I wrote last time about some keel hooks I had acquired and now I want to discuss another oddity, the sedge hook. I first became aware of these in the 1980’s when they were marketed as ‘Yorkshire sedge hooks’ and they appeared in a number of patterns tied by the foremost reservoir fly fishers ofContinueContinue reading “Sedge hooks”
Category Archives: fly tying
Keel hooks
A while back I bought some partly used packets and small boxes of fly hooks from a well know online purveyor of pre-loved goods. The photos accompanying said lot of hooks were none too clear, but for a small layout I thought it was worth the risk as I wanted to top up a fewContinueContinue reading “Keel hooks”
Under the knife
As you regular readers know, I am forever buying old fishing tat. Gear or materials that nobody else wants finds its way to me and I spend hours messing around trying make whatever it is of some use. One purchase from last year was a wooden box full of fly tying materials and a flyContinueContinue reading “Under the knife”
Counting turns
High winds and heavy rain are keeping me from the fishing this week so I will put up some fly tying posts. I’ll start off with this moan! Like the rest of you, I used to sometimes watch the plethora of fly tying videos out there on the different social media platforms. Being an oldContinueContinue reading “Counting turns”
A quick tie
We all have boxes full to capacity with variations of the Green Peter, so why would you need any more? The truth is this variation is a really good one. I mean a REALLY good. I use it mainly on Mask but in smaller sizes it works on Conn and Cullin too. Very easy andContinueContinue reading “A quick tie”
March Browns
A fly which I rarely if ever use in the standard format but one I like when tied in different variations. The natural does not live here in Ireland but I used to love their explosive hatches on the Aberdeenshire Don as a young angler. One minute there were none to be seen, then suddenlyContinueContinue reading “March Browns”
Almost there
There is, as we say here in Ireland, a grand stretch in the day. I became aware of it a couple of weeks ago when my normally dreary Monday morning commute was ennobled by a perfect sunrise as I ploughed along the east bound lane of the M6 between Athlone and Clara. With the daysContinueContinue reading “Almost there”
Hardys Favourite, with a twist
Apologies, I have been very slack when it comes to posting of late. Fishing has been out of the question for me and my fly tying has taken up a large chunk of what little remains of my free time. There has been a near constant drain on me by the book publishers as weContinueContinue reading “Hardys Favourite, with a twist”
The Jury’s out
The way this coming season is shaping up I will in all probability do a bit of rainbow trout fishing. Living in the Midlands during weekdays will severely curtail my normal boat fishing for wild browns but there are a couple of rainbow put-and-take fisheries close by to keep me occupied. The last couple ofContinueContinue reading “The Jury’s out”
The Whisky Fly
Rainbow trout were exotic arrivals to the fishing scene around Aberdeen when I was but a lad. The ADAA stocked some in the Loch of Loriston just to the south of the city and I cut my teeth on rainbow fishing there. My boxes of dry Greenwells and other size 16 flies failed miserably toContinueContinue reading “The Whisky Fly”
Claretbumbler 