Two Fantastic Foam Patterns from Rick Miyauchi

Twenty five fly tyers filled the library tonight to take in Rick Miyauchi's presentation.  Rick taught the gang two foam patterns that will certainly be added to their fly boxes. The Pink Pookie, originated with Dean Reiner from Hatch Finders Fly Shop in Livingston, Montana. The fly was affectionately named after his dog, Pookie! The second pattern we tied was called Cathy's Super Beetle. Cathy Beck was the originator of the pattern. We also tied a modified version that Charles Jardine developed.

You can learn a lot from watching Rick tie flies. He is a precise tyer who has a great sense of proportion as he ties. Thanks for the great patterns Rick!

I love the banter that occurs within the group. Lots of laughter, stories and helping each other is just what our group is all about. Steve brought in turkey feathers and shared them after a successful hunt in Kansas. Morris brought antistatic bag strips for all so we can tie some great chironomids and Willy passed out sharpened shell casing that can be used to punch out beetle bodies.

Yes the IF4 Film festival is a go. It is Thursday February 13th at Carnival Theatre starting at 7 pm. The doors open at 6:30. Come early and visit with Josh Nugent, guide and one of the hosts of Fly Nation television show. You can get your tickets on line RIGHT HERE. Looks like a great show!

Fly Tying Mondays is the fastest two hours in the west and loads of fun!

Next week Les Kolibaba is our guest presenter. See you then!

 Rick Miyauchi

Betty and Steve

Thanks for the sharpened shell casings Willy! They are great beetle punches!

Thanks for the antistatic bag strips Morris!

 

Pink Pookie

Hook: 2XL nymph style sizes 6 to 10

Thread: 6/0 or 140 UTC- Red

Foam: 2 mm craft foam- Tan (wing), Pink (body)

Under Wing: Deer hair

Indicator (post): orange foam or your favorite color

Legs: medium barred

Cathy's Super Beetle

Hook: 1 XL nymph sizes 12 to 8

Thread: 6/0 or 140 UTC-Black

Underbody: Black ice dub or green ice dub (or a combination of the two)

Body: 2 mm Black craft foam

Wing: Black Crystal Flash under White Hi-Vis

Legs: Charcoal Grey Barred

Charles Jardine's modifications

Body: Palmer dubbed body with brown saddle hackle

Wing: Fluorescent Yarn

Thorax: Black Ice Dub

Stealing Great Fly Tying Ideas

Hi Everybody!

Byron had the flu and that meant we had to reach into the fly tying box and pull out the "emergency lesson!" The emergency lesson was all about learning something from other fly tyers that will make your flies a bit more functional. Tonight the 16 tyers saw some adjustments you can do to some basic patterns to make them more enjoyable to fly fish. In the case of the the beetle pattern below, it was all about the indicator foam that makes the pattern easier to see. For the adams patterns, it was about materials that made the fly float better and be more visible on the water.

Betty found the recipe for a Bastard Adams in a book called Western Trout Fly Tying Manual by Jack Dennis.  Betty bought it in about 1985, and it has excellent step-by-step instructions of many popular flies, which in the age before the internet, really taught her how to tie!

Jack Dennis credits Reverend Dan Abrams with the original pattern, and he ties it with an elk hair wing, but does suggest that one could use calf tail for a more visible fly.  He also dubs it with muskrat.

Don't forget that the Western Canadian Fly Fishing Exposition is on this weekend at Spruce Meadows. Check out their web site for DETAILS.

Next week Rick Miyauchi is our guest tyer. Come on out and enjoy some great patterns that Rick will present to us!

Foam Beetle

Hook: Standard dry fly sizes 12-16

Body: Black hackle

Over body: Black foam 2 mm

Indicator: 1 mm orange foam

Bastard Adams

Hook: Standard dry fly sizes 10-20

Tail: Brown and grizzly hackle fibres

Body: Grey antron or muskrat

Wing: White polyyarn, or macrame

Hackle: brown and grizzly

Parachute Adams

Hook: Standard dry fly sizes 10 to 20

Tail: brown and grizzly hackle fibres

Body: Grey antron or muskrat

Post: poly yarn or macrame 

Hackle: brown and grizzly

Comprehensive Chironomids with Phil Rowley

Red Deer was the place to be today if you wanted to learn about chironomids. Twenty five fly tyers joined Phil Rowley for a "hands on" chironomid workshop. The workshop included tying 13 chironomids, learning how to bleach peacock herl as well as learning how to fish chironomids in a variety of ways. Phil is the ultimate educator. He easily connects with his students and his instruction is always clear and concise. There is a lot of preparation time required to pull off such a comprehensive day. Thanks again Phil. It was nice to see Patsy come along. I know lots of those tying packages were organized by Patsy! They are a great team!

Yes,  there is a fly tying session on Monday. Byron Stearns is our guest tyer. See you then.

Take a look at all the patterns we tied today. Definitely an amazing day!

Phil Rowley

Watch Phil Rowley tie the Clear Water Pupa!

Watch Phil Rowley tie the Collaborator.

Take a look here to see Phil tie a PBR.

Innovative Patterns from Les Robinson

Bernie Peet was our guest fly tyer tonight. Bernie taught 16 fly tyers 3 very cool patterns that were developed by Les Robinson.  Les Robinson is an innovative fly tyer from Enderby, BC, who comes up with some very inventive patterns.  He is also a top class fly fisher and Bernie had the pleasure of fishing with him for the very first time last October.  Les had a couple of patterns published in Phil Rowley's book Stillwater Selections - the Double Header chironomid and the LR Boatman, which Phil Nash tied in the class last February. All three patterns will definitely be added to my stillwater fly box. Thanks Bernie for honouring Les by sharing several of his patterns.

Just a reminder that the Phil Rowley Chironomid Workshop is this Saturday at Mattie McCullough. All the details can be found right here. There is still a few spots available. Call Bob (403-347-3802) to sign up!

Don't forget Pub Night is this Friday January 17th at Bo's across from Bower Mall. Phil Rowley will be there about 8 pm. Come and visit. Bring your spouse!

Next Monday Byron Stearns is our guest tyer! Byron has several innovative patterns ready to go.

Bernie Peet

This is the LR Boatman that we tied a few years ago!

...Les Robinson originator

LR (Latex Rubber)Boatman (Les Robinson originator)

Hook: Scud, size 12

Bead: Red 7/64

Thread: Black 8/0

Back: Latex rubber glove strip

Body: Peacock crystal chenille, medium, marked with black permanent marker and coated with Hard as Hull, Hard as Nails or Super Glue

Suspended mayfly (Les Robinson originator)

Hook: 2X nymph, #12 or 14

Tail: Pheasant tail fibres

Body: Pheasant tail

Rib:  Gold wire, fine

Wing case:  2mm brown foam strip

Thorax:  Brown or green dubbing

Legs:  Partridge, tied in like a throat hackle

Antistatic Mayfly (Les Robinson originator)

Hook:  Long curved nymph, # 12-14

Thread: 8/0 white

Tail: Partridge fibres

Body:  Narrow strip (2mm) of antistatic bag over built up abdomen of white thread, coloured on the underside with green marker pen

Wing case: Narrow strip (2mm) of antistatic bag, coloured green on the underside

Legs: Partridge fibres

Thorax:  Brown or green fine dubbing (Alternative version uses tan ostrich herl)