Just in case this is your buddy...

http://www.thedenverchannel.com/news/22504333/detail.html
UPDATE!
http://www.9news.com/news/article.aspx?storyid=132597&catid=

Landon Mayer presentation and book signing 02/06/10.

Set your sights on the big one on Saturday when Landon Mayer will be at Ghillies with a presentation on "Seeing the Fight," which includes a detailed look at his newly published book, "Sight Fishing for Trout," complete with graphics, illustrations and video feeds. He also will be available for signing the book.

The program will run 10 a.m. to noon and will be free.

Mayer is a fishing guide in the Colorado Springs area, who calls the South Platte River his home stream. He has guided regionally for 11 years and one year in Alaska, and has earned a reputation as one of fly fishing's rising stars. His specialty has been catching exceptionally large trout on small flies and light tackle, and teaching his skills to his fellow anglers.

His earlier works include "How to Catch the Biggest Trout of Your Life," "Landing the Biggest Trout of Your Life" and "Weapons of Bass Production," with John Barr. He is a contributor to High Country Angler and Fly Fisherman magazine, and has written for a number of other major fly fishing magazines.

A pair of Smith Action Optics will be given out through a free raffle at the end of the presentation.

Click Here to Order Your Autographed Copy Today. 

New Sparkle Wing RS2 Video.

RS2 Sparkle Wing from Juan Ramirez on Vimeo.
RS2 Sparkle Wing tied during the favorite South Platte patterns class on 01/29/10. This pattern is a varation on the famous RS2. Tie some up and give them a try. They work great for baetis and I fish them year round.

Making the blog rounds.

Check out some of these blogs that have featured the Hopper Juan recently. 

http://flytyer.wordpress.com/2010/01/22/tying-the-rs2/


http://thefiberglassmanifesto.blogspot.com/2010/01/got-hoppers.html

http://azwanderings.wordpress.com/2010/01/29/the-hopper-juan/

http://thtchronicles.blogspot.com/2010/01/copper-johns-and-hopper-juans.html

Thanks guys!

Fly Tying Class and Mark McMillan Tying Demo 01/29 & 01/30

South Platte Patterns, Part 1
This weeks tying class will cover tying flies for the South Platte River system. There are so many option out there and in this class, you will tie 4 of the most effective patterns for the entire drainage. Flies tied will be the RS2 Sparkle Wing, PMD Ice Emerger, X-Caddis and the 180 degree Trico. This is the first in a two part class that will cover S. Platte patterns. The 2nd class on 02/12 will cover additional must have patterns.
This class is on Friday, January 29th from 6:30-8:30pm. Class limited to 6 students. HD Video projection on an HDTV will aid in watching step by step. Call Gary at Ghillies Fly Shop to sign up. Cost is $25.00. All materials will be provided.

Mark McMillan, a tyer from Ft. Collins, Colorado will be down to tie some of his favorite flies for freshwater and warmwater on this Saturday, January 30th from 10:00am-12:00pm. Mark is well know in the Denver-Ft. Collins tying circles as “Syntheticman” because he has the knack of going into a Dollar Store or Hobby Lobby and coming out with tons of materials to tie flies. Here is a short bio:
Mark has been fly fishing for nearly 40 years and fly tying since the late 1970’s.  A self taught tier, he has become known for his inventive use and incorporation of common and not-so-common materials into flies of his own design.  He has been a demonstration tier and instructor at various fly shops, conclaves, Trout Unlimited fund raisers, and fly fishing and tying shows in Colorado and the west since 2003.  His patterns are effective fishing flies for trout, bass, wiper, and carp, and his strong interest in carp fishing has led him to build a shallow water carp fishing boat – complete with poling platform – for pursuing his beloved “golden bones”. 


Mark has been guiding walk-wade, float tube and pack horse trout fishing trips, and teaching casting and fly tying classes since 2000.  He is a member of the Whiting Farms and Vosseler pro teams, and often jokes that he is a pro staff member with Michaels, Hobby Lobby, Jo-Ann Fabrics and Dollar Tree.  He has several fly patterns in “Modern Midges”, and his patterns are available through Black’s Flies and Wetfly.Net."

 Please stop in and show your support for our visiting tiers.
Ghillies Fly Shop

Colorado Springs, CO

719-531-5413

More MFC thread info.

Some additional info about the new thread from MFC.  All colors are gray and this is a #8 hook. 

New MFC threads. Some good stuff

If you get the chance, grab a couple of spools of Montana Fly Company's new threads that they have on the market. I have several rolls in both 8/0 and 6/0. I can honestly say that I really like this stuff. It is small in diameter and when you spin it, it lays flat. I currently use Uni and UTC threads, but this new stuff may work its way into the bobbin more often now. It ties great on the small stuff and the colors are vibrant and true to the label. I just ordered more spools today and can't wait to see the other colors they offer. MFC has lots of cool stuff that I am playing around with now and I hope to report back with other materials, so stay tuned.

Facebook me

If you guys are on Facebook, come over and check out my fan page.  Hopefully with more participating fans, it will be another good source of information for everybody.  Some things may be posted there that might not make it on the blog otherwise.  So come over and take a look.

 http://www.facebook.com/pages/The-Hopper-Juan/248387244810

I am doing a fly tying demo!

Well it's my turn to get behind the vise at Ghillies and show off my skills that I have learned by watching all the others go before me. I have been lucky to see so many great tiers tie, it has really made a difference in my tying. I look at their flies and notice certain things they do differently than I do. When I go home, I give them a try and some make a difference and some don't. I have made changes to incorporate them into my tying style. 

This weekend, I will be tying up some South Platte River favorites. Some will be standard patterns and some will be some of my original patterns. I plan to tie: RS2, Ice Emerger, Glossy Back Baetis, Graphic Caddis, X-Caddis, 180 degree Caddis, Parachutes and The Hopper Juan. So come on by and check it out. I plan to step up and show you some of the nicest flies out there.

Ghillies Fly Shop
Colorado Springs, CO
3314 Austin Bluffs Pkwy

January 23
10:00am-12:00pm

Fan Photos

These are from one of my students and friend.  I love the looks of these and hope to be able to recieve some more pictures of flies or fish photos.  So send them over and I'll post them.

Juan

Denver Fly Fishing Show 2010

I had a blast this year at the show.  It's always nce to see old friends and make some new ones.  I appreciate the friendships that I have formed with many great people including John Gordon, Rick Takahashi, Dennis Martin, Herman DeGala, Carl Pennington, Vincent Su, Deward Yocum, Tim Mack and many others.  I am fortunate enough to be included in this great gathering of some of the best tiers in the Rockies.  I got to see some awesome flies tied and I'll share a few pictures with you here. 

Tim Mack's Small Parachute

You got em'?  I tied a whole mess of them.

Mark McMillian's flies

John Gordon's Czech nymphs.  These were tied by international tiers.

Czech Nymph

Mark's LA Ant

Foam

John's Team USA box from Nationals, 2007

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.