05.30.08
 Dun Haystack |
There is no one who knows more about fly tying and fly fishing on the Ausable River than Fran Betters. My first stop, on a recent trip to the Adirondack region, was at Fran’s store where I found him, as usual, tying flies. Fran seemed quite happy to be greeting customers, answering questions, giving advice, suggesting places and patterns to fish and generally being the sage of Wilmington, New York and the Ausable River.
I asked what flies he recommended for the day and Fran told me that I needed only four flies to be successful. He handed me a small plastic cup with four little treasures waiting patiently to begin the day. And what a day it was. The sky was a mile-high, cloudless blue. The air was clear, crisp, breezy and a perfect 72 degrees. The leaves in the forest were opening up in dozens of shades of spring green. A finer day for fly fishing could not possibly exist. After gearing up I set out into the woods to walk far from the other anglers, as I wanted this day all to myself. I found a place to begin fishing, but first I sat on a mossy, cool boulder and watched and listened as the river tumbled past. A while later I opened the plastic cup and there, on top, sat the fly of the day. It was a Haystack.
The Ausable Haystack has been around since 1949 and it has been a consistent fish-producer at every turn. But why? Because it is a simple fly. Two materials are used: deer hair and muskrat fur. That’s it. About as close to nature as you can get. It is a simple fly that rides well in the water. It looks like the silhouette of an emerging mayfly as it sits in the surface film. It might also look like a spinner drifting down the river. It could be a caddis riding the flume. It is one tough customer. The fly floats through the rough water and still comes out as a fish catcher. The natural animal hair reflects light beautifully and has coloration that can’t be beaten. There are several vital qualities to a good fly. First, it should have iridescence and translucency. Look at the Haystack as light filters through the deer hair of the tail and wing and the dubbed body. Sure, the fly does not actually imitate any single insect, but it suggests so many.
What else makes a good fly? Fran Betters thinks that it also should be usable in different color tones and shades. He likes having a lighter shade and darker shade version and chooses the one that fits the circumstances. Finally, as Fran says, the fly should have good skittering ability. This will draw strikes, but will also allow you to move the fly into position in the feeding lanes.
As it turned out I only needed one perfect fly for my perfect day of fly fishing—the Haystack. The day was filled with beauty and the inner peace that comes when one is truly in harmony with the natural world.
05.01.08
Finally, I am sitting at the computer to jot off a bit of news. I have been trying to figure out what to call this little news section. I wonder if it should be more like a blog about my ideas, opinions and experiences in the fly tying and fly fishing world, or what else, I do not know. It has been a year or so with this website. My plan is to now add more photos, so watch for some changes. I want to extend my many thanks to Jen Hall who has been my loyal web master. Jen has been a valuable source of kindly help and a great friend.
So, what is new? I have to go and get a snow shovel from the garage so that I can clean out my fly tying space. It looks like a fly shop blew up. There is a thick layer of many colors of buck tail, floss, thread, marabou, flash, etc, on the floor. My cats seem to really like sleeping on it. They like to be a part of the action.
Action has been the order of the day these past few months. Aside from tying and traveling, I have been elected to the Federation of Fly Fishers Northeast Council Board of Directors as the Fly Tying Chair. In this role I help the FFF/NEC coordinate fly tying activities. We have some plans in the works, but nothing official yet. Several months ago I was also elected to the Board of Directors of United Fly Tyers. I am very happy to be serving these organizations that have been an instrumental part of my growth in fly tying. Aside form normal politics I am proud to work with a talented and nice group of people.
Finally, I was at the Catskill Fly Tyers Guild Rendezvous in April. As always this is a very fun weekend. Everyone is energized by spring and happy to get together to tye flies, shoot the breeze and wet a line. Mike Hogue corralled me into joining him as the Co-Chair for organizing this event next year and into the future. I will now be the one who runs around looking for fly donations for the CFTG and FFF/NEC fly plates. I’m sure I’ll have a lot more to do as I settle into this role. All for now. Tight lines.
