[Derek Roxborough]

 I have been tying flies for 60 years, it keeps me out of mischief, I have been quite happy with the patterns from the classical tiers, they have worked for me, I have only found one variant to work for me and that is a purple Zulu, the only Flies/lures I play with are the pike lures,making all sorts of  changes . I try not to buy too many different Materials( expense ye ken), Bill Davies Book" Tackle Making and fly tying" and then Eric Taverners great books, Megan Boyd started with his" Tying flies for Salmon",I have a scrap book with a collection of patterns from T&S from the 60's,and far too many other books, Courtney Williams, Moc Morgan and many more(too many says the wife)the only you tube tyer I have watched is April Vokey, but just because it's Her, one tip she has, is using nail clippers for Metallic trimming and close cutting, saves your expensive scissors, so what got you  on the downward slope?
Derek Roxborough

[James Laraway]

Fly tying is a financial mine field as there is always lots of new stuff to buy.....

I've tried not to recently as i have FAR too much stuff that i bought on a 'whim' and then never used.

I guess i always copied and 'tweaked' flies that i saw in trout and salmon, but now with YouTube there is a world more things out there that i want to tie.

I have really moved from tying salmon flies to trout flies - but that has changed with my fishing habits ( as at least there is a decent chance of catching a trout !)

as its close season ( for trout) and i have my pike fly equipment up to scratch im just working away on some 'big flees' - most of which are variations...

[Derek Roxborough]

I have to resist buying any more genetic hackles, when I visit my Family in the States, it is too easy to visit the California Fly Fishing shop,, if the Dollar is right then some bargains can be had, I used to go to Orvis in San Francisco, very helpful people, then they closed,so I saved some money then I found a shop down the road from my sons house mainly sea fishing but I got a box of size 12 up eyed fly hooks for a knock down price, forged round bend , nice knock about hook, it is difficult not to buy stuff when abroad, the local Drugstore has tackle and some nice sea hooks suitable for pike flies, but it has been a life time of hardship and deprivation, ( Yeah?)  Derek Roxborough

[Terry Coging]

I suppose all flies are variants. The classics started with something more simple.  The Ke-He is a good example.

[Derek Roxborough]

I suppose all flies are variants. The classics started with something more simple.  The Ke-He is a good example.

Aye Terry they all had to start some where, before Wellingtons India Campaigns there were none of the  exotic feathers we have today,  cow hair and pigs wool with locally sourced feathers from game birds, even Metallics came in after military Braids, Scropes Patterns have no exotics, as such,  Fascinating subject,  Derek Roxborough