Henrietta Hare's Ear - Fly tying video

Another easy to tie fly.  A nymph especially for the shy grayling in autumn.

Used Materials:

Thread: UTC 70 Gray Brown
Hook: #16 or #18 jig hook (size depending on brand, take smallest possible)
Bead: Metallic Tungsten Pink (Not fluorescent!) diam. 3.0mm (fariojan.be)
Tail: Hare's mask fibres
Body: HE's-dubbing Nice UV (Flyscene.be)
Ribbing: Hends 0.18mm Pink Colour Wire
Neck: Dohiku Spectra Dubbing Pink

Happy Tying!

The (n)everending story of spot-politics

What is it with those fishermen and "their" spots?  It has always been a problem I have been questioning a lot of people about.  And everybody has his/her way of working with his/her information on spots.  It is true, that spots only seem to be a problem for those fisherman who want to fish active, meaning the ones who don't start feeding a spot between 7 days to 7 minutes before they start a static session for, again, 3 hours to 3 days (yes Mr Carpfisher and Mister Polefisher, I'm talking about you).

So, where were we?  Oh, yes, so it's only a problem for those active fisherman, who need to find the fish by fishing, instead to bring the fish by feeding.  So now and then you have those pioneers, who take the time to get out there and start testing spot's without knowing what it's going to give.  Those are the guys who get respect for finding spots, because every fisherman knows that it takes time to find them.  Especially those who are fishing from the bank need to invest a lot of time an blanc a number of times, because without any technology, you only can try.  OK, there are always some indications for possible fish, but lets say guess is much bigger than the certitude.  

Those guys have 2 options with the gathered information. Sharing it, or putting it in a brain-folder marked with "Classified".  

Otherwise, you have those fisherman who don't have that much time to go out there to fish.  It's true that they need good pioneers, to also have a bit of fun whilst spending precious time in the water.  It's therefore very important that we have good pioneers.  

Those pioneers are thus a very important part in our hobby. That is why they need to get a lot (and a mean A LOT!!!!!!!) of respect from those fishermen who don't have or take the time to find good spots.  But how do you get to pay respect for them?

Maybe, from time to time, it could be an idea to share something back.  Maybe, you find a new spot by expanding you territory.  Maybe you do have some time to do a little exploring.  Maybe the old spots are spooked by to much people like you who don't take time to find their own spots.  But then the question rises:  What will you do with YOUR knowledge?  Will you share it as unselfish as your pioneer did it to you?  Or will you be a ordinary parasite and just keep it for yourself? Do you remember who told you where to fish when you started your career? Are you willing to do the same with your spot?

It's not a secret that I, for myself, am pro sharing.  I'm an open book, and if you need to know something about something I found, just ask.  But it would be very unpolite to do it with information I gathered from other pioneers, without mentioning them.  In arts they call it plagiarism.  Unless you ask the owner to use his work, it's a felony.  If than, above it all, you don't get to tell your spot's.  What does that make you?  It makes you a very sad and unsocial person.  A loner who's making a problem for himself.

The next step, is that pioneers start to hide that very important information.  They start scrambling pictures because of those leaches.  They don't share with those who do pay respect.  Everybody looses in the end.  Do you understand what this means to the rest of those fisherman out there?

There is no written regulation on how to share or keep information on spot's.  But there is something called "good social behavior".  If you don't behave to the standards of your social group you wish to be with, you get expelled.  Maybe not formally, but surely socially.

So if you want to be part of the brotherhood, be a brother!  Pay respect to your elderly who pioneer(ed).  Don't infect your family with your decease called egoism.  Honor what has been given to you by your family, and be sure your family approves you giving away what is not really yours.  Learn the offspring all you know about fishing, spot's and the unwritten code of the brotherhood!

Pay your respects!

