Dear MEMBERS,
This weekend I was invited to tie at a flyshop who celebrated his 20 th anniversary (the shop is situated in 'our Belgium Ardennes - and for me as my friends it was 150 miles drive to get there)...
Normally we had planned to 'depart' already on friday in the forevening with a camper of my friend...but for reasons' (we where with 3 one only could depart the saterday morning...) we only where there at midday (a couple of hours to late

)
I had decided to tie 'a classic salmon fly'...but but but had taken up my decission beforehand not to go 'realy' complicated...(not a lot of moving parts)...
On saterday afternoon I started a 'little WHITE DOCTOR low waterish style'...the result is seen below in a withgoing image...it's tied on another ONE of those much hated Partridge CS10/1 n° 4 on wich I unleaved the eyes (so the hook is on the whole reasonably small)...(the pattern I founded in 'Veniards 500 fly dressings)
As I haven't yet that experience to tie 'classics' in front of spectators...it was evident that I should make at one time ...some faults...and yes so it went ...a pitty that the result is seen in my 'little White Doctor' his wing...(my wing went on in ONE time but but but I creased the wing on 'my side'...at first I even hadn't noticed - believe me)...and up I went further 'finishing' it with his topping. I am pleased with my tail and body work and jay hackling I putted on after my blue hackle...and even my topping...damned wing on the 'lookersside'
As during the afternoon I had eaten something and drink some 'monk beers'...the evening was as 'usual' a mix of to many of everything...restaurant and drinks...finishing of in the camper...with another couple of whiskies 'SHIP DIP' (a vatted malt)...You can immagine how I weak up and felt myself on sunday morning. I wasn't good at all...and needed another sleep...it became midday again for me (hopefully it will not overcome me when I come to America)...
I had planned to tie the FORSYTH by HARDY (a not all to demanding fly) for the sunday. With a still dizzy head I tried to do my best (for the 'owner' of the shop)...it was when I had done my body and cutted off my tinsel ribbing that I constatated that there was a Yellow hackle in front of me...who had to be 'there' and wasn't there

...it was to late (euh I hadn't the moral to 'strip of my mixed mohair and berlinwool and to redo)...for this reasons I also wasn't prepared to split with shaky hands a jay hackle for a subscribed throath. I said my self I do a variation ...will put a bit of the Yellow hackle as a throath toghether with a blue galinea feather. I putted on my wing in 'front' of some spectators aswell as my topping...the result is here...
I am not to all to proud...even there where who said it's a nice fly (I know better by now

). A better fly I will try to tie in the first days to come...
Anyway I 'post' my work tied before a 'little audience'...and with 'shaking' hands...and a 'dizzy head'...so i hope YOU are not all to 'heavy' on ME...
LOVE YOU ALL
Geert/Gerald