Skin Amber, rib Stretch Magic clear
Wing-case: Turkey tail fiber
Thorax:blended poly-pro. yarn ground into dubbing (yellow, gold, and dark red)

French Broad Fly Fishers February Meeting

I will be tying some Trash Flies at the French Broad Fly Fishers meeting. Looking forward to it.

From I-26 take Airport Exit. Take Hwy 280 (Boylston Hwy) to Brevard.

Continue through Pisgah Forest where Hwy 280 becomes Hwy 64/276. On your left will be a Lowe's, Holiday Inn, etc.

The hospital entrance and a Marathon gas station will be on your left at the stoplight, turn right into Straus Park. Turn right again into parking for the community room.

Trash Flies on the road.

February Program. Tuesday, Feb 15, 7 PM,

So many of us do the right thing and recycle....but have you heard of tying flies from recycled materials that you have lying around your shop or house ? This month's program will feature Mr. Brad Sprinkle giving a demo of just that. With common materials that might otherwise be destined for disposal, Brad will show us how to tie some of the classic patterns. Should be an interesting program.

Stonefly from craftstore yarn

Hook: Tiemco 200R #8
Tail, legs, antenna: Round rubber legs
Abdomen: Black Stretch Magic woven over home blended poly-pro. yarn ground into dubbing (black, purple, and yellow)
Wing-case: Turkey tail fiber
Thorax:blended poly-pro. yarn ground into dubbing (black, purple, and yellow)

Hook: Tiemco 200R #6
Tail, Legs, Antenna: Biots black
Abdomen: Dubbing under Nymph Skin Black, rib Stretch Magic black
Wing-case: Turkey tail fiber
Thorax:blended poly-pro. yarn ground into dubbing (black, purple, and yellow)

To make your own dubbing and unique dubbing blends there is some simple steps. A coffee or spice grinder is needed. They sell them pretty cheap at big box store like W-. The yarn is simply $2.00 a skein knitting yarn. Comes in a rainbow of color options. Just remember the color wheel from grade school and start mixing. Usually for my grinder cut 3 pieces of yarn about 12" long. Then cut them into segments about 1/4" long. Pulse the grinder. Remember to right down what you blended so if you get a killer color you can go back and repeat it.

Frank Sawyers Pheasant Tail Nymph

I have been interested in those flies we consider 'standards'. Fly patterns that grace every fly shops bins and catalogs selection. Patterns that are just taken for granted in stocking a fly box or having a discussion about the flies that get fish, These earn their place by that, they catch fish. Frank Sawyers originated one such pattern. The Pheasant Tail Nymph or commonly called the PT catches loads of fish. Just an awesome pattern with the qualities that imitate mayflies of all types. Mr Sawyer's pattern though has some difference. The modern PT has several steps and materials that make up the fly fisherman's image. The original pattern is a two material fly. Elegant in it's simplicity.

Here's my take on the Sawyer's PT

Hook: #16 DiRiki Nymph

Wire: Copper wire from a discarded lamp

Tail, Thorax, Wing Case: Pheasant Tail

In this account of the pattern I found the wire was that from a relay coil. LINK

It's a true shame the audio was lost.

A friend pointed out in the video that Mr. Sawyer's vice was clamped to the chair arm. That made me smile a bit. I believe if he and I had crossed paths I would love to have fished with him or just sat down on the river bank and discussed fishing and tying.