Mavungana - South Africa stocks BUG-BOND

I'm pleased to announce that Mavungana owned by Jonathan Boulton and his wife Sarah now stock Bug-Bond at their two branches in Dullstroom and Johannesburg (South Africa). This will give Bug-Bond users in South Africa direct access to the award winning material.

But the benefits aren't just one way... Jonathan offers spectacular guiding for Tigerfish on the Zambezi River during June and July. As you can see from the photo of Jonathan & Sarah these are specimen fish!

Visit the Mavungana website for information relating to the services they offer... oh and do mention BUG-BOND when you speak to Jonathan!

That's another destination on my "Must fish before,,,"

Preparing for the USA

I guess my love affair with the USA started when I was 8 years old... Neil Armstrong set foot on the moon and he planted the Stars and Stripes... we were space age kids. Roll on a couple of years and my school friends all liked the new range of Japanese motorcycles coming into Britain... but I'd seen Evel Knievel on a V twin doing his daredevil riding... this was magic. I wrote to Harley Davidson in Milwaukee, Wisconsin in the hopes of touching something Harley... the dream was realised for the 11 year old David when a package came through the post one morning with stamps from a far away country I opened the A4 sized envelope and there was a softbound book... The History of Harley Davidson and I still have the book! BUT the icing on the cake was the wad of motorcycle sales brochures from the Sportster to the Electra-Glide, they were all there... and each year until I was 18 they kept sending the brochures... I never did buy a Harley but my heart races when I hear that evocative engine note. Maybe maybe there is time!

So what has this got to do with fly tying? Almost nothing BUT I'm reminded of past events of this land of opportunity as I prepare for my trip to The Fly Tying Show in Somerset, New Jersey next week.

I'll leave you with a clutch of flies tied by my pal Pete Gray who lives on the Pharside of the Canal... look forward to seeing you guys next week!

Brad Buzzi... Deep EZ Sand Eel

I had the great pleasure of meeting many fly tyers at the International Fly Tying Symposium in New Jersey in November last year... due to a variety of commitments I was unable to attend this November.  I missed the genuine warmth that comes from this show... the welcome I had in the US was fantastic. My first welcome though was from Brad Buzzi of BuzFly Products who kindly offered to pick me up from the airport and take me to the hotel... Brad is a hell of a nice guy and a great flytyer.

Brad emailed me recently to say that he'd been using Bug-Bond as an epoxy replacement on his Deep EZ Sand Eels and some of his other fly patterns... he also said "I like the fact that Bug Bond cures quickly and gives you a consistent finish that is easy to apply and durable when cured with the proper light".


I noticed on Stripersonline some time ago that Brad started to produce some great instructional videos and I'm honoured that he's chosen Bug-Bond to feature in one of his latest videos...


So click the link and watch Brad Buzzi of BuzFly Products in the US tie the Deep EZ Sand Eel.... thanks Brad and I'll be tying some of these for a mark I know in the UK!

Flybox & Bug-Bond: a marriage made at the vise

I received a  call earlier this year from Ian Christie who owns Flybox a company based in Scotland enquiring about Bug-Bond.  Flybox has built up quite a following and justifiably so as they manufacture and distribute their own high quality materials and flies. Ian had been testing alternative UV products but they weren't hitting the mark for him and he asked to test Bug-Bond... I'm pleased that the tests Ian performed went well (not unexpected really) and that he found that Bug-Bond is the real deal! Ian has been using Bug-Bond on their flies since then and my does he produce a nice fly or two.... (or three or four!!).

This is a piece about Ian and the flies are a small selection of the images he sent me! Faultless tying!

Thanks for sharing Ian and for putting your trust in Bug-Bond...

"Passion for fly fishing seems to be genetic in our family – my grandfather was a fanatic, my father an enthusiast, and so it seemed perfectly natural that I followed in their footsteps. Highly involved in club fishing as a teenager, I first took up fly tying when I was around 15 years old and I’ve been hooked ever since. For me it’s very much a creative process, finding new materials, developing new patterns and coming up with deadly combinations that give you that much needed edge when you’re on the water. 

In 2004 I took my passion to the next level and founded Flybox.co.uk which allows me the freedom to do what I love for a living. As a company we continue to push the boundaries in fly design and fly tying materials, specializing in synthetics. For me it’s about being at the cutting edge of the market, working with competition anglers to make sure they have the best flies and materials available to them. 

