Review by Steve Raymond
Produced by Reel Resources
Arlington, VA
800-661-5918
60-minute video; $29.95
He’s b-a-a-a-c-k. Baseball cap and all, Bob Popovics has returned to the flickering tube with a whole fresh bag full of fly-tying tips and tricks.
You may remember his earlier “Pop Fleyes” video, in which Popovics revealed the secrets of epoxy and silicone fly patterns; maybe your fingers are still sticky from that one. Well, clean them off and pop this new tape in the VCR; you won’t be disappointed.
This time Popovics offers refinements to some of those earlier techniques, demonstrating construction of four popular patterns – the Ultra Shrimp, Spread Fly, Deep Candy and Rubber Candy. He also shows a neat technique for tying extended fly bodies.
After describing the materials needed for each fly pattern, Popovics explains each step of the tying process while the camera lingers closely on his nimble fingers. Different viewing angles help show each step clearly while Popovics describes what he’s doing in friendly, straightforward fashion. Along the way he offers helpful tips on tying techniques and new materials.
Next he uses a pair of vises with a strand of 25- to 30-pound-test monofilament rigged between them to show how the monofilament can be used as “an extension of your hook shank.” Using the Shady Lady Squid as a demonstration pattern, he explains how to tie a whole series of squid bodies on the same strand of mono, ending up with something that looks like a bunch of diapers hanging from a clothesline. When you’re finished tying, you simply cut the monofilament into sections, tie each extended body to a regular-size hook, finish off the fly, and you’re in business.
The patterns look deadly and Popovics makes their construction look easy. Watch him at work in this video and you’ll find it is easy.
