New! search fly patterns on any keyword including color, species, size, material etc...
New! search fly patterns on any keyword including color, species, size, material etc...
Show Schedule
I now have my show schedule set. I hope to see you there.
Turbo Prawn Pro Tube
While getting back into the swinging genre of the steelhead fly I often revisit old designs that I once tied that just need an update with new materials and/or concepts in fly design. My predator Prawn has evolved a lot since 2004 when I first started tying it and it was published in the summer of 2005 in Northwest Fly Fishing Journal. I still tie that original fly, I will post its picture next, but the evolution of the prawn has continued. This is my 2012 edition on a Pro Tube wth a sonic cone.
Married Wing Green Butt Skunk
Here is a Green Butt Skunk and my Summer Crush that I tied within past few years utilizing married wings, I don't remember when I tied these. I have not previously included them into this site as the photo do not match the style that I have established for this site since I photographed them. Obviously, I have not gotten around to re-shooting them in the style guide for the site. I would just like to include it here in the Blog section to remind myself that I also tie steelhead flies and that I should devote some more time to the craft of the classic.
Green Butt Skunk Married Wing
Summer Crush Full Dress
To Write or Not to Write, That is the Question
I just read through my website access logs and found a search on a popular search engine that read "John P. Newbury fly fishing book" I didn't know I had a fly fishing book? I don't think the "other" John Newbury from Washington has a book either. Of course, the "other" John is John M. Newbury; we often get confused for each other especially if we tie at the same show. Just remember, I am the Oregon tyer and he is the Washington tyer. A few other traits set us apart, but there is no need to divvy up the tally.
I have talked about writing a fly fishing book before, but every time that I start to outline the subject, somebody else publishes a book on the same or nearly identical subject. One example I recall, is in the mid 90's, I was fascinated by using spey fly's from Scotland as western steelhead patterns. It was the rage amongst west coast steelheaders at the time, and largely still is. Several of us innovative fly tiers set about adapting classic Spey and Dee patterns to our favorite bright candy steelhead colors. With my background in hair dressing, photography and fine art, I prefer to dye all my own materials and am able to achieve some exquisite colors you just can't buy. Just as I was getting the momentum up and started to put in some effort to write about Spey flys, John Shewey and Bob Veverka published books on the subject. So instead of writing a book which I admittedly knew little about in contrast to the other two authors, I gave various friends samples of my flies away and moved on to other fly tying interests. Some of my original speys have even been photographed and published in a few locations on the web. Some of my early adaptations to spey patterns can be seen on Bruce Harang's beaucatcher website here along with a few other patterns I was fond of at the time.
I also have some other patterns I posted on the Spey Pages website. Aside from a few Spey Flys that I have tied in 2006 for a fly tying plate to be auctioned off for the FFF Oregon Chapter, I have not tied a spey fly since.
Ironically, my fly, The Carron, for that plate was wrongly labeled as being tied by the "other" John Newbury of Chelowah Washington.
I have been an avid nymph fisherman my entire life. I learned young that if you want to catch more and larger fish, you have to get your fly down to them. Big fish rarely move up to intercept floating flies but smaller fish do. Later in life, I have been able to verify this fact while snorkeling many trout pools and observing fish. I have fished small freestone streams on the front range of Colorado and big burley western rivers in Montana and Oregon. One fact remains the same, I always start the day with a nymph pattern affixed to my tippet and thats what I will fish 90% of the time. Suffice it to say that in spending thousands of hours a year over many many years on the river, I have developed some pretty successful nymphing strategies. Should I write a book about it? No! It's already been done. Now we even have the so called "euro nymphing" craze. Thats nothing new, thats the same techniques I developed on my own and by reading every other book out there already written on the subject. Those other books written as far back as the late 40's and mid 50's clearly outline the same methods of nymphing that the new Czech books are describing. Euro nymphing Is not new, its just been re-branded and re-sold. As a scholar, I have to do my research and then add to the knowledge pool, not just re-word it.
Is there still room for another fly fishing book? I certainly feel a deep void when I visit Powells books, the nations second largest books store in search of new material to inspire me. Many books are targeted to the beginner or early intermediate tyer or fisherman. Advanced fly fly tyers tend to congregate together in the same circles and ideas get passed along in person. Occasionally, someone takes the effort to pen a new book. Most folks just throw up a You Tube or Vimeo video and a host of other web related sources.