03.21.08
Ah, to be back on dry land. Just yesterday my friend, Peggy Brenner, and I drove in from our annual pilgrimage to the Sowbug Fly Tyers Roundup in Mountain Home, Arkansas. Dry land, indeed. We made the trip down South in her truck. It was smooth sailing (23 hours drive time, straight through) and good conversation on the way down. The show was absolutely great. In attendance were many luminaries of the fly tying world and many friends from shows past. The Sowbug is a very special event. What makes it special is the superb collection of fly tyers from around the South, the country and the world. There was so much to learn and absorb. The event is well-run and it is all about fly tying with very little commercialism. The North Arkansas Fly Fishers always put out the welcome mat, even to a couple of Yanks.
 Whiting Pro-Team member Charles Barton having a good 'ol time. |
Speaking of absorbing, shall I fill you in on the monsoon rains we encountered? We tried to fish one day on the White River, but there was too much of the White River flowing past us at such a rapid rate that we ended the day skunked but thankful for not drowning. The water was muddy and fierce. No fish and no fishing. Things got worse from there as the rains came. Falling at a rate of inches per hour the rains made us decide to head back to our warm, dry homes. Luckily we left in time to be a few miles ahead of the major flooding, destruction and disaster that was the Midwest in mid-March. The trip home was a hair-raising three-day event filled with scary hydroplaning, zero visibility and sights of many car wrecks along the highway.
 Peggy and I gear up for a day of adventure on the White River. |
03.10.08
Just back from a short trip to Oregon where I tyed at the Federation of Fly Fishers Oregon Council Fly Tyers’ Expo. Wow, that’s a mouth full. This was a really cool show featuring tyers (mostly) from The West. Steelhead flies were the order of the day. Folks out in the Pacific Northwest are serious about all manner of things steelhead. I watched various tyers, too numerous to mention, create these bundles of color and movement. This inspired me to rethink some fly designs that could entice our fish out here.
My Czech Nymphs were well-received. On-lookers were hungry to learn more about these little devils. Due to the shortness of the trip I was unable to wet a line. Next year I will. I did, however, have a chance to hang out with the Stonefly Maidens, a spunky group of fishing gals. I wish to extend my warmest thanks to Tilda Runner, my host and FFF Oregon Council President, Jim Ferguson, fly tying chair, and all the many others who helped put on such a great show.
02.29.08
 Captain Avery Revere with on of her new bonefish friends. |
 White Sands Hole on the Bahamian Flats. |
With winter’s grasp firmly around us all we can do is dream of the angling opportunities awaiting us and relive memories of adventures past. Some friends have not been dreaming and reliving, but actually have been fishing. Recently two friends from the Massachusetts Women Fly Fishers returned from a jaunt to the Bahamas. They brought back stories of toothy barracuda slashing at flies and feisty bonefish snatching up Crazy Charlies, Gotchas and many other flies. Oh to be in the warm sun and clear Caribbean waters with fly lines shooting and reels screaming. I thought I would share two photographs from their recent trip. Maybe it will warm our souls as we tye flies and plan adventures.
02.22.08
It has been an engaging and productive show season. I dropped anchor at The Fly Fishing Show in Marlboro, MA and Somerset, NJ. There were several one-day events: Bear's Den Show, Connecticut Fly Fisherman's Association Expo, and the three-day Dodge Truck Hunting and Fishing Show in Hartford, CT. The shows are a great time to meet up with old friends and make new connections. I have brought back some fresh ideas for fly tying and doing some experimenting at the bench. News on that at a later time.
