Monnow Rivers Association – Auction 2022

It's that time of year! Yes folks, prepare to feast your eyes on a host of amazing fly fishing goodies. From hosted fly fishing days on a selection of rivers to rods and reels, and a range of custom-tied flies you'll not find in the shops. First though, a little…

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Large Dark Olive (Baetis rhodani) Subimago/Dun Paradun

It is the end of February, and the start of the new trout season in Wales is just six days away. Focus from most of the fishing community is currently on the upcoming voluminous hatches of the March Brown (Rhithrogena germanica) and Grannom (Brachycentrus subnubilis), however, there is one invertebrate…

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Bob Wyatt’s Snowshoe Hare Emerger (SHE)

Initially developed by Bob Wyatt as a follow-up to his Deer Hair Emerger (DHE), the Snowshoe Hare Emerger (SHE) is a fantastic pattern that imitates a vast range of invertebrates and caddis and, at a push, I don't see why it wouldn't feel comfortable imitating midge. Its messy, noisy, buggy…

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Fly Culture Magazine – Autumn 2021

Overjoyed and honoured to be included in another awesome edition of the Fly Culture Magazine. A huge thanks to Pete and the FC team for allowing me to contribute to such an awesome lineup and an amazing magazine. The article focussed on a number of items close to my heart,…

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Grannom Emergers

Grannom (Brachycentrus subnubilis) are a member of the Caddis family (Trichoptera order) and are among the first of the UK's major hatches in Spring. Hatches can be huge, and I mean massive, to the point where every Grannom seemingly tries to crawl up your waders, under your glasses, down your…

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Curves and Contours with Kapok and Soft-Hackles

In October 2020, Semperfli released a range of awesome new products, one of which is their fantastic Kapok Dubbing. Kapok, so I read, is a cotton-like material found in the seed pods of the Ceiba pentandra tree. This fluff-like material absorbs water very slowly and as such, lends itself perfectly…

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Fly Culture Podcast – Life, Trout and Fishing with Gareth Lewis (September 2020)

What an absolute blast! A real privilege to have been invited back onto the Fly Culture Podcast in September to talk about our respective fishing seasons, as well as to talk about another love in our lives - fishing books. With more potential/impending COVID-19 lockdowns heading our way this winter…

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Atherton No.5

Today we discussed (amongst other things) Atherton's, The Fly and the Fish. A beautiful book. I spent the rest of the day thinking about Cree hackle and hare's ear dubbing. Atherton's No.5, a beautiful UK March Brown (Rhithrogena germanica) imitation. This pattern is ( in John's own words) 'the most…

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