And with this I salute you,

Some fisherman called Tom 

Shop Review - Predator Fly Fishing - Oostrozebeke (West Flanders) english version

Our timing within the season is more than ideal for this review: a cold and misty autumn-morning in rural Oostrozebeke (West-Flanders - Belgium).  Koen, one of the owners, just ignited his wood-burner inside the shop.  We're ready for it!  I have to admit, we are not (yet) the best of predator fly-fishermen, but today (hopefully) there's about to come some change in that issue.  Like most of us, we are gear-fetisjists, and we have the right stuff to hook some pikes.  But then again, there's the reality that we're complete dummies on this mather

This is where the uniqueness op Predator Fly Fishing comes in.  Mostly shops are real 'shops' with a counter and racks full of stuff, but here you can come for the full concept.  Anthony and Koen offer everything you need: Gear, knowledge, experience and counceling.  This makes a big difference if you need to start from scratch.  It's true that every shop will give you advice for gear and fly tying.  But here it is completely disconnected from the classical shop-principal.

The reason for this, has it's roots in an even more unique idea. First, Anthony and Koen were hardcore predator fishermen, always looking for special and new tying-material.  They weren't always able to get the special stuff in the existing shop-circuit.  So they tried to find a way to get it, and share it with other addicts.

Because it's very hard to get into the dealerships, starting their own shop was a necessity. But there personal project quickly became a succes.  Aware of the fact they were working in a niche within the niche, a full-time shop is not sustainable. That's why the open there shop for anyone after workinghours and in the weekend.  And they do it in a very particular way: you can use the shop as if it was yours. You tie in the shop with the materials you can find on the walls, and you just pay for the packs of material you used.

This fact keeps all commercial pressure away, and makes this concept pleasant to work in and very innovative.  Count in that they are working with a little network of local experienced pikers, who accompany you to some local fishing-spots.  That is a major point for newbee fisherman, because only good fishingspots can give you a good learning-time.  I personally am positive about this principle. Its give-and-take.

So in the morning we started around sunrise.  Firts we got into the tying of 2 basic streamers.

 Accompanied by some coffee and a little spirit we fix the hook into the vise. Anthony explains us step by step what to do.  Every time he explains why we do this-and-that in this build. Functional features are playing a big part in this. He explains that there is no suchs thing as "the perfect streamer". Mostly it's a combination of functional triggers which worked for earlier tyings.  Sometimes they are works of art, and others are finished in under a minute.  It's not really the pike that has to like it, but the fisherman.

Around noon we leave in direction of the polders of West-Flanders.  In the region around Diksmuide there are some nice waters, which house some big mamma's. That's where Fabris joins us. He's a fisherman by heart and soul, and a very experienced partner in crime with Anthony.  Together we go to some very promissing spots.

Certitude is never garanteed.  If it were, it wouldn't be fishing but catching.  Some classic car-dealer preached that "Its all about the chase!" on Discovery Channel. This is also what's going for fishing.  Before we hit the water, there's a little briefing with some hot pumpkin-soup and some bread.  We get to see some different patterns of flies we could us, but in the end we decide to use out own tyings.  There quite good for this time of the season.

Honnestly, only last night was the first time we had sub-zero conditions.  That should be a good trigger for pikes to go into feeding-modus.  Due to this fact, all pikers (also those fishing with traditional lures) have been very impatient, resulting in trampled bank.  And that's what we get to see when we start on our first spot.  We're not the first ones fishing here this week. Not wearing the right type of clothing for these weathers, I'm getting a little numb at my fingers and feet.  I try to motivate myself with the thougt that every cast could be the right one, something every fishermen already needed to tell his mind at some point.  After an hour without any action, we decide to go to another promissing spot.  Unfortunally we have a same situation here, resulting in a blanc sheet on the end of the day.  No action, nor hits.

Unless al this, we had a tremendous day by the water! We had laughter about the usual fishingstories and eachother.  We also weren't afraid to tease one another for time to time.  Anthony and Fabris are not those kind of guys who take themselves very serious.  And that's what it's all about: fun, friendship and sharing experience.  We call it: "expanding the brotherhood"!

That doesn't take away the fact we have to make a new appointment to go back to the polder.  That blanc sheet still is annoying me. Butn it cerntanly wount be a punnishment to go out fishing with this gang another time.  Fun is guaranteed, catching isn't, but a fish on the hook would make it just that little greater.

