Many people associate me with panfish, which is to be expected for someone running a website and blog dedicated to fly fishing for panfish. However, many folks don't know that I am a fly fishing guide specializing in fishing for trout. Although I spend countless hours chasing sunfish and bass, I spend just as much time wading trout streams throughout the country.
Read moreThe Start Of Fly Tying Season Has Arrived
Its time to get busy refilling those fly boxes!
While I tie flies year-round, my fly tying kicks up a notch during winter. As the days get shorter and the nights grow longer, I will spend fewer hours fishing, which leaves more time for fly tying. Nothing beats settling in at the tying desk for an evening of fly tying with your back warmed by a crackling fire. I often tie in the evenings after the family settles down for the night, my only company being a snoring labrador retriever curled up at my feet under the desk.
Fly tying is also a great way to pass the time on those winter days when cold, stormy weather keeps you housebound. Cabin fever can be a real problem for someone accustomed to spending most of their time outdoors. However, fly tying keeps me engaged with my favorite hobby when I can’t actually get outdoors to do it.
The official kickoff of my fly tying season usually occurs in November, generally coinciding with the annual International Fly Tying Symposium that takes place every year in New Jersey. This show is a fantastic event for the fly tier. The symposium features fly tiers from around the world, sharing the secrets of their craft.
When I first started tying flies at this event, I was tying trout flies like everyone else. Then, a few years back, I decided to share my love of warm water fly fishing, particularly fly fishing for panfish, by tying up some of my favorite panfish patterns. I did not know what to expect that first year. Would I be ridiculed for tying panfish flies among the fly tying legends that attend this event? Instead, I was pleasantly surprised that quite the opposite occurred. Every time I looked up from the vise, I saw nothing but smiling faces giving approving nods and enjoyed hours of conversation with folks that shared my love of fly fishing for panfish and bass. As it turns out, many folks enjoy (some secretly) the pleasures of fly fishing for panfish.
That time of year is rolling around again, and I look forward to the start of the show season. The International Fly Tying Symposium is the first of many fly fishing shows for me. In addition to the Fly Tying Symposium, I will be tying flies at three of the Fly Fishing Shows (Marlborough, MA - Edison, NJ - Lancaster, PA), the Maryland Fly Fishing Show, and other local events.
This year, the International Fly Tying Symposium has returned to the Double Tree Hotel in Somerset, NJ. Although the show has taken place at several locations over the 31 years it has existed, the Double Tree Hotel ranks as the favorite location with tiers and attendees alike. The show will take place Saturday and Sunday, November 12 & 13, 2022.
If you are a regular attendee of this event, stop by my table and say hello. I’ll have a little something special to give out to folks who mention this post and are fans of the website and our Facebook Group. If you have never attended this event and live in the tri-state area, I encourage you to check it out. If you are not a fly tier but enjoy fly fishing, the show still has a lot to offer, but you will not want to miss The Fly Fishing Show when it comes to town in January!
For more information on both shows, click the buttons below.
I will be redesigning the flies for sale section of the website over the next few weeks. I will be opening up fly orders again shortly and will be offering several new patterns in addition to the old favorites. Stay tuned!
The Gartside Bass Bug
The Bass Bug may be one of jack’s lesser known flies but it is just as effective as his well known Gurgler pattern.
Jack Gartside is known for many iconic fly patterns like the Gurgler, The Sparrow, and the Soft Hackle Streamer, just to name a few. Jack was a prolific fly designer and produced hundreds of unique fly patterns. Over the last few seasons, I have been tying and fishing some of Jack's lesser-known flies. The subject of today's post is one of those flies, the Gartside Bass Bug.
Read moreThe Mop Gurgler
The Mop Gurgler. Yet another use for mop fibers!
Flies using dust mop material have been around for years now. Mop flies are embraced by some and scorned by others. The argument about them still rages, but the one thing that cannot be disputed is that the flies tied using mop material catch fish, a lot of fish!
Read moreFly Tying Friday - The Marabou Perch
My favorite way to target pickerel during the warmer months is with topwater flies. Pickerel are suckers for frog patterns! However, when the weather cools down, it is time to change tactics. My go-to flies are streamer patterns. While there are many effective streamer patterns to choose from, my favorite streamers are those that imitate yellow perch.
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