After being on the move for many weekends, I am home catching up on reading and busily filling orders for customers. Lots of crayfish, salt water flies of all kinds, CDC patterns, deer hair mice, and flies for those heading to Miramichi, Cascapedia and the Ungava Bay Region for Atlantic Salmon later in the spring or to Belize for permit, tarpon and bonefish while the weather is cold here in the Northeast. Giant stone fly nymphs have been selling like wild fire. I did manage to obtain 150 more "nymph forms" which are used to create the weighted underbody of the fly. Good news there. If anyone knows of any remaining stockpiles of "nymph forms" I would appreciate a heads up, as this product is no longer manufactured and is scarcely available except by chance.
In my travels I have picked up two very good books which I have been reviewing. The first is entitled Fly Fisherman's Guide to Saltwater Prey by Dr. Aaron J. Adams (2008, Stackpole Books). In Somerset I had a chance to sit down with Aaron who is a fisheries biologist and habitat manager as well as a very experienced fly angler. He shared with me a bit about the prey that bonefish and permit love to eat. The book is comprehensive and is one of the few references that provides both photographs of the natural prey and the appropriate fly with which to match it.
The other book that I highly recommend is Czech Nymph and Other Related Fly Fishing Methods, Second Edition by Karel Krivanec (2007, Grayling & Trout Publishing). The title says it all for those interested in tying and fishing Czech Nymphs. Be aware that the book is a translation and calls for materials not always available in the USA. A creative person can work around these issues.
In March I will be heading to Oregon for the Northwest Counsel of the Federation of Fly Fishers Tying Expo. After that it is onto a return engagement in Mountain Home, Arkansas for the Sowbug Roundup. Tight wraps.
12.12.07
Fly tying is full steam ahead. I am busily getting orders out for Christmas gifts. It is not too late to order flies for that some one special on your holiday gift list. I am also filling orders for anglers heading off to warm and exotic places for a break from winter. It is raining and cold here in Boston with several storms in the forecast. The thought of waving my fly rod in the warm sun while standing in beautiful blue waters is very appealing. Some of my customers like that idea too and are heading to Cuba, The Bahamas, Belize and Mexico to name a few.
The show season is underway. In November I was at the Arts of the Angler show in Connecticut. A fun time was had by all at this show put on by Jim Krul in conjunction with the Catskill Fly Fishing Center and Museum. There were a lot of flies tied and a lot of laughs to be had. Hats off to Rich Bogardus and his very cool spider patterns.
 Richard Bogardus Spider |
Rich is very talented and I suggest you check out his work at upcoming shows. The International Fly Tying Symposium was a fabulous gathering of many of the finest fly tyers from around the world. Aside from the vast array of things to learn and see, it was also a great opportunity to stock up on some supplies from my international friends who always bring something intriguing. Back by popular demand are the giant stonefly nymphs I have made in the past. I have made only a few in the last year or two, but now I have a swarm of them hatching off my desk. I'll have plenty for the shows in the months ahead. You asked for them and now you have them.
 Giant Stoneflies |
 Attack of the Giant Stoneflies |
11.03.07
 Crescent Moon |
The fall has proven to be productive. Orders are coming in and going out at a steady pace. At the end of October I launched a new series of fly selections. The Destination Fly Selections are now available for: The Bahamas; Belize/Yucatan; Los Roques, Venezuela; Baja, Mexico; and Christmas Island. I have spoken with a number of guides and shops and selected the patterns that the fish are going to be hot on when you head out for your warm weather adventures this winter. The flies are available for shipment now and are packaged in appropriately-sized Cliff fly boxes. I have recently teamed up with Cliff Outdoors as I feel that they make the best quality fly boxes and they are made here in the good-ol-USA. My flies are made in America, by an American and packed to go in an American fly box. Cliff products are absolutely beastly, rugged and well-designed. Check out their website at www.cliffoutdoors.com .
 Mustad & Partridge |
It is with great pleasure that I announce my recent selection to the Mustad Pro-Team. Mustad and Partridge-of-Redditch offer a very large range of hooks. I look forward to a long and prosperous affiliation with Mustad & Partridge.
