Don Moroz has the right idea, why not make money doing what you love to do.
Don has taken one of his hobbies, fly tying and turned it into a work from home idea for making money.
Great job Don.
I am a bit of a fly fishing nut and usually tie my own flies. I have never had any desire to make my living tying flies. I much prefer to tie them and then use them myself, although they do make great gifts.
I went to the Moncton Market to see if I could find a couple of friends that usually have a booth there. My friends weren’t setup that day but I was happy to turn around a corner and see Don’s booth setup.
Don Moroz, owner of Don’s Fly Box
I talked with Don for a few minutes before being dragged off by my wife to look at some things I had absolutely no interest in but it was great talking to Don.
Next time you drop into the Moncton Market check out Don’s Fly Box booth.
Maybe you can even buy your wife a set of new earrings.
If you’re looking to maybe start tying your very own flies be sure to checkout Amazon for a few great books on Fly Tying Basics.
I love fly fishing for just about any species of fish but smallmouth bass hold a special place in my heart because they are real fighters. I also fly fish for a Atlantic salmon which put up an awesome fight as well but they are few and far between unlike the smallmouth bass here in New Brunswick, Canada.
The fly I would like to look at today is called the Clouser Minnow and works great for pretty much any species of fish, fresh or saltwater.
Ass you can see by the picture, top left, you can tie the Clouser minnow in just about any colour.
Here is a video I found that will show you how to tie one up.
I hope you learned how to type a Clouser minnow for smallmouth bass and get out and use it. Happy fishing, friend.
I like to vary the size of the eyes depending on the size of the hook I am using. I also use a figure eight pattern to secure them in place. Also depending on the fish I am going after I will vary the hook size. However when I am fly fishing for smallmouth bass I don’t have to worry much about the size as they will smack em good whatever size you use.
I’ve caught pickerel, a relative of the northern pike, but my biggest was about 22″ and that was a huge amount of fun with lots of yelling and laughing. I couldn’t imagine hooking into a 50″ northern on a top water fly but I’m definitely up for the challenge.
Here is a video I have to share with your today. This guys does this all the time and it looks like a real blast.
Since I met Casey and Jamie we haven’t fished for pickerel using the fly rod but this year’s going to be different. I have already talked Jamie’s ear off about the fun I’ve had fly fishing for pickerel so I know he’s going to go for this year. And Casey is learning to fly fish this year so I know we’ll be going for pickerel and smallmouth bass.
Now all I have to do to get ready is start exercising my arms and to get some top water flies tied, before we head out. I have been talking about tying all winter but have been working from home growing my business and have set other things aside. Time’s running short, less than a month until fishing season opens and I don’t get much tying done when I’m out on the water so it’s gotta be NOW.
I am going to tie a few leech patterns, a couple of top water popper type flies and a few streams that will travel just under the surface, like the Mickey Finn I use for Atlantic salmon fishing on the Renous and Miramichi Rivers here in New Brunswick.
Wikipedia on The Muddler Minnow: The Muddler Minnow was spawned, so to speak, by Don Gapen of Anoka, Minnesota in 1937, to imitate the slimy sculpin. Gapen developed this fly to catch Nipigon strain brook trout in Ontario, Canada. The Muddler, as it is informally known by anglers, was popularized by Montana, USA fisherman and fly tier Dan Bailey. It is now a popular pattern worldwide and is likely found in nearly every angler’s fly box, in one form or another. Due to its universal appeal to game fish, the muddler minnow will remain as an integral tool in sport fishing.
The Muddler Minnow Catches More Than Just Trout
I have tied a few muddler minnows over the years as they are a variable pattern and can be fished in a number of ways. I have always been a top water guy so that’s how I fish it most often but it does excellent under the surface as well.
Even though I most often tie my muddler minnows to go after brook trout they also catch smallmouth bass and even chain pickerel. Look out when these guys hit the fly as you’re in for some major fun.
