Fishing is a sport for all!

Fishing could be seen as a somewhat solitary past-time... think of the days you have spent on your own just listening to the deafening quiet as nature surrounds you. Magical! 

Now think of the days that you have shared on the water with a friend, a guide or a loved one... the ability to share that moment is perhaps all the sweeter as you both have an empathy to being at one with nature and pitting your wits against the fish. With the other angler you have become a team and together you work to catch the fish. 

Does it matter whether the team players are male or female, does it matter whether the fly employed to catch the fish was tied by a man or a woman and who’s to say what gender the person was who built the fishing rod or reel? 

Irrespective of race, creed/religion, ability/disability, age or gender; all sports should be inclusive... fishing and fly tying should cross all divides and make us a common people. 

I’m not usually one for petitions but based on my longstanding association with womankind I think this one is worth nailing your flag to the mast for. http://www.change.org/petitions/sport-angling-community-let-s-start-talking-about-the-issue

 

Mutual respect!

Two more for the BUG-BOND team!

It gives me great pleasure to announce two new members of the BUG-BOND team, Jo Stephenson and Hendrik Wiegand.

I first met Jo at the BFFI in October 2010... I perhaps rather unfairly had Jo take my place on tyers row and had her tie a Thunder Creek pattern using BUG-BOND for the first time... I still have the fly and may photograph it and post it here with some of Jo's other flies.

Hendrik is a long term user of BUG-BOND and he approached me at the Dutch Fly Fair this year to show me some of his flies that he fishes deep from his bellyboat for large trout on Alpine lakes... an amazing combination of squirrel and foam feature in his flies. Again I'll be featuring Hendrik's flies over the coming weeks.

Both of these fly tyers bring much to the team.

Welcome Jo & Hendrik.

Jo Stephenson

I live in a small country village in Suffolk with my husband Jonny and our little labrador “Eider”, 6 Ferrets and a guinea fowl called “Quentin” and I work as head of nursing at a veterinary hospital.

I first discovered fly tying about 7 years ago, when we were on our year away travelling. We were in a sports shop in New Zealand and I was intrigued by all these packets of feathers and furs, Jonny explained to me they were for tying fishing flies. I was fascinated how they (fly tying materials) could be used on hooks to create such pretty works of art that would then catch a fish. When we got home to the UK Jonny bought me a book and a few fly tying tools and a vice and that was me “hooked”.

Jonny is now teaching me the art of fly casting and actually using the flies I tie. I tie a lot of Bass and Pike flies but also enjoy tying Salmon and Sea Trout flies. I have recently had good success with a fly I named the Voshmied Killer which caught all of our Salmon on a trip to the Hebrides. Over the last couple of years I have been involved with the BASS society and have attended different shows and have demonstrated tying on their stand. 

Hendrik Wiegand

I was born 1964 in Hamburg. As I was first walking, I was about three years old, I was starting with fishing. In summer 1978 (it's now the 34th year) I tried first time fly-fishing with my Dad on a little river in Austria.

It makes a "Bang!" to me and it was the beginning of a great passion. In Summer 79 I met Frank de la Porte, at first he was my instructor, then as a friend; even now he is acts as my adviser and I’m proud about it. A few years later it made my holiday at the legendary Gmundener Traun-Austria, there I met Hans Gebetsroither. Since many many years I like to fishing and tying.

In the year 2009 I was fishing about 200 days in Stillwater, 100 days of them on a “Belly boat”. It was very successfully with many trout up to 8kg (16 pounds). On July 2010 I made a trip to Tirol-Austria to the Pillersee. With some information I tried my luck and the success was amazing. So I was still summer to autumn about 1.5 month over there. Till this time my very best Stillwater fishing. Thus 2009-2010-2011 I have learned much more about fishing, new patterns and about myself. Many of them I have refined. In the season 2010-2011, I co-organized several “Belly boat” events, that’s huge fun. I have tied flies in five countries (Denmark, England, Austria, Holland and Germany).

I like/love to move in the nature, on the water, to make a good cast, take the right fly and meet nice people. In almost the same manner I like to row on a "my" little river, take a seat and watching all around me. That's how I learnt much more. I call it 'wood and water is speaking to me' *smile*. What about the right fly? At the moment I have the best ideas if I’m sitting at the tying table and listening Chaka Khan or B.B. King during the day and Pavarotti in the evening. I also like to cook for friends.

BUG-BOND undercover in Scotland

Paul Clydesdale after the Pollack with his "Atomic Clouser"... I've seen some of these after they have been fished hard. Even I was impressed by the integrity of BUG-BOND. Lead dumbbells annihilated but  BUG-BOND in tact! Paul is so close to his double figure Pollack on the fly... with the last session of the season coming up I wish him luck! 

BUG-BOND is how flexible?

Playing around with the GoPro Hero HD2 late last night I decided to see what it was like on close up work... Using the chest harness and the widest field of view the playing started! Tying a fly was out of the question at midnight but I thought a video clip showing how flexible BUG-BOND is might be of interest... here it is!

BUG-BOND is oh so flexible! from BUG-BOND on Vimeo.

My week in Aruba...

Photo courtesy of Jan Bach Kristensen

It has been a hectic time and we decided to take a quick holiday away from everything... the deal was that it had to include fishing. After mulling a few ideas over we decided on Aruba. Most folk say "Where?" Its in the Dutch Antilles... near to the coast of Venezuela.

