Fly-Tying

I was fortunate to meet Rob Texmo earlier this year. Rob is a talented tyer with a love for traditional Atlantic salmon and spey patterns, adapting the tying techniques and disciplines these flies require with great success for Pacific salmon and steelhead. Rob’s tying skill and attention to detail on...

The larger the food source we are trying to imitate, the more complex our fly patterns can become. For moving-water...

All about and how to tie the Eyes n' Tubes Bone Collector

by Phil Rowley (designed by Aaron Goodis)Originally published in "Fly-Tying" column of BC Outdoors magazine in the September/October 2011 issue. Each year, from mid-summer through to early fall, pink salmon return to spawn along BC’s coastal beaches, estuaries, rivers and streams – often in staggering numbers. While Vancouver Island waters are...

From Phil Rowley's Fly Tying Column In recent years European nymphing techniques have become dominant across North America. Not only the method itself but also the unique patterns fly fishers tie and use such as Spanish style nymphs. Spanish nymphs are small, thin and hard bodied. Designed to succeed in...

By Phil Rowley Originally published in “Fly-Tying” Jan/Feb 2011 issue of BC Outdoors magazine. The General Practitioner or ‘GP’, as it is affectionately known to many, is a staple pattern for most British Columbia steelhead fly-fishers. The GP was originally designed as a prawn or shrimp imitation for Atlantic salmon by an...

As summer transitions into fall, many anglers turn their attention to local rivers and the pursuit of Pacific salmon as...

Clark Pierce, or Cheech to many fly fishers and tyers, created one of my favourite small baitfish patterns, the Baby...

So many distinctly separate and rewarding factors separate fly-fishing from all other sports, especially the artistic or creative aspect of fly-tying. Little is as sweet as to create a fly and to have a fish take it or for others to catch fish it. Tying started for me at an...