The Shrimp with no name...

I've been playing with Bug-Bond again! I seem to be playing with the new material more as I get emails from Simon in Finland with photos of his creations... so to the vice... the big impetus is that I said I'd do a fly swap at the end of January and I chose a shrimp!!

I decided to have a play and see what I could come up with on the tube and here we have it... I've named it the "Strawdog Shrimp"... what do you think? Unless anyone else has the same tie out there.

Happy Christmas to one and all.

Wherever you are have a great Christmas... and every good wish for the New Year....

Baltic Pike Flies tie with Bug-Bond

That Eureka moment hit again this week... after putting Bug-Bond through its paces, Simon Graham from Baltic Pike Tours emailed me some photos. I thought I would share the photos that Simon provided me with following his first steps with Bug-Bond... the surf candy derivatives really show the material off. I appreciate Simon's kind words about Bug-Bond and look forward to seeing more of his ties.... they'll all feature on the Bug-Bond site as they appear in my in box. Many thanks Simon for having the courage to use Bug-Bond.

Over the coming weeks I'll start imparting tips & tricks... for instance - how to get the perfect shell back... and this trick you can't do with epoxy!

I would also like to mention that Bug-Bond is not a rehash of any other light cured fluid sold with fishing or fly tying in mind... it is brand new product and a lot of time, resource and investment went into bringing Bug-Bond to the market

Bug-Bond - the secret is out!

As I approach Christmas I start to reflect on the year that was. Economically for the world hopefully we are starting to get out of the R word that Sir Alan Sugar hates.

For me it has been a great year as far as fishing and the development of a new product for the fly fishing market is concerned. I got back into fly tying in 2008 and wanted to find an alternative to epoxy resin that could be sourced here in the UK and would be available for the European market…

Much research later I have a product that can challenge the way we have tied flies for years… it is really exciting. I am aware that change takes time but those that have tried the product have been impressed.

So what is the big deal… well the big deal is an optically perfect and tack free, light cured resin. There is minimal wastage… in fact almost zero when it’s used with the correct applicator. Where you would apply three or four coats of varnish this is one coat and it is done… Resin heads on pike flies can be done with relative ease as well… great time saving.

I have tied my flies with Bug-Bond exclusively since May and I involved Toby Merigan (who has launched FunkyFlyTying.co.uk) as a tester and he’s been very pleased with the results… I was talking to him yesterday evening and he’d just finished fishing for grayling, having had a great day catching fish on bugs tied using Bug-Bond. Chris Reed who was one of the tyers at the BFFI 2009 last month took to it immediately and in a busy weekend schedule tied 59 flies for me for a photo shoot for the website. Simon Graham who runs Baltic Pike Tours and has the brilliant blog PikeFlyFishingArticles gave a fantastic review (click here to read it).

There will be exponents of epoxy resin who will throw their arms up in horror… however, for me it is about having options, alternatives and additions to what is available. Yes, some products may replace others over time but I’m not that naïve or arrogant to expect epoxy resin to have a long and happy retirement. The argument that light cure products are expensive as you need a curing light doesn’t hold water either as you need a drying wheel to get the best out of epoxy resin. Let’s live alongside each other and compliment each other as well.

From feedback I’ve received from tyers on the other side of the globe it would appear that Bug-Bond may have a significant edge over others in its peer group, the research has paid off.

I’m now looking forward to Christmas… to having a bit of a break over the festive season before hitting the trail in 2010. To bring Bug-Bond to the market has involved many long hours of research and testing. Hopefully those that use the product will find it as enjoyable to work with as I have. I’ll leave you with an unsolicited quote from Toby.

"Bug-Bond is the Holy Grail. It makes tying and finishing flies so much quicker than normal epoxy or varnish” Toby Merigan of FunkyFlyTying.co.uk

Salty tube fly part 2

I decided that the fly really needed some eyes... and that little extra something!

Salty flies for next season

Tactical Pike - Mike Ladle: Busted at Xmas!!!

Undercover photo of the cover!

Have you ever had a sneak preview of your Christmas presents? Mmmm... me too! Well this Christmas I've got on my list Mike Ladle's new book Tactical Pike Fishing. My wife ordered it and it arrived in the office today... guess what? I flicked through it and it looks a storming read... you wouldn't expect less from Mike.

I think I've been busted tho' as the envelope was opened along with the bubble wrap! Honest I haven't read a single word... that'll be when the parents and in-laws are chatting and the kids are fighting on Christmas Day. Me in the study and the book... BLISS!

I'll report back on Boxing Day!