Note: When I plan to fly fish for pickerel I will use a small section of fluorocarbon as a leader as those little teeth are like razors and will cut through regular leader line like butter.
Here is a video I found on Youtube that will help you tie muddler minnows so you can see for your self.
The fly tying materials you will need to tie the standard Muddler Minnow:
Head: Deer hair, natural colour
Tail And Wing Section: Mottled turkey wing feather
This Holufusion Fly Tying Material is an easy way to add a just the right amount shimmer and appeal to trout, salmon, bass and saltwater fly and streamer patterns. The semi-translucent Holofusioin fly tying fibers and can be used for accent or as the body on baitfish imitations like the world-famous Clouser pattern. This Holufusion Fly Tying Material is an easy way to add a just the right amount shimmer and appeal to trout, salmon, bass and saltwater fly and streamer patterns. The semi-translucent Holofusioin fly tying fibers and can be used for accent or as the
This Holufusion Fly Tying Material is an easy way to add a just the right amount shimmer and appeal to trout, salmon, bass and saltwater fly and streamer patterns. The semi-translucent Holofusioin fly tying fibers and can be used for accent or as the body on baitfish imitations like the world-famous Clouser pattern. This Holufusion Fly Tying Material is an easy way to add a just the right amount shimmer and appeal to trout, salmon, bass and saltwater fly and streamer patterns. The semi-translucent Holofusioin fly tying fibers and can be used for accent or as the
This oversized Tie Fast tool makes tying 6/0 hooks and 120-lb. mono a breeze. This oversized Tie Fast tool makes tying 6/0 hooks and 120-lb. mono a breeze.
I have done some fly fishing for chain pickerel. Actually New Brunswick was the first place I ever saw and caught a pickerel on the fly, well really on anything, it was my first pickerel, but it set the stage for many many happy days on the water battling these wacky and vicious toothy water wolf.
My first pickerel was while fly fishing a little brown dry fly for brook trout and got a surprise catch, a little pickerel which was actually smaller than most of the brookies we caught that day.
Over the years since I have used boats, canoes and my float tubes to fish for pickerel on the fly and started using some bigger flies we use for smallmouth bass and Atlantic salmon.
I also used a few black wooly bugger leech patterns to have fun on the water and would like to share a video showing you how to tie the wooly bugger so you can give them a try yourself.
Fly Tying Materials You Will Need For The Wooly Bugger
Here’s a video showing what you need to tie a wooly bugger, a great description of materials.
How To Tie A Wooly Bugger
I tie the wooly bugger streamer as a leech pattern and don’t use the bead head. I have never had a trout, bass or pickerel ever complain about the lack of a head. They wooly bugger is a very easy fly to tie and I’ve found that a 6 – 10 inch retrieve works best for me. So here is a video that shows how to tie the wooly bugger.
Introducing the best chenille we&8217 ve found for tying woolies, and no bugger should ever leave home without it! Made from the densest Antron available with a little pearl Mylar tinsel mixed in for fish-attracting flash. Introducing the best chenille weamp 8217 ve found for tying woolies, and no bugger should ever leave home without it! Made from the densest Antron available with a little pearl Mylar tinsel mixed in for fish-attracting flash.
When it comes to teaching others how to tie artificial fishing flies David Cammiss of Learn Fly Tying does an excellent job at the hands on teaching. The fact they are videos makes it easy to just rewind and watch it again and again until you have your fly tied just like Dave so that it will be able to stand up to the torture a fighting fish can give it.
One thing that Dave does that I have never done, but will give it a try, is to hide the hook in the mouth of the vice so you don’t nick your thread and weaken the fly as you’re tying it. I have to admit I have but my thread more than once in the 30 years I have been tying flies.
