2021 Season

Hello!! 

The 2020 season was not as grim as it had sounded. I was able to keep myself busy with guide trips. I just didn't have time to update here. I did some on Facebook and Instagram. Please follow me up over there!!

Well, 2021 is here. Things seem to look a bit brighter than the last year. It's about time to predict river flows for the season and I'm booking trips. But the first thing first, please stay healthy and positive. 

A couple of contingency protocols from 2020 continue:

• Booking/cancelling policy remains the same. As long as COVID is the reason and we have to cancel trips, there will be no cancelling fees. Again, there may be another pandemic that would restrict clients' travels and/or my outfitting operation. We remain flexible and most importantly keep in touch. 
• I again am not sure if I renew the Yellowstone National Park guide permission. Just FYI to clarify, I'm a Montana state licensed outfitter which is renewed and current. YNP is a different jurisdiction that requires a different application/permission. Please inquire. Jumping to the 2022, I WILL RENEW the permission for sure!!

Meanwhile, since the end of 2020 guide season, I've been working on a big project. It's coming along. Here's a glimpse............ I hope I can announce something soon!

Western Idaho Fly Fishing Expo

It's been a while that I do a proper blog post🎊
Back in January, we traveled to Boise, ID for Western Idaho Fly Tying Expo.
I've heard of this Expo from the audience at East Idaho Fly Tying Expo. It's held in January, apart from other Expos and a nice little show in the middle of winter.
This year, for the first time, I decided to visit as a demonstration fly tyer, author!, presenter, and a Whiting Farms Ambassador. It was about an 8-hour drive from Livingston. We did not have any troubles with snow and winter road conditions both ways.

Of course, my demonstrations were Atlantic Salmon Flies.

Day 1, I dressed an Ottawa (Captain Hale) on a giant hook😲

Day 2, I dressed a Sir Richard (GM Kelson). I'm really satisfied with this one😏

Then I had an opportunity to make a presentation regarding Livingston's spring creeks.

I had quite a huge audience👏👏👏

In coming spring, I will attend more Expos!! Stay tuned!!
My one & only Atlantic salmon fly could be yours😁

Salmon Fly Finale 2019

My Salmon Fly season 2018-2019 ended - well, two months ago😢 I've been posting on social media as each fly and each fly has been completed. So this is the summary and wrap-up post for those who don't use social media and who missed it.

From Frederic Tolfrey's "Jones's Guide to Norway",
The Colonel

 and The Major

 And I framed as

SALUTE Frame done by Admiral Yamamoto

As I've been doing this for the past several years, I've been acquiring and accumulating some of expensive materials one by one. This past season, when I stopped momentarily and looked around, I found out that I have enough materials to challenge some of Major Traherne's patterns. And I really like this step and process that I've been through and accumulated. Meanwhile, my skills and interpretation have gained significantly. I was finally qualified to challenge some of the most complicated patterns among all classics without wasting expensive and exotic feathers.

Gitana

I call this "White Frame" as in The Beatles' "White Album". It needs no explanation as it speaks it self.

I listed materials as per the most reliable source, along with honestly stating substitute materials.

Nelly Bly - this is my own favorite😲👏

Quinchat

Its body is equally complicated and challenging as Nelly Bly above.

 So here they are.

As much as this past season was satisfying, I'm already preparing and looking forward to the next season😃Oh well, fishing and guide season has started before that😏 that will be a next post❗❗

Quite A Party..........

Oh what a great time it was.................😁
The annual East Idaho Fly Tying Expo was another great success for everyone who participated - organizers, volunteers, vendors, and of course, tyers.

Coming home and looking back, now I realize I had had adrenaline surge since we got to the venue - which means I felt exhausted immediately all programs were marked off😓. That was because I took a workshop with one of the most skilled tyers as well as the greatest instructors in the world😲.
These are NOT my flies❗❗

 We worked on this pattern. How did I do? Ahhhhhh😅

On Day 1, Friday, March 29th, I conducted my own workshop - the topic was to tie elegant yet practical fishing flies for Steelhead and Salmon. Unfortunately my wifey was too busy on her own to come over and snap pictures for me. I even forgot to take pictures of flies we completed. Anyways it was very fulfilling and intense class for both instructor and students. Especially for me as an instructor, it was very meaningful in many ways.

Immediately after, my mentor conducted a very educational presentation at Tying Theater😲.

Then it was my cue😎. I traveled with frames I made through winter. And as I did last year, I tied one & only full-dress Atlantic Salmon Fly for the session.

I sincerely appreciate all the audience who stopped by and even spent with me through whole process🙇

Due to the unusual circumstance, compared to my own tying room in my house, I might have rushed a bit. This is the finished Powell's Fancy (G.M. Kelson).  I gave to a person who sat with me from the very beginning.

Day 2, Saturday, March 30th, was even busier😆
Wifey ran her own educational booth and our little one 👶 was with her most of time.

Ours will soon be one of them😊

 My session was again in the afternoon and again quite busy with good audience🙇🙏

I ran and managed time a bit better than Day 1. With some difficulties and mistakes, here's the finished Green Highlander (G.M. Kelson)😏 Also this was given to a young man who sat with me from the very beginning to the end.

Of course, there are some other reasons this Expo is our favorite annual destination.
This time, we tried Stockman's Steakhouse😋
Need I say more😋😋😋😋

 Although we didn't win these premium raffle or auction items,

Wifey had very good luck with her raffles and won something funny😉😊

Seriously I don't think there are so many events that host so many renowned tyers like this Expo.
Expo organizers have great visions and commitment to make this event happen every year. I hope it will go on year after year and I hope to be invited again and meet and interact with great tyers.
Till then👋

History of Fly-Fishing

WHOA😲What a serious title here❗❗
No..............I don't go that far. This is a post for the HEAVILY recommended book that I'm currently reading.

