Greeting everyone, you know what time it is?

 

 

The Dues for the 2026-27 year are due, and may be paid via PayPal to brocco.megan@gmail.com dues remain $40.00 for the year. Being that we will be starting a month late, perhaps we can extend the meetings into June. Let’s talk.

 

I thought about how to start up the year, and landed on Kelson’s Sherbrook. It doesn’t have all the add ons, acccoutrements  and whatnot, a pretty fly and straight forward. Something we can all complete during our time together. This fly has a few other looks to it, one utilizing Pale Orange sections but keeping the front Pale Blue, same throat, and winging scheme. I have seen the with Black Herl Butts too, so do as you wish.

 

Gardens recipe is as follows: Sherbrooke (different spelling)

Tag: Silver Oval and Orange

Tail: Topping

No Butt

Body: Orange silk (2nd turn) followed by Pale Blue Silk

Hackle: Pale Blue

Rib: Silver Flat

Throat: Widgeon

No Underwing

Wing: Bustard, Golden Pheasant Tail, Dk. Mottled Turkey

Topping

Horns: Red Macaw 

 

I am leaving the door open as to which pattern you select, there also is Pryce-Tannet’s recipe.

Sherbrook (P.E.T)

Tag: Silver oval and Lemon Silk

Tail: Topping and Indian Crow

No Butt

Body: 1/3rd Pale Orange Silk remainder Pale Blue Silk

No Hackle

Rib: Oval Silver Tinsel

Throat:Pale Blue

UW: Mixed Tippets in Strands

Wing: Yellow, White, Orange, Crimson, Blue, Florican, Peacock Wing, G.P.Tail  – Bronze Mallard Roof – Topping

Sides: Woodduck and Pintail

Horns: Blue and Yellow Macaw

 

Sizes will run from 1/0 up to 4/0. See Byron for all of your Hook needs, I like the Harrison Bartleet style myself.

 

I have a shirt order ready, so if you are interested please get a hold of my quickly, they run about $90.00. They will remain the Blue color for now unless you want something else.

 

I have some things planned for this year to expand your tying from some friends in Oregon. Jason Miller will come up to teach us about Dee’s and Spey’s, his specialty, but also does amazing work on crossover flies. You will NOT be disappointed! 

 

I have also another very good tier in Adrian Courts, who is an amazing in hand tier of the Classics, his work is so clean and proportional, I think you will learn a few things from Adrian.

 

Finally, we will host Dave McNeese who you all know is the Godfather of dying materials, it will be epic, that I can promise you! Ringo has offered to host the event at his house, and Steve Brocco has tables, heating elements, pots and assorted things required to get things done. I will follow up with you on the dates and how to prepare for this event. Having all materials ready for dying prior to showing up, speeds up the process, more to come on that!

 

We will also welcome back into the fold John Olchewsky, a long time member who has recently moved back to Washington, and will be attending our meetings regularly. I even talked him into leading the group on Crossfield’s patterns! Welcome back John!

 

I will also tap into the talent we have within our group as we did last year, utilizing their experience and methods to enhance your tying and understanding of their techniques. I believe it worked well and with your approval will continue that into our meetings. We will still use the white board for tips and tricks, along with a short breakdown of things to be aware of while tying the selected monthly pattern prior to diving in.

 

As usual, Mark will head up our audio-visual presentation for those present and to our members who can’t attend the meetings. I think you will agree that that alone has really helped to keep this group together, by utilizing two cameras it has helped viewers see things better while tying, and our out of state members say it is a good presentation for viewing. We won’t change that.

 

Thanks to Linda Bachand for the monthly PDF format for our selected pattern, really helps the email POP.

Also thanks to Jim McKinnon for his work taking the pattern and producing a beautiful glossy hand out for members every month. Much appreciated.

 

We will like to continue to do something for lunch at the meetings, but it’s hard not having the facilities to heat up items for the membership. I believe it’s a good thing which helps to keep us tying a little longer, Personally, I am not satisfied with just spending a couple of hours together…I want more! Lol. So, if you have ideas, please let me know, or maybe we try to share things with a couple people bringing in items. Simple is good, more on that later, we can chat at the meeting.

 

We will have the coffee on, beverages in the cooler, and lunch as usual. If you would like to bring in some goodies to munch on with coffee, that’s always a nice touch. Linda and Hunter have excelled in that area, Byron has as well. Thank you.

 

In closing I would like to send out my condolence’s to Brett Bruell, his father George, a long time member passed away this summer. Prayers going up to your Dad, Brett. On another note our buddy up North Jim McKinnon has had some medical issues as well, but i’m told he is on the mend. He confirmed to me he will not be present in October, but will have the pattern paper shipped down with Ben! Get well Jim, will miss you!!

 

Well, sorry to bore you but, “I’m JACKED” for another year of fun with my friends. I hope you are browsing your library books in hope of getting motivated for getting after it. Your goal should be to learn something you can implement into your tying, to get better, to conquer a specific technique your struggling with. This is a hard hobby, no doubt, but with all the members willing to help you, it’s a win-win situation, and it’s at your fingertips…just ask.

 

Thank you all for being part of this group, we are special, we have left a mark in the tying community worldwide! That being said, we as the Northwest Atlantic Salmon Fly Guild celebrate our 40th year as the premiere Salmon Group anywhere!!! Started in 1987, and here we are, still carrying on just doing what we do. What a great group, proud to be a part of this thing.

 

Ok, hope to see you all in October, on the 17th in Issaquah, 9am, be there, Lets start the year with a big group tying the Sherbrook!