Predator Fly Fishing organises initiation days on regular bases, according to the time into the season.  Seabass, pike from the bellyboat or banks and flytying are some of the activities they have planned. Follow their facebookpage or regulary check the blog or webpage for the announcements.  Looking for some speciality tyingmaterial?Go to the shop in Oostrozebeke (B) or shop online on the webshop.  Also al the gear for the fly-loving predator-hunter is at your disposition.  Next week you can also meet them on the Fly Happening in Putte (B).

As usual, this review is accompanied with a contest for our readers.

This time: A very large Predator Fly Tying-package.  Check our facebookpagina from Vliegvissen Scheldevallei for the rules!.

Dries en Tom

Some Fishermen

Shop Review - Predator Fly Fishing - Oostrozebeke (West Flanders)

Qua timing in het visseizoen kunnen we het niet beter treffen met deze review.  Een koude, mistige herfst-ochtend in het landelijke Oostrozebeke, Koen, één van de eigenaars, heeft zonet zijn houtkachel aangestoken in de shop.  Wij zijn er klaar voor!  Toegegeven, roofvissers zijn we niet (lees: nog niet) maar daar zal vandaag, hopelijk, verandering in komen.  Zoals de meeste vliegvissers zijn we materiaalfetisjisten en zijn we wel degelijk uitgerust om een 'pike'-ske aan de haak te slaan.  Maar dan heb je natuurlijk ook de realiteit dat we rasechte dummies zijn op dit gebied.

Hierin is het concept van Predator Fly Fishing uniek.  Waar de meeste shops echte "winkels" zijn, kun je bij Koen Vandendriesche en Anthony Carpels terecht voor het hele zootje: Materiaal, kennis, ervaring en begeleiding.  Dat maakt een groot verschil als je er als leek moet aan beginnen.  Akkoord, in elke shop kun je terecht voor advies, zowel op gebied van vliegbinden als uitrusting.  Maar hier is het idee helemaal niet vastgebonden aan het klassieke "winkel-principe".

Dat komt omdat de shop is ontstaan uit een even uniek idee.  In eerste instantie waren Koen en Anthony, beide hardcore roofvissers, op zoek naar een manier om zichzelf te voorzien van het bindmateriaal dat ze zelf wilden hebben of proberen, maar niet te vinden was in het bestaande circuit, en dat te delen met alle vissers die er ook op zoek naar waren.

Omdat het nu eenmaal niet mogelijk is om als leek binnen te dringen in het aanbod van de grotere spelers en verdelers was het opstarten van een shop een noodzaak.  Maar wat eerder een eigen project was werd al snel een succes.  Bewust van het feit dat deze niche binnen de niche niet leefbaar is in een full-time uitbating, stellen de heren de shop ter beschikking buiten de werkuren en in het weekend.  Inderdaad: ter beschikking!  Ze gaan er prat op dat je de shop mag gebruiken om er zelf te gaan binden, al dan niet onder begeleiding.  Je hebt alle materiaal die aan de muur hangt om je bindsels te realiseren en je betaalt enkel de pakken materialen die je gebruikt.

Dat zorgt dat er geen commerciële druk is en maakt het concept aangenaam en uiterst vernieuwend.  Daarbij komt dat ze met een klein netwerk van ervaren vissers werken, die je mee nemen om het snoek-streameren aan het water te leren.  Stekken zijn uiterst belangrijk bij een beginnend visser.  Dat zullen alle vissers zich herinneren van toen zij er mee begonnen.  Persoonlijk ben ik ook voor het concept van openheid over locaties.  Het geven- en nemen-principe, weet je wel?

Dus 's morgens startten we rond het krieken van de dag in de shop met het binden van 2 basis-streamers.  Voorzien van een koffietje en een obligatoire Calvados, spannen we de haak in de vise. Telkens begeleid Anthony ons stap-voor-stap bij het binden.  Bij iedere stap krijg je ook de nodige uitleg waarom we dit-en-dat doen bij de opbouw van de streamer.  Functionele eigenschappen spelen daarbij een grote rol.  Hij bevestigt ook het feit dat "de" streamer niet bestaat.  Het is telkens weer een combinatie van ingevingen van het moment, en meestal gaat het om een cumul van eigenschappen waar je eerder mee scoorde.  Ook in het binden zijn er rages. Soms zijn het halve kunstwerken en andere keren zijn het streamers die in 1 minuut klaar zijn.  Het is niet de snoek die overtuigd moet worden van het resultaat, maar gek genoeg de visser.

