The coming weekend 22-23 June I will be tying deer hair flies at the Sim fly festival in Italy. The event takes place at the home of the Italian Fly Fishing Museum in the Convento della Maddalena. If you haven’t visited this show and you have chance its amazing! The show is located on the banks of the famous Sangro trout river in the beautiful mountain village of Castel di Sangro. This is not a commercial affair, this is a show for fly tying and fly fishing enthusiasts where you can meet and talk to some of the worlds finest fly tyers and single hand casters. If you find yourself in our part of the world, please, please don’t miss this show, you will be made welcome with open arms.

I hope to see you there…. Ciao

A large adult caddis fly for the mid summer hatch. With a wonder wing and a mixed hackle / over wing, of partridge and medium grey dun Herbert Miner rooster. Skated over the surface with short pulls, this is a great attractor pattern.

This little blue winged olive nymph normally tied in sizes 16-20 is a quick and easy tie that works well as a generic pattern for most small mayfly nymphs.

One of the best selling nymphs in North America and rated by many as one of the top ten must have trout flies! A quick and easy pattern that can be tied in just about any colour wished, with a nice tail and leg technique.

The SBT or ‘small black thing’ is a pattern that I would not go trout fishing without. This nondescript pattern works well all year round when there are small black flies on the water or when the fish won’t take anything else. With a white foam cylinder post that doubles as a great sight indicator for smaller flies.

This heavy up side down CDC mayfly nymph is a variant of Marc Petitjean’s MP 2404, that incorporates an off bead used as a keel to keep the nymph fishing the correct way.

This green drake emerger is an effective pattern when there are prolific hatches and the fish are playing hard to get. Tie it in different sizes and colours and it works well for many species of emerging mayfly.

A twisted Antron yarn segmented abdomen makes this easy caddis larva a nice alternative to dubbed bodies.

A small Trico spent spinner with a neat mayfly tailing technique and a segmented moose mane hair body for a semi realistic effect.

A hatching midge with a little different quill body technique that gives a more three dimensional, transparent body effect.