Tying for Conservation is March 3rd

The Tying for Conservation Program is in its second year. This is a great program organized and hosted by Trout Unlimited Canada. It is an opportunity to raise funds for their programming. Sadly the pandemic has severely limited their ability to fundraise.

This is my opportunity to make a difference and you can too! By donating $25 or more, you can take in the workshop. My goal is to raise $1000. I hope you will consider joining me for an evening of tying minnow patterns.

Head right here to make a donation and then tune into the workshop. 

I do want to thank all of you who have donated to this program. Clean flowing water is very important to all of us. That is one of the most important mandates of Trout Unlimited Canada.

Guide Flies on Monday February 28th at 7 PM on Zoom

Hi Everyone!

Monday February 28th at 7 pm MST, we will be tying 4 guide flies.  Guide flies are quick or straight forward flies to tie and they are excellent fish catchers. This is our second last session of the year. I have added the materials list below each fly.

The Zoom link for Monday February 28th at 7 pm is RIGHT HERE (Just click)!

I will also be a Zoom session for Trout Unlimited Canada on Thursday March 3rd at 7 pm. This is part of the Tying for Conservation Fundraiser. I will be tying 4 excellent minnow patterns. You will have to make a small donation to Trout Unlimited Canada to join onto that session. The link for the program is right here. I hope you will help TU Canada raise some funds for their programming! My goal is the raise $1000.

Be sure to tune in and tie along or just take the session in. See you Monday!

Electric Caddis-John Collins originator

Thread: Caddis green/chartreuse 8/0

Hook: curved caddis pupa hook size 12 (C49s, etc)

Shuck- Antron, caddis green or chartreuse

Body: Stretch tubing- medium olive

Ribbing: Chartreuse wire, small

Thorax: ostrich herl- brown or peacock herl

Bird of Prey Caddis-Rick Anderson originator

Thread: Black 8/0

Bead: 7/64ths, black nickle

Hook: Curved caddis hook or standard 1x nymph hook, size 12-14

Tail: Partridge

Body: Hares Mask dubbing

Rib: mylar, small

Thorax: Partridge and peacock herl

RS2- Rim Chung originator

Thread: Olive 8/0

Hook: Curved Caddis size 16-20

Tail: Micro fibbets

Body: Olive antron

Wing: CDC, natural colour, olive, grey (what ever you got)

Walt's Worm -Walt Young originator

Hook: 3906-12-14 (Mustad) or size 14 jig hook

Thread: Tan, 8/0

Bead: 7/64ths gold (I will be using a head turner bead)

Body: Hare's Mask

Sexy Walt

Hook: 3906-12-14 (Mustad) or size 14 jig hook

Thread: Orange 8/0

Rib: Pearl sulky or opal mylar, small

Bead: 7/64ths gold (I will be using a head turner bead)

Body: Hare's Mask

 

Rick Hafele and Phil Rowley-Talk About Lake Entomology

Phil Rowley was thrilled to be joined by aquatic entomologist, fly fisher, fly tyer, author and friend Rick Hafele. 

Phil and Rick will be discussing bugs with a particular focus on stillwater invertebrates. 

This video is about 60 minutes of incredible stillwater information! Get a coffee and take a look!

 

Will YOU Help Me? Tying for Conservation 2

Hi Everyone!

This is the second year for the Tying for Conservation Program. This is my opportunity to raise some funds for Trout Unlimited Canada. Trout Unlimited Canada has been severely limited in their fundraising because of the pandemic. One of their initiatives is to have fly tyers from across the country do an evening fly tying workshop and the funds raised will go directly to TU Canada for programming!

I will be doing a workshop called Minnow Mania on Thursday March 3rd at 7 pm. For a $25 donation, you can tune in on Zoom and participate in this workshop. I will be tying the 4 flies pictured below. Of course you can donate a bit more and I will send you the flies that I tie. All 4 flies are great fish catchers. I use all 4 flies all of the time. One of the flies is quite unique, it is a balanced minnow made from my mylar tubing. I have had excellent success with all four patterns.

To contribute and participate in the program, head over to the Tying for Conservation 2 website right here. Just click!

This is a great opportunity to help Trout Unlimited raise funds for their outstanding programming and initiatives. Do take the time and look at the other workshops. There maybe one you want to take in!

Thank you for your support. 

 

Tying With Pine Squirrel on Zoom-Valentines Day Monday February 14th at 7 pm MST

Dig out the pine squirrel in black, brown and olive for Valentines Day! We are going to tie some pine squirrel patterns that are definitely fish catchers. We will tie John Barr's Slumpbuster, John Kent's Brown/Black/Wine Killer Leech, Glenn's Leech, and a mini sculpin imitation. We will also look at how to add a pine squirrel collar on a nymph pattern (e.g. Frenchie, etc).

This is what you need:

-thread that matches the pine squirrel (I am using 8/0)

-a size 8 streamer hook e.g. 9672 Mustad

-a size 12 curved nymph hook

-5/32nd conehead (a 1/8 gold bead will do in place of a cone head)

-pine squirrel (black, brown or olive); you can certainly get by with one colour of pine squirrel

-red 3/32nd bead or mini cone head

-gold 7/64ths beads

-black marabou or brown to match your pine squirrel

-red wire, small

-pheasant tail

-copper wire, small

-some flashabou (optional)

-stretch tubing (optional)

-glass red bead (optional)

-chip bag clip 

The Zoom Link for the evening starting at 7 pm is RIGHT HERE!

Brown Killer Leech (John Kent design)

Mini Sculpin

Natural Pine Squirrel on a Frenchie Nymph

Glenn's Leech

 

Chironomids on Zoom-Monday February 7th at 7 pm MST

Hi Everyone!

On Monday February 7th, we will take a look at chironomids. There are so many different subspecies of chironomids. We will tie 4 basic chironomids and take a look at several chironomids that I have had a great deal of success fly fishing here in Central Alberta

We will tie:

1. Black Sally

2. Oliver and Copper

3. Chromie

4. Black and Silver

What will you need?

Size 12/14 scud hook (C49s is fine)

Red wire, small or small holograhic tinsel

White Unistretch

UTC Black, red and olive 70 denier thread

Silver flashabou or gunmetal flashabou (6901 and 6916)

Copper wire, small

Silver Wire, small

white, copper, silver and black beads (can be black nickel) 3/32nd bead-tungsten or brass

The link to our Zoom session is RIGHT HERE! Just Click!

Black Sally

Copper and Olive

Chromie

Black and Silver

Arctic terns chowing down on chironomid adults!

Swallows swooping in to gorge on chironomid adults!

Chironomid Adults

Chironomid shucks!

Glo Boy Chironomid

Guns 'n Roses (John Kent originator)

Rusty Nail (John Kent originator)

Hog Magnet (John Kent originator)

Up in Smoke (Fly Guys)

Chironomid adults fly over head!

 

Tying and Fishing Chironomids Master Class with Phil Rowley Starts February 15th on Line

If you are interested in a comprehensive chironomid course,  Phil Rowley has an excellent 15 hour course ready to roll on February 15th. It will be done on line (Zoom) over the course of several evenings. All the details for the course can be found RIGHT HERE!

Phil is one of the best at teaching all thing stillwaters. Chironomids is his specialty! You will not find a better course anywhere!