Scott Biron is here to take us into some history of fly tying and fly tyers that have paved the way for fly patterns today. We discover the stories behind these classic flies that have stood the test of time, why they’re considered classic, and what makes them so effective. Scott shares some tips on how to tie these classic flies and the materials he uses. We get Scott’s Top 10 Favorite Fly Patterns and find out why.
Click below and listen to the Podcast about Classic Flies and Fly Tyers with Scott Biron:
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(Read the Full Transcript at the bottom of this Blog Post)
Sponsors and Podcast Updates
Classic Flies and Fly Tyers Show Notes with Scott Biron
07:20 – Scott was a PE teacher and he would teach his students fly casting
10:10 – Scott call people that troll out in the internet, trying to find things wrong with everything – pattern police
11:00 – There’s a big lake in New Hampshire called, Sunapee
11:10 – The Purple Smelt pattern by Ora Smith was said to be the only fly that caught fish on the Sunapee Lake
12:30 – Scott describes what makes a classic streamer
16:30 – We talk about Jim Warner and his original fly, Winnipesaukee Smelt
18:40 – They Grey Ghost pattern was Carrie Steven’s original pattern – Carrie was said to tie without using a vise
21:20 – There’s a book that was written about Carrie Stevens called, Carrie G. Stevens: Maker of Rangeley Favorite Trout and Salmon Flies
25:55 – The Purple Smelt was not really purple, but lavender
27:45 – The Canopache Fly is also one of Ora Smith’s original flies
30:55 – Scott talks about Ewing Feather Birds, their excellent products and service
34:00 – Ellis Hatch was the last great production tyer in New Hampshire – he recently passed away
36:00 – The Black Ghost is a pattern by Herb Welch
36:30 – Mike Martinek was a fly tyer from New England. He created some beautiful streamer patterns – one of which was the Boarder Patrol
37:10 – Carrie Stevens has a fly called, Rapid River – named after the river that it was used on
37:40 – The Grey Ghost works great because it looks a lot like a smelt. Feather-wing still is the material that people prefer to tie with
40:00 – Scott tells us his top 10 streamer flies
42:05 – The Morning Glory is another Carrie Stevens pattern
42:30 – Blue Dragon and General MacArthur are also Carrie Stevens patterns
43:30 – The Indian Rock pattern is a brook trout magnet. It’s also a pattern by Carrie Stevens
47:50 – Scott talks about the hackle he uses – Ewing Featherbirds
55:15 – The New Hampshire Warden pattern is Scott’s original. He tells us a funny story of when a guy at a fly fishing show said that he didn’t know what he was doing
1:03:50 – Tim Flagler does a good job explaining his technique via video – Tim was on the podcast at WFS 279
1:06:25 – Scott uses a Regal Revolution for Vise and Sprite for scissors
1:14:00 – Operation Game Thief is a Colorado Parks and Wildlife program that pays rewards to citizens who turn in poachers. You can call them toll-free within Colorado at 1-877-COLO-OGT, Verizon cell phone users can dial #OGT, or contact them via e-mail at game.thief@state.co.us
1:17:00 – At WFS 008, I talked to Darren MacEachern about the Streamers Project
1:18:30 – The B Pond fly pattern is a wet fly – Carrie Stevens tied 30 B pond streamers commissioned for a group of fly fishers in Massachusetts. They couldn’t find the real recipe for this pattern
You can find Scott on Instagram @scottbiron
Visit his website at NHFlyTyer.com
Scott Biron’s Top 10 Favorite Fly Patterns
- Grey Ghost by Carrie Stevens
- Winnipesaukee by Jim Warner
- Canopache by Ora Smith
- Morning Glory by Carrie Stevens
- Purple Smelt by Ora Smith
- Black Ghost by Herb Welch
- Rapid River by Carrie Stevens
- Blue Dragon by Carrie Stevens
- General McArthur by Carrie Stevens
- Indian Rock by Carrie Stevens
Resources Noted in the Show
Carrie G. Stevens: Maker of Rangeley Favorite Trout and Salmon Flies
Related Podcast Episodes
WFS 296 – John Shewey on 9 Favorite Flies for Trout – American Fly Fishing
Read the Full Podcast Transcript Below
Classic Flies and Fly Tyers Conclusion with Scott Biron
So there you go. We learned a lot about the history of classic flies and the tyers who made them. It’s always good to find out how a fly pattern came about. That way we acknowledge the brilliant creators behind the patterns that we enjoy today as a way to show our respect to their work and legacy.
Scott is an amazing fly tyer and is doing great things for the fly tying world. He may be gone in the future but his patterns will surely live on.
I am feeling extra inspired to tie a fly today so I’m heading to my workstation to try one of the flies we talked about. Maybe a Carrie Stevens fly or maybe a Scott Biron fly. What about you, what are you tying today? Let me know in the comments.
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