OK, so you really don’t like the regular Clinch and need to tie the Improved Clinch. But before you do, the question is why does there need to be an Improved Clinch? Well (1) for those that insist on pulling the short end of the tippet, the improved Clinch will work. (2) When the wire [...]

Sorry I’ve been out of the loop for a few days. I’ve been occupied with any number of items that have drained my time like a mechanic draining old motor oil–in fact, I’ve felt a bit like that old motor oil that’s being drained. But, here’s a knot that is so misused that it gets [...]

These are also known as micro-rings because they are indeed micro. They’re called tippet rings because they are attached to the end of the leader body (butt section plus tapered section) as an attachment point for the tippet. OK, how micro is micro? Well, they come in 2 mm and 3 mm sizes (that’s about [...]

My great friend, maniac fishing companion, composer, luthier, guitar player, and etc. has been making knives for many years, but has never had the opportunity to delve into it as more than a very part-time hobby. He is now making custom knives in a serious way. When I say serious, I don’t mean that John [...]

The Surgeon’s knot is one of the “must know” knots for the fly fisher, It is immensely useful; so useful that it is used on every trip and usually several times a day on every trip. See the page showing the detail for tying the Surgeon’s Knot  using the rope kits–which also see.

In several instances at the shows this year, I’ve mentioned the use of rope kits to help learn knots faster and easier. And every time, people have asked me where to get them or how to make them, etc. They’re easy to make, either singly or en masse. I’ve put up a page to show [...]

How does one know when a leader needs to be changed. In the lion pack, it’s when the old boy can no longer defend himself. In humans it’s usually when the company is failing or the party in power changes. But in fly fishing, it’s when the mono looses it elasticity. Mono has a bit [...]

Tying the Nailess Nail Knot every time one needs or wants to change a leader is a real pain in the back side. In addition it requires that the line be trimmed back an inch or two with each change, This is good for line manufacturers because one would need to buy new lines on [...]

I started the day at 8 am by presenting a Bible Study on The Covenant Agreements to those exhibitors that wanted to attend. It was a great time. At 1 pm I gave a talk on “Really Matching the Hatch,” and finished the day with a demo on “Advanced Casting” at 3:15 pm. During the [...]

I left home yesterday, but got grounded in Minneapolis by a heavy snow storm. After a night in a local hotel, I continued on to Denver early this morning, getting here at the Merchandise Mart an hour before my first presentation on Fly Tying. This was immediately followed by a program on Nymphing. An hour [...]