Has anyone noticed the shortage of feathers lately?  The change in clientale?  The appearance of feathers in the social and style magazines? 

The world of fly fishing feathers has changed!  It no longer belongs exclusively to the sport of fly fishing!  I can tell you that in the last six months I have sent as much material to women as I do to men.  When I noticed the change in my customer base, I started asking my female customers where all the "pretty" feathers were going.  They started giving me the names of sites such as Etsy and other craft and handmade sales sites that feature items made with feathers. 

I have been amazed!  The feathers that we find so appealing for fishing flies are now being made into earrings, hair extensions, brooches, hats and wedding bouquets!  Apparently, the "feather phenomenon" started on the fashion pages of magazines and women were paying attention.  My daughters tell me that a girl pop star named Kesha routinely wears feather earrings, along with Gwyneth Paltrow, Jessica Biel and others - and the trend caught on.  I wouldn't know Kesha if she walked in my front door but she sure has broadened my customer base!

So, if your own feather stock is dwindling at home and you don't know why - check with your wife and daughters - they may be wearing them from their ears!

We have been getting really great feedback on the store and blog so I wanted to share, and say "THANK YOU" to everyone who has taken an interest in our project. My dad works very hard to make sure both product and customer service are top-notch.

Some of our favorites:

Fishing Supply Co is a great store. They are very quick at shipping and exactly what I wanted. Shipping price was very reasonable. I will shop here again very soon.They even gave away a free product, which was unexpected but very appreciated. Thank you again.

Thanks for a great product and great service.

Great bunch of feathers for tying wooly buggers.

I placed my first order with your company through ebay and was absolutely thrilled with the quality of the feathers that were sent to me. They were perfect for fly tying and packed well. I am very happy to have found your store and will be shopping frequently with you. Thank you for enclosing information to find your website and blog. It is informative and I look forward to reading it regularly.

Thanks for the large selection of rabbit fur. It will make wonderful Zonker strips. Great colors.

Thanks again!
Shannon

I was looking through the latest issue of American Angler, when I was pleasantly surprised to find a painting by Derek Deyoung. These are amazingly beautiful depictions of fish and lure. Nicely done - a true inspiration for my next art project.

Just a couple top-of-mind bass fishing tips:

• Bass are actually most active during the hot summer months;  their metabolism speeds up as the temperature climbs, so they are more active and must feed regularly.
• After the cast, it's all about the rhythm of jerks and pauses. The colder the water, the longer the pauses; the warmer the water, the shorter the pauses.
• Shiners are most effective when fishing for small and large mouth bass in ponds or lakes (moderately still water).
• Live worms are most effective when fishing for small mouth bass in rivers and streams.
• In clear water, feel free to downsize the lure and line. In muddy water, it's best to go with bright colors and larger baits.
• Lure pattern should match the natural environment. For example, if fishing in a northern lake with perch or bluegills, choose colors similar to greens and oranges.
• Bass are object oriented, so expect a rock, tree stump, drop-off or even tree shadow to hold fish.

We are very excited to announce that we will be adding new product to the store from the following suppliers:

Spirit River has provided quality, innovative fly tying products since 1990. They lead the way in new product ideas, which never disappoint and always result in the most eye-catching, successful flies. One particular product of interest is the Poly Bear Fiber, perfect for big saltwater fish, such as marlin and tuna. This fly tying material is the perfect balance of power - strong enough to withstand the rigor of extreme ocean conditions, but light enough to allow a great cast. The length of hair is perfect for the larger fly patterns.



Millstream has held a strong presence in the fly tying industry for 30 years. And they are proud of their "Made in the USA" heritage. Some particular products of interest are the BestWay Outdoors Neer Hair, which is a synthetic substitute for bucktail much easier to work with than traditional hair. There are 22 great colors available at approximately 20" long.

There is also the BestWay Outdoors Super Hair, a tough, translucent material excellent for saltwater patterns. This can also substitute for bucktail, comes in 27 colors and is approximately 10"long.



