Happy New Year!

A few ties for the Happy New Year: Seafoam Softhackle Flatwing and a selection of Mochi Baitfish... Wishing you all the best!

Completed Handles

Fusion

Two types of "Fusion" in the works... Two baitfish imitations brush-sculpted with Liquid Fusion, and two reel seats spray-painted with Krylon Fusion. The seats will get a clear coat next week.

"Make it a Game Fish!"

Striped Bass Gamefish from Taylor Vavra on Vimeo.

Stick Bait Fly

Floating minnow imitation.

Late Season Wanderings

The season is over... It is hard to give up, since it's been less than two months since I moved back here.

With unseasonably warm weather, I've been exploring docks and jetties, sometimes with light rods, searching for the late migrants-usually small fish. There is still plenty of bait around, so small, laterally compressed imitations were a good match for juvenile bunker. Here is a picture of B&B (Bunker and Butterfish) Clouser-a simple fly I've been using with light rods.

Chariot of Fire

Halloween inspired, late autumn, low light fly...

Good Karma

Local Favorites

October Full Moon

Chartreuse Variations

Flatwing variations.

Salty Rods and Reels

Salty rods and reels, from 4wt to 12/13wt. Different looks, different personalities... Some are old and proven in battle, some new, but all of them are ready for action.

Turkish Coffee

Negative Low and the Full Circle

I am back in Boston, after eight years of living in the Midwest. I completed the full circle, since exactly twenty years ago to this month I arrived from Europe to Boston!

This is a week of negative low tides, following the September new moon in Boston Harbor. The x-ray view of each depression and structure provides important clues to a shorebound fisherman. With plenty of baitfish around and relative scarcity of stripers, each outing becomes a new challenge. Tide after tide, you become the one with the austere nature of surf swept shorelines, hoping that the big one will surprise you with a gift.

Goodbye Trout

I already smell the salt in the air!

Last Two Minnesota Builds

I have just completed these two rods-both are built on white Kabuto fiberglass blanks.

The Pink Panther

Drunk Trumpeter Baitfish

The latest reincarnation of my floating baitfish concept, influenced by the shape of ima lures.

Wild Balkans

Watch the full episode. See more Nature.

Watch the full episode...

Goodbye Driftless