Partridge & Yellow

[Kelly L.]

I tied a few of these today, here are two of them.

[willowhead]

Those came out very nice Kelly.....i like both of them. One (on top) would be nice for spring creeks, or any slow clear pool. The other would be good for fishin' through the riffles.........personally i'd just as soon use thread for the heads.....(which is not to say nessessarily, that i can even tell undoubtedly, what you used here).....i just don't like the looks of a head done with Pearsals, or any heavy silk.......but i doubt a fish couldn't care less.

[Kelly L.]

Mark, these are purely fishing flies. I made about 22 of these, and the Snipe and Purple. Glad you liked them.

[willowhead]

No doubt they will work VERY well for you. To bad you don't have any Trout round there. But bring them with you in March, and use them here.

[Kelly L.]

We have stocked trout in mid December. Plus I will have them for Broken Bow. Yes, I could also bring them when I go to the Sowbug too.

[willowhead]

Kelly.....i gotta tell ya............if i were you.........(mostly because your so close to here already and it is not that far at all to go), and i could only go to one thing this next year........i'd choose the Flymph Forum Roscoe, N.Y. Rendezvous over Sowbug..........and obviously another reason is because we have no way of knowing if there will ever be another Flymph Forum Rendezvous in the Catskills or not...........
The Catskills are THE most important fly fishing destination in this country, in terms of historical significance.....the lore, the Classic waters, and alllllll the folks you can meet and interact with. It's the fly fishing capital of the U.S.
But i know it's a long ways for you to go.......and you'd be lookin' at bout 8 nights hotel just makin' the round trip. So i spose we'll see you in March. Maybe with any luck, there will be other Flymph Forum Rendezvouss in the Catskils and you can make it one of those times or two.
As a consulation prize.....keep your ears and eyes peeled for a book titled, Land of Little Rivers.........that's bout your best bet for getting up close to the Catskills from where your are. And as somebody said, "some of the best fly fishing you'll ever do, is between the pages of a book." Try Amazon

btw.....that's Dennis and Kathy (can't remember their last name), in the pic on the cover of the book.....Misa and i had taken them there (Shinhopple Run on the East Branch Delaware), to fish for their first time the week before that pic was taken. They had no idea they were even in a pic that was being taken, much less that it would end up on a book cover, when they went back the next weekend to fish there again. The pic was taken from the Shinhopple bridge looking downstream. Misa and i were renting the apt. on top of the gift shop at the CFFC&M at the time, (our first Catskills crib in '98 & '99), and the photographer was doing all his work for the book (choosing pics, etc., etc.) at night in the classroom at the CFFC&M. i got to watch him work a few times late into the night...........really cool dude from Italy.

[Kelly L.]

Take a look at my hat. I have been there to the Catskills, this was before I became a fly fisher myself 3 years ago. I cannot remember if it was the Catskills, or around Lake Placid, but this is when I saw my first fly fisher, ever. This view of that man fishing, made me want to learn, and I never forgot it. Yes, I know the photo is over 20 years ago, and I was backpacking for days. That was when I was in the USN, and I lived in Norfolk. I went to see my fiance every few days in NJ. We used to travel a lot when I was there. I don't have the money to do that anymore. I am stretching it just going to Mountain Home, AR. I wish I could come though, sounds like fun there in NY.

[willowhead]

Hey Kelly.....it's all the Appahlaichian(sp?) trail......Blue Ridge, Smookies, Poconos, Catskills, Adirondacks, Green and White in Vermont.........you were a hot tamale back in the day huh! ..... Well, you'll have the time of your life here at the "Bug." It's going to be impossible for you to be dragged away from the tyers tables........ ...........You know, we don't get many Streamer specialist at the Bug.......funny but come to think of it.....i mean those doing classic Rangley stuff.......everybody gotta Sculpin pattern, or a dace, or minnow, or some kinna bucktail, or shad.....but in all the years i've been doin' the "Bug".....i don't ever remember seein' anyone doin' Carries flies or that kinna thing exclusively.........BINGO! That means YOU should be doin' it by Sowbug 2013..........you dig? i'll hook you up wth the lady in charge of invites when your here. Start lookin' forward to tyin at Sowbug 2013. See there.

[Kelly L.]

LOL...thanks. I didn't realize they didn't have many streamer tiers there. Well, that would be to my benefit, but they are timely to tie. Not many people want to sit around and watch you, at least watch me, cause I tie very slow. I know you won't be able to drag me from watching other tiers. Let me see how I like the Sowbug, that would make a lot of difference as to whether I want to go back. I am SURE I will LOVE IT though, from what all I've heard. Glad you like the photo. I was roughing it, and the gear dates the pic to about 1983 or 1984... yes, way back in the day.

[willowhead]

Actually it's not that far back in the day........during those years i was sleeping in my own bed 50 or 60 nights a year...........and all over the world the rest of the time............we'd work a club in N.Y., go to Europe for 8 weeks, come back do another week in N.Y., then go to the midwest or the west coast or both for 6 weeks or more.........then head to Japan, then back to the west coast again, back to N.Y. for a week's work, then back to Europe for another 5 weeks, then go to Brazil, or Morrocco, or Canada, and back to the west coast again, back to N.Y. for 2 weeks, then back to Europe........and it just went like that, year in and year out. One year i went to Europe 5 times for a total of bout..........prolly close to half the year or more. i loved workin' over there.........people are so much better educated and more sophicticated in terms of how they think and see the rest of the world and interat with it. Music and art and such is a way of life. The average Jazz fan over there knows the music better than most Americans.............."most" bein' bout 99%.............. ...........gotta tell you somethin'.........
Same deal in Japan too..............Japan is a TRIP..........they KNOW the music......and appreciate it, and "get it."
Anyway...........there are always people tyin' streamerS at the Bug in one form or the other............but i just don't remember anyone doin' Rangley/Stevens/etc. and really being.....you know.....absolutely top dog at it, like when your at a show up in the northeast......up there, a show will have 10 guys doin' that......from Mike Matineck on down.........i took a class with mike one time, at the Danbury, Conn. show............THAT was a gas. That cat stone cold crazy....... What a great two days that was.......he had me rollin' i had him rollin........rollin' rollin' rollin'..........RAWHIDE!!!!!