Recent comments

Bravo! great pattern

Bravo! great patterns that catch fish,,.I feel naked without a box of buggers!

The Branchu as tied

The Branchu as tied by Jean Guy Cote incorporated a jungle cock nail split in two and placed 1/2 on either side of the body. See Stewart and Allen Trout Flies for one tied by JGC.

Thanks for the site I really appreciate it.

Say Hey martin,

I

Say Hey martin,

I was just looking at some of your bonefish theme... wonderful work. Nice job. However, you have mentioned that Charlie Smith was the originator of the "Crazy Charlie." That's not quite correct... please let me share with you part of an interview I had with Bob Nauheim the person who created the fly...

Here's the story directly from Bob:
It took place on a bonefishing trip to the Bahamas. I believe it was around 1977. Keep in mind there really weren't many flyfisherman chasing bonefish at this time. I was working with a guide (and lodge owner) named Charlie Smith. We were watching the bones apparently key on "glass minnows." I asked Charlie if that was a common food for bonefish and he replied "Sure mon."

That night, back in the lodge, I tied some flies with a bit of flash, some clear Mason 15 lb. Mono, a couple of feathers, and a pair of bead eyes. The eyes were adopted from steelhead patterns I'd used with great success. It was the first time "bead eyes" were used on a bonefish pattern.

The next day we had a ball catching fish with the newly created pattern. Charlie said "dat fly is nasty mon" that's when I gave it the name "Nasty Charlie." I'd run into Lee Perkins, of Orvis fame, and he asked me about the fly design. He'd heard how effective it was on the flats. I sent him a sketch with tying instructions. Later that year it was presented in the Orvis Catalog as the "Crazy Charlie." It's had that name ever since. I'm delighted it's become such a widely accepted fly.

A sad note to this story is that Bob has just passed away. He will be missed by many in this industry. He was a mentor of mine and a close friend. Thanks for giving me a moment to share this story with you.

Cheers, Kenny

Dirk, very goooood p

Dirk, very goooood photo...from me to your photo clear BIG SIX ...good light from Percas from Eastern Slovakia....

Dear Makers Of Leade

Dear Makers Of Leadercalc
I have been using leadercalc for about 5 years, I have found it to be the best download I ever did. It Has completely improved my casting of heaviers poppers and small flies.It has competely changed my understanding of delivery of flies.
Thank you very much
Walter K

Great ! I've been

Great ! I've been using lint as described for a number of years. Good article !

Nice article...and n

Nice article...and nice flies.

Regards
opettersson
www.flyzone.se

Matt,

You can rea

Matt,

You can read more about heat treating bamboo with a toaster in Preben Torp Jacobsen's article.

Martin

I am wanting to make

I am wanting to make my own bamboo flyrod. I see I need to heat treat it. Can you give me any ideas on how to do this without an oven? I've see where you can use a steel pipe or make your own. Can you tell me how to do this? Thanks for your time matt

Very good!!!!

Very good!!!!

"Two Centuries of S

"Two Centuries of Soft Hackled Flies" is a great 4th book, to the three previous books on the subject, by Sylvester Nemes. I agree that most of the text's from the latest Nemes's book, will be the only reference I will ever be able to procure, of the other texts, because of their rarity and availability.

Another book was recently reprinted, pertaining Soft Hackle Flies of the Clyde River, , 20 years after its first printing. "Clyde Style Flies and their dressings", by John Reid, was printed originally in 1971. The 2nd Edition, which duplicates the original book, is a must have book for any serious soft hackle fly tier's book shelve.

~Parnelli

It was released of c

It was released of course.

Thanks Martin. I tru

Thanks Martin. I truely love your own pictures and this website, so I really appreciate your comment.

Despite agriculture and the French "catch and kill" mentality, there are still some interesting places in France (flyfishing wise). Beautiful rivers, wild fish ... but fishing is usually quite tough.

This is an awesome w

This is an awesome website! Have you seen the new mini Fish Pimps made by Angling Evolution. I have yet to try them but will in the next couple of days.

Dave,

The scene j

Dave,

The scene just kept on becoming more and more beautiful. This was a very foggy morning, and even after the sun was above the horizon the veiw was magnificent. Usually the magic disappears once the sun clears the horizon, but not here. The fantastic light didn't vanish before the fog had been burned off.

Martin

Nicolas,

That's a

Nicolas,

That's a lovely picture! And it's great to see some fly fishing from places, which we don't often connect with our passtime.

Keep on posting.

Martin

Hi Martin,

How go

Hi Martin,

How goes it mate?

Just read with interest your piece on bonefish patterns. Thought you might be interested to know of a "New, Old" pattern that is number 1 in my box at the moment.

Funnily enough it came about from a fly I "borrowed" from your sea trout box one day when you wern't looking ;-) I think you call it a Bjarke?

Anyway, I recieved a very nice bleached grizzle cape from Chevron Hackles a while back. The tannish colour tones immeadiatly made me think of bonefish.

Basically the fly looks like this.

Hook- size 6 or 8
Tail: A few strands of "root beer" crystal flash.
Body: Dubbed tan fur, nice and spikey.
Hackle: As mentioned above, palmered the whole length of the shank and clipped flat underneath.
Eyes: small, gold bead chain.

I fished the inside flats at Deadmans Cay, Long Island back in June. Was very lucky with the weather and the conditions made for some classic, ultra shallow water, wade bonefishing. The fish were spooky and ambush tactics were the order of the week. The pattern above outfished just about anything I had in my box by a mile.

Who said bonefish aint selective?

Cheers

Paul

Artistic: It's like

Artistic: It's like a painting abstraction (colors, composition....) I love this picture (the yellow one too) Jean-Louis

This instruction is

This instruction is terrific: clear, simple and easy to follow with great photos of fishy-looking patterns. I especially like the tying tips. Thanks, Bob.

Olli,

You might c

Olli,

You might consider a mail to Coch-y-Bonddu, which carries a lot of used books and might get a used copy of this one now and then.

Martin

Does anyone know whe

Does anyone know where to get this book now a days, all I get is "out of print" answers.

any help appreciated.

Olli

Hey Joe.I live here

Hey Joe.I live here in NY.I am minutes from the Catt,So I fish this trib often.The pressure here is getting as such that it has become elbo to elbo combat fishing.My post is this.The picture is a great post.But the fact that you and others have to name these wonderful places and adding the fact that you have a picture of where to go,,,Well I think maybe you should rethink what you are doing to our waters.TIght Lines,Happy trails to you and to yours.

"I broke my Aquafly

"I broke my Aquafly flybox yesterday!"

Shit happens when you dont buy C&F boxes ;-)

again woderful photo

again woderful photo and moment...from me 6 points