Gareth Lewis Fly Fishing

Tying the X Caddis

Gareth Lewis — Tue, 24 Feb 2026 18:00:00 +0000

In this video, I focus not just on an amazing caddis pattern, but on a pattern that I believe imitates a range of emerging invertebrates trapped in the surface film. Essentially, perfect prey items that trout are happy to lazily mop up.

Originally devised in the 1980s by Jackie Mathews, wife of renowned US angler and author Craig Mathews, the X Caddis was designed to imitate a struggling, emerging caddisfly with its shuck still trailing behind. This fly has secured a permanent spot in my fly box due to its outstanding versatility.

Although it visually suggests a caddis imitation with its deer hair wing, its natural floatability (again, thanks to the deer hair wing) makes it particularly effective for fishing faster runs and riffles, which I often prefer. What makes the X Caddis stand out is its ability to perform exceptionally well not only during caddis hatches but also when upwings are emerging.

I generally prefer to present patterns that represent ‘food’ rather than strict imitations, targeting rising fish with a fly that complements the water and conditions rather than matching a specific insect. As long as trout are feeding at or near the surface, I often choose the X Caddis for its proven effectiveness.

Gareth’s Fulling Mill Signature Tyer range of fly patterns is available via https://www.fullingmill.co.uk/Products-UK/Gareth-Lewis-Flies.

MATERIALS – X Caddis

Hook: Fulling Mill Ultimate Dry (FM50 50), Size 16
Thread: Fulling Mill Pro Thread Twisted 70D, Light Brown or Grey
Shuck: Fulling Mill Ultra Dry Yarn, Light Dun
Body: Fulling Mill Eco Warrior Dub, Pepperbox
Wing: Deer Hair, Fine, Natural

Trout & Salmon Spring Gathering 27-29th March 2026

Gareth Lewis — Sat, 14 Feb 2026 17:10:07 +0000

With the start of the 2026 trout fishing season fast approaching, join us for a full weekend of talks, screenings, demonstrations, good food and great company! What better way to celebrate the start of the new season!

I’ll be joining a host of fantastic speakers at the Fox and Hounds Country Hotel in Devon from Friday 27th to Sunday 29th March, where I’ll be tying, talking and demonstrating all things dry flies, trout and wild rivers. I’m excited to hear about your own fishing and hope to see lots of excited faces and have many great conversations!

To book tickets or check accommodation availability, simply call the Fox and Hounds Country Hotel on 01769 580345.

For information on the event, take a look at the links below:

See you in Devon on the 27th-29th March!

British Fly Fair International (BFFI) 2026

Gareth Lewis — Mon, 02 Feb 2026 18:38:03 +0000

The fly fishing and fly tying event of the year is almost here! BFFI is just five days away, and I’m looking forward to chatting about all things trout, dry flies and rivers, and I’ll be tying in Hall 3 all weekend. If you’re planning to attend, I’ll have a range of Fulling Mill’s awesome new materials to geek-out over, and I’d love to have a chat with you about your own fishing.

If you haven’t attended the show before, BFFI will be held on 7th-8th February 2026, at Staffordshire County Showground, Weston Road, Stafford, ST18 0BD. Doors open at 09:30 each day, and the venue closes at 16:30 on Saturday and 16:00 on Sunday. As always, there will be a wide range of fly tying shops and retailers, fly fishing and tying demonstrations, casting demonstrations, and the famous International Fly Tyers Row, featuring over 50 renowned fly dressers from all over the world.

For more information, simply visit www.bffi.co.uk. Hope to see you there!

Fulling Mill’s 2026 Signature Fly Patterns by Gareth Lewis

Gareth Lewis — Mon, 05 Jan 2026 17:51:39 +0000

I am overjoyed to announce that, as of January 2026, I have been added to Fulling Mill’s Signature Fly Dressers, with a range of my fly patterns included in the 2026 Fulling Mill catalogue. Over the years, many have asked where they can buy my flies; well, now you can!

Fulling Mill is known for its quality flies, but I was still surprised when I was sent the initial samples for review. It was an easy decision to approve!

The patterns below are those I use regularly and cover a range of UK invertebrates. I’m a huge advocate of simplicity, and the patterns below can represent a huge variety of species. Just because a couple say ‘March Brown’ or ‘Mayfly’, don’t think they should only be fished in those hatches.

