North West Branch of the Fly Dressers Guild November 2014 Newsletter Contacts: - Branch web site www.northwestflydressersguild.org Please note the New site http://northwest-fdg.co.uk Newsletter - or general information: - e.j.wilkinson@hotmail.co.uk Dear member, If anyone has a story of a trip or event that could be shared with members please contact me, this is a "member s" newsletter and it would be nice to have others contributing. Feedback - As usual please send any comments, good or bad to the e-mail address above or at the end. November Meeting. NWFDG (12 + 1) An interesting meeting, where members got down to show off their skills. There were some excellent flies tied, but one person stood out? Only six members tied but we did have an audience. Some even had constructive comments!
Chris Watson did an 1 st class job of running the night and judging the flies, at times he was zoned out with concentration - Results 1 st C. Brumby 2 nd A. Brown 3 rd B. Brown 4 th= M. Warburton 4 th = B. Bowden 6 th E. Wilkinson (must do better) Well Done to Carl, what a dry fly!!! It may be that we will see more of Carls flies in 2015? See next month for the new programme! To see the winning flies have a look at Fly of the Month Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx Sad News While I was away on holiday I had the sad news from Les that Jim Benoy had passed away, unfortunately the email went into my spam box until after the funeral. See Les s notes below. I have just been informed that Jim Benoy, a previous chairman of our branch, died last Sunday after a short illness. His funeral is on Tuesday 4th November, 11.00am, at St.Mary s Church, Nantwich should any members wish to attend. Jim was chairman of our branch for a good few years and with his wife Pat, they often manned the guild stand at Chatsworth Angling Fair, with Jim tying his beloved woven bodied nymphs while Pat did a sterling job selling raffle tickets to just about everyone who came into the tent. Regards,Les.
Hi Eddie, Sue and me together with John and Jan Morgan attended the funeral so the branch was well represented. Initially Jim was trained as an engineer but later retrained as a watchmaker in Switzerland and eventually owned a couple of jewellers shops in Nantwich. Jim was chairman of our branch for about 6 years or so some 15-20 years ago and together with his wife Pat, attended most of the Chatsworth Angling Fairs where he would demonstrate woven nymphs while Pat took charge of selling the raffle tickets and boy could she sell raffle tickets with the branch benefiting hugely from her efforts. Sadly Pat died suddenly from lung cancer and Jim lost interest in Flytying. A chance meeting with an old friend eventually resulted in Jim marring Celia and retiring from the jewellery business. Jim and Celia bought a place in Spain and they spent their time equally between their home in Crewe and their house in Spain where Jim continued to fish primarily for mullet until shortly before his illness. Les. Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx A Reminder The Fly Dressers Guild Membership Renewal was due September (Our Branch renewal January, for which we will need to see your Guild card) xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx December Meeting - Phil Holding from The Flytying Boutique will be with us. He will be talking and tying with New synthetics. As it is close the Christmas he will be bringing some of his shop with him so no excuses, I m sure that there will be something that you need. The 2014 programme. xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx NORTH WEST BRANCH OF THE FLY DRESSERS GUILD 2014 PROGRAMME 16/12/14 Phil Holding TBA with Shop!!! Please note all meetings start at 20.00, unless otherwise stated. The new programme will be out in December, with the next Newsletter. xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx Competitions: - Results for the Christmas match, next month. The next outings will be: - TBA A request from Dan: - Where do you, the members, want to fish? Please let Dan or I have your ideas. (Drop me a note if you need Dan's phone number - Eddie) Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Dates for your diary: - If you know of any shows or fly-tying events that might be of interest, drop me a note and I will try to include it in next months newsletter. Any feedback on those you have been to may help members decide if they are going to attend in future! Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx Next big one for the North West is the BFFI in February, again if you would like to take part let me know. Stop Press Orvis will be holding a Flies n Pies evening on Thursday 4 th December 2014 at their Tarporley Branch from 17:30 to 20:00. You may find an odd friendly face there? Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx Not a good month for me, ending with my dismal performance at the vice! Prior to this I was away in La Palmer (small Canaries Island) and thought I would try the odd fly in the sea (as I have done before with good results) I had tied up some nice Bread flies and as there did not seem to be any restrictions around the harbor I thought it would be easy?? How wrong could I be, a small loaf was purchased as groundbait. Trouble was that the fish had obviously never seen bread before! Not a fish came to inspect, there were plenty of fish around but not within casting range. With failure at sea, I thought a trip into the mountains and the rivers there would help. The island has its own rainforest and the mountains are higher than Ben Nevis, so my hopes were high.
