Thames Valley Fly Dressers

A Branch of the Fly Dressers' Guild

We are a small Branch of the Fly Dresser’s Guild, with a wide range of ages and experience. We meet at the The Baskerville in Shiplake at 19:30 - 21:30 on the first and last Thursday of each month from September to April. Our aim is to teach the art of fly dressing in a convivial atmosphere with like minded folk.

We welcome all levels of Fly Tiers, and run Fly Dressers' Guild Accredited training courses for Beginners, Intermediates, Experts and aspiring Instructors.

All are welcome to come along and make yourself known to the Secretary or Instructor, with no obligation. We will lend both equipment and materials to those who wish to try fly tying and guide you through their selection when you decide you wish to learn. As an added bonus you can sample the ales and hospitality of The Baskerville.

Latest Updates


01/03/2025

Fly Tying Session Thursday 6th March 2025

We meet for Fly Tying at The Baskerville Arms in Shiplake this Thursday 6th March as usual 19:00 - 21:30.

This Week

We are tying…

Trout and Grayling - March Brown (Dressing)

Salmon and Sea Trout - Alistair tube variants (Dressing)

FDG Silver Award - Klinkhåmer (Dressing)

For those that have no seen it – please refer to our draft tying programme for the rest of 2025

Next Time - Thursday 27th March

We are tying…

Trout and Grayling - Spiders

Salmon and Sea Trout - Cascade tube / double variants

FDG Silver Award - Czech Nymph

Of course, you are more than welcome to tie your own choice of fly or simply come for a drink and chat.

Fly Dressers' Guild National Fly tying Competition

A reminder for you to submit your entries (The Carson and others) to the Fly Dressers' Guild Secretary by Sat 29th March, at the latest.

Fly Dressers' Guild Elinor Bank Fishing Competition

The FDG Bank Fishing Competition is at Elinor Trout Fishery, Aldwinkle, NN14 3EE on Sunday 18th May.  A good day out.
Fishing is from 09.3 to 12.00, a break for lunch, and then 12.45 to 17:00, with a light meal and prize-giving ceremony afterwards.
It is for teams of 3, but individuals are very welcome and will be grouped as teams, if possible.

Fly Dressers' Guild Surrey Branch Auction 

The Surrey Fly Dressers' Guild Branch is holding an Auction on Saturday 22nd March in West Byfleet.
Chris Reeves is organising and is able to receive your surplus gear for auction until next weekend.

Peter will circulate the Catalogue as soon as I receive it – due out by around 10th March.

Auctions of Angling Items

Angling Auctions in Stockbridge – on Sat 5th Apr 2025 – high end items – their catalogue is an eye watering drool re prices….

Mullock Jones in Telford – on Sat 19th March – some high prices but less high end

A Traditional March Brown Wet Fly and a Silver Bodied Variant

A Traditional March Brown Wet Fly
A Silver Bodied Variant

23/02/2025

Fly Tying Session Thursday 27th February 2025

This Week

We are tying…

Trout and Grayling - March Brown (Dressing)

Salmon and Sea Trout - Gold Willie Gunn Tube Variants (Dressing)

FDG Silver Award - Dark Olive

Charles - Peter has disinterred some post season Hen Pheasant Wings and Tails from his Black Bin, washed and frozen to debug them for your March Brown tying pleasure….

Phil - Peter has the Carson ingredients in his bag ready for you…

For those that have no seen it – please refer to our draft tying programme for the rest of 2025

Next Week - Thursday 6th March

We are tying…

Trout and Grayling - March Brown (Dressing)

Salmon and Sea Trout - Alistair tube variants

FDG Silver Award - Klinkhåmer (Dressing)

Of course, you are more than welcome to tie your own choice of fly or simply come for a drink and chat.

Fly Dressers' Guild National Fly tying Competition

My last reminder to submit your flies (The Carson and others), to the FDG Secretary by 28th March.

Peter's entries submitted at the end of February...

Carson (Open Trout)
Corrigan (Prize Winners Salmon)

Now to find a use for the other 10!

Auctions of Angling Items

Angling Auctions in Stockbridge – on Sat 5th Apr 2025 – high end items – their catalogue is an eye watering drool re prices….

Mullock Jones in Telford – on Sat 19th March – some high prices but less high end


14/02/2025

Surrey Branch Auction - 22nd March 2025

Save the date - Saturday 22nd March 2025.

Surrey Fly Dressers' Guild Branch are holding an auction of fly fishing and fly tying goods and materials.
Cornerstone Centre, Camphill Rd, West Byfleet, Surrey, KT14 6EH

Viewing from 10.00 am for prompt start at 12.00 noon.

Catalogue available in early March. 

If you wish to enter any items in the auction, please complete the lotting form and return it to Chris Reeves at chris.reeves502@gmail.com by 28 February, together with confirmation of how you will get the auction items to him. 

There will be a lotting fee of 25p per item which will be included in the 10% seller fee retained by the branch. Items to be sold with reserves may attract a higher lotting fee. 


04/02/2025

Fly Tying Session Thursday 6th February 2025

Apologies for the late reminder…

Programme

We meet for Fly Tying at The Baskerville Arms in Shiplake this Thursday 6th February as usual 07:00 -21:30.

The Baskerville, 7 Station Rd, Lower Shiplake, Henley-on-Thames RG9 3NY thebaskerville.com

This Week

We are tying…

Trout and Grayling - Klinkhåmer (Dressing)

Salmon and Sea Trout - Torrish Tube Variants (Dressing - PDF)
As regards the Torrish – Peter thought that it should have a Silver body – but there seem to be many variants with Gold bodies – so take your choice.  Probably gold will be better for peat-stained rivers (North of Inverness), while Silver works better in clearer water free stone rivers (R Wye).

FDG Silver Award - Ginger Quill

For those that have no seen it – please refer to our draft tying programme for the rest of 2025

Next Week - Thursday 6th February

We are tying…

Trout and Grayling - March Brown (Dressing)

Salmon and Sea Trout - Gold Willie Gunn Tube Variants

FDG Silver Award - Dark Olive

Of course, you are more than welcome to tie your own choice of fly or simply come for a drink and chat.

British Fly Fair International (BFFI)

A reminder that the BFFI is at Stafford Showground on Sat 8th / Sun 9th Feb.

Well worth visiting to watch some fantastic fly tyers in action.

The national FDG AGM will be held at 16:00 on sat 8th Feb at the Fair.

Auctions of Angling Items

Angling Auctions in Stockbridge – on Sat 5th Apr 2025 – high end items – their catalogue is an eye watering drool re prices….

Mullock Jones in Telford – on Sat 19th March – some high prices but less high end


04/02/2025

Fly Dressers' Guild Annual General Meeting 2025

Documents for the Annual General Meeting. 4pm on the 8th February 2025 at BFFI

Ladies and Gents, 

For your information and distribution to your members. I look forwards to seeing some of you at BFFI

Agenda (PDF)

Minutes (PDF)

Last Year's Minutes (PDF)

Combined Reports

Chris Reeves
General Secretary
The Fly Dressers' Guild

2025 Calendar

We meet on the first and last Thursday of every month

2nd January 2025
AGM

30th January 2025

6th February 2025

27th February 2025

6th March 2025

27th March 2025

3rd April 2025

24th April 2025

1st May 2025
End of tying season dinner / social

4th September 2025

25th September 2025

2nd October 2025

30th October 2025

6th November 2025

27th November 2025

4th December 2025

11th December 2025
Mid winter dinner / social

Where we meet