From knot tying to nymphs tying, this instructional DVD is packed full of intricate and delicate techniques for tying the most effective fly patterns. Dick Talleur demonstrates a hands-on approach to teaching as he guides the viewers through the basics of tying a wide variety of flies. Viewers will learn to tie Gray-Hackle Peacock (Wet Fly), Pale Morning Dun (Dry Fly), Adams Parachute (Dry Fly), Muddler Minnow (Streamer) and many more. From knot tying to nymphs tying, this instructional DVD is packed full of intricate and delicate techniques for tying the most effective fly patterns. Dick Talleur demonstrates a hands-on approach to teaching as he guides the viewers through the basi
Note: To tie in the bead to start this fly you can slide the bead over the hook barb and up the shank of the hook. At that point you can use your thread to place the bead exactly where you want it. Use wraps of thread on the front to secure it’s location and then put thread at that back to keep it from sliding around while you tie your fly.
A Simple Leech Pattern
This pattern is quick and easy and really tricks the trout into striking. In a larger pattern it’s great for bass and pike as well. I have always preferred the black leech but we also see leeches that are brown so those patterns work as well.
My wife is from Campbellton New Brunswick, definitely the Atlantic salmon capital of the Maritimes. I have been fly fishing there for both big brook trout and of course the Atlantic salmon. I thought you would like to see a video of an Atlantic salmon fly tied right here in New Brunswick. I wonder if I would have married her if she wasn’t from a salmon fishing background? Okay, just kidding.
Somewhere about 1935 Joseph Clovis Arsenault was asked by Joseph Pulitizer to replicate a worn out Black R.A.T. that had the under body showing through. This better with age and well used fly was the birth of one of the most famous of all Canadian hair wing flies. The Rusty Rat is as good today as any fly for fishing the world famous Restigouche River.
This video not only shows you step by step how to tie the Rusty Rat but as he is tying he tells a great story of the history. Well worth your time viewing.
Most fishers have confidence baits and the same thing goes for salmon flies. I have my favourites and they tend to be all I use most of the time. The Rusty Rat is a salmon fly I have never tried but after watching this video it’s one that I have to learn to tie for myself and give it a try next year. Looking forward to it already.
I am sure, we as fishers, all have our confidence baits. I have confidence baits for any species I have fished regularly and it also applies to my fly fishing trips.
About a month ago a friend took me out fly fishing for some brook trout here in New Brunswick. It was close to Sussex but he would shoot me if I said exactly where. Well he might not actually kill me but he might never take me fly fishing again and that surely would kill me. So I’ll keep tight lipped on this one.
When he told me where we would be going I prepared the confidence flies and put them all into one fly box and I put my favourite dry fly on before I ever left the house.
We had a great day and landed many brook trout. All of which we promptly released as it’s a catch and release area only.
Here is a little video that I watched on Youtube this morning and thought you might like to see some of the trout flies I love to have with me.
The Royal Coachman fly comes in a few different patterns depending on how you like to fish it. Personally I love to fish clear water, stone bottom brooks and streams for brook trout but I have also used them to attract and catch Atlantic salmon.
A few times I have used them in a lake but never really had much luck using them there. Of course I don’t fish lakes much for trout so I don’t have a lot of experience at it and for me it’s all about using confidence baits when I fish so I have a tendency to switch flies before giving them a good testing. If you have luck with Royal Coachman flies in trout lakes take a minute and leave a tip about how to fish them as a comment.
Here are a couple of videos that will teach you how to tie different Royal Coachman patterns.
Tying the Royal Coachman SoftHackle by Davie McPhail
For those of you that like the Royal Coachman pattern and would like a streamer pattern based on the Royal Coachman then this next video, actually two videos, part one and two. I am thinking this pattern may be the pattern for me to use in some of the trout lakes and ponds I fish. Maybe I will have better luck and find a new confidence fly for lakes. As it is I tend to use my Woolly Bugger most of the time as it makes a great leech pattern and attracts a lot of hungry trout. They are great for bass as well. Anyways, back to the pattern at hand, the Royal Coachman.
This first video will even give you the background of the Royal Coachman, which I had never heard before, enjoy.
Don Moroz has the right idea, why not make money doing what you love to do.
