the newts.net

The old fly tying gear has been sat in the spare room packed since I moved here over 2 years ago now. It was time it saw the light of day. The only thing I was lacking was a decent table for the set up. My old kitchen table which had been bunged in the garage for a year and stood outside in sun, rain and snow for 2 years before that would fit the bill nicely, it just needed some slight restoration. So it was out with the old orbital sander, primer undercoat and gloss and 10 days later, job’s a good ‘un. Most of the time was taken waiting for the gloss to dry. It says 16 hours on the tin, but being in the cold garage took 3 days to be reasonably re-coat dry. I’m still not fully convinced it’s totally dry now, but I can’t wait any longer so it was time to get it in, assembled and the tying gear out. I’m sure the table will dry and harden up nicely now it’s inside in the warm.

Once set up, I had to have a quick go for 3 reasons.

1 - To make sure I hadn’t forgotten what to do!

2 - To try out the whip finishing tool. Something I’ve never been able to suss out, but I found this neat little gif animation on how to use it so I thought I’d give it a try.

3 - To tie a Bov’s Shrimper! See, we all have a special fly that, whenever anyone asks you what you caught your fish on, you tell them that one. You probably never ever fish with it, but it’s good for taking the piss. This usually applies when we’re in competition and you know they aint gonna tell ya the truth, but you ask all the same. And then usually get laughed at!

Mines a ‘Tab End’. I.e. the fish are that easy to catch, you’ll probably get one if you stick a cigarette end on your hook. Having said that though, there’s been MANY an occasion when I haven’t been able to get a pull, I’ve tossed my cigarette end in the water and 20 seconds later a trout comes and takes it!

Ken’s is a ‘Pheasant Tail’. A remarkably productive fly, but it comes in hundreds of variations and colours and he’ll never divulge any more information than that!

Willie’s is a ‘Gold Head Spider’ or “Speeder wee a guld hee” as he says it. I don’t think he’s ever fished with one in his life and he definitely doesn’t own one, but if he catches a fish, that’s what it’s on.

Gaz’s is a ‘Dog Nobbler’ Again, another fantastic fly on the right day in the right conditions. Many big trout fall to this lure, but not usually to Gaz! That’s what he’ll be using if you ask though.

Which leaves the new boy Bov. Bov (at the moment anyway) couldn’t tell a cows arse from a banjo if they appeared side by side in his limited fly collection. Upon reading a book he bought at the recent Rutland Water tying exhibition, he took a shine to the ‘Shrimper’. So, just so he can recognise at least one fly by name, I decided that the first fly off the new tying bench should be a ‘BOV’S SHRIMPER’. I hope it brings him a few nice fish, but just incase you’re on the bank at Thorpe Vale and someone tell’s you they’re getting them on a Bov’s Shrimper, they’re probably lying!

Hover over pics for description, click for BIGGY.