March Brown Emerger, size 14
Mayfly Emerger, size 12
CdC Midge Emerger, sizes 20 and 24
Cripple Midge, sizes 20 and 24
Paradun Emerger, sizes 20 and 24
RS2, size 20

To view the full range, simply visit my Fulling Mill Signature Fly Tyer page, or if you have any queries, as always, please don’t hesitate to drop me a message.

What’s On My Fly Tying Desk? My Essential Fly Tying Tools!

Gareth Lewis — Wed, 26 Feb 2025 19:00:00 +0000

At the recent British Fly Fair International (BFFI) event, which took place on Saturday, February 8, and Sunday, February 9, at the Staffordshire County Showground in Stafford, UK, I was asked many great questions. These questions focused not only on trout, dry flies and where we fish them but also on my preferences for tying tools and how my home tying environment is set up.

In this quick video, we won’t focus on flies. Instead, we’ll look at some of the tools I use, some of which I’ve chosen after decades of tying. From fly tying scissors, whip-finish tools, bobbin holders, and vices to desks and material storage for your precious rooster capes and saddles, we’ll cover everything I like to use.

I’d also love to hear what you use. If you think there’s a better alternative that could help both me and the rest of our fly tying community, please share your thoughts in the comments section below.

Further Information

British Fly Fair International (BFFI) 2025 Recap

Gareth Lewis — Mon, 10 Feb 2025 19:00:00 +0000

Each February, the UK’s premier fly fishing show, British Fly Fair International (BFFI), takes place at the Staffordshire County Showground, Stafford, UK. I absolutely love this show! After a couple of hours of driving, helping with setup, the fly tying family was back together again, sharing beers and stories since we last caught up.

This was THE busiest BFFI I can remember in 13 years of demonstrating at the show, but the discussions with visitors were, as always, fantastic, tons of awesome information shared, and everyone had a smile on their face! I’m now feeling like a zombie, but I’d have it no other way.

A huge and heartfelt thanks to the visitors who popped by for a chat, and to all who supported the show. To the organisers, you are amazing, and you should be incredibly proud of this awesome event.

I’ve said it before, but what a community we have. You fly dressers, you are just wonderful people.

See you next year, Staffordshire!

For information, visit https://bffi.co.uk.

Tying Ephemera Danica Mayflies – CdC Mayfly Emerger and the Active Mayfly

Gareth Lewis — Thu, 23 Jan 2025 10:43:48 +0000

In this video, I focus on the two patterns which cover two lifecycle stages of the UK’s Ephemera Danica or Mayfly. The patterns in this video can easily cover any upwing by sizing them appropriately to match the naturals of your home waters.

If you’re interested in reading more about the Active Mayfly Dun, have a look at Philip White’s brilliant book, Observation: A Fly Fisher’s Guide to Reading the Water.

Materials – CdC Mayfly Emerger

Hook: Fulling Mill Tactical Big Bug, Size 12
Thread: Nano Silk 18/0, White
Shuck: Fulling Mill Ultra Dry Yarn, Pale Yellow and Krystal Flash, Pearl
Body: Fulling Mill Tactical Dry Fly Dub, Light Cahill
Rib: 12,0 Thread, Brown (4 Strands)
Thorax: Fulling Mill Eco Warrior Dub, Pepperbox
Wing: CdC, Natural, 4 Feathers

Materials – Philp White’s Active Mayfly Dun

Hook: Fulling Mill Tatcical Big Bug, Size 12
Thread: Nano Silk 18/0, White
Tails and Lower Body: Pheasant Tail, Natural, 4 Fibres
Rib and Upper Body: Fulling Mill Tactical Dry Fly Dub, Light Cahill
Hackle: Whiting Farms Genetic Dry Fly Rooster, Cree
Wing: Deer Hair, Olive

Irish Fly Fair Recap – November 2024

Gareth Lewis — Fri, 29 Nov 2024 19:00:00 +0000

Each November, the Irish Fly Fair takes place, and this year (2024), at the Killyhevlin Hotel, Enniskillen, County Fermanagh, Northern Ireland, and what a fantastic show. After almost nine hours of driving from South Wales, we arrived to the usual smiles, handshakes, and hugs from our fly fishing family before a weekend of tying dry flies and talking about rivers and trout. Needless to say, the post-show exhaustion was brutal! Then, the journey home began all over again—eighteen hours of travelling to tie flies for strangers. But I’d have it no other way.

