Water Water Everywhere...

 Kelvis from Latvia meditates on the banks of the Ahuriri River.

A Hint of Autumn

The Rose and Rabbit

How to Fish "The Great Caddis Hatch"

 

 Step 1: Get excited after a warm day and dream of a massive caddis hatch. Tie big caddis as many as you can before heading off - but remember to allow drive time so you don't miss the rise. And try not to block the eye of the fly with thread.

 

 Step 2: Find a fly box or any spare room in any box for new flies. Remember you will be fishing in the dark so don't take too many boxes. On count-back realize there's one caddis missing and find it in your sock! Remove before putting on waders.

 Step 3: Drive to access point try not to rip your hand on the barbed-wire on the gate. Read all the signs including the one about cyanide being laid here to kill pests.

 Step 4: Choose your favourite rod, choose the brightest line you have. Put on roof of car or other safe place.

 Step 5: Scan the run for any signs of fish activity even though you're 3 hours early.

 

 Step 6: Watch another angler for a bit and ask how the fishing has been.

 Step 7: Wait for the caddis to hatch in their hundreds and prepare your freshly tied imitation. Enjoy the scenery.

Step 8: When nothing happens, change to slow sinking line and catch fish on streamers.

The Water Pig

 First tie in foam, then holo-tinsel medium blue for a tag. Then palmer a black hackle through black ostrich herl.

 Tie in knotted black pheasant for legs. I've only knotted these once, the length isn't important. Tie in three each side.

 Pull the foam over to complete the body. 

 Tiemco aero-dry wing makes a great spotting post. Tie in and trim to length later. Trim butt end close to base.

 Tie in two pieces of peacock sword on each side to represent a wing. Cut the waste of the foam off tapering each side so you can tie it in neatly. Don't worry about the taper as the hackle grips onto the foam well. A little glue here if you like.

 Tie in your black hackle. We will finish off with a hackle.

 Once the hackle is in place trim the spotting post to size. 

Beady Eyes

 Cut 15lb Mono and thread though your favourite bead. Melt one end up to the bead. Melt about 1cm.

 Choose the distance between the eyes. Depending on the fly the gap is usually about 5mm. You'll have to experiment a bit. 

 These tweezers are sprung so hold the nylon by themselves. Now you can see both ends have been melted down. (Careful not to breathe in the nylon fumes.)

 The finished eyes ready to tie in.

The great thing about this way of tying eyes is that there are so many colours of beads, they are relatively quick to make and the result is quite natural looking.

Make a Wish for 2017