I’d like to take this opportunity to wish everyone a Merry Christmas and Happy New Year from here at RiverKeeper Flies!

I’d like to take this opportunity to wish everyone a Merry Christmas and Happy New Year from here at RiverKeeper Flies!


I’m surprised at the variety of flies I tie. I tie a lot of flies for my customers and receive feedback from some of them. I always enjoy reading their notes to me and it’s always rewarding to see the fruits of my labor. I pleased to see my flies work! Not the normal trout…

This week’s Throw Back Thursday Fly is the No. 8 Water-hen Bloa. The Water-hen Bloa can be found in many of the old fly fishing and fly tying books. The first example is from page 24 of Yorkshire Trout Flies by T. E. Pritt (1885) “This fly is identical with the blue dun of Ronalds, and…

It’s the middle of winter and the major hatch on the river these days are Blue Wing Olives. I get confused what to call these bugs…Blue Wing Olives…Blue Wings… BWOs…Baetis … I’m no expert, but I think they are all the same insect. Or close enough for a fly fisher. To be sure, I consulted one…

I thought it appropriate to offer the Lady Caroline as this week’s TBT fly. Yes, I just blogged about tying it in the last week in Tying Spey Flies – I’m Scared, but it’s perhaps the most famous spey fly. John Shewey in his Spey Flies & Dee Flies book suggests there is evidence “Geordie”…

This week’s Throw Back Thursday Fly is Perk’s Perilizer. It’s a steelhead fly and used at that. OK, I admit it’s a tough fly to really see. It’s really about the story… We attended the Pendleton Round-Up a couple of weeks ago, just like we do most years. My fishing partner has been looking for…

Last weekend, I was honored to participate in a Casting for Recovery retreat at Black Butte Ranch as a River Helper. Black Butte Pond The goal of Casting for Recovery (CFR) is “to enhance the quality of life of women with breast cancer through a unique program that combines breast cancer education and peer support…
Wishing you a merry Christmas from Wales; with hopes that 2026 will be a happy year of fishing for you both!
Cliff and Ann
From Southern Alberta, A Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to you, John.
“Merry Christmas & Happy New Year” from White Mountain Fly Fishing Club, Pinetop, AZ
Hi John,
May you and Karen enjoy a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year with lots of fish very soon in Argentina