The pat Cohen school of deer hair craziness
If you browse the internet looking around at flies you’ll have come across the name of fellow fly tying enthusiast pat cohen .well pat does some really crazy and cool deer hair patterns in fact he’s one of the masters of the art of deer hair so today I had a bit off spare time to play at the vice , which to be honest is a bit of a rarity these days as I’m usually doing flies for others , so I just thought well I may as well indulge myself so ahh hell let’s have a blast at a crazy cohen punk type pattern
These are great fun to make although you can’t hurry them; your own imagination is really the only limitation on what colours or even material you could use , half the fun of these is when you start doing the trimming , I usually like to use scissors when I’m trimming but with this one I started with a razor blade but switched back to the scissors for the fine trimming , you really have to concentrate one slip and it could be disaster not a thing to be doing after you’ve had a few beers
So a bit more trimming and a bit more cutting you can’t hurry this so if you have little patience then you’d probably best not bother as you may well end up throwing the thing in the corning to be done at a later time . as I got to the stage on this when that I was clipping single hairs in between the peacock herl again I enjoyed doing this and found it quite relaxing but it took bloody ages to do, can’t complain though good fun
so the finished product a mix of deer hair , guinne fowl , bucktail , dyed ostrich herl from www.deercreek.com and tied on an orvis 6/0 pike / musky hook , I do like this hook for subbugs and deerhair patterns plenty of shank length and strong and sharp as buggeryI love tying with naturals just don’t seem to do a lot with them as I’m usually tying with synthetics these days but I’m going to make a point of tying more with them I’m probably going to do a load more of these pat cohen type flies just for fun . so cheers for the inspiration pat
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vermont guys go global
they have some great offers on just now
Tis the Season and VFG are getting into the holiday spirit. Now through Jan 1st, we are offering 50% off all in stock flies, AND all custom orders put in before the 1st will also be granted the 50% off discount with coupon code. New stuff is being added! Still free shipping in the USA and bonus flies with every order! Cheers~
50% off coupon code: FISHON
http://www.etsy.com/shop/VermontFlyGuys
i supply a local company http://www.predatorbite.com/ with pike flies and the kits i provide sell very very well for him especially the streamer kits well the things catch fish when things catch fish people sit up and take notice and of course buy the kits .
mcfluffchucker gets technical in the cave
what a week its been , yea yea no blog posts i know but sometimes lifes like that , so it started off with my oldest daughter who lives south of the border had a birthday and wanted one of those blackberry things so she got one well she had done well at scholl and stuff so she deserved it , i then dicovered that you have this free messaging thing on BBM aperently , so she says dad you should get one then we could talk all the time , well i thought about it and realised that it would actuallybe cheaper getting one than me keep getting credit for my phone and texting her all the time so i also got one and yes it does work out cheaper.
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so being a bit of a technophobe i got the thing and then realised that actually it quite a cool thing as not only can i do all my email and tweets on it as well as being able to upload pics when im fishing so thats cool , the other thing i did do was do was try out a weather app , so i dowloaded one and so far it has been bang on in predicting hour by hour weather , which for an angler is a very usefull tool , so all i need to do now it try and not drop the thing in the river ....
