Fly dressing at the National Countrysports Fair at Moira Demesne

Fly Dressing

Fly dressing or fly tying as it is also known is steeped in tradition and more than a little myth. For the uninitiated it's the process of creating a fishing fly from pieces of silk thread, tinsel, feather and fur and then using it to catch trout or salmon. It's perhaps a little more technical than that but not that much really!

Tying fishing flies is many centuries old with the South of England and its chalk streams brimming with fish one of the cradles of the art - because it is something of an art form to create artificial lures that represent natural insects from fur and feather.

APGAI Ireland has a number of qualified fly dressers in Ireland who specialise in tying trout and salmon flies. They will be on the APGAI Ireland stand during the two day National Countrysports Fair to not only demonstrate this art form but also to teach members of the public how to do it absolutely FREE of charge! You do not need to be an angler to appreciate the beauty of a dressed fishing fly but anglers out there do value tying a fly and catching a fish on their own creations.

The "Have-a-Go" initiative at the fair will encourage visitors who have little or no skills in fly dressing to sit with the professional at a fly tying vice and create a fly that would be capable of catching fish. We also have fly dressing competitions for you to enter on both days of the fair with the opportunity of winning some fishing tackle.

APGAI Ireland's overhead projection system will ensure that everyone on the stand can see on-screen the process of tying a trout and salmon fishing fly. This really is a demonstration that should been seen.