December 2025 – Claretbumbler

Three quarters of the way there

My target of 1,000 flies tied for the winter is well on course. Indeed, I am far ahead of where I thought I would be at this stage. That will probably change as Christmas hits over the coming weeks, what with shopping , cooking and the occasional libation (hic). Today I cracked the 800 barrier,ContinueContinue reading “Three quarters of the way there”

Silver Blue Bumble

I am risking life and limb here as I commit fly tying heresy. The ‘bumble’ patterns devised by the late, great Justice T.C. Kingsmill Moore were ahead of their time in many ways. His use of multiple different coloured hackles to impart ‘life’ into his flies were an inspiration and his prodigious catches of troutContinueContinue reading “Silver Blue Bumble”

A tough day

There has not been much fishing for me of late. Either I have been busy with tasks around the house or the weather has been awful, either way my gear has been gathering dust in the spare room for most of the month of November. Met Eireann, our state weather forecaster, promised us a halfContinueContinue reading “A tough day”