Fly Tying Session Thursday 4th December 2025
We meet this next Thursday 4th December 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 ‘Sink & Dink’ combinations – please see attached pattern sheet for the materials required. These are classic traditional flies and should be in every angler’s trout and grayling fly box! I encourage any novices to tie the Red Tag with John – it is excellent for trout and grayling. Dressings (PDF)
Sea Trout and Salmon Group
Peter W will be tying a Dee Spring Monkey both as a Tube and a Conehead – a favourite tube for spring salmon. Dressing (PDF)
Pre-Christmas Dinner and Quiz
As you all should know, we have a Dinner at the Baskerville on Thu 11th December (instead of fly tying).
If you have not already committed – please let Charles Lowe know your menu choice selection and pay, asap!.
Post Christmas Grayling Day
Are you interested in a day on the River Test and carriers at Wherwell? Wherwell Estate | Fishing the River Test in Hampshire.
Cost is £80/rod, booked individually online. Possible days for up to 8 rods are December: 27th(Sat), 28th (Sun,) 31st (Wed) and Jan 2nd (Fri).
Please let Peter Huggard know what days you would fish if we put a group together and he'll indicate the most favoured day to those interested.
FDG Branch AGM
On Thu 8th Jan 2026 we will have a brief AGM and auction of capes before our regular Fly-Tying session.
Our Secretary has emailed the details.
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!)