Fly Tying Tuesday, October 24th with Jeff Kurt

On Monday, Jeff Kurt and I floated the West Branch of the Delaware with guide Shannon Somerville. The water was low and stained with lots of floating algae. It was fifty degrees and cloudy with occasional showers. A perfect day for olives? Shannon set us up with his simple rig: a Woolly Bugger and a small Pheasant Tail. By the end of the day Jeff had caught seven wild browns, including two around twenty inches. Six of his fish ate the Woolly Bugger. We didn’t see any olives but Jeff knows how to catch fish on streamers. It’s a fact, streamers can catch fish all year long.

Come and tie flies with veteran fly fisherman Jeff Kurt on Tuesday, October 24. He will be tying three of his favorite streamers. We will tie a Micky Finn, a Cardinelle, and a Shenk’s White Minnow. The fly tying session will start at 6:45pm at The Parsippany Library, 449 Halsey Rd., Parsippany. 

You should bring a vise, a bobbin, thread, a whip finisher, scissors, a dubbing loop tool, and a bodkin. THREADS: black, red, and heavy white.

We will supply the other materials. Cost is FREE. All are welcome!

Email me if you will be attending htuprez@gmail.com

October Chapter Meeting with ben Turpin

Come to our next chapter meeting at the Whippany American Legion Hall on Thursday, October 12 at 7:30pm. Our good friend Ben Turpin is the speaker.

Ben Turpin has been fly fishing Pennsylvania for over 30 years and started Ben Turpin Custom Rod Building and Guide Service in 1997. Based out of Saylorsburg, PA, Ben is located just minutes from the Brodhead and McMichael Creeks where his career started, but he also enjoys guiding the Delaware River and the trout streams in Central Pennsylvania.  Probably best known for teaching anglers how to become efficient nymph fishermen, Ben also enjoys tackling tough trout on the surface during the many hatches found on the productive streams he guides.  Ben has taught hundreds of people how to fly fish and tie flies over the years and looks forward to sharing his experience with you. 

Ben’s topics on Thursday will include, but will not limited to, rigging for nymphs, indicator nymphing, Euro nymphing, matching the hatch, fly selection, stream tactics, fly boxes, and fishing with bamboo rods. Bring your questions about catching more fish.

ARMY VS NAVY On Saturday, November 4 the four person fly fishing teams from West Point and Annapolis will continue their terrific academy rivalry at Shannons Private Waters at The Raritan Inn in Califon. If you would like to donate flies for the young men and women please bring them to the chapter meeting. If you can’t make it to the meeting please mail your flies to John Ledyard, 8 Winonah Ave, Rockaway, NJ 07866 https://vimeo.com/781817588

FLY OF THE MONTH If you tie flies don’t forget to bring six of your own Woolly Buggers. There will be two raffles.

October Fly of the Month -Woolly Bugger

I know, I know you’ve already got plenty of woolly buggers and don’t need more. But that’s not exactly true. Many fly fishermen say that you can never have too many woolly buggers. After all, it’s on almost every expert’s list of “essential flies”. There are so many colors and variations you can’t have tried them all. The Woolly Bugger is the most recognizable, and likely the most commonly fished streamer fly ever tied. The woolly bugger attracts fish in fast or slow water, rivers, ponds, and lakes, in dirty water or spring creeks. It imitates crayfish, minnows, sculpin, leeches, and many other natural foods trout love. This streamer fly pattern is a classic that you simply can't be without. I especially like to fish them in the fall when hungry trout are looking for something big and juicy. In any case let’s see what you clever fly tiers can come with.

Tie up 6 woolly buggers and bring them to the next chapter meeting on Thursday, October 12. There will be two raffles.

Fly Tying Monday, September 18th with Karl Barton

Karl Barton (aka Erik’s dad) will lead the next fly tying session at the Parsippany Library, 449 Halsey Rd, Parsippany, on Monday, September 18 from 6:45pm to 8:45pm. We will be tying steelhead/salmon streamers. This is an excellent opportunity to become familiar with this specialized type of fly tying.

You should bring the following: a vise, a bodkin, UTC 70 olive or black thread, 8/0 black or white thread, Zap a Gap, scissors, whip finisher, hackle pliers, dubbing brush, lighter, and a tube fly mandrel or needle, preferably tapered, which you will need to tie a tube fly.

We will attempt the following 3 flies:

Phatakorva tied on a tube.  This is a Michael Frodin salmon fly pattern that is Karl’s best producing tube fly pattern for Steelhead, and has also produced numerous large browns.

Two Nick Pionessa patterns, both of which are effective on both Steelhead and browns, his Bill’s Spey and Mr. Softie., which can be tied as a feather wing or hair wing. We will tie these both on articulated shanks, although they can also be tied on tubes or a standard steelhead or salmon hooks.

Phatakorva

Bill’s Spey

Mr. Softie

Look at the PHOTOS page to see Erik’s giant salmon. Please let me know if you plan to come. htuprez@gmail.com