I set out the entire summer this year to develop my book ideas. Those ideas are still brewing in my mind on what I want to do. Maybe I should just do it my way and then you can take it or leave it. The mileage on this summer is getting pretty high though, I better just go fishing instead.
Cheers,
John
Fly Tyers Frustrations
I purchased a new copy of Oliver Edwards Fly Tyers Master Class back in the summer of 1995 for $24.95 new. Now considered rare, new copies are selling for a $125.00. This book was at the time, fast forward in fly design for American fly tyers. I purchased it 10 years before the "euro" fly fishing and tying craze started taking over in '05. In the book, there are several realistic yet fishable patterns that have influenced my fly design strategy.
It took me 20 years to obtain some of the materials listed in that book. I have thus adapted many of the patterns with readily available materials. Sure, I could have been more pro-active in the search for materials listed in the Fly Tyers Master Class. After all, I do have connections in England and could have ordered the materials online, so it truly is my fault that it took 20 years to get on the ball. I am lazy that way, I would rather jog down to my local fly shop and support them by purchasing the materials that they are offering for sale. In return, I design fly's with those readily available materials. When I demonstrate at tying shows or in-house fly tying events, I will showcase those materials that they are selling. I once cleared an entire pegboard of materials by demonstrating a new fly tied with those materials. It makes sense to me that I have developed a relationship with many local retailers, many of whom have fancied my tying whims and brought in new materials for me.
During the Northwest Fly Tyers and Fishers expo held in Albany Oregon last weekend. I walked straight to a vendor that I know sells the materials I am looking for, namely Nymph Skin and some European hooks. Innovative Fly Tying Specialties. Not exactly supporting my local fly shop is this? This got me to thinking about what my local fly shops are selling compared to the big box retailers. Second, are my local fly shops offering enough innovative or unique materials as compared to the big box stores? I spent a lot of money with Innovative Fly Tying Specialties, more than I usually spend at my local fly shops lately. It is important for me to continue to support my local fly shops but many are just not offering anything beyond the ordinary.
I went on a mission yesterday to compare the offerings of my fly shops and the big box stores. Fist stop was to Fisherman's Marine Supply. They have a small fly shop tucked in the back corner of the store. The last time I was there about 5 years ago, it was a modest little operation with a large supply of the basic materials such as chenille and marabou with the odd Mustad salmon fly hook...YAWN. My visit yesterday found the fly shop pretty much existed of nothing but a few cards of chenille and a tuft or two of marabou. The bast part, I didn't have somebody with a pedestrain skill set asking if I needed help. The worst part, I walked away empty handed.
I crossed the parking lot to Dicks Sporting goods. I need to find some hot orange hard mono to make a coiled indicator leader. I found some small swivels I could use for fishing my Stinger Stone without twisting my leader.
I hit I-5 south and went down to the Box Farm known as Bridgeport Village. Lets see what that four letter word of a store called Orvis has to offer. I digress, I promised I would never step foot into that establishment. I was immediately attacked upon my entry with offers of help." I am looking for specifically Flame Orange running line" and was led to a wall with fly lines. "yes, but I need the mono kind". I checked out the rest of the offerings.
Listen up fly shop owners. I know times are tough right now and everyone and their kissing cousins are infatuated with spey rods, intruders and Subarus. Do you realize that you are selling the same exact materials I can buy at Orvis, Fishermans Marine Supply, Dicks, Bass Pro Shops, Cabelas or Sportsmans Wholesale? They offer the same line-up of hooks, brass bead heads and uni-thread that you do. The only reason I shop at your store is to support YOU, but you are making that hard when I cannot find the materials I am looking for to tie something OTHER than an intruder or wooly bugger and have to spend more on gas to reach you.
I don't expect you to change your retail inventory just for little ol me, but lets start thinking about offering innovative materials to stimulate the fly tying economy here. APATHY runs amok in our industry...WAKE UP!
let me just say that there are 2 fly shops that will continue to get my business in the area as both will do whatever it takes to go beyond the ordinary...I thank them.
