Sunday, January 11, 2026
BOB WHITE STUDIO - Painting for John
I woke today to find that Bob shared a link to the article layout on Instagram and it is well worth a few minutes of your day. Click the "+" sign a few times to fill the page for easiest viewing.
Trout Magazine continues to get better with each issue. If you aren't a member of Trout Unlimited, the magazine is worth the annual fee of membership alone.
Visit the Bob White Studio website to see more of his work and writing.
THE FLYFISH JOURNAL - The Big C
The folks at The Flyfish Journal unearthed a fun one from the Columbia River with John Bartlett that was first published in 2017.
The weekend is the perfect time to scroll through the exclusive article and then press PLAY here...
The Flyfish Journal continues to publish some of the very best content in print, online, and in film. Subscribe and follow along if you're not already.
HOOKSWAIN - A Fiberglass Rod, Built the Long Way
I really dig the multi-color wraps on that chestnut brown glass blank.
Monday, January 5, 2026
KABUTO RODS - Limited Model 67116 Blank Order Offering
This "limited number" is capped at five orders, so if this blank is on your build list, best to order now.
From the Kabuto Rods Facebook post...
Due to many requests, we’re excited to announce that we’ll be accepting a limited order of 5 two-handed rod blanks. Each blank will be painted after the order is placed, so please let us know your preferred color. Because two-handed rod blanks take a long time to produce, we don’t normally accept orders. However, when production allows, we plan to open orders on an irregular basis.
HOT STUFF TATTOO - Danny Reed Musky Tattoo
Danny ended last year tattooing with a large musky that I thought would be fun to show off here with his initial sketch to the finished leg tattoo. What fish would you have tattooed on yourself?
Danny wrote... "One of my last tattoos of 2025 was this musky for Dave. Dave wanted to commemorate a great year of dedicated musky fishing. Stoked I was able to help him make that happen."
Check out more of Danny Reed's ink work on Instagram and if find yourself in Asheville, book a session at Hot Stuff Tattoo. Don't sleep on Danny's offerings with Crooked Creek Holler.
Wednesday, December 31, 2025
PATAGONIA - Pheasant Tail Simplicity
One of my favorite books to have read this past fall was Pheasant Tail Simplicity with Yvon Chouinard, Craig Mathews, and Mauro Mazzo teaming up again for this Patagonia published paperback tome featuring stories, techniques, and fly tying recipes and instruction.
The book is beautifully photographed and includes a series of QR codes that takes readers to short videos to demonstrate techniques or give fly tying step by step tutorials.
From the Patagonia website...
Together, these anglers have nearly 200 years of fly-fishing experience. They've tried—and refined—it all and share their knowledge here, demonstrating how you can catch fish—anywhere, any time—with just one type of fly.
Angling aficionados and authors Chouinard, Mathews, and Mazzo come together again, this time to reveal the many wonders of the pheasant tail fly. In Simple Fly Fishing (Patagonia; 2014, 2018), they made the case for replacing unnecessary gear with knowledge and technique. Now, after years of additional experience, they offer the next step: the feather that can be used to tie flies from nymphs and dry flies to emergers, soft hackles, and beetles. Pheasant Tail Simplicity, conceived as an advanced follow-up to Simple Fly Fishing, explores the techniques required to tie and present these flies to trout and anadromous and saltwater species. More than just a guide, it challenges the norm that thousands of fly patterns are necessary to catch fish successfully.
Pheasant Tail Simplicity includes step-by-step illustrated instructions for tying 18 flies, along with materials lists and tips on how to use them. In concise text, with QR codes that link to how-to videos, this colorful book distills fly fishing to its core: one primary fly-tying material, a handful of techniques, and a mindset that prioritizes knowledge, craft, and creativity over all else.
Order your copy of Pheasant Tail Simplicity on the Patagonia website or pick one up at your local book store or fly shop. Now through January 1, 2026, this book is 40% off online, which is a steal for $15.
THE YOOPER FLY LIFE - Tying the Royal Robert's Drake
Leading up to Christmas, Todd White of The Yooper Fly Life posted the Royal Robert's Drake on Instagram and I asked if he'd put together a tutorial in case you'd like to add this one to the list of flies that you'll tie this winter.
This isn't the first tutorial that Todd has given us and you can find those posts HERE and HERE.
I came up with the Royal Robert's Drake color variation just playing at the vise one day a few years back, simply asking the question if Clarence Robert's Drake, the killer light/yellow Michigan mayfly pattern with X-wrapped deer hair body, could be translated into a Royal Wulff style color palette.
This is really a testimonial to the quality and variety of terrific materials readily available to modern tiers. Nature's Spirit and Varner's Streamers currently produce deer hair dyed in excellent peacock shades, and Sulky Threads extra thin/extra strong red tinsel really makes this version of the Robert's Drake possible.
The Royal Robert's Drake isn't just a pretty face either, this thing really cooks on the water and it has earned a reserved spot in my fly box Have had excellent results as an attractor/searching pattern for both brook and brown trout in a variety of water. And, don't sleep on tying and fishing a 3XL version in larger sizes as a damsel imitation during the dog days. You can thank me later.
STEP 1 - Place hook in vise, attach black thread, measure tail to length of hook shank and tie in.
STEP 2 - Measure deer hair tips to 1/3 tail past bend and tie in butts at 2/3 shank spinning hair equally around hook.
STEP 3 - Pull deer hair tips rearward and wrap in open wraps to hook bend and then forward to tie in point crossing over previous wraps in X shape.
STEP 4 - Tie in Sulky red tinsel at thorax and repeat open wraps rearward and X wraps forward covering previous thread X-wraps. You can paint tinsel with Solarez Bone-Dry Epoxy and cure after completion for durability.
STEP 5 - Tie in and post white McFlylon for parachute wing.
STEP 6 - Tie saddle hackle in on base of parachute post.
STEP 7 - Tie in two strands of peacock at thorax.
STEP 8 - Figure eight peacock hurl behind and in front of parachute post to build thorax and tie off on post.
STEP 9 - Wrap 6-8 wraps of hackle to base of parachute post, tie off on post, and trim hackle tag.
STEP 10 - Finish thread head, trim post equal to hook shank length, and Go Fishing!
Follow The Yooper Fly Life on Instagram and subscribe to his YouTube channel for the latest flies you should be adding to your fly boxes.







