Of all the many things I dislike in this world, sitting in the waiting room at a doctor’s surgery is right up there near the top of the list. It was my misfortune to find myself in just such a hell-hole yesterday through no fault of my own. My new employer required me to haveContinueContinue reading “Sanctuary”
Category Archives: fly tying
Jenning’s Dabbler
I was contemplating the Jenning’s Nymph the other day and decided to make a Dabbler based loosely on it. I already have plenty of Claret Dabblers in the box but none sporting a peacock herl body. The more I thought about this the stranger this omission looked. We all know how deadly flies with peacockContinueContinue reading “Jenning’s Dabbler”
Sooty Olive
Picture the scene if you will; it’s early season on the Western lakes and the urge to fish has brought you to the shores of Lough Mask. Still too early for the gorse to bloom, everywhere in sight is coloured in sombre duns and greys. That joyous rush of prescient life, that hope and expectationContinueContinue reading “Sooty Olive”
Getting down
A lot of my own fishing in the spring takes place on smallish, wild rivers. There are no carefully manicured lawns sloping gently to the water’s edge here in Mayo! Access to the river ranges from ‘interesting’ to down right life threatening. When you do arrive, sweating and breathless at the river you are facedContinueContinue reading “Getting down”
A stretch in the days
The days are growing longer again as winter begins to lose her grip on Ireland. I took a drive around North Mayo today for a look around. The weather was cool but bright and (most importantly) dry. Water levels are up due to the heavy rain the west has endured lately. That is good, theContinueContinue reading “A stretch in the days”
Cheeky Dabblers
There is always room in my box for a few more Dabblers. When I run out of ideas on the lough I often reach for an intermediate line, find some shallow water and tie on a couple of Dabblers. Over the years since Donal invented the original every fly tyer has meddled with the basicContinueContinue reading “Cheeky Dabblers”
A new pattern
The couple of hours between 3 and 5pm on a Saturday afternoon usually find me in the same place. At the fly tying vice slurping endless mugs of coffee, tying flies while listening to the football on the radio. Not for me the fancy-shmansy television coverage; I prefer the old school approach to soccer. IfContinueContinue reading “A new pattern”
Fathach glas (Green giant)
The fly I am writing about today is not especially unique. Indeed, many of you reading this post possibly have one or two similar patterns in your box of dry mayflys. What singles this one out is one thing only – it’s SIZE. Let me transport you back in time to the crystal clear watersContinueContinue reading “Fathach glas (Green giant)”
A Claret Shrimp
Storm Brian is blowing a hooley outside so it felt like a good afternoon to tie up a few flies. I was in Ballina earlier and the Moy is huge and brown, barrelling under the town’s bridges in welter of foam and debris. The high water got me thinking about the colour of patterns IContinueContinue reading “A Claret Shrimp”
Octopus variation for you to tie
Born here in the west of Ireland, the original Octopus has spawned a huge number of variations, some more effective than others. Very much in the camp of ‘pulling’ patterns, these bright concoctions do good work over deep water when the browns gather is loose shoals. That is not to say they don’t catch troutContinueContinue reading “Octopus variation for you to tie”
Claretbumbler 