About this episode
Show Notes: https://wetflyswing.com/326 Presented By: Bearvault , LakeLady Custom Rods , Anglers Coffee , Dette Flies Sponsors: https://wetflyswing.com/sponsors Scott Biron is here to take us into some history of fly tying and fly tyers that have paved the way for fly patterns today. We discover the stories behind these classic flies that have stood the test of time, why they're considered classic, and what makes them so effective. Scott shares some tips on how to tie these classic flies and the materials he uses. We get Scott's Top 10 Favorite Fly Patterns and find out why. Classic Flies and Fly Tyers Show Notes with Scott Biron 07:20 - Scott was a PE teacher and he would teach his students fly casting 10:10 - Scott call people that troll out in the internet, trying to find things wrong with everything, pattern police 11:00 - There's a big lake in New Hampshire called, Sunapee 11:10 - The Purple Smelt pattern by Ora Smith was said to be the only fly that caught fish on the Sunapee Lake 12:30 - Scott describes a classic streamer 16:30 - We talk about Jim Warner and his original fly, Winnipesaukee Smelt 18:40 - They Grey Ghost pattern was Carrie Steven's original pattern - Carried was said to tie without using a vise 21:20 - There's a book that was written about Carrie Stevens called, Carrie G. Stevens: Maker of Rangeley Favorite Trout and Salmon Flies 25:55 - The Purple Smelt was not really purple, but lavender 27:45 - The Canopache Fly is also one of Ora Smith's original flies 30:55 - Scott talks about Ewing Feather Birds, their excellent products and service 34:00 - Ellis Hatch was the last great production tyer in New Hampshire - he recently passed away 36:00 - The Black Ghost is a pattern by Herb Welch 36:30 - Mike Martinek was a fly tyer from New England. He created some beautiful streamer patterns - one of which was the Boarder Patrol 37:10 - Carrie Stevens has a fly called, Rapid River - named after the river that it was used on 37:40 - The Grey Ghost works great because it looks a lot like a smelt. The feather-wing still is the material that people prefer to tie with 40:00 - Scott tells us his top 10 streamer flies 42:05 - The Morning Glory is another Carrie Stevens pattern 42:30 - Blue Dragon and General MacArthur are also Carrie Stevens patterns 43:30 - The Indian Rock pattern is a brook trout magnet. It's also a pattern by Carrie Stevens 47:50 - Scott talks about the hackle he uses - Ewing Featherbirds 55:15 - The New Hampshire Warden pattern is Scott's original. He tells us a funny story of when a guy at a fly fishing show said that he didn't know what he was doing 1:03:50 - Tim Flagler does a good job explaining his technique via video - Tim was on the podcast at WFS 279 1:06:25 - Scott uses a Regal Revolution for Vise and Sprite for scissors 1:14:00 - Operation Game Thief is a Colorado Parks and Wildlife program that pays rewards to citizens who turn in poachers. You can call them toll-free within Colorado at 1-877-COLO-OGT, Verizon cell phone users can dial #OGT, or contact them via e-mail at game.thief@state.co.us 1:17:00 - At WFS 008, I talked to Darren MacEachern about the Streamers Project 1:18:30 - The B Pond fly pattern is a wet fly - Carrie Stevens tied 30 B pond streamers commissioned for a group of fly fishers in Massachusetts. They couldn't find the recipe for this pattern Classic Flies and Fly Tyers Conclusion with Scott Biron So there you go. We learned a lot about the history of classic flies and the tyers who made them. It's always good to find out how a fly pattern came about. That way we acknowledge the brilliant creators behind the patterns that we enjoy today as a way to show our respect to their work and legacy. Scott is an amazing fly tyer and is doing great things for the fly tying world. He may be gone in the future but his fly patterns will surely live on. I am feeling extra inspired to tie a fly today so I'm heading to my workstation to try one of the flies we talked about. Maybe a Carrie Stevens fly or maybe a Scott Biron fly. What about you, what are you tying today? Let me know in the comments. Show Notes: https://wetflyswing.com/326