A few emails later I had secured the services of Laurenz who runs FlyFishingAruba.Com. The idea was to do some testing of flies and fly line connections and I had Laurenz and his flats boat for two days...

                                                      Laurenz and his truck

This is an account of the week away...

I learnt early on that my casting was rusty... and a few pointers from Laurenz and I improved... the conditions highlighted to me my weaknesses but I was able to put the fly into a hole from a reasonable distance in the mangroves...

Talking to folk on the island they said it was windier than normal... 

Saturday AM Druif beach in front of our room... I put an olive and polar white DNA Bushpig fly on the line... a few casts down the beach, I felt the take and then slack line... I'd been bitten off by a barracuda. I met with locals and watched them fish local style... netting small bait fish and then hooking them as bait for small barracuda... they had no luck either!

Sunday AM... there weren't too many fish in the mangroves until late morning when I managed to entice a couple... the first took both Laurenz and I by suprise... the tarpon took the fly as I was lifting it off the water to recast - on and off in seconds. I continued casting and recasting - God it was hard work... at one point I exhaled in desperation and a tarpon spat the fly! The next  was one of the best experiences... I shot the fly into a hole from about 50 to 60ft away... stripping the fly back Laurenz spotted the fish... I strip struck and got a connection and we watched the tarpon take the fly some 40 to 50ft from the boat... the fish turned for the depths and I struck again to get a better hold... it jumped, and spat me out... I asked Laurenz the weight and he gave me 20lbs... We did fish for bonefish as a break between early and late morning tarpon sessions, the best was a bonefish of about 5lb following my fly but chose to dislike the flavour and not eat it!

Monday... a fruitless day... I could see terns and pelicans hitting baits on the beach but felt that in the middle of the day it would be suicide to shoot for them amongst the swimmers!

Tuesday... up even earlier today... with Laurenz guiding, we fished the flats for tailing bones... and I was knackered... I shouldn't have cast on Monday. I couldn't make a long cast to some tailing bones in the building wind... I spooked them and that was it! Back to the lagoon yes there were some fish but they were not eating or I couldn't get the hole quick enough... wind was up again... best shot was into a hole where two fish were sitting I shot for the hole and stripped... the two didn't take and bolted I went to lift off for a recast and a third tried to take the fly on the lift... pah... another fruitless circuit and my arm was falling off... We went for home... Laurenz knowing I hadn't landed a fish decided to try and get me a barracuda... wind was too high and after 3 casts we called it a day. Back at the hotel and somewhat despondent with the day (that's fishing guys!) I emailed Laurenz to see if we could meet up again. So...

Wednesday evening... he took me to a secret spot...  We took it in turns to cast and he managed to hook a snook and gave me the rod... I actually don't like taking a rod and it was poetic justice that the fish fell off at our feet... I would never have published the hero shot... it would have been a hollow victory, however he was doing the guide bit... my turn to cast... by now dusk had gone to dark. I was casting between two bushes that was blacker than the sky behind and managed a hit from a tarpon but not a solid take. Mosquitoes and beckoning food and bed had us call it a night.

Thursday morning... 6am I was up... I worked the beach and where I had seen the birds hitting baits on the beach I positioned myself... using an Andy Elliott synthetic deceiver style fly... a dozen or so casts and a 3ft barracuda hit the fly... what an electrifying take... I bullied the cuda and he went airborne... trying to beach him he bit through the 50lb leader... doh!

Friday morning... not a lot to report a few missed takes and a large jack hit some fish 2 foot away from me... what a sight... would have been a good photo from the beach!!!

Friday 1315 hrs leave for the airport....

That was my Aruba induction! It was hard work... Laurenz worked his balls off for me... a low fish count, higher winds than expected and rusty casting and I still saw and caught fish... that in part was down to the guide! 

Well there you are an account of my trip... 

Andy Elliott's synthetic deceiver style fly that worked its charm on a 3ft barracuda!

Jan Bach Kristensen of Tapam fame has kindly allowed me to use his photo of a mangrove tarpon... similar to the picture of the tarpon in my mind...

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Books, books & more books... (and some BUG-BOND)

Hot off the press are 3 new books by Barry Ord Clarke... Part of a new series of books published by Paul Morgan of Coch-Y-Bonddu books.

The "Proven Patterns" series kick off with two books Sea-trout River & Saltwater and a third covering Pike... They are priced at £3.95 each which is less than a pint of beer in most pubs... They are well produced and well illustrated... Without a doubt using Barry's unquestionable talent behind the lens which is only matched by his talents as a fly-tyer.

The tying instructions are clear and concise... Patterns provided by tyers including such names as Ad Swier, Steve Silverio, Simon Graham, Dougie Loughridge, Ulf Hagstrom, Steffan Jones, Illytd Griffiths and Barry himself are both a mix of classic and innovative flies.

I have to say that I'm a little more than pleased that BUG-BOND gets more than a passing mention... In fact in a couple of the books BUG-BOND is part of the staple diet for the patterns. The books can be ordered direct from Paul Morgan at www.anglebooks.com and I would heartily recommend them... With 5 further books in the wings I can't wait!

Catskill tyer features in the new Mayflies & More Promo

Chris Sandford... Mayflies & More DVD Promo from BUG-BOND on Vimeo.

Famous Catskill fly tyer Harry Darbee features alongside Ulf Hagstrom in Chris Sandford's new Promo video...