Fly tying for trout fishing

Hello Steemian friends,

It's been a lovely long summer here in Scotland. For the first time in a few years, I've rediscovered a hobby that gets me outside and enjoying the weather - fly fishing!

For ages I've been revisiting childhood hobbies as an adult, sometimes with a little more budget than I had to enjoy them as a kid, but sometimes still just making do with what I have (as was always the way as a child).

I think fly fishing is the last of those old hobbies that was waiting for me to fall back in love with. As a bonus, I'm lucky to live close enough to a very famous trout river that, as a local, I'm allowed to fish with an annual permit of only £30. For context, people coming for a destination fishing holiday are paying hundreds of pounds a week!

I'm really enjoying working on Steem Atlas with the rest of the @pennsif.witness team, but there's no better way to relax in the evening than heading down to the river to attempt to romance a trout. It's very meditative and I easily find myself in a zen-like state. I think it's what the kids call "mindfulness" ;)

Part of the fun of fly fishing is trying to "match the hatch", and select an artificial fly which resembles the real flies that the trout are rising to feed on at the surface of the water.

You can take that to the next level by actually tying your own flies instead of just buying them; binding feathers, hairs and synthetic materials onto a hook using a classic fly pattern -- some are hundreds of years old -- or just improvising as you go.

It's incredibly satisfying to catch a fish with a fly you tied yourself, and tying some flies is a great way of spending an evening if the weather's no good for fishing.

I don't have many momentos left from my childhood days of fly fishing, but I do have one little fly box of flies I made myself several decades ago!

A few weeks ago, my fiance and I made a lucky find at a flea market (second-hand goods fair): A box full of fly tying tools and materials. So, we've embarked on a fly tying odyssey and after getting a fair amount of practice I'm now tying flies that I'm proud enough of to share with you.

Fly tying setup: Just simple tools, a vice, bobbin winder, pliers, and snips. The beer is optional, but recommended

A classic dry fly pattern. Dry flys are designed to float on the surface of the water and entice fish to rise.

A wet fly pattern of my own that I'm working on, named "Campbell Argyll" after a Scottish tarten with similar colours. Designed to attract fish beneath the water surface.

A nymph on the vice. Tied with tungsten beads, these heavy little guys are for targetting fish right at the bottom of the water column.

A group of nymphs, with colour variations to match what the fish are eating on a given day.

A productive evening!

Some of my best dries, wets and nymphs - all ready to go hunting.

Comparing my new flies to my homemade ones from many years ago, I think my 12-year-old self would approve. They do look a lot better than my childhood efforts - though even those caught fish. I don't think the trout mind if your fly's a bit messy.

Any other fly fishers on Steem? I do like sea fishing too, and often target bass, pollack and mackeral from a lighthouse pier not too far from home - but the trout is my first love.

My fiance's vintage fly rod (another flea market bargain), at one of our fishing spots. Look at the lovely blue forget-me-not flowers!

Maybe next time I'll take you fishing and capture some pics from my favourite spots. Even if we don't catch a trout, we'll have a lovely evening :)