BELIEVE IT OR NOT, tying flies wasn’t always as easy for me as it is today. When I was first introduced to it by M&Y Fly Shop I was a late bloomer. I took the fundamentals course 3 times from 3 different teachers inside of two years before I ‘got it’. Only after 3 years of practicing and tying all sorts of flies did Brad Michael himself deem my fly work ready for the public. My first order was ‘halfbacks‘! I tied 100s of them my first year. What caught Brad’s attention was that I ribbed this simple fly with fine wire. At that time the original recipe for the halfback didn’t even have a rib. It was the following year they were commercially produced offshore with wire. With his guidance I went on to do simple steel head patterns… comets, skunks and lanterns. When I started tying for Ruddick’s Fly Shop my fly work evolved. I was inspired by Malcolm Ruddick‘s love for saltwater fly tying, along with Shawn Bennett and Lise Peters of Moonlight Flies, who introduced the epoxy trend to the West Coast in the mid 90s.
I started fly fishing in my late 20s and quickly developed a passion for the sport. I love spending time in the wilds of British Columbia. I also quickly realized that I needed to learn how to tie my own flies. The endless opportunities to customize my own flies, as well as the calm focus that great tying requires, is my addiction of choice. Being in BC, I have had the honor of being taught by some of the most respected people in our community including Harold Lohr of Redel Sports, and Brian Chan and Philip Rowley, leaders when it comes to entomology and trout patterns for our BC lakes. My saltwater fly work is greatly influenced by Bob Clouser, Lefty Kreh, Bob Popovics, Bob Vererka, Dick Brown and Drew Chicone, just to name a few.
Below is a list of some of my favorite patterns and recipes. Influenced and inspired by the world’s greatest tiers, all are available commercially from my store The Fly Box. These are variations and updated versions of productive patterns, while others are original patterns I’ve created from my experience fishing and tying freshwater and saltwater flies. I am constantly creating new patterns and improving on current designs. Custom flies orders are always welcome.
Please follow me on Facebook and Instagram, or stop by a local event. Constant inspiration comes from the worldwide fly tying community and years on my tying bench.
THE FLY BOX Favoured Patterns…
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The key to being a good tyer is to practise… tie patterns that challenge you, even the ones you wouldn’t consider trying or hate doing. There are no bad tyers, just poor technique.
Flies are available at these BC fly shops…
- Michael & Young Fly Shop ~ Vancouver and Surrey
- Sea-Run Fly & Tackle ~ Coquitlam
- Pacific Angler ~ Vancouver
- Highwater Fly & Tackle ~ North Vancouver
For custom orders, fly patterns or tying classes, please contact…
Dennis Gamboa
Partridge PRO-Team
Lagartun PRO-Staff
The Fly Box
[email protected]