Talking with the local Walking guide, I asked what species of fish could I expect in the rivers The answer none!! No wait a minute, he had been called to view a fish that another walker had seen What was it? A Goldfish, that had been released!! So no fish for me this holiday!! Still on my return a trip to my local lake helped??? - It s good to be home!!! P.S. The rod tube is 4 long!!!!
Fly of the Month: Do you want to see a particular pattern? If so what is it? Between us we may be able to tie one up maybe even a picture, go on give us a challenge! Max has given space for Members Flies. See below If you have tied a fly that you would like to share with other members, please send me a photo or even the fly! You Show me Yours!!! This Month it is the winning flies from our November Tying Competition
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx New Item On the grapevine, what s new or may be of interest. By Chris Watson Useful information to pass on to members: Some new materials will be unveiled at the BFFI watch this space!! On Saturday 22/11/14 I was one the tyers demonstrating at the ifish show in Sussex. This is a great new little show, the second year it has taken place, which is extremely well run by the Sussex Branch of the Fly Dressers Guild. I had a fantastic time, meeting up with a number of friends. I had the pleasure of tying with Wendy Gibson and Richard Ellis on 'the clinic', as well as giving a presentation in the Fly Tying Theatre on dubbing techniques. Every now and again I discover the odd new, interesting and useful materials, I had the great luck of finding two in one day at ifish: The first is Pseudo Hackle from Lawrence Finney (www.finneysflies.com). This is a hackle subsitute, very similar to organza, but without all the long strands of fibres to pick out before tying in and winding. It comes in a range of twenty one different colours, Lawrence has done all the dying himself and the colours are very vibrant and some translucency. They are very easy to tie with and will very definitely add a new dimension to your flies and have a variety of different applications, just let your imagination run riot. The price is 3 per pack plus postage and packing, great value for a generous pack. The second is Synthetic tapered Peacock Quill from Hemingway's. These are manufactured on thin self-adhesive vynil and pre-cut tapered strip, they are beautifully photo printed on a gradient with a light and dark edge. They look remarkably realistic, are versatile and with a thin coat of UV resin look totally amazing!!!! The dimensions are 0.2 mm. x 2.2 mm. x 100 mm.; with seventeen strips per pack, you will get 2 flies out of each strip. These will be available in the UK very soon and when I have a price I will let you know. There may be a follow up from Chris next month to show flies tied with these material, if work does not get in the way. Chance for a Star to be born see below?
The BBC had a stand a stand at the show, where they were publicising a revolutionary new fishing series. They are looking to recruit amateur anglers (18 or over and are resident in the UK) to test their skills in some of the most epic fishing locations around the world. For more information and an application form please get in touch asap at: thebigfish@bbc.co.uk or 0117 974 2349. AN OPPURTUNTY NOT TO BE MISSED!!!! All the best Chris xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx FDG news Communications with members We are using Facebook and Twitter as well as the Fly Forum to communicate with members - details as follows: Facebook: Fly Dressers Guild Twitter: @FDG_Updates Forum: Fly Dressers Guild thread on http://www.flyfishing.co.uk/ Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx Final bit - Your comments will help to steer the future newsletters in to what you the members want and also help the committee with your feedback on events. What and who do you want to see in 2015?? Please drop me a line at the address below: Contacts: - Branch website www.northwestflydressersguild.org New web site http://northwest-fdg.co.uk Newsletter feedback or just general information: - e.j.wilkinson@hotmail.co.uk