I am working with Massachusetts artist James Roszel in an ongoing tying project. James has commissioned me to tye flies that he uses as models for his watercolor paintings. We have done a series of caddis and mayfly flies that represent the developmental stages of the insects. This fall I tyed a selection of Ray Bergman`s flies and now I am tying the flies of Mary Orvis Marbury. Check out James` website at www.fishingartworks.com.
I am preparing for some upcoming shows. The first is the Arts of The Angler show in Danbury, CT on November 10, 11. Jim Krul has brought this show back after a one-year hiatus and it promises to be a good one. I will have #3/25 and #4/25 of the Crescent Moon fly. This is a limited edition fly of my own design. It looks sharp framed. I will be then at the International Fly Tyers` Symposium in Somerset, NJ. Look for my tying tables at both shows.
10.08.07
I have been up to my elbows in alligators getting out fall fly orders, so it has been a long time since my last update. Too long. So here is a briefing on my latest fishing and tying adventures. This past summer (July & August) was spent at a cabin in Michigan where I caught Atlantic Salmon, King Salmon and Lake Trout on the St. Mary`s river. Perch and small bass were taking my flies through the summer with numbers too large to count. The small fish are just as fun to catch as their larger brethren.
In July, taking a break from the cabin, I traveled to Livingston, Montana for the Federation of Fly Fishers 42nd Annual Conclave. Fishing was, as usual, stupendous. Heat and river closures forced anglers to seek out cooler mountain waters. Though this required a little traveling off the beaten track, it was well worth it as I found several hotspots. The Stillwater River above Cliff Swallow offered a good number of rainbows and a few browns. Hyalite Creek, North of Bozeman, is a great little mountain creek where rainbows reluctantly came to the fly. Precise presentation mattered more the "fussy fly selection".
The Conclave is always a place to hone tying skills. I had the good fortune to learn a few things from the deer hair wizard Chris Helm. Chris was very generous with his information on tying and spinning deer hair. Check out his website at www.whitetailflytieing.com for the best materials for spinning hair. I have spent a good many hours covered with deer hair in recent months and am now producing some good mouse flies and poppers. Although, not at the level of Chris` skill, I am happy with my progress and now have deer hair flies available for order.
Sylvester Nemes, the soft hackle fly expert demonstrated his techniques. I spent a good bit of time with him and his wife Hazel. They are lovely people and Syl conferred upon me some of his wisdom. After spending time with Syl I tied a bunch of my own soft hackles which were productive on the Stillwater.
 Leslie with Sylvester and Hazel Nemes |
At the Conclave I met up with Don Bishop of www.askaboutflyfishing.com. It is always nice to see Don and we reminisced about his interview with me about my job as Official Fly Tyer for Fly Fishing Team USA in 2006. Don also pointed me to some nice fishing in the area. Dr. Gary Hall. Gary and I discussed Cabo San Lucas and some of the fly patterns he has developed there. This was very helpful as I am now offering Destination Fly Selections to be unveiled later this month.
 Leslie Fishes Specticle Island, Boston Harbor |
 Mass Women Fly Fishers at Specticle Island |
This fall I have fished for Stripped Bass and Blues off the Boston coast with the Massachusetts Women Fly Fishers. Last week there were plenty of bass in the lakes of Southern New Hampshire. It was actually one lake, but I cannot reveal the name as it is a secret among friends.
06.15.07
 Leslie Resting after A Hard Day Of Fishing, But Not Catching Anything in Alaska |
This has been a very busy spring with many tying and speaking engagements and many orders to fill.
The spring started off with my annual weekend trip to Roscoe, New York for the Catskill Fly Tyers Guild "Fly Tyers Rendezvous" on April 21. This is a great event every year and a good time to catch up with friends. In a more relaxed environment than the winter shows I had a chance to chat with Ralph Graves, Bob Mead, Bill Newcomb, Frank Audino and Mike Hogue. Mike does a great job coordinating the show. Ralph, who always has many tricks up his sleeve, demonstrated some interesting techniques for hackling parachute flies. I had a nice visit with Mary Dette and her fly tyer grandson, Joe Fox. The Dette house is amazing with its decades of fly tying history. Mary is a lovely person and I recommend visiting her on your next trip to Roscoe. Finally, a trip to the Catskills would not be complete without stopping in at the Catskill Fly Fishing Center and Museum. The newest exhibit traces women's contributions in fly fishing history and contains many interesting photographs.
