I developed the Heltor skeltor to maximize all the attractor elements possible in one fly. The Icelandic sheep and big fly fiber are extremely mobile in water, but their effect is enhanced by the weight of the brass beads that … Continue reading Helter Skelter Pike Fly jig
Keeping on the salt water theme for sea trout, heres another sand eel pattern that mixes the new with the old. When designing bait fish patterns, a few things I consider are the shape and silhouette of the fish to be imitated. This is important as you never know if the fish will see it, when fished, in a reflected or backlight situation. The size and colour, and last but not least movement. All these can be achieved with a careful selection of materials. I sometimes also like to give the patterns a three dimensional effect. I achieve this through … Continue reading Foils rush in where angels fear to tread
The ultimate UV tool is now available! If you use Bug Bond, the new professional curing light is now available! One of the main advantages with this new mains operated foot pedal adapter is that you have full power constantly for optimal curing. You can order your Bug Bond mains adapter now from: It will also be available from all Veniard stockist soon! So what’s new… For those of you that have seen me tie at any of the shows this year, you may have seen me using, the Professional UV light. A new attachment for the Bug Bond light, that … Continue reading Pedal power for Bug Bond is now available!
Back to the tying bench again, this time with a salt water pattern. I must say, Its nice to see that salt water materials being made in smaller sizes, not just for the monster warm water fish across the pond. These FisHeadz from Deer creek in the UK , are perfect in the two smallest sizes for salt water fishing in Europe, for both bass in the south and sea trout here in the North. I still haven’t had much time to play with these, I’v only tied half a dozen flies with them, but they are that easy to … Continue reading FisHeadz Mackerel
Yesterday I received in the post a few samples of Shrimp foils from the fly people in Germany. One sheet with coated foils and a second with uncoated. The coated foils really look the business but unfortunately after three attempts … Continue reading Awesome opossum Shrimp – just foiling around
My first attempt with some of the great Virtual Nymph products I received at the weekend and Bug Bond. Not 100% happy with the results, but when I have played a little more, I will be making the full step by step for this Stone fly nymph. Hook: Mustad Slow death 33862NP-BR Thread: Dyneema Tail: Porcupine guard hairs Underbody: Natural seal fur Dubbing Body: Natural nymph skin Wing cases Virtual nymph stone clinger wing-buds and heads coated with Bug Bond Legs: Turkey biots coated with Bug Bond Antenna: Porcupine guard hairs Continue reading Virtual Nymph
Confessions of a glue user… For over two decades I have been a serious user of various types and brands of two component bonding agents and epoxy in my fly tying and rod building, all of which have their (highs … Continue reading Bug Bond UV cure resin Multi LED Kit
The Midas nymph is my rendition on a more common pattern called the copper John, which uses copper wire instead of gold oval tinsel amongst other things. The interesting thing about the copper John, according to Bruce Olsen sales manager … Continue reading The Midas touch, confessions of a nymph-omaniac.
This is a quick and simple parachute technique that requires only deer hair and Bug Bond. Hook: Mustad C49 Tying thread: Dyneema Body: Moose mane hair Hackle: Roe deer hair and Bug Bond Thorax: Underfur from deer or moose winter … Continue reading How to tie Fender Parachute fly
Tying with melt glue does require a little more practice and patience than most regular materials. But the results can be rewarding! Melt glue is a material that one has to get used to using. Once its mastered, it can … Continue reading Tying flies with a gun
The original Thunder creek streamer series came from the vice of American, Keith Fulsher. In the early sixties, not satisfied with the regular head and eye size of streamers, he began experimenting and chose the reverse buck tail technique for his Thunder creek patterns. This technique involves tying the buck tail, as the technique suggests, the opposite way and then folding it back over the hook shank and tying down to form the head. The simplicity of this pattern and the minimal materials needed to tie it, is fly design at its very best! He achieved his goal, a slim … Continue reading Bug Bond Thunder Creek streamer
Apparently trout roe patterns have been working well for they Grayling guys in the UK recently. This ones for you. Continue reading Grayling Heroe-Trout egg
From late autumn until early spring the majority of bait fish around our coastline leave the shallows and head out for deeper water where they will be protected from the bitter cold of winter. Many of the species of shrimp that can be found on the other hand move into deeper tidal pools and onto shelves were the coastline is steeper. Therefor shrimps are on the coastal sea trout’s menu the whole year round, and are found in great numbers all over Northern Europe’s coastline. These are particularly important to fly fishermen because they mature in the shallows where we … Continue reading How to tie Shrimp for all seasons
The original pattern this is based on is form the vice of my late, old friend Jack Gartside. This is not only an extremely effective pattern but also requires the minimum materials and once you have mastered the technique is … Continue reading E-Z Sand Eel – step by step
Although I don’t fish with realistic patterns, I do enjoy tying them every now and then. If you are starting from scratch, as I did with this crayfish, it takes a little time to actually work out the fundamentals, scale, hook size, proportions, materials and techniques. I always start with a morphology image from the visual dictionary, this gives you the basic shape, scale, body segment and leg count. Once this is established I select the materials and then try and plan the correct order to put them together. This can be rather like building a piece of IKEA furniture … Continue reading Yabba Yabba Hey!
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