Regional Flytying

I have a great interest in the history and traditions of regional flytying and flyfishing. Therefore It was a great pleasure whilst at the recent BFFI 24 in Stafford to pick up a copy of JN Waton's very interesting book "The Forgotten flies of Roger Wooley" After reading this book it led me down a very interesting rabbit hole which has got me intrigued about rough water Devon style patterns. This in turn led me to a book from the 1800's about this regional style by HC Cutcliffe. However there is a more modern book available by Paul Gaskell telling the story of Cutcliffe and his flies. Included in this book is a collection of Cutcliffe fly patterns tied by Roger Wooley. It's a very important and authorative piece of flytying and flyfishing literary work. What I found most intriguing about these Devon flies is that although they have a fair bit in common with North Country Spiders the difference being is that although these are referenced as wet flies, they are tied with stiff cock hackles, which seems rather unusual. I must get a copy of this book. In the meantime please find below my interpretation of Cutcliffe's Exe- Fly which I presume is popular on Devon's River Exe. I'm really looking forward to finding out more about Cutcliffe's flies and getting my hands on Gaskell's book.

A journey to the heart of fly-tying: BFFI 2024

My much-anticipated pilgrimage to the British Fly Fair International in Stafford entailed a 500-mile roundtrip from Airdrie and an overnight stay at my brother's place in Penrith on Saturday 10th February. My brother George and I embarked on the journey further south early the next morning, arriving at the Staffordshire showground by mid-morning. The fair was a spectacle to behold, with trade stands offering a tempting array of fly-tying materials, tackle, books and many other flyfishing and fly-tying related items. Unable to resist the allure, I indulged in some essential additions to my materials and book collection. After browsing among the fly-tying eye candy, it was a great delight to make my way to the famous fly-tyres row, where I reunited with friends and fellow fly-tyers from across Britain and Europe. Amidst the bustling atmosphere, conversations flowed freely, fuelled by a shared passion for the art of fly-tying. Throughout the day, I had the opportunity to witness various master tyers in action, each demonstration offering a valuable insight and inspiration, reaffirming my love for the craft of fly-tying. It was fantastic to meet up with fellow former Hillender, Iain Drummond on Fly-tyers row who assisted at my angling club fly-tying nights, where I first learned the art of fly-tying many years ago. It was also a great pleasure to meet Peter McCallum and see his wondeful display of Clyde Flies and also meet up with Ed Ford who I met at the Scottish Game Fair last year. Two excellent Scottish fly-tyers. I really enjoyed watching Welsh Fly-tyer Sean Thomas at the “Fly-tying in Focus” theatre. This was the first time that Sean’s work had come to my attention and I was impressed with his style of tying and passion for winged wets. I later met Sean on fly-tyers row and had a very interesting chat about the tying and fishing of Loch style wets etc. However, the main highlight for me was meeting Donald Stewart and his team from the Sharps & Gentles Fly-tying Club who promote and continue to uphold the traditions of the unique Clyde Style Flies and fishing. It was an added pleasure to witness first-hand the display of Bert Sharp’s Clyde flies which feature in his famous and very much sought after book “Lets Fish the Clyde.” As the day drew to a close, I left the BFFI with a sense of fulfilment and renewed inspiration for fly-tying. Although my all-round journey had been long, the memories forged and the connections made were worth every mile travelled. Reflecting on the experience, I couldn't help but feel grateful for events like the British Fly Fair International, which celebrate the artistry and history of fly-tying.