HMH offers a full line of top quality tubes and accessories for any tube fly application. Tube fly tying techniques and patterns are only gaining in popularity, as they are great in both fresh and saltwater situations. I really enjoyed reading their Tube Fly Guide .

Time for a little fishing breather, as I have another experience to share - my first trip to the shooting range!

Up until these past few weeks, I think I have been around a gun once. And this included my dad deciding to clean his shotgun (which had never even been used in my lifetime) when my date picked me up for my very first high school dance. So you can imagine the hesitation, excitement, etc, that came with my new job and being thrown into this new world of firearms, ammunition, etc.

But this last Friday, I attended a F.A.S.T. Start class, in which the morning was spent in the classroom learning the basics, and the afternoon was spent at the range for some much-needed, hands-on training. This started with skeet and a couple different Remington and Marlin shotguns. I personally tried a youth (Model 700?), Model 1100 and double-barrel (to me, this was a beast!).

And surprisingly, I was good at it! I hit 7 out of 10 clays and got the first after only my third try!

We then moved on to target practice with .22 rifles, again from Remington and Marlin. I tried two different semi-automatics, as well as a bolt-action. I have to admit I thought this was going to be a cinch, as we got to sit down, use a scope and stabilizer, but I was very, very wrong. My protective glasses got in the way, I couldn't steady the gun, the shells were flying out at me! It was insanely frustrating!

But I kept at it (even after the others quit) and came within millimeters of the bulls-eye TWICE! Not bad.

But my confidence was soon shattered with mission impossible, as we moved back to shotguns and skeet. But this time, the clays were not predictable and went flying in all directions. The instructor told me to keep the gun low, locate the skeet, raise the gun, aim and shoot. Well let me tell you, it still takes me 30+ seconds to get the gun into a correct, comfortable position and the clays had no intention of waiting for me. I think I hit 1 out of 7. I still have some work to do!

But all-in-all, it was a great experience, and I have every intention of going back. If I am going to be surrounded by firearms, etc, on a daily basis, I better do my best to be both knowledgeable and comfortable. But it's bound to get interesting, and so I will be sure to share any and all stories!

Wish me luck!
Shannon

Sometimes the best fishing trips are those in a hidden pond...after bluegill. The kids have a great time, and honestly, what is better than the excitement in their eyes when they reel in fish after fish!

We are back after a temporary distraction due to a new job and big move! Thank goodness my parents are good to me and offered unwavering support, as well as help during the entire process. Therefore, I want to start out my first blog back highlighting an article chosen by my dad - River of Plenty by Eric Sharp.

He writes a beautifully simple description of a day spent on the St. Mary's River in Sault Ste Marie fishing for steelhead. Not only does he mention the area is perfectly deserted during the week, which allows for a peaceful experience and plenty of fish, but he so generously provides other tid-bits of information:

• Many people focus on steelhead and salmon, but don't forget the resident rainbow trout attracted by dry flies.
• Steelhead have excellent vision so avoid getting too close as it only scares them away. You could even stay back from the water or hide among rocks. And leave those bright red hats at home! Chose neutral colors and blend into the natural landscape.
• The fresh Atlantics normally make an appearance in the first or second week of June.
• Consider fly rods when fish reside in the shallows and spinning rods with spoons/spawns when they venture into deeper pools.

I really enjoyed his description of a bottom-bouncing spawn rig "tick-tick-ticking across the bottom as the current sweeps the bait downstream." He then moves on to recommend casting, reeling to eliminate slack and then following the lure with the tip of the rod; you should feel a subtle tug, lift the tip and "you'll feel a handshake" sure to mean success and a great fish!

Thank you Eric for a great read!

Until next time,
Shannon

We honestly believe it is so important to support other outdoor enthusiasts who have taken their passion online to share with others. Therefore, we will continue to update our list of recommended blogs/sites. All are definitely worth a look as each offer amazing things sure to entertain and educate. Please don't hesitate to make suggestions, as we are always looking for something new!

LINKS:
The Outdooress: The perfect combination of fly fishing and writing. A must-read!
The Weekly Fly : Free fly tying videos every week, as well as HD downloads and DVDs.
Tyler Befus : Great fly fishing site for kids!