The Pro’s are coming back, and you are invited… Angling Active Fly Tying Pro Day 2017
Date: Saturday 16th December 2017
Time: 10:30am – 3:30pm
Venue: Angling Active
Entry: Free
Parking: Free (lots of it!)
Raffle: Incredible Prizes
Casting: Tuition and ‘try before you buy’
Fundraising: Strathcarron Hospice
It is with great pleasure that we are repeating this casual and relaxed event this year and we have pro tyers coming back from prestigious brands like Veniard, Partridge of Redditch, Semperfli, Franc N Snaelda, and Deer Creek. Also the unmissable Ali Hutchens will be returning but this time as a pro Partridge of Redditch tier alongside Angling Active and Partridge pro tier Steven Mcvean.
Many disciplines of fly tying will be on show and everyone’s invited to come and meet the tyers and see what they are creating on their vice. Ask them what they are using and how they do it. Like last year, we will be filming many of the flies being tied too, so you can re-visit anything you learned on the day by visiting our Youtube channel.
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All you need to do is escape the Christmas shopping for a few hours and just turn up at Angling Active on the day.
Confirmed Brands and Amazing Tyers:
Sean Stanton
As you may know, Sean is a prolific tier but was finding it harder and harder to access good quality materials. To overcome this issue he decided to design and manufacture his own range of affordable, quality materials. Thus the Sean Stanton Signature Tubes were born , the first in the range of many signature materials to be developed.
John Richardson
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Peter McCallum
Peter has been fly fishing and fly tying in excess of 40 years, mainly trout, but some salmon and saltwater. In particular Peter loves Clyde style flies as well as Loch style Palmers, spiders, streamers. But to be fair, he loves any style of fly!
Sandy Dickson
Sandy has been tying flies longer than he can remember and has been working with Semperfli from its beginning. Famous for his range of buzzers, Sandy is a passionate tyer of a great range of trout flies. Sandy has a fine eye for detail and loves to perfect each and every fly.
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Ali Hutchens
Ali Hutchens is one of three guys from the Scandinavian United Fly tyers team and since tying for us at the 2016 Pro Tying Day, he has also become a Partridge of Redditch pro member.
Ali ties a variety of flies using traditional patterns and gives them a modern twist with modern products. He is best known for his intruder style salmon flies. This year he has also begun writing articles for Total Flyfisher magazine and his recent article centres around fishing for Salmon in the “back end”.
Darryl Mooney
Darryl is the UK and Ireland Sales Director for Partridge of Redditch and has been tying flies for over 40 years. He lives in Northern Ireland where he grew up fishing for wild brownies on his local Rivers Lagan and Bann and this remains his passion to this day. Darryl specializes in all aspects of river nymph fishing and has fished extensively in the USA, New Zealand and Europe.
Allan Liddle
Based in Moray in Scotland’s North East, Allan has specialised on the wild trout from the rivers and burns, lochs and lochans throughout Mainland Scotland and the Isles.
A strong passion for fishing simple dries he feels there’s nothing better than to see the fish take off the top, but isn’t slow to fish a range of different styles when mood or conditions dictate.
Although trout is his first love Allan occasionally chases the Salmon, Grayling stocked fish and even dabbles in salt water when the chance arises. Allan is also a GAIA qualified trout instructor and a has been a regular contributor to Fly Fishing and Fly Tying Magazine for over ten years.
Steven Mcvean
Quickly becoming recognised as a name to watch in the fly fishing world, Trossachs born Steven Mcvean will be tying on the day as a pro team member of Partidge of Redditch and as an Angling Active team member too.
Steven has competed and then tied for years for the Scottish Youth International Fly Fishing Team, and he has also been part of the Scottish team too. Recently, he has shifted his interest to Salmon on the fly in the last two seasons but also being the winner of the very first UK Saltwater Fly Fishing Competition held in Cornwall, he really does fly fish for anything in the UK. Steven also heads up stock management at Angling Active being a name and face of the store. Come and see “Stevie” tie with materials that are particularly interesting in the store at the moment. Ask him how to do particular techniques and use particular materials.
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Euan Miller
Starting at the age of 6 years old I fished with my dad on small local rivers and lochs for wild trout and stocked rainbow trout. Through the years I turned my hand to the small water comp scene where I made the Scotland bank team taking gold in Ireland. I am part of the Greys pro team and over the last four years have never been off rivers hunting specimen trout and grayling. I have a love for big wild trout and grayling. I have been tying flies since the age of 17 after finding my Dads old tying materials and vice and giving it a go. I am an absolute fishing nut and it is in my blood.
