The Fly Dresser Guild

  • Thread starter Ron 'The Hat' Clay (ACA-Life Member)
  • Start date
R

Ron 'The Hat' Clay (ACA-Life Member)

Guest
I've been promising myself to join this society for some time now and I've just receieved my membership package.

If you are into fly fishing and especially tying your own flies, membership of this organisation will be very helpful indeed. The quarterly magazine - "Fly Dresser" is free to members. In this mag you will learn how to tie certain patterns with lots of ideas and tips. The guild organises an annual fly dressing competition, and an interbranch fly dressing competition.

It cost ?15.00 a year for membership.

website is www.the-fdg.org
 
B

Bryan Baron 2

Well-known member
Joined
Nov 6, 2002
Messages
4,460
Reaction score
1
Location
Lancashire
Use to be a member about 15 years ago. the mag is excellent. Never bothered with the competion side though. I did find it worth the money. Dropped out when i stopped fly fishing might have to have a look at joining again.
 
R

Ron 'The Hat' Clay (ACA-Life Member)

Guest
I don't have the time nor the dexterity to worry about the competition side of things. You don't have to be all that adept to tie good killing patterns that will catch you lots of fish.

However if you want to win the competitions, it's another story.
 
GrahamM

GrahamM

Managing Editor
Joined
Feb 23, 1999
Messages
9,773
Reaction score
1
Me, my mates Dave Colclough and Dave Chilton, joined last month. We're at our third fly tying class tonight in Congleton.
 
R

Ron 'The Hat' Clay (ACA-Life Member)

Guest
Not yet Ian, but I will.

You are coming to our trout fishing fish-in in May I hope.
 
S

Shrek

Guest
Graham, have you learned any new techniques yet, or are you going over things you already know?
 
CAT

CAT

Well-known member
Joined
May 8, 2005
Messages
75
Reaction score
1
Location
Derbyshire
The Guild are a great organisation i used to be a member had the badge and everything but that was years ago, might resurrect that membership now you've mentioned it Ron, bye the way i didn't know you had a fish in at Press Manor looking forward to meeting you at that and i will also be fishing Thrybergh regularly after work this year, i am literally a stones throw away from the place.
 
R

Ron 'The Hat' Clay (ACA-Life Member)

Guest
We must get together Cat and compare notes.

Thrybergh opens on the 25th of March. I only live 4 miles away in Kimberworth. I am going to take out a ticket for the whole season.

We could even start a little club with you, myself and Ian Cloke who lives in Treeton.

Where do you live mate?
 
R

Ron 'The Hat' Clay (ACA-Life Member)

Guest
Could even get Swordsy over for a day.
 
GrahamM

GrahamM

Managing Editor
Joined
Feb 23, 1999
Messages
9,773
Reaction score
1
Adrian, learning loads, not just about tying new flies but little helpful things that make it all so much easier, invaluable tips that you just don't see in books and very easy to follow when you see it demonstrated.
 
S

Shrek

Guest
I know what you mean, I get the same from the club I'm a member of.

Latest one I picked up was for tying in peacock herl. Use 1 piece, tie it in at the middle then hold both ends and wind. That way you don't get it snapping off at the tip when you tie it in. (Hope this makes sense)
 
CAT

CAT

Well-known member
Joined
May 8, 2005
Messages
75
Reaction score
1
Location
Derbyshire
Ron, i live in Chesterfield but work for Banson tool hire as a Regional Manager, my base is Rotherham on Effingham Street, i go to Kimberworth all the time, as one of my key accounts is Chantry Builders, as far as meeting up with you goes, not a problem anytime mate.
 
R

Ron 'The Hat' Clay (ACA-Life Member)

Guest
Do you know the Manor Barn Pub right across the road from me Cat. It's just down the hill from the Kimberworth Church?

Arrange to meet there if you like.

Beers are on me.

If anyone else is in the vicinity, why not join us.

I'm free tonight.
 
N

NT

New member
Joined
May 12, 2004
Messages
1
Reaction score
0
The FDG is a great organisation to learn flytying and see demonstrators and speaker and pick up all sorts of hints, tips.... as flyfishing has developed from trout, seatrout, salmon, grayling to pike, sea fishing (bonefish, bass, mullet..) .. there is a lot of variety in flies and techniques to make them.

Adrian, peacock herl is very brittle and can break or come undone after catching fish. After tieing peacock herl in the middle, I then wind both ends around the tying silk. This gives a great rope that when tied as a body will always be secured by the silk. (I'll try and show you at Press Manor)
 
R

Ron 'The Hat' Clay (ACA-Life Member)

Guest
I tend to put varnish on the silk of the hookshank before winding on the peacock.

The problem with peacock herl is that trout teeth can make a hell of a muck up of it. Especially brown trout teeth.
 
S

Shrek

Guest
Never tried winding the herl around the silk but often wind it around copper wire for instance, bit like with a Sawyers Nymph.
 
I

Ian Alexander

New member
Joined
Feb 17, 2006
Messages
0
Reaction score
0
I was a guild member last year. My local were a great bunch. I won best novice fly tyer and the secretary's trophy for the annual comp at Robinswood fishery in Surrey with 15 fish.
Unfortunately, The guild itself let me down badly when some goods I ordered online and paid for were not sent with my membership. I wrote them several times and got no reply. Neither did the secretary of my local. I am no longer a member. They are pushing for increased membership yet lost two members because they couldn't even be bothered to reply to my letter or e mails.
I attended and represented our local at the Detling game fair all weekend and was an enthusiastic clubman. Ah well. I hope you new members have better luck than I did.
I am learning with magazines and many of the excellent books you can buy online.
First and foremost, I thoroughly recommend ''The Flytiers Benchside Reference'' by Ted Leeson and Jim Scholmeyer. It's expensive but it will help you with any tying technique in use today.
 
N

NT

New member
Joined
May 12, 2004
Messages
1
Reaction score
0
Ian, Sorry to hear about your experiences with the FDG. The online payment system was only introduced over a year ago, although thats no excuse for poor customer service. Local branches and the main guild are quite independent - hence they charge separately. I'll pass your message again on to the main guild as well as a link to this page.
Most branches are usually focused as we need every member and the best place to see people demonstrate & learn so much.

Neil, a local bunch secretary.
 
I

Ian Alexander

New member
Joined
Feb 17, 2006
Messages
0
Reaction score
0
I'm sorry too Neil.
BTW, my christian name is different. I am just registered as "Ian".
I was invited as a non FDG member but I just felt that if I wasn't a full member it wasn't really worth continuing.
Incidentaly, a prominent author and flydresser rejoined the Guild after persuasion at the Detling show.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top