It’s highly competitive at the top end of the fly tying market and I’m very lucky that I’m able to work with some of the best anglers in the country. I’m always striving to ensure that we are using the best combination of hooks, materials and the latest design techniques. Our designs, as a result, can seem highly unusual to those used to the more traditional fly patterns. However, at the end of the day, it’s catching fish that counts and they love to gobble up our patterns so I must be doing something right!" 

Fly Fishing & Fly Tying Bug-Bond 2012 challenge!

Who is up for a challenge?

I’m pleased to announce that BUG-BOND™ is the sponsor of Fly Fishing & Fly Tying magazine’s new competition…  With a new format for the magazine it should see some interesting submissions over the next few months. There are 4 categories… the winner of each category will receive a BUG-BOND™ “Professional” kit, comprising  2 bottles of Bug-Bond, 2 Tip Kits and a BUG-BOND™ Professional UV light. The overall winner of the competition will receive a Regal Revolution vise , kindly donated by Regal Engineering in the US. The vise in the photo for the eagle eyed has a medallion head… it will be a revolution head for the winner.

So how do you enter?

Well you have to hot foot it down to the news stand and pick up the December issue of Fly Fishing & Fly Tying magazine… it has the rules and an entry form (photocopies are allowed).

No excuses… it doesn’t matter where you are on the globe… have a go.

Happy tying!

Bug-Bond receives innovation award

Surprised, stunned and very pleased that Bug-Bond received an award yesterday. The readers of Total Flyfisher magazine had the opportunity to have their say in an online survey. Bug-Bond has received the award of Runner-Up in the Total Flyfisher 2012 Tackle Awards in the Best Fly Fishing Innovation category. We are the top fly tying material! Thank you to all that voted and who continue to support Bug-Bond whether you are a customer, retailer or Pro-Tying Team member... this is your award. 

Thank You!

Hywel Morgan - joins the Bug-Bond Team

It gives me immense pleasure to announce that Hywel Morgan one of fly fishing's personalities has joined the BUG-BOND™ Pro-Tying Team. Hywel is well known for his TV appearances and gave Bug-Bond its TV début this summer on Keith Arthur's programme "Tight Lines" (Sky Sports).

Not only is Hywel a talented fly-tyer, caster and fly fisherman, he can also convey this knowledge with a passion and humour that is highly infectious...

The smile says it all Hywel... welcome to the team!

I've included Hywel's bio here and by clicking the photo it will take you to his website where you will be able to find out more about his teaching and guiding services as well as his shop which include his DVDs, flies and essentials range.

Who is Hywel Morgan?

Hywel is the son of Welsh fishing guru Moc Morgan and perhaps unsurprisingly he was introduced to the pleasures of fishing at an exceptionally early age.

He first wet a line at just two and a half years of age and spent his early years fishing the Rivers Teifi and Ystwyth for wild brown trout and sea trout. Since then he has fished extensively throughout the UK, Europe, Australia and in the USA.

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Casting...

Having grown up in his father's shadow, Hywel decided to make a name for himself and started competing in casting competitions.

He started at local country fairs, then progressed to the CLA Game Fair where for three successive years he won every event. As a result he was asked not to compete any more so that others could have a chance of winning... and all this before he was sixteen years old.
He then turned to the British Casting Association and started to compete at British, European and World casting championships. During this time he amassed the following titles:

• World Games Accuracy Casting Champion
• European Distance Casting Champion
• European Silver Medallist (Accuracy)
• 14 British casting records
• 6 times All Round British Champion
• Over 100 British Individual titles
• World Record holder for multiple casting (66 rods cast simultaneously)

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FISHING...

Having been successful in the casting scene, Hywel decided to return to fishing. He has represented Wales on twelve occasions (and has been captain for his country three times). Six times were at home internationals, where he was Top Rod on three occasions. The other six were at World Championships, where he captained the Welsh team to a silver medal in Ireland in 1995 and was a member of the silver medal winning team at England 2000. Individually he has been one of the most successful competitors from all the home countries, gaining results in silver, 4th, 7th and 10th places..

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Consultancies...

Hywel has worked as a tackle consultant for numerous companies over the last eight years, helping to develop products for the British Market.

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Television...

Hywel has presented programmes on fishing for Discovery Realtime, Horse and Country TV, Welsh TV channel S4C for a few years. He also has over 10 DVD titles on sale now. He has also made appearances on 'Record Breakers', the 'Big Breakfast' and has been a guest on Sky TV's 'Tight Lines'.