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October 2025 Meeting

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Hello everyone, and hope your summer was a good one! You couldn’t ask for better weather in the PNW.
 
Well, it’s that time again to dust off your tying bench, break out the books and get motivated. Remember RUST is the enemy of fly tying, be it a Hare’s ear, a Woolly  Bugger or a Classic Salmon fly, laying off will show itself. That being said, I have been putting together things to get us moving forward, practicing techniques and understanding the complexities of the Salmon Fly. Now is a good time to evaluate yourself, and what are your goals as far as fly tying is concerned. There has to be some things you want to know, or do better to make that step forward and elevate your flies to where you think they should be. As we have said before, I am by no means an expert in this hobby, just somebody who has played the game long enough to be dangerous! But also remember the Guild’s promise that “There are NO Secrets”, I and others will tell you everything we know in order to help our members construct a better fly, interpret the books and fly recipes to make this more fun.
 
Thanks to our ever present hammer and won’t let a stone be unturned guy, Mark Spaur, we will be meeting back in our old haunt in Issaquah. The King County Library Annex Building located at 960 Newport Way N.W Issaquah, Wa 98027. Thank you Mark for your unrelenting work towards securing this site for our meetings, Bravo!
 
We will be attempting a fly that has probably the most variations of many Salmon Flies, The Gordon. While I have given you two versions above (thanks to Linda) I want you to look through some things that I found through research for the Gordon. The old masters agreed that “No two tiers will tie the Gordon the same”, we have a fly with many variants. I will expose some of these to you and you can mix and match underwings, main wings and whatever you do it will still be a Gordon!! Let your freak flag fly on this one! What you will find is I have placed an asterisk by the various things you can use instead of the recipe standard item. So mix and match away!!
 
The Gordon and it’s Variants.
Tag: Silver oval and Yellow silk *Lemon *Lt. Orange Note; if you use yellow, the rear body section will also be yellow. If you use Lt. Orange tag, the rear body section will be Lt. Orange
Tail:Topping and Tippet in strands *Indian Crow
Butt: Black Herl
Body: Rear *1/3rd-1/5th, or 1/4 Yellow silk-remainder Claret silk *Remember if the tag is Lt.Orange so is the rear body section.
Hackle: Claret
Rib: Flat Silver and Silver Lace
Throat: Blue Hackle *Lt.Blue- *Sky Blue- *Medium Blue
UW: 2 Red Claret Hackles with Herl over *GPSpears under Tippets. *GPSpears over Tippets. *Tippets with  Herl over. *2 Large Tippets. *1Tippet and 1 GPSpear
Wing: Many Variations:
Garden; Lt.Grey Tky, GPTail, Bustard,Yellow, Blue, Claret
Kelson Land & Water; Bustard, Pea Wg, Blue, Red, Yellow, Herl
Brown; Bustard, Lt.Blue, Lt.Green, Red/Claret, Amhurst, Herl
Grimble; GPTail, Pea Wg, White, Yellow, Red, Blue
Fishing Gazzette; Bustard, GPTail, Blue, Red, Yellow
Gordon; Bustard, Lt.Blue, Lt.Green, Red/Claret, Amhurst, repeated 3 times
P.E.Tannatt: Orange, Scarlet, Blue, GPTail, Bustard
Kelson: Lt.Mottled Tky, Dk.Tky, GPTail, Bustard, Yellow, Blue, Claret
Hale: Bustard, GPTail, Pea Wg, Blue, Red, Yellow, Herl
Topping
Sides: Jungle Cock *Small Tippets over wing & Jungle Cock
Horns: Blue Horns *Optional
Black Wool Head
 
So…Pick something you like, throw it on there and you’ll have a Gordon!! You now have options, so you can use several techniques to help you practice things you might need to conquer, all in one fly!
 
I have Guild Shirts for those who have paid for them.
Don’t forget Ray’s Raffle Feathers, anyone who has won, will have to sit the rest out, Lol. Nice Bustard feathers, Thank you Ray!
I will be demonstrating how to make Faux Gut (Mono) during our lunch break for those wanting information on how it’s done.
Coffee will be on, beverages in the cooler and Lunch will be provided for our members.
 
Mark thinks that the Online presentations should be good/Better in this location, we will make sure our out of state members have a good clear presentation.
 