The following weekend I visited with the East Glastonbury Fish and Game Club (Connecticut) for an evening of conversation, fly tying and a great dinner. This was a very interested and attentive group. Popular patterns of the night included traditional dry flies and terrestrials. It was nice to see a handful of children there, mostly girls, who were wild to find out about fly tying. It is important to pass on our knowledge to keep our sport alive with enthusiastic youngsters.
In early May I had the good fortune to speak at the Connecticut Fly Fisherman's Association monthly meeting. A crowd of about 75 were on hand to learn about Fly Fishing Team USA. An attentive audience heard my tales of my experiences as the Team USA's official fly tyer the team's showing in the 2006 Fly Fishing World Championships last September in Portugal. This is a varied group with both salt and freshwater anglers. Many thanks to Roger Plourd, Mary Edwards and the whole club for your kind hospitality.
The annual "Two-Fly" competition was my final stop in May. The "Two-Fly" is a one day angling event in which you are allowed to use only two flies for the entire day of fishing for trout on the Ausable River. It is held in Wilmington, New York in the beautiful Adirondack Mountains. I had a wonderful time at the reception the night before the event tying flies and chatting with a number of very interesting people. It was great to catch up with George Daniel, a former teammate from Fly Fishing Team USA. Fran Betters who is famous for creating and tying the Ausable Wulff, Haystack and Usual was on hand. I had time later in the weekend to spend time with Fran in his shop as well. I also talked with Vince Wilcox who was at the "Two-Fly" demonstrating some of his patterns that are featured in the current (Summer 2007) Fly Tyer Magazine.
 Halibut That I Did Not Catch On The Fly |
Finally, I have just returned from three weeks at Raspberry Island Remote Camps in Kodiak, Alaska. Despite persistent rain and fog, this was a big adventure. There were many halibut to be caught along with rock fish and lingcod. The fly fishing had not started heating up yet, but I did manage to get a few nibbles from the Dolly Vardon and tried for salmon. The salmon were just beginning to come in for the spawn as I was leaving. It seems that after a very cold and very snowy winter, the season was about three weeks behind schedule. Alas, I was able to take in the dramatic beauty of Alaska with all its awesome wildlife. On hand were bald eagles too numerous to count, red and silver foxes, elk, otters, sea lions, whales, porpoises and of course Kodiak Brown Bears.
 Silver Fox Ate My Lunch |
04.18.07
 Fishing the White River |
Greetings to all. I recently traveled to Mountain Home, Arkansas for the tenth annual Sowbug Roundup. This was one great adventure. The Sowbug is an annual event for fly tyers and anglers. It was hosted by a great group of people who extended tremendous hospitality. The Roundup is a three-day event which features many, many great fly tyers from the US and Europe. I had the chance to exchange ideas and techniques with a very interesting and avid fly tying group. My Czech Nymphs drew a lot of attention, as did beetles and dry flies. Hans Weilenmann from The Netherlands was a featured tyer. He is a fantastic tyer and a well-known photographer of flies.
 Hans Weilenmann |
Northern Arkansas is a very pretty nice place with beautiful countryside and an amazing fishery. The White River near Bull Shoals produced some very nice browns and rainbows that took zebra midges like they were going out of style. The fishing is first-rate.
 Dying Machinery |
 Dubbing |
I also had the opportunity to tour the Wapsi factory. It is an interesting place that can be described as carefully orchestrated chaos. The fur and feathers are literally flying around the plant. It was fascinating to tour the dying department and see how our materials are processed into what we see in the shops.