vermont guys go global they have some great offers on just nowTis the Season and VFG are getting into the holiday spirit. Now through Jan 1st, we are offering 50% off all in stock flies, AND all custom orders put in before the 1st will also be granted the 50% off discount with coupon code. New stuff is being added! Still free shipping in the USA and bonus flies with every order! Cheers~
50% off coupon code: FISHON
http://www.etsy.com/shop/VermontFlyGuys
the guys really know there stuff and if your a trout angler brian does some fantastic trout patterns i actually have a couple in my box as well and as for kens flies well no indroduction needed you know those catch preds
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back to all things all things flytying
back to all things all things flytying
i supply a local company http://www.predatorbite.com/ with pike flies and the kits i provide sell very very well for him especially the streamer kits well the things catch fish when things catch fish people sit up and take notice and of course buy the kits .----------------
These kits really are the dogs both for the beginner or the seasoned pike fly fisher and are made simply to catch fish in pretty much any conditions on any water, but it doesn’t stop there this streamer although designed for pike is just as effective for pretty much anything that swims in warm water both fresh and saltwater (with the exception of bonefish). so if you’re looking for a grab box of flies to stick in the boot of your car for after work sessions or just a kit to stick in with your other tackle for when the goings slow , or maybe you’re looking for a Christmas present for a fishing pal then this is it , click the picture above to go and check the kits out there is something for all budgets and keep checking back with them as there will be more kits added all the time , plus a load of dedicated kits for saltwater species around the up coast line
ok so that was a shameless bit of self promotion but they really are quite good kits
“scream for me fly tiers”
You know when I’m in the cave churning out flies I like to have some sounds on, and I without fail have planet rock on there’s nothing better than some good ol riffing music when your needing a lift to get stuff done , sometimes , especially when I’m designing stuff I like to have it on and believe it or not even when listening to the likes of Sabbath or priest it really does help me concentrate and if I’m doing a fairly simple pattern then I’ll stick on some old school thrash metal then I can really churn em out fast , off course if loud raucous rock n roll music isn’t your thing then just tune in to what you like , just seems to me a lot of the people I know seem to a bit off rock n roll .
So with the old tunes steaming I long at full pelt I got the 150 flies done without scrimping on quality , you see the other thing is people know they are getting a quality fly because I make each and every one myself so I can stand by everyone that comes out of the cave , this is another reason I only tie for a couple of company’s and don’t farm them out , I mean the thing is if you put any of the flies either myself or ken capsey over at Vermont fly guys up against some African tying house shite then I tell you one thing the home made flies will still be fishing long after the mass produced flies have fallen apart and catching fish this I know to be oh so very true from what people have told me , in fact I have one guy who has a pattern that is pretty much a magnet for big fish for him and he refuses to tell anybody where he gets the flies from and my lips as well as the pattern are sealed up in my head , sure his buddies have tried to copy it by taking pictures of it and getting tiers to make them but they don’t work because there Is one very important element they are leaving out which again I can’t mention but this fly still continues to catch him fish , and let me tell you I don’t have even have one …….but the pattern is secure in my head ….lol , I guess what I’m trying to say is track down the local guy who ties and fishes he will have the knowledge and the know how to get you fish on the hook without the worry of a poorly tied African fly
These kits really are the dogs both for the beginner or the seasoned pike fly fisher and are made simply to catch fish in pretty much any conditions on any water, but it doesn’t stop there this streamer although designed for pike is just as effective for pretty much anything that swims in warm water both fresh and saltwater (with the exception of bonefish). so if you’re looking for a grab box of flies to stick in the boot of your car for after work sessions or just a kit to stick in with your other tackle for when the goings slow , or maybe you’re looking for a Christmas present for a fishing pal then this is it , click the picture above to go and check the kits out there is something for all budgets and keep checking back with them as there will be more kits added all the time , plus a load of dedicated kits for saltwater species around the up coast line
ok so that was a shameless bit of self promotion but they really are quite good kits
“scream for me fly tiers”
You know when I’m in the cave churning out flies I like to have some sounds on, and I without fail have planet rock on there’s nothing better than some good ol riffing music when your needing a lift to get stuff done , sometimes , especially when I’m designing stuff I like to have it on and believe it or not even when listening to the likes of Sabbath or priest it really does help me concentrate and if I’m doing a fairly simple pattern then I’ll stick on some old school thrash metal then I can really churn em out fast , off course if loud raucous rock n roll music isn’t your thing then just tune in to what you like , just seems to me a lot of the people I know seem to a bit off rock n roll .
