Fly Tying Class-01/14 Tying and Fishing Foam Flies

Many people love to throw bigger flies during the summer, but they often complain that they cannot keep their standard flies dry and floating and that they don't know how to tie foam flies.   Well for you, on Friday night, I will have a class on how to tie these flies as well as how to fish them.  We will cover the Hopper Juan, a standard beetle and the Club Sandwich.  As mentioned, we will discuss how to fish these patterns.   If you know how to tie them, but not how to fish them, then they will just be a pretty fly in your box.  

Ghillies Fly Shop

6:30-8:30PM

Friday 01/14/11

$25.00

All materials provide.  Projected onto a HD TV.

Call Ghillies to sign up.  Space is limited and this has been a popular class.  719-531-5413

Fly Tying Class-Techniques for Tying and Fishing Midges

This Friday, 12/03/10, I will start my fly tying class series.  The first class is "Techniques for Tying and Fishing Midges".  This class will go beyond showing you a few flies that are good for fishing.  The idea is to talk about different situations for these and other fly patterns.  Having a well stocked fly box is only part of the equation.  Presentation and technique will help to land those fish that are eating and make winter fishing productive.  So stop by at Ghillies Fly Shop, now located in downtown Colorado Springs, and see what these classes are all about.  Cost is $25.00 and the class runs from 6:30-8:30pm. All materials are provided.  Classes feature HD video projection for easy viewing.  Call to sign up!  719-531-5413.

Oh, and I have a new poll on the right side bar. ----->

Tying Stillwater Flies Class

Join me this Friday for the last tying class for a while.   The area lakes and reservoirs
have opened up and now is the time to spend some time there.  It will only get better in the coming weeks.   These flies will provide you with months of action on stillwaters.  Limited to 6 students, these are the best classes in Southen Colorado!

Open publication - Free publishing

Successful Winter Tying Demos.

All good things have to come to an end and the fly tying demos at Ghillies are finished for the year.  When I set out to have a few guys come down to tie, little did I know that we would have a line up like we did.  What started with 4 or 5 guys, ended up with 16 guys and some of the West's best tiers.   All of those people brought to the table many, many different techniques and ideas on flies and fishing.  From midges to streamers and back again, here are just a few images.

Larry Kingrey and Curtis Andrews

While many images were not captured by me, I have other photos saved on a different computer, but I am not able to access those files.  I wished I had taken more photos, but was to busy watching many of these tiers.  All the flies tied are on display at Ghillies if you would like to see them.  

I want to thank all the guys who made the trip down to Colorado Springs and spent their day tying flies for all of us.  Please know that you all did an excellent job and everyone enjoyed it and were extremely pleased.  To all those that attended these demos,thank you for showing up week after week and for supporting those that came down.  There were many of you that attended consistently and helped make these a success.  Thanks for bring snacks, brownies and other goodies that got us through till lunch time! 

Again, THANK YOU to all participants and to all those that attended.  

Upcoming Fly tying Class, March 26, 2010

Fishing......Finally Some Action

I was finally able to get out last Friday.  It had been a while since I last got out.  With all the tying classes, demos and the weekly demos at the shop, there wasn't time to get out.  I finally got the chance on Friday.  Where to go?  That is always the question I ask.  I am fortunate enough to have a few tailwaters to choose from in the winter.  This time I decided on the Deckers stretch of the South Platte River.  I had wanted to go to Cheeseman Canyon, but going in alone, I thought, might not be the best idea, espically in the winter.

On the way up, a friend of mine pulled along side of me and he was also on the way to Deckers.  I jumped in with him and off to Deckers we went.   The fishing was not great, but we did manage a few and "at least got the smell on our hands".  We mostly nymphed and it's not always my favorite form of fishing, espically if it is not sight fishing.   

Next, we headed downstream and ran into several rising fish and proceeded to have a good time throwing dries to the risers.   I managed a few on #18 Parachute Adams and my buddy Kent fooled some on Griffith's Gnats. 

Yea, it was a bit cold.

Notice the change from the bright white Simms truker hat to the more subtle winter cap?

This one was the last fish of the day.  It came on a #22 parachute. 

We are almost there.  The days of the BWOs.  My favorite hatch to fish---I think.  Maybe it's the Tricos, although not reallly a hatch, but a spinner fall. I won't sit here and argue which one is my favorite.  Just put me in front of one and I'll fish it.  Now that things are starting to wind down, hopefully I'll have more from the water.  More stories and more pictures.  Stay tuned. 

Oh, one more thing.  I am having trouble getting motivated to start tying again.  I can't seem to find what I need on my table. 

Hopper Juan Tying Video

Hey guys, I am still alive and well.  I survived the holidays and I also survived going with out a computer for several days.  I finally got it fixed and want to thank Rick for helping me out during the busy times.  Thanks!!
I lost all of my videos on the computer, but fortunately for us, I still had them on the camera.  I uploaded a couple of foam flies for you to watch.  These were filmed during my "Working with Foam" class on 12/18/09.  They are a bit long, but you'll get the point.  Enjoy them and let me know what you would like to see and I can try my best to do so. 

Don't forget that I will be in Denver for 3 days this upcoming weekend and would love to meet you guys that tune in.  Stop by and say hi. 

Tying the Club Sandwich in HD from Juan Ramirez on Vimeo.




Tying the Hopper Juan from Juan Ramirez on Vimeo.
Tied during the "Working with Foam" class on 12/18/09. The Hopper Juan is my signature pattern that works great as a hopper or stonefly. I fish this thing about 10 months of the year, usually followed by a tungsten Glossy Back Baetis as a dropper and have tons of fun fishing this way.

Tying the Gypsy Caddis

Chad Gauerke Tying Demo 12/19/09 from Juan Ramirez on Vimeo.
Chad spins up one of his Gypsy Caddis in this video from a tying demo at Ghillies Fly shop on 12/19/09. Chad uses a lot of European materials to make some of the buggiest flies out there. They are a real treat to look at as well.

Working with Foam Tying Class 12/18/09

Foam flies are some of the easiest flies to tie. This class is designed to make it fun and easy to tie durable patterns. Learn to tie the Club Sandwich, Hopper Juan and Amy’s Ant. These patterns are fun to tie and even more fun to fish. The Club Sandwich is a bigger fly that passes as a hopper or stonefly, the Hopper Juan is a hot new hopper pattern that works well as an attractor and stonefly pattern. The Amy's Ant is a great general all around attractor that passes for a caddis, ant, stonefly or hopper. The class will cover types of foam, how to cut foam bodies and how to glue and make sandwiched foam bodies. This will be a fun class to take and make sure you bring your kids. They tie for free. Limited to 6 students so call Gary to sign up. Step by step flies projected on HDTV. Cost $25.00

Ghillies Fly Shop
719-531-5413

Copper John Tying Class 12/04/09

The Copper John Class has been the most popular class that we offer.  It's no wonder since the best selling nymph is the Copper John and we all know that it just catches fish.   I will instruct you step by step how to tie it correctly;  heavy and durable. Watch in high defination TV.   Bring your own tools if you have them otherwise we will provide.  All materials will be also be provided. 

Friday Dec. 4th. 6:30-8:30 PM

Ghillies Fly Shop
719-531-5413
Call to sign up. $25.00. Kids under 18 are free of charge.