Shows - Ahrex Hooks

Flies in the Head

Svend Saabye in the process of signing his iconic book “Lystfiskerliv”. Photo: Søren Glerup.

Svend Saabye

Svend Saabye was an artist and fly fisher from Denmark (1903-2004). He was an important figure in the Danish artist community and motifs from nature is what dominated his artist’s career. Nature was a constant factor in Saabye’s life, because he was also among the first to write in Danish and more extensively on fly fishing. He was quite a prolific writer and his most important work is, “Lystfiskerliv”. For a proper translation this title needs a little explaining. “Lystfisker” is Danish for a sports fisherman, but without the “sport” – it translates more directly in to “a passionate fisherman”. This book was more than anything about his love for nature and fishing. Another important publication is “Fluefiskeri efter ørred og stalling”, “Flyfishing for trout and grayling”.

Svend Saabye was an important figure in the development of fly fishing here in Denmark and apart from his love for the Danish streams and lakes he travelled to Norway for salmon.

Søren Glerup knew Svend Saabye, as well as many of the others nestors of fly fishing in Denmark, and has allowed us access to manuscripts previously published in a Danish hunting and fishing journal “Jæger og fisker”, which we’ll be bringing here over the coming months. Saabye’s artist background of course meant that he painted and drew fish. We hope you’ll enjoy these musings and drawings by Saabye.

Show Season Wind Down

The show season is winding down now. The season for the big shows is over and we’ve had a busy one. It’s been a pleasure to attend all the shows and it’s been a real pleasure to meet so many of you. We want to thank everyone who came by and said hi. We love meeting you – the ones who use our hooks and we love hearing your feedback. Especially the good feedback, of course, but we take it all back with us and work on getting better – and making more hooks.

The Stimulator

The Stimulator is a very well known fly pattern, especially in North America – and certainly in Montana, where I think it’s impossible to find a fly shop that doesn’t have it in the trays. It might even be hard to a fly box without a Stimulator in it. It’s a very versatile fly and of course not only effective in the US, but on trout everywhere.

The monster in the moat

The question is not how to fish, but why you do it. The author and his fishing buddies do it out of necessity. It’s more important than life and death to them to escape the human world, step in to water and wave a stick. Left on the shore is their misery and worries. Standing in the water they find freedom, healing and occasionally a fish.

Battles are lost and won with tongue in cheek and always celebrated with mountains of cake and an endless stream of fresh espresso coffee. To the band of brothers it’s more important who you fish with than how big the fish is; except for the ones lost.

You may not learn a lot about catching more and bigger fish, but reading these stories is like holding a mirror up in front of yourself getting a little wiser. The small why is a big one.

This artickel is written by Danish photojournalist Søren Skarby

JUST ONE MORE SNACK

You may not learn a lot about catching more and bigger fish, but reading these stories is like holding a mirror up in front of yourself getting a little wiser. The small why is a big one.

This artickel is written by Danish photojournalist Søren Skarby

Busy bees

We’re busy bees these days. Well, we’re thankful to say that we are most of the time, but the late fall and following winter, we are a little bit extra busy attending fly shows. Fly shows are important for us. We enjoy meeting all of you, the fly fishers who use our hooks. There’s nothing better than hearing from people who use our hooks. And we appreciate input, even criticism from you – it’s how we get better, how we improve and how we sometimes get ideas for new hooks.

Redfish, an Eastern Perspective

It happens that the staff here at Ahrex HQ goes fishing (regularly, in fact), but sometimes further from home than usual. Last fall Morten accepted and invitation from Gary Dubiel and our US representative, Steve Silverio, to join them both on a trip chasing huge redfish on the Neuse River.

IFTS, IFF and Trey Combs

Steve Silverio and UK flytyer Paul Little discussing hooks and flies at the Irish Fly Fair.

On November 11th and 12th, we attended the International Fly Tying Symposium in the US and last weekend we were at the Irish Fly Fair. Being based in Denmark, fly shows always require some travel, so we’ve been busy. Morten was at the IFTS, Søren and myself at the Irish Fly Fair.

Beast Fleye

Bob Popovics and Steve Silverio at the IFTS 2023.

Last weekend, Morten and Steve Silverio were at the International Fly Tying Symposium in Somerset, NJ. We were in place on Hareline’s stand and we want to say thank you to everyone who came by and said hi.

Pike flies and dubbing brushes

From last years International Flytying Symposium; Brian Shumaker, Steve Silverio and Bob Clouser.

Before we get to that, let me remind you that we are attending the International Fly Tying Symposium in New Jersey tis weekend. We’ll be there so if you’re there, please come by and say hello.