In this week’s post, I’ll share flies for Patagonia, CFR, and a little history about fly tying. I just completed a customer fly order and needed another fly tying project, so I’ve started tying our Patagonia flies, which you’ll see below. In addition, I donated some flies for an upcoming Casting for Recovery auction you might be interested in. Lastly, I’ve included a link to a YouTube video Gretchen and Al Beatty created about her father’s treadle fly tying vise. Yes, you read that correctly!

Last year I tied 252 flies for our Patagonia trip to Argentina and Chile. I shared the list of flies as well as my progress completing those flies in December. The image above are the left-over flies from our trip.
Here are the filled fly boxes we took with us last year.

I didn’t return home with any of these as I gave away the flies we didn’t use to our guides as part of our appreciation for their hard work. I have those empty boxes and will begin the process again. Below is an image sharing our flies with Maxx and Nathan at Rumbo Patagon in southern Chile around Puerto Natales.

Evidently, I tied more than I needed last year, which is why I have a head start!
Here is my list of flies to tie.
Terrestrial
Attractor
- Chubby Chernobyl / Purple, gold / size: 10
- Cicada / size: 8
- Fat Albert / Black, Tan / Size: 8, 10, 12
- Morrish Hopper / Tan / Size: 8
- Thunder Thighs Hopper
- Purple Haze / Size: 14
- Parachute Adams / Size: 12, 14
- Swisher ‘s Parachute Madam X / Size: 8
- Elk Hair Caddis / Tan / Size: 12, 14
Nymphs
- Tungsten Pheasant Tail / Size: 14, 16
- Tungsten Prince Nymph / Size: 10, 12
- Copper John / Red, Copper / Size: 12, 14
- CDC Flashback Pheasant Tail / Size: 12, 14
- Pat ́s Rubberlegs / Brown, Coffee-black / Size: 6
I made a slight change from the original list and tied a Purple Haze instead of a Purple Para Wulff and it worked just fine. I did add a rib of mylar tinsel to add a little flash.
I’ve included links to my RiverKeeper Flies YouTube channel for tying directions. I’ll use those myself to remind me the tying proportions and techniques.
I hope to create a few more YouTube videos for some of the other flies on the list in the near future.
If you’d like some of these flies, it would be a good time to place a fly tying order because I’ve caught up with my other customer orders.
Next up is a fly box I tied to support the Casting for Recovery retreat in Southern Oregon my wife leads.
As an aside, October is Breast Cancer Awareness month and I’m proud to say my wife, Dancingtrout is a breast cancer survivor. She is giving back with her tireless volunteer work to support other women who were diagnosed with breast cancer. Tying a few flies is the least I can do to support the cause.

These flies will be part of an upcoming online auction. I’ll provide further details about how you can participate in the auction and bid on these flies or other items.
The box of 78 flies with a retail value of $300 include six each of the following flies:
- Chubby Chernobyl – Purple #8
- Chubby Chernobyl – Golden Stone #8
- Clark’s Lady Stone – Golden #8
- Beetle Bailey – #14
- Arrick’s Parachute Ant – Black #16

- X Caddis – Tan #16
- X Caddis – Tan #14
- Iris Caddis – Tan #16
- Iris Caddis – Tan #14
- Purple Haze – #14
- Purple Haze – #16
- Parachute Adams – #14
- Parachute Adams – #16

Here is the closed MFC fly box.

And a close-up of the individual flies.

Since I have your attention, here is another item for the fly tyer that will be part of the online auction.
30-piece Heirloom Fly Tying Tool Set by Wasatch Tools (retail value $750)
Made of stabilized hardwood with brass inserts. Sold in a velvet lined wooden presentation box. Special edition #6 of 30. Laser etched lid is a beautiful rendition of trout. A gorgeous presentation piece to complement any fly tying desk.


Inscriptions of the bottom of the box:
Lastly, here is a link to a YouTube video of the Beatty’s sharing how to tie a fly with a treadle vise. Intrigued? I encourage you to watch the video.
Their YouTube desctiption states:
“In this episode of History on the Fly, Al uses an old treadle sewing machine converted into a foot-drive rotary vise by Gretchen’s father more than 85 years ago. The program gives the viewer an informed look at commercial fly tying from the 30s (maybe earlier) through the early 80s.”
If you’d like to participate, here is a link to this week’s Zoom session (10/25/24) at 6pm mountain time. Eric Austin will tie a Mary Orvis Marbury pattern called the Tipperland.
Join Zoom Meeting
https://us06web.zoom.us/j/82473871239?pwd=hXKvDQqe07YpfUaWQx2SnzsqgmEaUe.1
Meeting ID: 824 7387 1239
Passcode: 667586
If you can’t attend the session, you can always catch up, like I’m doing, and watch the YouTube video on Al’s channel.
Gretchen and Al Beatty started their weekly winter/spring tying sessions a few years ago when Covid hit and have continued their series over the years. Each session requires a new Zoom link, so contact Al Beatty (al*******@gm***.com) and request to be added to his weekly email list.
Enjoy…go fish!
John,
I was sorry to read about your troubles; I mean, sorry for you mostly because there may have been a demon that went from you to me, way up here on the Bow River……. I just had the same experience on a different fly and it was my opinion that fellow must have been touched and thus blest by masters of the past 200 years because it was one gorgeous, exquisitely tied fly! I gave up on it deciding the fly-fishing spirits chose to deny me entry into that vaunted hall, notwithstanding to old to grasp’.
Required to “sign in” to view something here!??? Never before and no instructions on how one signs in.
Curious—-