Rond de middag vertrokken we dan richting de Westvlaamse Polders.  In de streek rond Diksmuide liggen er wel enkele waters die mooie snoek bevatten.  Daar ontmoeten we ook Fabris, vliegvisser in hart en nieren, en een vat vol ervaring en "partner in crime" van Anthony.  Samen trekken we naar enkele plekken die veelbelovend zijn.

Zekerheid is er echter nooit.  Moest dat zo zijn, dan zou het niet echt meer vissen zijn.  "It's all about the chase!" hoorde ik onlangs een oldtimer-dealer verkondigen op Discovery Channel.  Dat principe geldt voor mij ook als het op het vissen aankomt.  Voor we starten is er een kleine briefing met een kom hete pompoensoep en een boterhammetje.  We overlopen een beetje de streamers die we kunnen gebruiken, maar de bindsels van deze ochtend zijn zeker effectief, op dit vroege moment in het seizoen.

Het moet gezegd, het was de voorbije nacht de eerste keer dat er sub-zero condities waren.  Het zou een trigger moeten zijn voor de snoek om "los" te komen.  Door het langdurig zachte najaarsweer, zijn alle snoekvissers, ook die met het traditionele kunstaas op de spinhengel, al enige tijd op de tippen van hen tenen aan het lopen omdat de echte start van het seizoen zo op zich laat wachten.  En dat blijkt ook als we op onze eerste stek aankomen.  Platgelopen oevers verklappen dat we niet de eerste zijn die deze week dit stukje polder zullen afvissen.  Niet voorzien op het eerste koude weer, sta ik wat verkleumd te streameren, mezelf wijsmakend dat de volgende cast wel eens de goede zou kunnen zijn, de illusie die de meeste vissers zich voorhouden op een moeilijke dag.  Na een goed uurtje verplaatsen we ons naar een andere strook, maar ook hier hetzelfde verhaal, er zijn er al voor geweest.  Dat resulteert in een blanco sheet.  Zelfs geen aanbeet of actie op te merken.

Ondanks alles hebben we een super-dag beleefd! We hebben vooral veel gelachen, zowel met de gekende vissersanekdoten als met elkaar.  We zaten niet verlegen om elkaar een beetje te jennen.  Ook Anthony en Fabris zijn niet dat soort mensen die zichzelf "au serieux" nemen.  En daar gaat het om bij het vissen: je amuseren, vrienden maken, ervaring uitwisselen.  Kortweg: verbroederen!

Dat neemt niet weg dat we nu verplicht zijn om een afspraak te maken om opnieuw de polders in te trekken.  Die blanco dag knaagt wel een klein beetje.  Maar het is zeker geen straf dat we met deze bende wederom moeten gaan vissen.  We zijn al zeker van de ambiance, de vis wordt wederom facultatief, doch welkom.

Predator Fly Fishing organiseert regelmatig initiatiedagen volgens het seizoen.  Zeebaarsvissen, snoek aan de waterkant of vanuit de bellyboat en vliegbinden zijn enkele van de activiteiten die ze plannen.  Volg hun op de facebookpagina of check regelmatig hun blog of webpagina voor de aankondiging van de activiteiten.  Zoek je uniek en specifiek streamermateriaal?  Check dan zeker de shop in Oostrozebeke of doe je inkopen op de webshop.  Ook alle uitrusting voor de vliegende roofvisser is ter beschikking. Volgende week vind je de jongens ook terug op de  Fly Happening in Putte (B).

Naar goede gewoonte gaat ook deze review samen met een wedstrijd voor de lezers.

Deze keer: een zéér uitgebreid vliegbindpakket. Check de facebookpagina van Vliegvissen Scheldevallei voor de voorwaarden.

