As advertised in the Winter issue of Flydresser. On Saturday 21 March, the Fly Dressers' Guild is holding an auction sale of items from the estate of Michael Humphreys (former Life President of the Fly Dressers' Guild) and a few other sellers, including:

• fishing miscellanea, 
• clothing, nets, bags, 
• rods, reels, lines, flies, 
• vices and other fly-tying tools, materials, 
• books and magazines. 

Condition enquiries and absentee bids are welcome - please refer to the catalogue for instructions. 

The auction will take place on Saturday 21st March 2026, at St Mary The Virgin Rickmansworth Church Centre, Church Street, Rickmansworth, Herts WD3 1JB, commencing at 12:00 noon sharp with viewing from 10.00 am.

There will be a £2.00 entry fee, which includes a free go at the £1.00 lucky dip box. 

There is no designated car park at the church. The Bury Lane Car Park on Bury Lane, Rickmansworth, Herts WD3 1DN is free to users at weekends.

The catalogue can be downloaded here (PDF):

Please note: this is a preliminary catalogue – we will take the opportunity between now and the end of the month to selectively take in a few more items and publish the final catalogue in early February.

We meet this next Thursday 8th January at The Baskerville Arms in Shiplake, from about 19:00- 21:30, as usual.

Programme this Week

Trout and Grayling Group

This week John W will be leading the group tying Klinkhammer, Reversed Parachute. Dressing (PDF)

Sea Trout and Salmon Group

Peter W will be tying a Tay Raider. Dressing (PDF)

FDG Branch AGM

We will have a brief AGM and auction of capes before our regular Fly-Tying session. Our Secretary has emailed the details.

Last Year's Minutes (PDF)

Surplus Tools and Materials

If anyone has any surplus tools or materials that they would like to donate to get new tyers started, then please bring them along.

Game Bird Fly Tying Feathers

The Shooting / Beating Season has started.  Game Bird Feathers for Fly Tying are readily available from several of us. Please let Peter W know if you would like any game bird feathers. Recently a nice drake Gadwall was plucked for its black and white barred flanks for wings and neck for hackles. The keeper of a neighbouring estate has said that he will let me have feathers from some Melanistic (black) pheasants after Christmas – superb neck and tail feathers. (This last week the Great Park shoots had to produce sufficient Partridge and Pheasant for next week’s State Dinner, so they were in short supply – should be available after Tuesday!)

We enjoyed our Christmas festivities at the Baskerville in Shiplake on Thursday 5th December.

Thank you to Charles for organising and Peter for the quiz.