Again, we will meet on Saturday October 25th, at 9am. There are locations in Issaquah for breakfast I’m sure, but I am not familiar with them yet.
King County Library Annex Building 960 Newport Way N.W. Issaquah, WA 98027
 
Remember Dues are due for the 25-26 year, they remain at $40.00, Payable online with Megan Brocco at brocco.megan@gmail.com 
 
Don’t forget our Library through Dareld Thomson, ask him for what you want and he will bring them to the meeting, one month turn around. This is for MEMBERS ONLY.
 
Hunter will still collect flies for the Guild, so please donate your work to him for the Archives. Remember, this highlights where you are now, don’t hesitate to donate your work, you will get better!!
 
 

Meetings

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Our guild’s new Zoom meeting equipment allows far away members to participate in the monthly meetings.

A close-up of the demonstrator’s vice is also projected on the large screen in the front of the room allowing everyone in the meeting to see clearly the fly tying methods being demonstrated.

Screenshot

March 2025 Meeting

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Our monthly Guild meeting will be held on Saturday March 15th, at the Fall City Firehouse at 9am. Those wanting breakfast will meet at the Raging River Bar and Grill at 8am.
 
This weekend March 7th and 8th is the Oregon Albany Fly Expo held at the Lane County Fairgrounds, hope to see many of you there, it’s always a great time. If you are attending, don’t forget to wear your Guild shirt to promote our group. Also if you plan on attending the food extravaganza at Todds house please stop by and see me, I will be collecting the money for our contribution toward the food, it will be $20.00 per person and BYOB. I have a list and directions as well. We will also collect 2 flies, one for Todd and one for Steve, our chef!
 
The FFI fly casting and tying event on April 27th in Issaquah will have several Guild members demonstrating at the show, if interested, please see me or talk to Hunter, who will be conducting a class, thank you Hunter.
 
This months fly has changed, we were going to do a Purple Emperor, but I saw that we did an oval silver body and tapering for the Smith. So, I thought it would be good to learn how to fully gut a hook, tie an underbody (tapered) and do a flat silver tinsel bodied fly. So we will be tying a Silver Doctor by James Wright as seen in Kelson. As usual, start with a shortish tip/tag, a topping for a tail, nice and low with decent fiber count, also calls for an optional Kingfisher tail veiling. I will use that in this fly, and you should double the kingfisher, it really gives much better color saturation. Red wool but, tied elliptical, and nice and tight. Flat Silver body, cut a long taper with the cut end facing down and tied in at 5 o’clock then the oval silver rib at 6 o’clock. NO body hackle, but 2 throats, a blue and Gallina. With no body hackle I think a longer throat really accents the flow of the fly, so extend it a little, it’s a style thing so it’s up to you. The underwing calls for Connected strands of tippets, which means with the rachis attached, so like normal. You can tie them in as whole tippets and trim them, or strip and set them in as you would do whole tippets. I usuall tie in tne tippets right after the body, then the throats, then the main wing. It’s up to you. Create whatever type and style of married wing, see the recipe above. Woodduck and Pintail sides, Mallard roof, horns, a topping then finish with a Red Wool Head “Band”, not a whole red head, again that’s up to you.
I think it’s a clean pattern and a recipe that has enough materials to keep us busy!
 
If you need anything from the Library, please contact Dareld for your selection, you take it for a month, then return it the following month.
 
Flies for the Guild Archive can be given to Hunter, we appreciate your contributions.
 
Mark will send out the online information for those not attending the meeting, we appreciate those watching from home.
 
If there are any members who want to purchase a Guild Shirt, please let me know so we can put in the order. Will be approximately $83.00
 
Coffee will be on, beverages in the cooler and Lunch will be provided as usual.
 
Looking forward to seeing you all at the meeting on the 15th of March.
 
Thank you Linda for providing us with the recipe card for the Silver Doctor.
 
The Silver Doctor - Kelson

The Silver Doctor – Kelson

January 2025 Meeting

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Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!
 
I hope everyone had a chance to relax with family and friends over the Holidays, and it’s time to meet again!
 
Our January meeting will be on Saturday, January 18th at the Fall City Firehouse at 9am, those wanting breakfast will meet at the Raging River Bar and Grill at 8am.
 
Don’t forget the Albany Fly Expo in March 7th and 8th at the Linn County Fairgrounds, they are still accepting tiers if your available, its a great time.
 