Scott Aitken
2017 will be the first year of the Fly Tying Pro Day that Scott Aitken has tied as a representative of Veniard. Born in Falkirk, Scott grew up in a family of keen fishermen from his Grandfather, Father, Uncles and Cousins. He mostly fished the Highland lochs of Scotland and would often spend school holidays on Loch Arkaig fishing for wild Brownies. His first ever fly caught trout was from this very loch on a Black Zulu! These days Scott can generally be found doing the rounds within the Scottish competition circuit. A lot of Scott’s tying reflects upon competition flies, although his true passion is tying wet flies for wild brownies! Scott also enjoys trips further afield such as Orkney, Ireland and the occasional trip down south. That is of course if you can get him off the vice long enough!
Scott Aitkins’ smile says it all
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Scott Kane
A late entry to the event, but just as welcome, Scott Kane will be demonstrating using Deer Creek UV resins on many of the patterns he is tying on the day.
Fishing is my hobby & fly tying is my passion. My grandfather and my Dad were brought up on the Clyde so it’s only natural I was steeped in the beauties of the ‘Clydestyle’. I have been on Flytyers Row at the BFFI for 6 years and a Deer creek pro-rep for the last 4 years promoting the best UV Resin On The Planet.
Stuart Smith
I tie flies for everything and have fished in 13 countries around the world. I tie flies from size 28 micro nymphs for spooky trout and grayling right up to 10/0 for sharks. In the last 6 years I have been targeting large river browns, pike, and pollock on the fly and grayling throughout the winter. I mainly target pike in Highland lochs from a float tube and big river trout with streamers. I have tied at a few game fairs and shows over the years and help out at a fly tying club in the Winter doing demos and teaching. I really enjoy doing this and hope to do more because it is a great opportunity to meet other tiers and learn new styles of tying and hopefully pass on some of my experience to others and gain new ideas. About 18 months ago I was asked to be apart of Deer Creek which has been a fantastic opportunity. I am truly honored to be apart of this great family.
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Tying Day Raffle Prizes – Fundraiser for Strathcarron Hospice.
To show our continued support for Strathcarron Hospice and the incredible work they do, we will be offering raffle tickets to those who attend the day in store. We will have some fabulous prizes to be won (all raffle proceeds will be donated to Stratchcarron Hospice https://www.strathcarronhospice.net). All the winners will be announced on Christmas Eve.
Some examples of flies tied and donated on the 2016 Fly Tying Pro Day
Prize 1
Once again every fly tied on the day will be donated by the tiers and put in a fly box for one lucky winner. The array of flies in the image above from our 2016 event gives you a fantastic insight into what is going to be produced this year. All for the great cause that is Strathcarron Hospice.
Prize 2
Again a repeat of last year and an exciting one at that – The good people of the Stirling Council Fisheries have offered up AN ENTIRE YEAR of salmon and seatrout fishing for one lucky angler FREE! Now if that’s not worth buying a raffle ticket, then what is?
Prize 3
Fancy a day salmon fishing on the mighty River Tay for two anglers in Spring with the prestigious Salmon Fishing Holidays Scotland team? The kind owners Sam and Sandy Datta of the SFHS (https://salmonfishingholidaysscotland.com) would like to host two anglers on Newtyle in the Spring of 2018. Date to be agreed. Buy a few raffle tickets to support the great cause and ‘just maybe’ be treated like royalty by these exclusive salmon holiday providers.
Prize 4
In support of the first Scottish Fly Fair (aka FlyFest), the organisers have offered up some free tickets to the event that lasts the entire weekend of the 10th and 11th of March 2018 right here in Stirling! Dubbed as the next best thing for Scottish fly fishing, this event will be worth the trip wherever you are from with excellent transport links from the entire country. Have a look at the amazing venue and things on offer at the event weekend here: http://www.scottishflyfair.org
Prize 5
Exclusive Salmon & Sea Trout Fishing at Lanrick. One of the most prestigeous beats on the River Teith and in the country. Lanrick Estates have donated a day of Spring fishing for two rods on their exclusive water near Doune. Exceptional Salmon and Sea Trout fishing just minutes from Angling Active. Learn more here.
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Last year your raffle tickets and donations raised a great figure that we aim to better this year.
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Free fly casting lessons and try-before-you-buy with casting instructor Tom Brown
Tom Brown – casting instructor, guide for Ian Gordon’s Spey Online, and good guy!
As if we hadn’t made the day exciting enough, the legendary Tom Brown has kindly donated his services on the day. Tom will be providing fly anglers with free tuition, pointers, and also a non-biased “try before you buy” opportunity for those not sure on which equipment to invest in. Tom will take you down to our section of the River Teith right outside the door of the shop for hands on casting techniques. Bring your wellies and warm clothing! N.B. Obviously this great opportunity will be limited to the river levels. If too high, Tom’s demos could be brought onto the grass in front of the store.
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We look forward to seeing you here at the annual Angling Active Fly Tying Pro Day and you never know, you might spy that Christmas pressie you didn’t know you wanted, you may leave with learning something, and your raffle ticket might win you one of the amazing prizes from those who are sponsoring the day.
No entry fee, no tickets, and plenty of parking. See you there!
