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Written by: Rich

Published: 10 October 2016

Hits: 4039

Now that I have settled into my new house and pretty much built out my shop, it's time to get back on track.  What I am here to tell you is I will be hosting live tying feeds on my Facebook page starting this coming Wednesday October 12, 2016 at 9:00 PM Eastern Standard Time.  You can check those out HERE, and be sure to tell your tying friends to tune in, like the page and share the address.  The beauty of the live feed is you all can ask questions while I tie making it almost as if I was tying with you in your own homes. To kick off the live feed I will be tying the smaller 3.5" articulated headbanger and providing some finer insight into the patterns construction.  If you were not able to see me tie this pattern this past winter, here's your chance.  Unlike the larger version, this particular one is much more feasible for even the casual streamer fisherman but has a couple of tricks in the construction that are paramount to a proportionate fly.  Tune in Wednesday night and check out this proven pattern which is now available through Montana Fly Company.  The color scheme will be a surprise, that's about all I can tell you.

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Written by: Rich

Published: 18 September 2016

Hits: 2782

2016 will go down for me as one of the more memorable years for a variety of reasons.  I have had some wonderful opportunities come my way both inside and outside the world of fly fishing leaving me pinching myself wondering if it was all a dream.  A couple of firsts that are very memorable recently happened right off the shores less than a couple hours from my doorstep.  You see, there has been a couple of fish species in the saltwater scene that have eluded me for quite some time.  I use the term eluded loosely, as you actually have to be on the water fishing for them to have a chance at catching them. 

Every fall the shores of New England have a couple of visitors show up from the depths of the ocean to feast on the bountiful bait-balls of a variety of species that fill our waters.  The Bonito and False Albacore are a pair of speedsters that show up for a very brief window of time at the end of every summer when the conditions are right.  For 15 years I have wanted get a crack at these wonderful creatures but for a litany of reasons they never quite happened.  You see, this time of year for me is habitually hectic and my fishing opportunities are usually few and far between until later in October.  There have been many last minute calls to head out that I just couldn't make happen, or some sort of tropical storm traveling up the coast thwarted my efforts to get a crack at these fish. 

This year, that all changed.  In a couple weeks span, everything for me aligned and I managed to check both off of my bucket list.  I will say however that it was probably a good thing that I experienced these fish later in life as it is very apparent that the level of addiction for these drag racers is extremely high.  Needless to say, the day that I managed to finally get out and fish for False Albacore I made up for all those days that some sort of dilemma kept me off the water.  Needless to say, I am haunted by these fish and cannot wait to get back out there for them again sometime hopefully soon before they part our waters till next year. 

Many of you have been wondering about these so called "Big Changes" that I have hinted at on social media and in person rather frequently in the last few months and I am here to finally let the cat out of the bag.  I am moving my family into a new home as I type this.  It's not in Montana, and it's not on the banks of a trout stream but it is a wonderful place that my wife and I can raise our two girls not too far from our current residence.  You see, we inevitably outgrew our first house and were in dire need of some more space, not to mention our street was a little too busy for our tastes.  Our new house is just the right size, in a nice quiet neighborhood in a very country setting just like the one my wife and I grew up in, oh and it is a little closer to the river so that's a bonus of sorts. 

So now you know why I've had to shut down my fly operation for a while, it literally is in boxes right now.  The next venture once we settle is will be to build out my shop in the new house, and I will keep you all updated on that once I start mapping it all out.  I will leave you all with this, expect some more surprises once that project is all said and done.  For now, I have to get back to putting the house together.  Tight lines and see you all soon.  -RS-

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Written by: Rich

Published: 08 September 2016

Hits: 2222

Come on out and join myself and a handful of other great tyers including Steve Silverio, Joe Cordeiro, Joe Calcavecchia and Ted Patlen as we demo some flies on some of the new irons Partridge has released for the upcoming season.  Its a great time to stop by, talk some fishing and try out some rods from Mystic.  Never a bad time at the Bears Den, one of my favorite shops in the Northeast with a great staff and a tremendous amount of flyfishing stuff.  Hope to see some of you there this Saturday afternoon from 12:30-5:00 PM.  For more information, check out the Bears Den website, or on the Event Page.