The International Fly Tying Symposium was outstanding this year. Chuck Furimsky, founder and manager of the Symposium, invited a group of tyers from Sweden to attend and demonstrate their designs and tying skills. They received a great deal of attention from those in attendance. In addition, the crowd was large and most excited, filling the [...]

This weekend was an exciting and fun time in Atlantic Highlands, New Jersey. I was honored to serve as the officiant at Michael Maoui and Emily Hocks’ wedding, held at the Twin Lights Historic Site. From the site, one can see across Sandy Hook to the skyline of Manhattan. This site was not chosen at [...]

The International Fly Tying Symposium is coming up, November 19, 20. If you’ve never attended, I urge you to shake a leg and get out to see all the great stuff at the Symposium. It is the largest fly tying only event in the world and features tyers from all over the world. There’s all [...]

I just received sad news that my friend, Jack Charlton, died on June 9th. He was a reel designer and builder of unmatched ability. Another friend, Capt. Jake Jordan, wrote a great eulogy for Jack, and I share it here with you. The passing of my friend Jack Charlton: On Friday morning June 10, I [...]

The Great Waters Expo in Minneapolis is coming up in two weeks. I will be there to give presentations and casting and fly tying demos. If you are in the area, please come on by. I will have copies of Fishing the Film available, and I will be happy to inscribe them for you. Carrie [...]

Saddle hackles are hard to find. Not because the chickens aren’t making them, but because the fashion industry has discovered them, for garments and hair adornments. My friend, Henry Kanemoto, sent me this photo–have a look.

The past few weeks have brought sad news of the deaths of three friends in the fly fishing community. My old pal, Syl Nemes, died on February 3 in Bozeman, Mt. Syl was the author of a big handful of books on soft hackles—everything form the history of their early development to the use of [...]

Here’s one fine pair of nippers! These are not your momma’s nippers, and they’re not your daddy’s nippers. These are decidedly the Humvee of the nipper world. Abel has always built superb products and these beasts are no exception. There’s heft, there’s superior nipping power, there great looks, there a needle to clean the hook [...]

My friend, Captain Jake Jordan, recently landed what would most certainly have been a new world record Blue Marlin on the fly rod. He refused to kill the fish, and so it will have to stand as an unofficial record. He deserves praise and thanks for this unselfish act. Here’s the report from his skipper: [...]

For more info, click here. From the website: Tom Helgeson’s Great Waters Fly Fishing Expo will continue this year on April 1, 2 and 3 at a wonderful new location — The National Sports Center in Blaine. As you may have heard, Great Waters founder Tom Helgeson died in November after a brief battle with [...]

My very good and long time friend, “Pete” Parker has died suddenly. His grand daughter Genna indicated that it was most likely a heart attack or stroke. Pete had been diagnosed with cancer in 2009 and had beaten it, being declared cancer-free in 2010. Pete will be remembered by many in the fly tying community. [...]

Today was another good day at the Show despite the snow storm that swept in last night. After a morning’s casting class, I gave a casting demonstration and then a presentation of “Fishing the Film.” Then after a book signing I had a half hour to get around the Show and see a couple of [...]

The Show was packed today. I offered a casting class from 8:30 to 11 this morning. The eight students did very well, indeed. By the time they left, they were curve casting, curve mending, reach mending, casting very nice loops, and even working on the double haul. This was followed by a busy hour signing [...]

The Show opened this morning and the crowd poured in. When I went to the casting pond to give the first casting presentation of the day, I was expecting a crowd of 100 or less. Wow, there were over 250 people waiting at the pond, and they kept coming. It was great day, all day. [...]