Dries en Tom

Some Fishermen

Tying video : Veronica Ver-de-vase

A new tying video :  Veronica Ver-de-vase

This is one of my favorite rig-flies.  Put a dropper 1ft/30cm beneath it and let it dance over de bottom.  Coarse-a-gogo.  Tying in sizes 20-26

Happy tying!

The true spirit of Flyfishing

Everyone has his/her dream-location for fly-fishing.  Whether it's for some trout, tarpon, pike, coarse-fish or grayling, on those pictures we see passing on the internet or social media, there's always something particular about those "dream"-locations.  Mostly you don't see groups of 10 to 20 fishermen at those spots.  Is this the reason why it is a dream-location?  Or is it the amount of fish, or the size that is caught which determines if it is a miraculous spot or not?

Honestly, my opinion is that the amount of fisherman is the most important reason for this matter.  I will explain it by a personal adventure a had about 3 years ago in Spain.

Like a lot of fishermen (excuse me for not mentioning the fisher-women), who are married or in a relation, there is always the problem of the partner who is not fishing, or that has other interests. Every now and than I go on a holiday to Norther Spain in the Catalunya-region.  My wife and daughter are "beach"-people (meaning: swimming, sunbathing and playing in the sand).  If you can hold me on the beach for about 3 hours, you can call yourself a successful person. So we have a little agreement on whom is doing what on the days we don't do any activities as a family.  My plan is taking the car, prepare a journey on Google Maps (the best tool in centuries!!!) and taking off with my GPS to locations which look promising on the map.

That way I have discovered some fantastic rivers.  For instance I have discovered the Muga-river near Albanya (a little village in Catalunya-pyrenees).  No, it is not a 20+ meter river.  It's a little stream in the Pyrenees that is mostly a combination of rapids, puddles and a lot of nature.  But what was the most important factor that made this river fantastic?  I didn't see any other fisherman!  No competitions where held there!  For my opinion, the true spirit of fly-fishing is not compatible whit competition.  It is not natural!  We take extreme caution to cast with low-aftma-equipment and microscopic flies, imitating local insects, just to be able to fool one or two fish.   And than you have competition, just caring about quantities and sizes, no matter what.  How can you possibly be enjoying nature, water, freedom, if you are bounded by what the guy several meters next to you is catching?  I just don't get it!

When we go fishing, it's about catching the fish on the spot en being happy to have caught that one.  It's not about testosterone-driven club-challenges, trying to make the other one catch less than you or trying to cheat to get higher on the result-page.  It's not about being better than the other one, but it's about sharing your encounters, patterns and spots so everyone can enjoy our sport.  

I understand that some people need to measure themselves to others, in order to feel like an important part of society.  That's something that has been a part of history and has offered more problems that solutions.  So think about this the next time you take part to a fly-fishing-competition: your not in the fly-fishing spirit at that time.  Your just in a competition, using fly-fishing skills and techniques.  Your not really trying to catch fish, you just try to be better than the other competitors.  At that moment you're not really more than a coarse-fisherman, like I see them on sunday-mornings on the canal near to my house.

If you really want to experience that true spirit of this fantastic sport: Go explore, go to new places where no-one has told you about.  Encounter wildlife, whether it is an insect, a reptile or even a ferret, following you on the riverbank, as I experienced.

This is my message to all those fisherman, whom are missing the point about Fly-fishing.  Stop competing!  Take my words and go out there.  There are still a lot of waters to be explored!  You will not fail by trying, because it's not about catching fish.  It's about adapting you to nature and being part of it!  It's about the journey!

Enjoy that journey!

Some fisherman called Tom

 

Shop review Fario Jan - English version

In our series on flyshops we land for our first review in Egem (Pittem) in Belgium. Fario Jan exists more than 10 years, It's the shop which is ran by Jan Declerck with passion and knowledge.

Centrally located in the province, under the shade of the big radioantenna of Egem, he is strategically positioned for both West and East Flanders. For me it was one of the first fly-shops I visited, as a new-be to fly-fishing-sports. The assessment of my knowledge by Jan was subsequently correct, because he was able to give the necessary advice to help me on the way as a young fly fisherman.

