Is it time to update the venerable Royal Coachman? Perhaps the most recognizable fly in all of fly fishing history, it needs another facelift - something uniquely “new millennia.” My vote is to include nose piercings and rename it to the Pierced Plantagenet, it’s arguably trendy, possibly even extreme.

The best fly tying scissors are surgical scissors from the medical industry. eBay has four vendors selling inexpensive scissors for less than $10 per pair. I purchased four of the scissors and report on the quality and capabilities of these Pakastani stainless surgical implements. They’re not the high quality german stainless - but they don’t cost as much either. I like the Milex scissors better, but these have a place for the tyer interested in trading up from cheaper brands.

The NFL draft is perfect fly tying theater, you don’t have to watch as no one really knows what’s going to happen next, and Mel Kiper dominates everything with a greasy taint. Keep your ears perked for your team and glance up only during their selection - great cinema, never to be watched.

The Caddis Variant is an elegant Caddis imitation that is dressed lightly and uses very little hackle. An excellent searching pattern, and floats well when dressed. It’s in the vein of the Elk Hair Caddis, and may be easier to tie.

Overcome by tinker lust, never content to leave well enough alone, and creating one monstrosity after another…
It’s the result of more sparkly oddities than I know what to do with - with the picture at left showing one possible use for Angelina Film.
The film is what the births the fibers, I’m guessing they send […]

Small storage is a premium for fly fishermen, what with all the little things we carry and use, and for fly tiers it’s much worse as we accumulate dander almost as quickly as we draw moths.
Periodically I get the need for more and wander around Google attempting to find what other crafts are using. We […]

“Think Outside the Box” - we understand the concept easy enough, but only a select view are able to to put the theory to practice. The best example I’ve seen to date is from Michael LeBlanc, who won the Gold Medal in the 2006 World Salmon Fly Tying Championship of the Quebec Federation of […]

Planning a quick scout trip tomorrow for smallmouth and largemouth bass, chores are completed so I can raze havoc at the tying bench.
I’m not sure what I’ll find as it’s a new lake and a small feeder creek, can’t fish the creek as it’s closed until April, and the lake is a man made impoundment […]

Following up on a comment from Phil Huewe on the “Cheaper Ice Dub” post I did about a week ago. I knew I had the right fiber, it was the right “flavor” of fiber that was my consternation.
I contacted the maker of Angelina, the Meadowbrook Inventions Inc. and asked them what I was looking […]

I’m still in a state of enforced idleness, waiting for water levels to resume some semblance of clarity. I keep checking hoping the stream flow meter has malfunctioned, but it keeps telling me to stay home.
…so I ignore it, and wander out for some visual confirmation.

The good news is there are two separate colors instead […]