The Italian Job!

I was introduced to Fabrizio Gajardoni who lives in Rimini, Italy by Steve Silverio from the US... both have become good friends of mine (and both are on the BUG-BOND Pro-Tying Team). Italy is a common theme as Steve's parents are Italian... and both are fine fly tyers.. from Classic Salmon to small nymphs. These guys know their craft.

I have been photographing flies that Fabrizio sent me in 2011 and these flies are coated with BUG-BOND and look as good and as resilient as the day they were first tied. But how are they tied and how does he tie the fishing beetle...  Well I am going to give you a link to the step by step!!!

But first this is why Gaja is so good!

So the next beetle... Yesterday, I was sent the image below by Fabrizio... click the link and be prepared for a 48 image step by step!

And as a bonus here is a video of Fabrizio tying a pike fly at SIM Fly 2011 (Scuola Italiana di Pesca a Mosca)


Thank you Fabrizio for sharing your talent!

BUG-BOND goes "Dennis the Menace"

How many of you ever read the comic book "The Beano" with its favourite character Dennis the Menace and Gnasher... well it was a firm favourite of mine. Dennis always wore a red and black striped sweater! 

This red on black pattern and a 3 page article featured heavily in February's edition of Trout & Salmon magazine... and...

I've just been reading (again) Stan Headley's article on "Dennis The Menace" type patterns in Trout & Salmon magazine... Stan readily acknowledges that red on black is not new and qualifies it by recalling flies from the tarpon Black Death bunny with its red ruff to trout flies such as the Butcher... great article. So in a "homage" to the article this is this morning's offering!  

Recipe:
Veniard Osprey Light Nymph/Dry Fly hook size 12
UTC 70 black thread
UTC Holo Tinsel Silver Medium (Red marker over before tying)
BUG-BOND Lite to seal and BUG-BOND Original to finish

BUG-BOND Arctic testing the Ice-Fly!

Many regular readers will have seen all manner of fish caught in temperate and tropical latitudes featuring here. As the wind batters against the windows and winter snows threaten I thought I'd share this image with you.

The Arctic Char was photographed last winter (2011/12) by Gaute Nuland who runs an ice fishing and outdoor life website in Norway. www.isfiskebua.no

The Char was caught on an Ice-Fly and from my discussions with Gaute there are no issues with BUG-BOND working at sub-zero temperatures! For those not speaking Norwegian, well Google translate will assist but the Ice-Fly page can be found here...

Thanks to Gaute Nuland for sharing the photo!!!

The video theme continues...

Pal and BUG-BOND Pro-Tying Team member, Chris Sandford has a new website... I blogged it last year BUT for those who missed it, have a look!
www.chrissandford.com you are in for a treat...

For those familiar with Chris you'll be aware he did a short film about BUG-BOND... for those who missed it, I've included it at the end of this entry!

You'll see Chris is no stranger when it comes to sitting in front of the lens... if you read his blog you'll find out why. No, I'm not going to tell you... his website is one click away www.chrissandford.com

Chris has now decided to do his own STUFF... STUFF he likes and would like to share with you and me... this is his first video showing some of his favourite STUFF! The next instalment is due April time I believe... can't wait!


Chris Sandford's Stuff from Chris Sandford on Vimeo.


BUG-BOND and Chris Sandford's Chalkstream Flies from BUG-BOND on Vimeo.

Hope you enjoyed it... I did!

Happy BUG-BOND New Year! Grant Bench feature...

My first blog of the year isn't about me, it's about a fly tyer from out west... Grant Bench from Orem, Utah in the USA... a talented tyer at that. Through the internet ether Grant started talking to me about BUG-BOND and then I started seeing his flies coming up using BUG-BOND. I thought I'd share a Youtube video with you that Grant has a starring role in... it's very neat, clean and concise. Grant obviously enjoys sharing his craft... 

Thanks for sharing Grant!

Hi! I'm Grant Bench. As a young teenager, I was introduced to fly tying by my Uncle David. He instructed me on tying a few simple patterns and from there I learned to develop an artists point of view. From that day on I have acquired a passion for fly tying that only a fly tyer can understand. It has now become a lifestyle and tying flies is now part of an everyday routine like brushing teeth. 

I am always excited to learn new ways and techniques of tying flies. Having the opportunity to tie at shows throughout the west has helped me to gain an appreciation for those who have come before me, for without them, we wouldn't have the large array of materials available to us today. The Orvis Co is currently marketing eleven of my fly patterns through its catalog/online/retail dealers. This would only be possible with a supportive wife, like-minded friends who also share the same passion, and an occupation that gives me the freedom to share my love of fly fishing with others.



All these guys tying small stuff and what tarpon flies have I tied today - none! I'm re-working a trout pattern with a friend of mine that he developed... but enough of that, this is a piece about Grant and his video.

Hope you enjoyed it... I did!

BUG-BOND goes small (BIG actually)

Reflecting on the year that was... for BUG-BOND this was our year... the year that we put the "CAPS LOCK" on, when we typed the word GLOBAL. With Veniard and latterly now Wapsi Fly we have got our logistics in place to deliver BUG-BOND virtually anywhere in the world. BUG-BOND got another award... its second, Best Fly Fishing Innovation Award. 

For me it has been a year of many shows which included travel overseas to the US and Europe... It kicked off with the Fly Fishing Show at Somerset New Jersey, USA in January and I've accompanied Veniard to EFFTEX in Paris, France and Tackle & Guns Show in Warwickshire here in the UK. I've tied alongside great friends in Glasgow, Yorkshire, Netherlands and Stoke-on-Trent. BUG-BOND has featured in books and DVDs by Chris Sandford, Hywel Morgan & Barry Ord Clarke... There were many articles in magazines across the globe this year... our wings are spread!

What of my fishing and tying this year... a tough start to the year and an overseas trip to Aruba that proved to be a hard but nevertheless an enjoyable education to flats fishing. The second half of the year proved better in fishing terms with pike providing willing sport together with my trophy perch!

My tying has ranged from saltwater flies to offerings for trout... the latter has provided entertainment to the extent that I must fish for them next year! 

I'll leave you with a few tyings of recent weeks which include Polish Quills and Nymph Skin... enjoy.

Thank you for your support in 2012 and best wishes and tight lines for 2013...

Design Success - Arcticsilver

I do have a tendency to look at products that have a different slant on life and this rod and reel caught my attention... to say it is different is not quite an  understatement... it certainly doesn't look like any other fly rod handle and the way that both the handle and the reel seat are designed they certainly score on different!

So why is it different and what has Robert Selfors and his team set out to achieve... well they have looked at adding more power into the rod... or the same  power but less work to do it. Robert's idea was born out of 2 years of chronic tendonitis and being unable to fish as much as he would like he put his design head on... and he designed a rod handle that would allow the rod to generate more energy with less force by having the blank flex within the handle.

After testing the rod they used indiegogo to launch their funding campaign and 5 days ago they reached (and exceeded) their target. I will look forward with interest to seeing their saltwater rods as they become available!

To find out more about their story... click here

Robert... every best wish for 2013 and much success with the venture!