Several years of experience and fishing later, we come to Jan for a coffee (what else, if you know everyone visiting is offered a cup of coffee) and for some small talk, or rather talk about small flies and nymphs.

He started by trading second-hand flyfishing-gear before Jan started his store in 2006. The demand for new and specific tying-material and fishing-gear helped making the choice for starting up a full-time business. First located in the private-part of his house, the shop is now located in the attached surface, with large windows for a clear view in the shop.

We asked Jan why he only sold fly-fishing-stuff. The quality of the material and good advice for customers helped making this decision. "I do not know enough of coarse-, carp- and lure-fishing in order to give customers enough and correct advice" he claims. An honest answer as you know that he really can offer anything for fly fishing. He is also proud that every rod and line that is offered, was tested by him personally on the water so that he can compare the actions and so can offer the appropriate combination. But it still (for now) is a niche market and in terms of sustainable commerce of this concept, it is not so easy nowadays. A few years ago he also felt this issue, making him decide to temporally only open shop  on Wednesdays and Saturdays. But the future is bright! Soon the shop will be open on more days  and expand the product range. Some new brands come in and he will significantly increase the choice within the current brands. "I want to give the customers what they want. That means I have a lot more need for "specials". But I enjoy doing this. We will be starting very soon with the construction of our new store, on a prime location near a pond. The space will increase to 150sqm "that means that the shop wil be almost five times as large as it is now.

If we are to ask Jan what he thinks about the future of fly fishing in Flanders we get a (surprisingly) positive answer. Despite the fact that there is a lack of good youth-education, he sees the rise of a new generation of young people who put the corny character of the sport aside. This is where the future is heading! He already has many contacts with many associations, and where they invest it, he sees an increase of youth and older youth, which he can only applaud, and so do we!

He himself is an avid lake-fisherman. Especially Kluizen (Gent-Belgium) is his favorite water in Flanders. But Slovenia, Italy, Austria, France, Germany and many other countries harbor many waters where Jan still wants to go back sometime. Enough experience thus! Canada is also on his wish list, but hey, on whom's not?

Especially the sea-bass-fishing is on the rise, according to Jan, More and more people want to experience the drill such a sea monster. The Euro-style nymphing on streams, become more and more common, and there, especially in Czech-nymphing, there is a significant lift. He is also one of the few with such an extensive assortment for this style of fly fishing. An entire wall in the shop is devoted to it. But soon (the material is on its way to Egem whilst the writing of this report) there is also a novelty coming in: Neon Mini Chenille. Currently, he is one of the few distributors in Europe besides the producer, Flybox, itself. Very soon the rods of Greys and Hardy will be added to the range (models for 2017). Jan will be announcing the arrival on his social media himself.

Jan himself has been more than 25 years on the water, which ensures that he has a huge baggage of experience and knowledge, which he gladly shares with his clients and acquaintances. Not only the fishing-techniques but also the flies to be tied. Once being a competitor in fishing-competitions, he knows the things to be known on the banks and in the water.

He hopes that the future will bring a lot of innovation to both the young and older audience. And of course that fly-fishing evolves in the same way, so it can be taken off its dowdy cloud and finally become a trendy sport.

At Fario Jan you can find everything for fly fishing. Both fly tying and fishing gear, material for micro nymphs as well as for larger streamers, and the complete equipment for the fly fisherman. The top-materials from Guideline, Hanak, Kamasan, Hayabusa, Flybox UK, Wychwood, Venyard, Wapsi-Hends, Stonfo, Danvise and many more are available at Jan's shop. For the time being only open on Wednesdays, Fridays and Saturdays, but soon many more. Check out his site or Facebook-page for the correct opening hours.

Follow Fario Jan on Facebook or on his website. Or visit the shop and see for yourself!

On the occasion of this report Jan also is giving a 9ft # 7 rod travel path. Visit the Vliegvissen Scheldevallei-FB page to get to know how to win!


Tight Lines!