So with the old tunes steaming I long at full pelt I got the 150 flies done without scrimping on quality , you see the other thing is people know they are getting a quality fly because I make each and every one myself so I can stand by everyone that comes out of the cave , this is another reason I only tie for a couple of company’s and don’t farm them out , I mean the thing is if you put any of the flies either myself or ken capsey over at Vermont fly guys up against some African tying house shite then I tell you one thing the home made flies will still be fishing long after the mass produced flies have fallen apart and catching fish this I know to be oh so very true from what people have told me , in fact I have one guy who has a pattern that is pretty much a magnet for big fish for him and he refuses to tell anybody where he gets the flies from and my lips as well as the pattern are sealed up in my head , sure his buddies have tried to copy it by taking pictures of it and getting tiers to make them but they don’t work because there Is one very important element they are leaving out which again I can’t mention but this fly still continues to catch him fish , and let me tell you I don’t have even have one …….but the pattern is secure in my head ….lol , I guess what I’m trying to say is track down the local guy who ties and fishes he will have the knowledge and the know how to get you fish on the hook without the worry of a poorly tied African fly
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PORTMORE LIGHTNING THE NEXT HATCH
The portmore lightning has been making waves and has been catching a lot of fish , just one of those flies that sometimes tick all the boxes , the streamer kit from http://www.predatorbite.com/ has 3 different colours of lightning in it and I’m working on some new colours the one above is a classic black pattern but with fluro eyes the main body is made from synthetic fur kinda looks like and feels a bit like polor fibre looks good though think it will fish its socks off in this colour in low visibility water conditions yea digging it and I have a load of new colours that ill be launching next year so watch out for them over at the bites site
PORTMORE LIGHTNING THE NEXT HATCH
The portmore lightning has been making waves and has been catching a lot of fish , just one of those flies that sometimes tick all the boxes , the streamer kit from http://www.predatorbite.com/ has 3 different colours of lightning in it and I’m working on some new colours the one above is a classic black pattern but with fluro eyes the main body is made from synthetic fur kinda looks like and feels a bit like polor fibre looks good though think it will fish its socks off in this colour in low visibility water conditions yea digging it and I have a load of new colours that ill be launching next year so watch out for them over at the bites site
love the lightning
gliss n glint plusing again
Everybody who knows me , will know that I champion gliss n glint plus it’s a fantastic material and makes some wonderful patterns that really do look realistic in the water giving out some lovely pulsey flash as you strip pause it , so just for no reason than I wanted another one in my ever increasing gliss and glint plus box of baitfish but hey can you really ever have enough flies so I used the old classic red and white pattern , the main bulk of the body is white gliss n glint plus the head is done with plain old red angel hair laid on then folded back , simple fly but deadly for loads of species .
Everybody who knows me , will know that I champion gliss n glint plus it’s a fantastic material and makes some wonderful patterns that really do look realistic in the water giving out some lovely pulsey flash as you strip pause it , so just for no reason than I wanted another one in my ever increasing gliss and glint plus box of baitfish but hey can you really ever have enough flies so I used the old classic red and white pattern , the main bulk of the body is white gliss n glint plus the head is done with plain old red angel hair laid on then folded back , simple fly but deadly for loads of species .
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Custom uv tool
(oops product placement alert)
I hate it when you get to the last dregs of a bottle of something and my uv bottles are no different Im forever having to lean the bottle upside down against things so I get the last drips out (well I am Scottish) so in a moment of shear daftness while making a fly my eyes came to rest in a long forgotten corner of my tying desk ,you will all have a corner you know the sort of thing mmmm there a 2mm bit of flashabou that will come in handy ill stick it over there along with a pile of other bits and pieces that ill use one day and so I spotted a long since dumped wooden hair stacker and then the penny clicked , the light build went on and a new use was found for it as you can see above . Ok so it may not be the greatest invention but it solves a problem for me
Custom uv tool
(oops product placement alert)
I hate it when you get to the last dregs of a bottle of something and my uv bottles are no different Im forever having to lean the bottle upside down against things so I get the last drips out (well I am Scottish) so in a moment of shear daftness while making a fly my eyes came to rest in a long forgotten corner of my tying desk ,you will all have a corner you know the sort of thing mmmm there a 2mm bit of flashabou that will come in handy ill stick it over there along with a pile of other bits and pieces that ill use one day and so I spotted a long since dumped wooden hair stacker and then the penny clicked , the light build went on and a new use was found for it as you can see above . Ok so it may not be the greatest invention but it solves a problem for me--------------
THE KNOBULATOR
The knobulator ok so it’s a bit of a crackpot fly from me it’s just one of those things that I made for no reason at all except that I could, I was sitting tying up some streamers and my eyes spotted a popper head sitting on a hook from a project that id started ages ago but never got round to finishing, I decided that it looked like the family jewels so I decided I would make a fly from it and this is what I made , it is off course fully fishable and I will be using it when the weather warms ups it measures 8 inches and is tied on a 6/0 Orvis pike and musky hook the action of this fly will be like a glide bait strip and pause will see it glide left to right I really don’t know why I made this it was just one of those things and to be honest when I look at it sitting on my desk it does make me laugh, maybe I can use it as a booby prize for the next pffa completion…. Thankfully you won’t be seeing a whole range of knobulators in different sizes and colours in the near future.
