Spey resources:
Poppy's Red Shed Fly Shop

We all want to support our local shop, and we all should. At the same time, being able to spread a few bucks across the world wide web is nice, especially when you find a good shop run by good folks. I first encountered Poppy's Red Shed Fly Shop after kicking around Speypages. Once I started to better understand rod lining, heads, Skagit, Scandi, Mid/Long belly lines, I started to look around Poppy's site. Definitely more gear than I could ever want. Even a decent selection of "experienced" gear too.

Here's a cool little clip I found the other day:
Poppy's Red Shed

Just looking through what Red Shed has to offer sparks my interest around cutting heads and messing around with lines. But, as much as I would love to jump on that train, I'll stick with pre-made skagit and scandi heads for the time being. I've got too much to learn around wing setting and other tying techniques.

I'd like to make it out Poppy's way one day. If Mordor had a fly shop, it might be this one.

Support local, but when you can't - look for shops like Poppy's. Giving to angling programs, supporting the sport and habit, and being an all-around good guy add up to reasons I've bought from Poppy.

When you're busy...
For over a year now, I have returned to this site often asking myself when it is I will write next, or find something of relevance to post. Things started to settle recently. Life is always full of change and surprise - some good, some bad. We lost a huge part of our lives this year, and recovering from that will take a lifetime. In between a new son, raising our other children, work, numerous fly swaps, and focusing on learning traditional Spey/Dee/Salmon patterns - there really hasn't been much time at all for posting or writing. Add in the fact that I often tell myself I need to write just to write, and I started to shy away.
Part of writing is reading, and most of my time has gone towards technical manuals or books on angling/tying. As much passion as I have for reading the latter, I did not feel the need to regurgitate what I read just for the sake of writing. Sure, I could have done comparative readings - but I survived enough of that in my Post Grad years.
However, I feel I have fully entered into the realm of fly tying that has intrigued me since my introduction to two-handed casting and its origins in Scotland. The flies used for angling for Scottish salmon are wondrous in their complexities and construction. At the start, it all looked impossible. The thread control, the materials, the feather manipulations - so very daunting to the uninitiated. Book after book, DVD upon DVD...the amount of ingested information regarding selection, technique, historical significance...there is so much to learn. I am also realizing that for the level of tying I am at, there is much to set aside for the time being. I am not interested in artistic fly tying at the moment. I tie with the intent of using the fly. While some of the flies are amazing in composition, I don't have the time to complete them or money to invest in the rare feathers "needed" to be considered a quality fly. I often laugh at the last part. Somewhere someone is laughing all the way to the bank selling $300 feathers to people hellbent on tying a 7/0 gaudy fly. God bless them too.
Recently, I participated in a Spey fly swap, and had a lot of fun with tying 13 different Spey patterns. I scoured "Autumns on the Spey" and Radencich's "Classic Salmon Fly Patterns" for interesting patterns; something outside the Lady Carolines of the tying world. The journey was interesting to say the least. I pushed my patience to new boundaries in attempting a perfect tie. Tinsel spacing, wing setting, hook selecting - all new ground for me. The coolest part was the additional fly we were asked to tie for a well-known outdoor activist and fly fishing enthusiast. The picture above are the flies tied for this man, and the two of mine were included (one is a pattern I developed, the other is a Glasso style). Some of the folks involved with this effort are well-known steelheaders and tyers. To be associated with them in this project is quite the honor. One I won't forget.

I'll post up the pattern I tied in the near future...