Stillwater Fly Tying Seminar with Phil Rowley

 

I always looks forward to our all day fly tying seminar and today was no exception. Phil Rowley spent the the day teaching 28 keen students many aspects of stillwater fly fishing. Today was a hands on workshop that included tying chironomids, damsels, dragons, leeches and some attractor fly patterns that will add to all of our fly boxes. Phil challenged all of us with a few patterns that included spinning deer hair, tying an articulated fly that included 4 sections while also introducing a new balanced minnow pattern that has already shown its effectiveness while field tested in the fall! We also spent time learning strategies to approaching a new lake.

Every time Phil makes a stop in Red Deer, we all become better fly tyers. Learning new techniques and patterns make fly tying such a neat hobby that adds extra enjoyment out on the river.

Thanks Phil for keeping us on your calendar. You are an exceptional instructor!

Take a look right here to view Phil's You Tube Channel!

It was awesome to see an excellent turn out for pub night. It was good to meet many spouses and have lots of laughs with the gang!

Yes, we do have fly tying session on Monday. Rick Miyauchi is our guest tyer. Rick says that he is going to surprise us. It should be lots of fun!

Silvia putting the final touches on her gomphus fly!

I know that the "young guns" will be fishing their "Game Changers" right away!

Hopper, ...Dropper!

Rick had to rescue his mom at short notice tonight so we had to unearth the "emergency lesson," for the 25 tyers that came out tonight. There is always a "healthy" supply of Orange Crush foam bodies in the lesson box so we tied up a fly that won the Jackson Hole One Fly Contest. It floats like a cork and works great on our Eastern slopes rivers. Another fly that floats high and cutthroat, browns and rainbows love is the Madam X. We finally tied a great nymph called the Flashback that can be attached about 18 inches below one of the above two flies as a dropper. Flashbacks work great in both flowing waters and rivers.

Here are a few added details about our all day fly tying seminar with Phil Rowley this Saturday January 30th.

The seminar is at Mattie McCullough School gym starting at 9 am. Come a bit early and have a coffee with everybody before we get rolling!

Mattie McCullough School's address is 26 Lawford Avenue. The easiest way to get there is to travel east on 32nd street until 32nd street ends (well past Hunting Hills High School). Turn right onto Lawford Avenue. The school is just a block down the street to the right!

If you are travelling down QEII, exit on 32nds street and head east right to the end of 32nd street and turn right!

For lunch, you can bring your own or order pizza.  If you are going to have pizza for lunch, we will collect $10 at the door!

Friday night we will also have Pub Night at Tiffany's just at the top of the south hill. Phil, Patsy, Karen and I will be there right after we set up for the workshop! We will be there about 7:30 ish!

Remember to bring along the following items. Remember, if you do not have some of these items, we can do some sharing! Copper flashabou and E6000 glue will be there for all to use. Bring it along these items if you have them!

·        8/0 or 70 denier Red

·        8/0 or 70 denier Black

·        8/0 or 70 denier Brown

·        8/0 or 70 denier Olive

·        8/0 or 70 denier Chartreuse

·        6/0 or 140 denier Olive

·        6/0 or 140 denier White

·        Copper Flashabou

·        White Uni Stretch

·        Holographic Mylar Medium

·        Silver Wire, Small

·        UV Crystal Flash

·        Gold Wire, Small

·        Mirage Opal Mylar Medium

·        Gel Super Glue or E6000 Adhesive (Michaels)

·        Brushable Superglue

·        Red Sharpie Permanent Marker

Yes we do have a fly tying session next Monday February 1! Rick successfully got the hot water tank flood fixed with minimal damage. He will be our presenter next Monday!

Orange Crush

Hook: 3 XL dry fly hook sizes 8 to 12 or a 2 XL streamer hook

Thread: Orange or tan 8/0

Underbody: Yellow or orange (antron) dubbing

Body: Foam

Legs: Rubber

Madam X

Hook: 3 XL dry fly hook sizes 8 to 12 or a 2 XL streamer hook

Thread: Orange, yellow  or tan 8/0

Tail: Deer hair

Body: Golden Stone dubbing

Wing: Deer hair

Legs: Rubber

Flashback Pheasant Tail

Hook: 2457 TMC or Daiichi 1120, sizes 12 to 18

Thread: Red 8/0

Tail: Pheasant 

Body: Pheasant

Shellback: Opal mylar, medium

Rib: Copper wire, small

Thorax: Peacock herl

Innovative Chironomids from John Kent

Hi Everybody!

Tonight was all about some innovative chironomids designed by John Kent. As many of you already know, John is an ingenious fly tyer who has come up with several very creative chironomid patterns that catch the "big" ones. I have learned a great deal from John about being precise when it comes to tying flies. Having the proper thread control, building a taper on the chironomid, smooth transitions and  trying to add a translucent effect are all part of great chironomid flies that are effective (and look great too)! I appreciate his creativity and experimentation that has taken his chironomids to the "next level!"