The picture says all: title, author, and the front cover, so I don't attach a link about the book or where to buy from. It's a widely published book so anyone can find it very easily (& with a very good price like I got👌).

So we all like fly-fishing = catching trout and tying flies. But have we thought about the history?

Where was it originated? - Macedonia? Roman Empire? China? Japan's Tenkara?
And how far back? - 3,000BC? 2,000BC? 200AD?
Who started? - Noble people? Peasants? Professional fishers?
How did it spread to Europe and Britain?
How did it expand in Britain and America?
What kind of fish were they catching? - Trout? Salmon?
Gears? - Rod?, Line?, Reel?
How did flies look like all those years? - Dry-flies? Wet-flies? Materials?
How did the gaudy Atlantic salmon flies evolve? - Apparently my top interest😏

This is a very well-written book that will explain and answer all of those topics by one of the most authoritative fly-fishing historians in the world👏 It's not overstating to say the BEST in this subject.
I can guarantee this book will help you be a better and knowledgeable angler. One may question and complain that this is not a practical fishing technique and how-to book, perhaps but it is. And I can tell you that I'm not reminiscing - the book wouldn't make you feel that way either.

Right now I'm reading chapters for the 19th century - Golden Age of Atlantic salmon flies is coming😁. There are so many things that I have learnt so far but going through all is beyond the scope & space of this blog post. So I'd like to mention only one, for now, that put me in an awe.
"In 17th century, they tied flies so they didn't have to look for and capture naturals (insects) as baits, or in case when they couldn't find or capture. And it's a part of fly-tying evolution" - this is my words, not a direct quote from the book. To me, this is quite a mind-boiling concept. Being told, quite making sense but have we thought about it?


February remain really cold - especially considering relatively easy-going December and January. I would wait for better conditions for fishing till later on - but not so long. So it's a great time to read and learn from books, teachers (such as this author), and our ancestors.
I may not be physically outdoors but seriously I'm fishing in my head😎❗❗

Salmon Flies 2019

We have had a few snow storms but over all this winter has still been average = just cold and snow accumulation at our headwaters are just around average.

I've been primarily busy with my salmon fly projects. Here's one that has been going on since the end of last year.

I designed this😎 Although I don't mean to totally replace the previous colorful one, I just needed one that's much simpler and totally original.

And that's for a totally original item❗❗❗
My own outfitting logo hat has just been created👏👏👏❗❗❗❗

 As you can definitely tell from this picture, it sports a 4-inch long bill, that should offer me perfect shade while fishing!!

Inside is special too. It's lined with comfortable and cool & stain-minimizing mesh😁
Now my logo is a silhouette of a salmon fly😲
And the belt & buckle will adjust exactly for one's and each head😇

I'm sincerely glad that I did lots of researches and pondering.
I could have asked someone to design a logo but I really wanted to do on my own. Then, once the logo was made, there are so many styles of hats available, including much less expensive ones. But I wanted a hat that can be one of our important and essential gears while fly-fishing. The long bill style here is not just a distinctive appearance but also it does give us some more extra shade than regular hats😎.

Luckily I have a professional model right here😊

Now here are actual salmon flies😲 that I dressed since the last post.
Rocke's Fancy (G.M. Kelson)

Stevenson (G.M. Kelson)

Gitana (Major Traherne)
This is another elaborated Tarherne patterns😫 with so many feathers. But it's very rewarding when it was successfully wrapped up with a neat head😬

I have a few more patterns to dress and frame this season. In other words, I have to see the end of my salmon fly season😥😭

'Tis The Season

Merry Christmas & Happy New Year🎄🎅🎉🎊
I have sent out a newsletter from my main website. If you have not joined, sign up or you let me know so you don't miss any future news and announcements from me😉

Also this is the season to be deeply engaged with Atlantic salmon flies and arts. Nowadays these tend to be published on social media = Instagram & Facebook = so if you haven't registered or found me yet, please do so and you'll get the latest updates ASAP😉

Also #2, I just conducted some major changes on my website. You know my other blog = fly catalog site. I moved all of my Atlantic Salmon Fly contents to my main website. I made a short update on my catalog site. Then if you go to my main website, you'll see all the improvements❗❗ 

As I have been doing for the past few years, I submitted my works to Livingston Center for Art & Culture. Items for this exhibition have grown to be an opportunity for me to show slightly unconventional, compared to traditional Atlantic salmon flies and framing methods. This time, both flies and framing methods are free-style and I decided to "go country"😲

Queen of Silver Dollar - an inspirational & interpretive dressing of the song by Emmylou Harris.

The Man in Black - an inspirational & interpretive dressing for Johnny Cash.

For both flies, I attached a laminated "artist note" about the concept. Feel free to ask!

Gaudy Fly - tied on a gold broach pin. Pattern itself is a very classic but dressing on a broach pin was the very first attempt😳. I tried to dress as Gaudy as I could, and managed the features of the pin💪👏

Presented in a showcase style box❗

Then I resumed my winter project. I completed George M. Kelson's "The Salmon Fly" Plate 4.
Here's a Bluebell (Traherne's)

Also Traherne's is The Chatterer

 This is one elaborated fly ever😲🙌👏

The Dandy. This is rather a simple whole-feather pattern yet very graceful. This is perhaps the smallest head I ever achieved👏

And here's the frame😬

I'm glad to get one done with a good note just at the year end😁❗
I'll keep working on GMK flies but no rush. I may work on one or two flies of Plate 5 but then I also have several more patterns I want to work on. So let's keep the artist mode running till spring😀

Till next post👋
I hope you all have a good year end and start😉