THE KNOBULATOR
The knobulator ok so it’s a bit of a crackpot fly from me it’s just one of those things that I made for no reason at all except that I could, I was sitting tying up some streamers and my eyes spotted a popper head sitting on a hook from a project that id started ages ago but never got round to finishing, I decided that it looked like the family jewels so I decided I would make a fly from it and this is what I made , it is off course fully fishable and I will be using it when the weather warms ups it measures 8 inches and is tied on a 6/0 Orvis pike and musky hook the action of this fly will be like a glide bait strip and pause will see it glide left to right I really don’t know why I made this it was just one of those things and to be honest when I look at it sitting on my desk it does make me laugh, maybe I can use it as a booby prize for the next pffa completion…. Thankfully you won’t be seeing a whole range of knobulators in different sizes and colours in the near future.
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Redneck tying lessons
(sorry if the picture puts you off your breakfast)
Was throwing a few ideas round with brother ken in vt via skype the other day and he showed me a very cool fly that he had used a flexible glue on , I asked him for a quick look at the glue and bugger me it’s something that I had seen in my local orvis but wasn’t ever sure A- what is was or B- what I could use it for, so was delighted when I saw what ken used it for , however what did piss me off was the fact that ken buys this in his local craft store for a few dollors but mine orvis sells the same stuff for like 8.99 uk how can they get away with that because it’s for fly tiers they can add a massive mark up on it just shows shop around folks , there’s bargains to be had .
Redneck tying lessons
(sorry if the picture puts you off your breakfast)
Was throwing a few ideas round with brother ken in vt via skype the other day and he showed me a very cool fly that he had used a flexible glue on , I asked him for a quick look at the glue and bugger me it’s something that I had seen in my local orvis but wasn’t ever sure A- what is was or B- what I could use it for, so was delighted when I saw what ken used it for , however what did piss me off was the fact that ken buys this in his local craft store for a few dollors but mine orvis sells the same stuff for like 8.99 uk how can they get away with that because it’s for fly tiers they can add a massive mark up on it just shows shop around folks , there’s bargains to be had .
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So with the weather being so bloody awful the last few weeks with howling winds storms sleet and snow and pretty much everything else except plague’s , locusts and the black death being thrown at us the idea of going chucking great big pike flies around didn’t really appeal to me I don’t mind if I’m already out and it starts up but to actively head out when its blowing chunks really isn’t an option for me I’m afraid so not quite sure when ill get out again but in the meantime I’ve always got the vice and I have a few winter jobs to do with my gear so that will just have to do ……and I also have lots of saltwater fly kits to do so never a dull moment
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Tight lines if you are out and stay safe
Mcfluffchucker
Tight lines if you are out and stay safe
Mcfluffchucker
(a cave in scotland)
how many hooks do i need
you can pick these chests and drawers up for next to nothing on local classified sites and they make great storage solutions for the fly tier i have millions of boxes of hooks all sorts of sizes and shapes for probably every species swimming I'm a tackle rat when it comes to hooks i have so many , the ones in the picture are the tip of the iceberg i have another 4 boxes of hooks in packets , the thing is i get asked to make all sorts of things for all sorts of fish so i like to have stuff ready to hand ......well that's my excuse 
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