A huge and heartfelt thanks to all who visited the show and popped by for a chat. To the organisers, you are amazing, and you should be incredibly proud of the beautiful event.

What a community we have, and for you fly dressers, you are just wonderful.

See you next year, Ireland!

For information, visit https://irishflyfair.com.

Tying Small Dry Flies – Part 1

Gareth Lewis — Tue, 19 Nov 2024 22:00:00 +0000

Fishing and tying small flies has been a huge passion of mine for a long time. These small bugs are in our rivers, streams and lakes all year round and are a major food source for trout. Tying small flies will also help you become a more proficient fly dresser, as learning to utilise fewer materials and fewer thread wraps will allow you to become more efficient when tying more ‘standard’ size patterns.

In this video, I tie a few simple, generic patterns from size 20 down to size 24.

Give small flies a try, and let me know how you get on in the comments below.

Long live small flies!

Materials – RS2

Hook: Fulling Mill Ultimate Dry, size 20
Thread: Nano Silk 24/0, White
Tails: Micro Fibbets, Clear
Body: Fulling Mill Tactical Dry Fly Dub, Grey Olive
Wing Buds: Fulling Mill Parapost Yarn, White
Thorax: Fulling Mill Eco Warrior Dub, Pepperbox

Materials – Crippled Emerger

Hook: Fulling Mill Tactical Midge, size 24
Thread: Nano Silk 24/0, White
Tails: Coq de Leon Body: Fulling Mill Tactical Dry Fly Dub, Grey Olive
Wing: Fulling Mill Parapost Yarn, White
Hackle: Whiting Farms Genetic Dry Fly Hackle, Midge, Speckled Badger

Materials – Parachute Emerger

Hook: Fulling Mill Tactical Midge, size 24
Thread: Nano Silk 24/0, White
Shuck: Krystal Flash (Micro), Pearl
Body: Fulling Mill Tactical Dry Fly Dub, Grey Olive
Wing Post: Fulling Mill Parapost Yarn, Fluorescent Orange
Hackle: Whiting Farms Genetic Dry Fly Hackle (Midge-Grade), Speckled Badger
Thorax: Fulling Mill Tactical Dry Fly Dub, Grey Olive

Books & Websites

Tying Small Flies, Ed Engle
Fishing Small Flies, Ed Engle
Trout Lessons, Ed Engle
Fishing and Tying Small Flies, Ed Engle
Micropatterns – Tying & Fishing the Small Fly, Darrel Martin
Modern Midges – Tying & Fishing the World’s Most Effective Patterns, Rick Takahashi & Jerry Hubka
Andy Baird’s Small Fly Funk – http://smallflyfunk.blogspot.com

Tying the CdC March Brown Emerger

Gareth Lewis — Fri, 01 Nov 2024 21:00:00 +0000

In this video, I tie a fantastic generic emerger pattern for trout. While I actually tie a March Brown Emerger imitation in this video, the pattern can be easily tweaked and adapted to cover any emerging upwing by simply changing its size.

This generic, template-style dry fly pattern gives a fantastic, noisy silhouette. I’ll happily fish it on any river boasting hatches of March Browns or other big and buggy invertebrates, including our Danica mayfly.

Thanks to its inclusion of a shuck, a CdC-incorporated thorax and a CdC wing, this pattern is highly buoyant and visible to the angler from a distance. Most importantly, its makeup holds all of those messy, buggy bits we see trying to break free from a nymphal shuck as upwings emerge within or just under the water’s surface. This is the stage when emerging invertebrates are at their most vulnerable and are generally mopped up by eagerly awaiting trout.

This is a great addition to any fly box, and it’s also a fun pattern to tie. Stay buggy, folks!

Materials

Hook: Fulling Mill Living Larva, Size 12
Thread: Semperfli Nano Silk, 18/0, white
Shuck: Fulling Mill Ultra Dry Yarn, Tan and Krystal Flash, Pearl
Body: Fulling Mill Eco Warrior Dubbing, Pepperbox
Rib: 12/0 Thread, yellow (folded over twice)
Wing and Thorax Cover: 3x CdC feathers, Natural
Thorax: Fulling Mill Eco Warrior Dubbing, Pepperbox
Legs: CdC Fibres