This month we will be tying a Tay River pattern, The Smith, this fly was tied up to a 10/0 and used by Harling, a method like today’s use of Hot Shot’s. A fisherman payed out a long line and the Ghilly rowed the boat over known lies, back and forth and then dropped down little by little. It was also tied large for tidal waters and high Spring fishing, where 3/0 to 7/0 were common. So if you like tying a little larger here is a fly for you! The only real problem was the length of your winging materials. I am going to tie either 5/0 or 6/0, so see Byron for those hooks, the Harrisons are awesome. This fly as you can see from the photo and recipe (thank you Linda) it has an oval silver body separated by hackles. As with a body hackle we want to have a taper and flow, so each hackle should be a little longer than the last one until you reach the throat. I will have more information written on the white board at the meeting. If you have Rooster necks or colored Saddles they will work well, in Yellow, Red, and Blue, also have Gallina hackles too. This fly uses GP Spears for the underwing, which I can’t stand due to them being stiff as a board, thin and have no shape. So, you can substitute hackles in red and claret, 2 of each, they will lay nice and low for you. Or be traditional and use the spears, I’ll have them with me also. When it comes to the wing, if you do not have Grey Mottled Turkey tail, substitute with Amhurst, if your GP Tails are not long enough, use Brown turkey tails, you can be creative and still stay within the recipe. It doesn’t have a lot of add on’s so that’s nice for a change! I will bring along some nice long Brown Turkey Tails for those needing them.
 
I would look over the pattern card and perhaps spend a few minutes selecting hackles in the colors stated above. You can use either medium or large oval tinsels for this fly, I have seen it tied with flat and an oval rib too. See Ben for all your tinsel needs, give him a message. 
 
Don’t forget to ask Dareld for any book or thumb drive in our library, a great resource for our members, so use it.
 
Bring a fly for the Archives if you haven’t done so already, Hunter is busy trying to get it updated and your help is appreciated.
 
Also you might contact Garren Wood, he takes care of our Salmon Guild’s online presence, and send him pictures to up date the flies on the site, I plan on doing so in the weeks to follow. It’s nice to have it refreshed for those looking into our group, as we have so much to offer tiers interested in tying Classic Salmon Flies. 
 
A shout out to our resident I.T. guru Mark for working hard behind the scenes to have our on-line members up and running, he has changed the format and camera’s to bring everyone a better experience for our meetings. From the feedback I have received, it seems to be much better for in house members, as well as those at home. As you can see this whole thing is not a one man show, so many contribute to our meetings and all that entails, Mark, I thank you.
 
Coffee will be on, beverages in the cooler and lunch provided as usual. I look forward to seeing you all on Saturday the 18th!
 
Respectfully,
Glenn
 
The Smith

The Smith

October 2023 Meeting

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Hello everyone! Getting fired up for our October meeting this Saturday the 14th at the Fall City Firehouse at 9am. Hoping for a big turnout and sharing some useful tid-bits of information to help your tying. I was asked to resend the Pattern of the month, so here it is.
 
Remember, Dues are due. You can send it to Megan online, or pay Steve or I, this way we can get our roster updated for everyone.
 
Anyone who did not get a bottle of Shellac at the last meeting, please let me know so I can make them up for you, I’ll bring them with me.
 
We should have our meeting set up for our out of state members viewing online.
 
Looking forward to seeing you all there, coffee will be ready for ya’!
 

Albany 2023 Expo Photos

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Here are some photos from the 2023  Albany Expo:

 

April 2020 Meeting

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Our next meeting will be at the King County Library in Issaquah on April 18th at 9:00 am   Breakfast is at the Egg and Us, also in Issaquah at 8.00 am. The fly will be the Irish Duke as described in the Hardy’s Salmon Flies book. The fly photoed looks like it has a Grizzly hackle tip in the wing as a side instead of guinea for those who might want to change it up. I Promise I won’t tell. Don’t forget we will be doing the auction also so bring your auction items. Judy has donated To auction a nice Pete Ericsson 13’ 7/8 wt 4 piece two handed rod (looks brand new) and  some nice fishing bags. Thank you Judy. See you all in a couple of weeks. 

February 2020 meeting

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Our next meeting will be at the King County Library in Issaquah on February 15th at 9:00 am Breakfast is at the Egg and Us, also in Issaquah at 8.00 am. The fly will be the Pitcroy Fancy. Also I talked about having an auction next month but I would like to push it until April so everyone has time to gather some things that they would like to donate. It can be something you don’t use or some flies.