EP Caddis - An Independant Review

Emails come and go but every now and then one has a bit of a story to tell as this one does, from a young Melbourne fly tying flyficker who loves the sport as much as I do. Read his story, it may be of interest to you.

The EP Long Horn Granite Caddis Tied & Designed by Mick Hall

You can call me a cynic, especially when something new in fly tying comes around but if it is recommended by Mick Hall then it is worth a second look. To start with, the colours lend themselves to most of the flies I tie and if they are not exact then I can mix them.

This wasn’t the case when I tied Mick Hall’s “long horned granite caddis”, the colour available in EP Trigger Point International Fibre was spot on. I tied up a couple for my next visit to the Rubicon river but mother nature dealt us a severe blow and I put my fly fishing on hold in that area for a while.

Left: Enrico Puglisi Trigger Point Dark Dun winging material

The little flies stayed in my fly box until I had the opportunity to travel to Austria where I decided to sneak one in my travel fly fishing box. Too accompany this fly were the standard deer/elk hair caddis ties that I favoured at the time as well as some mayflies and various dries.

It was pouring upon arriving at our destination, the Murzz River. There was no hatch so I tied on a deer hair caddis going on my local companion’s advice. With only one trout landed, I decided to change to the mayfly pattern. This got a little more attention but the flies were only lasting a couple of trout each before being destroyed, it was time to rummage through the fly box. I tied on the long horned caddis out of curiosity, I could always go back to the mayfly pattern if it was did not catch fish.

What happened next was nothing short of amazing. I caught trout after trout on this fly. A couple of false casts and it floated as new, it held its shape and appearance all day long. Best of all, towards the end of the day polaroided another trout that took this fly. To my delight, it turned out to be my first grayling. I then repeated this a minute later with the next fish I polaroided and happily landed another grayling.

The Granite Caddis from the Goulburn River in Victoria Australia

This was a really robust little fly with the wing giving the exact grey mottled appearance of the real insect, furthermore it lasted over four hours and was pounded by more than twenty fish, rainbow trout, brown trout and grayling.

I’ve gone from cynic to converted and can’t wait to tie more flies with EP Trigger Point International Fibres.

Ben Le Vagueresse

Sunbury Victoria

Australia

Footnote: Thank you Ben. You can read the full story of the Granite Caddis and more on Kossiedun.com.au

MIKE VALLA'S BOOK

Tying Catskill-Style Dry Flies

As many of you who visit my website would be aware, one of our guest fly tyers, Mike Valla, has written a book about the history of the dry flies of the Catskills and his close friends the late Walt and Winnie Dette; Mike tells how they taught him to tie flies and fish the many streams that encompass this world famous region.

Well, guess what, I just received my copy and all I can say it is simply fantastic, great photography, great layout and production work.

Mike has done a wonderful job in writing a book that is destined to become not only a very wanted addition to any library but a true classic.

Famed American author Eric Leiser writes of this book:

“Valla’s insatiable desire for perfection shows in this text. He has done his homework”.

You may say I am a little biased in my review because Mike is a friend of mine and that I am in this book but I can honestly say this it is an honour to be included in a work of this calibre. If you are into the Catskills, its history its fly tyers and those other fly fishing legends that have thrown a fly over these waters, then this book is a must for you.

Mike, congratulations, a job well done.

You can order Mike's Book direct from the publishers:

Headwater Books for$49.95 us.

The ISBN 978-1-93475-01-9

Email Media@headwaterbooks.com

Cheers,

Mick

WELCOME

Sometimes it is the small things in life that can captivate one's attention. For a normal person that may be just a fleeting moment but for the fly tyer it is almost an obsession. I think it could classify as a disease that affects all who mingle with feathers, fluff, hooks and bits of stuff that glitter or shine.

I think I am qualified enough to say that via self diagnosis I caught this bug around forty five years ago. Well that's all I am going to admit to so you can take it leave it it's up to you.

I can tell you now it has been quite a journey. That old Dyna-King professional fly tying vice No. 723 that I purchased well over twenty years ago has followed me around the world. It has held hooks for me in England, America and Italy as well as New Zealand. It has travelled around all of the States of Australia on many occasions.


How many flies has it tied is any one's guess and I suppose that's another post? My problem is I have often thought it is time for a new vice but I can't wear this one out. Honestly it holds a hook today as good as what it did over two decades ago. Simply the best I suppose and a credit to American know-how.

Yes I am a bit of a collector I have over a dozen old and some not so old Fly tying vices but I never use them.
It is like I say to my Wife Alaine I'm a one girl guy and it must be the same with my old Dyna-King. Thank you Ron Abbey you are one hell of an engineer.

So why start a Blog? Well I reckon I am not the only one out there that has the same interests as I do. Their journeys may be a little different to mine but at least we have a lot on common including that bug that I caught all those years ago.

Running a website like Kossiedun is all well and good but it is not as open as a Blog where thoughts can be shared and opinions discussed. So please join in, have your say, you never where it will take us.

Cheers Mick