An afternoon, on the river Towy.

 Hi it was great to get out yesterday afternoon, my fly orders have slowed down a lot now. so thought i would get out and try for a salmon or day time sewin,  the weather was very good and in the car park. had a good chat to the bailiff who was out training a new puppy gun dog, and he pulled out is phone and said have a look at this one Dai. he had been out the day before, and had a cracking sewin  of 20lb a huge cock fish. things dreams are made made of. any let get back to my fishing afternoon, loaded with the thoughts of the huge fish. i set of to the pool i had in mind to fish. above is the view from the top of the pool, the river was carrying a lot of water and pushing hard down the river. that's why i went for this part of the river as i did know the area i was going would slow it down a bit to fish ok.   

 Above the out fit, and flies for the day, a new rod and line i picked last week. as i am off to British Columbia in October, for some Salmon fish. its getting close now so as well as getting out for some fishing, i needed to get so practice with a double hander. and shooting head 8/9# the new rod was a 13ft Enigma 8/9#, reel Airflo airlite 9/10# and the line was the new Airflo ultra spey fly line Eoin Fairgrieve. and have to say the two worked well together and cast very well to.   

 Above a close up of my fly box for the day, which by the way came back after fishing three flies lighter as they made a good grad for the trees on the far bank.

 My first cast at the top run, hooked a small trout which came off in seconds.

 Any way i carried on down the river, and when i got to the trees you see overhanging the river. i hooked in to a nice salmon about 12/14lb and nice and bright, but again the same as the trout it throw the hook after about 3/4 mins. gutted i said hehe. both fish falling for a PBP fly,

 And that was it for the few hours fishing, no more takes. just one fish showed itself  a sewin about 5/6lb, 

And above the flats that i was going to carry on down fishing, but i just had the feeling it was going to be no good going on down there. i was happy to get out and hook a few fish, but look out next week the weather is looking good. so will be out after some sewin in the nights,

Bank holiday ties.

 Well first, the good news is my step by step section is back up and running, thanks to my good old mate Gareth(micro flies) Lewis. cheers mate, what would i do with out you.

Well i have been very busy over the weekend tying, they all went in the post this morning. do hope i get a bit of time this week, to get a bit of salmon and sewin fishing in. not been out much this yea,r what with the weather and flooding rivers all this season. but back to the tying, have put up some of the ties that i did this weekend just gone. plenty of the toucans still being asked for and going out, the Kinermony Killer flamethrower is going out in big numbers to. but my snake flies are still in very big demand,   

 Above 1" Toucan cone head tube,

 Toucan, tied on a Deercreek size 6 gold salmon single hook. great strong hook this one,Will be tying a good few of my flies on these for my BC salmon fishing trip.

And above, the Toucan on a Deercreek, gold double salmon hook size 6.

 Above a range of 11/2" tubes, these are another popular one for the sewin and salmon.

 The snake flies above, are a style that as been asked for a lot now. since i have started tying them, these are tied on 0.24" dia 7strand stainless wire. the wire is very flexible, and does not get cut on the rocks like hollow mono braid does. and these move a lot better than the mono braid, as it stays light in the water. it does not take on water like the mono braid,,

 

 Above, my glow in the dark snake fly, tied on braid. as some anglers still like the material,

 

 The one above, is a snake that has been fishing well for my mate. black wing/ throat hackle and strands of fine pearl flash, plus peacock pearl mylar on the body. he fishes middle range of the river Towy,

And above the Jambo, love tying deer hair. and great fly to fish when waking these, the takes can be out of this world. just love fishing them in the dark for sewin, but also work well on the salmon in the day.

 And the Kinermony killer flamethrower, all the colors in this fly just work.

 Above 1" tungsten tube, Krystal flash head.

 And this one,1/2" tied on a heavy brass tube and cone.

 And 1/2" Tungsten tube, with krystal flash head.

Above, more snake wire mounts, ready to be tied up.

Bala, North Wales Game Fair.

 Last weekend, I was tying at the north Wales game fair at Bala. I have been tying at this show from the start, this year was the third year. and have to say it gets better ever year, and a great show to catch up with a number of mates. that don't get to see enough, myself and my mate Gareth Lewis above. (very well known for is super micro flies) drove up from south Wales very early Saturday morning, and the satnav did give us a great look around on the way up. why do these things always want to take you the long way around, but will say it was a great look at the country on the way up.

 Above, my good old mate Emyr Breese, again a great tier of competition flies. i was very lucky to be tying and sitting between him and Gareth Lewis, i picked up a lot of great tips. tying these small trout and grayling flies, 

 And above, another mate and great tier of trout and grayling flies Louis Noble. top guy,

And yours truely tying on the weekend, i was tying salmon flies.  

 And above we have the one and only, Gwilym Hughes top guide in north Wales. and writer of the book the Angle of the cast, top read get hold of this book you will love it. i always stay with Gwilym when i go to this show, he and his lovely wife Sarah really look after myself, and also Gareth this year.

 Another North Wales buddy, Dylan great guy and tier.

 Another north Wales mate Paul, as you can see both in the photo laughing. as when i went to take photo, his thread broke.

 Above Trevor, an other top small trout and grayling tier. and also along side him Sue, who ties some nice saltwater patterns.

 Above, above the Cookshill stand. great materials.

 And above Christina Tooley of Chevron, and my mate Dewi Williams tying on the stand. great around tier but will say love is wet mayflies,

 And above John of Celtic fly craft, great materials again.

 Out side the tying tent, was the casting pool very popular venue over the weekend.

Above, two photos of Gwilym Hughes casting, single and double hand. later i will be putting up some videos of him casting,

Elvers and toucans

 I have not posted for a bit, just had my head in my tying room. thank god it's slowing down now, so hopefully i will get a bit more fishing in. i am really missing getting out on the river at night for the sewin, here are a few flies i tied up this week to send to a customer to fish the river Spey. he wanted these elver flies tied on copper tubes and snake flies, he saw them in trout and salmon back a month or two.

 Above the copper Blue JC Elver tube, 

 And above the Elver snake flies,

And above the Elver snake fly

    
 Half inch cone head Toucan cone head, 

 3/4" inch cone head Toucan, 

 And above the set of Toucans, this fly has been going out all year. i have now tied up 3500 of them,

 And did spoil myself this month, i had this new snake vise made for myself.

Close up of heads of vise, and my take on the Green highlander.