All the hooks and beads were purchased on line from The Canadian Llama Company, that we used for today's patterns.

Next week Rick Miyauchi is our guest tyer. We will be tying a parachute hopper and spinning deer hair as we make bomber flies.

We have only 4 spots for Phil Rowley's lake seminar on January 30th. This will be a hands on tying session. Phil will examine all food in a typical lake. This is going to be an excellent seminar! You will also come away with 10-12 proven flies that you will learn to tie!

We will be having Pub Night on Friday January 29th. The location will be announced next week!

Finally all the gang wants to extend our best wishes to our dear friend Bernie Peet who is recovering from surgery. We hope to see you soon my friend!

Duct Tape Fly Version 1

(John Kent Originator)

Hook: Alex Jackson Covert Crystal size 9 and 11

Thread: Red UTC 8/0

Underbody: White Unistretch (taper)

Rib: Small Silver Wire

Body: Red and Green Holo Tinsel, medium

Bead: Red Entice Anodized Brass 7/64ths for size 9, 11; 3/32nds for size 13, red

Duct Tape Fly Version 2

(John Kent Originator)

Hook: Alex Jackson Covert Crystal size 9 and 11

Thread: Red UTC 8/0 and Olive UTC 8/0 (also try UTC watery olive and yellow olive)

Underbody: White Unistretch (taper)

Rib: Small Silver Wire

Body: Red Holo Tinsel medium and olive UTC thread under medium opal tinsel

Bead: Red Entice Anodized Brass 7/64ths for size 9, 11; 3/32nds for size 13, red

Hog Magnet

John Kent Originator

Hook: Alex Jackson Covert Crystal sizes 11 and 13

Thread: Red UTC 8/0
Gills: White Uni Stretch

Underbody: White Unistretch (taper)

Rib: Small Red Wire or Small holo tinsel, red
Back: Medium or Large Holographic Tinsel, red

Body: Lagarten Mini-Flat Braid-silver (5 strands for size 11, 3 strands for size 13)

Bead: Red Entice Anodized Brass 7/64ths for size 11, 3/32nds for size 13, red

Dirty Olive

John Kent Originator

Hook: Alex Jackson Covert Crystal sizes 11 and 13

Thread: Rusty brown UTC 8/0
Gills: White Uni Stretch

Underbody: White Unistretch (taper)

Rib: Small Copper Wire

Body: Lagarten Mini-Flat Braid-dark olive (5 strands for size 11, 3 strands for size 13)

Bead: Brass Copper 7/64ths for size 11, 3/32nds for size 13

John Kent

John "Field Testing" his creations!

Stuart and Taryn constructing chironomids!

Fly Tying Class on January 18th

Hi Everybody!

We will be tying chironomids during this class. If you have the following please bring along with you (many of these you will have from last year):

olive 8/0 thread (UTC)
red 8/0 thread (UTC)
black 8/0 thread (UTC)
rusty brown thread 8/0 UTC
white unistretch

optional

water olive or yellow olive 8/0 (UTC) ....these two threads are not necessary but can add to one of the chironomids

It would also be beneficial if you bring along an extra bobbin (if you have one).

Troy from TC Outfitters will have most of these items along for purchase.

Bob

Flies For Toothy Critters with Steve Luethi

Steve Luethi was our guest presenter tonight. Steve taught 25 keen fly tyers how to construct two excellent pike flies. Steve loves to cast 8 to 10 inch articulated streamers for pike. Steve has had a great deal of success with large flies that appear bulky but in fact are are quite castable with a pike or musky fly line.

The first fly Steve showed us was called the called the Crystal Popper. Pike love these flies because of the disturbance on the water. The second fly was called the Delivery Man. It is a rather large articulated fly but as you can see from the pike Steve has caught with this fly, the pike cannot resist these large bait fish impostors.

Next week, we will be tying chironomids. Be sure to have red 8/0 thread along as well as a light olive thread (water olive UTC 8/0 or UTC yellow olive 8/0) although you will be fine with olive 8/0 thread!

We now have 6 spots left for the Phil Rowley Workshop on Saturday January 30th. Drop Bob a note to sign up!

Delivery Man

Thread: 3/0 or Gel Spun, colour to suit

Hook: 3/0 and 4/0 hook (mustad 34007)

Back Section: Strung hackle, buck tail, flashabou and big fly fur

Connection: 3 beads, 40 pound test line or Power Pro, 50 pound

Front Section: Strung hackle, buck tail, flashabou, big fly fur and craft fur

Crystal Popper

Thread: 3/0 or Gel Spun Thread, colour to suit

Hook: Popper hook

Body: Popper body (preformed)

Popper Covering: Mylar tubing

Tail: Flashabou and Schlappen