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.
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
1 comment:
Here here!
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