Hillend Dabbler

All weekend it has been perfect fly tying weather. Apart from attending the Airdrie & District angling Club AGM today I havent done much apart form tying flies.  Here a video I made yesterday. Not the neatest fly I've ever tied. With all this dreary weather my thoughts turned to warm summer days on the loch therefore  I tied up a few Green drake patterns for use at my local loch. This was the best of the bunch. 

Still not been out fishing this close season fishery or grayling wise. I have no short term plans to do so. I have however been continuing to spend time at the vice most nights and I now have a large tub of flies that I will need to sort out and get into fly boxes for the start of the trout season which is getting closer every day. I intend to experiment with various spider patterns this season this is the latest pattern to fall from my vice. I've been encouraged by a recent fly swap I have been involved in and have been exchanging ideas and patterns on my favourite fishing forum. I tied this pattern this afternoon whilst on my lunch break. I'm going to tie half a dozen of these tonight but I think I will add either a silver tinsel or silver wire rib. This should be useful on highland lochs.

I've recently been tying quite a lot of flies. The reason for the flurry of activity at the vice was firstly that I had to tie up sixteen flies which have to be sent to a Hebridean Island  for a fly swap which I'm involved with on my favourite fly fishing forum. Then I purchased one of these resins which set immediately with the use of a uv torch. So I have been experimenting with it and using it to form butts on some simple patterns and also tied a few buzzers too.. I have to be honest here, I think the price these resin kits are on sale for is an absolute disgrace and that's why I have until put off purchasing one. However I was in my local angling shop the other day and I got the kit for a knockdown price. I could never justify buying this kit at the prices some outlets are asking for and to be honest I only got the kit out of curiosity as I don't tie many buzzer patterns but it will be useful for some patterns.I suppose we flytyers are suckers for something n

I went for a wander on the hills above a couple of my local angling venues and spent some time up there enjoying the views and contemplating the coming fishing season in March. My thoughts turned to fly patterns etc and where I would use them. I have found that patterns that are successful at Hillend and the Lily are also useful patterns to use on Highland lochs too. Once I came home and got watered and fed I sat down at the tying bench for a few hours and tied some patterns which came to mind earlier in the day.  Here's a pattern I'm looking forward to using locally and beyond.

I thought it was about time I made another tying video. This is what I came up with this afternoon. I've never fished this pattern before but I think it has all the ingredients to be a trout catcher. The mix of possum and dubbing enhancer brings the fly to life and gives its plenty of sparkle and light which should I hope catch the trout's attention. 

Now that the busiest time of the year has past I can now concentrate on the important things in life, yes! angling! and all its associated activities. There's fishing trips to plan new, gear to buy and of course tying flies. I have more flies than I will ever need but its always a pleasure to tie something with a fishing trip in mind.  The last couple of days Ive been tying a few lures for a friend which are not the most photogenic of patterns and really not worth displaying on the blog. My real pleasure is in tying traditionals and all their variations. So I have been knocking out a few of these too. Here's a pattern which will probably be useful in the summer when the sedges make an appearance.