The Optic Flies – a book tracing part of the Scandinavian fly fishing heritage

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At Ahrex Hooks we feel rooted in the Scandinavian fly fishing tradition – but we never try to fool ourselves into thinking that Scandinavia played a major role in the early years of fly fishing. Our first claim to fame on that account probably was, that Victorian era English gentlemen visited Danish, Swedish and Norwegian streams to swing flies for our – back then – very healthy population of salmon and brown trout (sea run as well as stationary).

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Low life in high… and cold… water

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Think weedless flies, and I guess you see images of surface popper fishing in lily pads on a warm summer day passing through your mind. If you live on the southern hemisphere that even might be an option right now. If you life in the north… well summer surface action seems light years away right now, as we are getting close to winter Solstice. But using weedless flies or weedless fishing techniques still make a lot of sense.

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Tying and swinging soft hackle flies

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There’s just something pure, clean and honest about simple soft hackles wet flies and spiders. Take a look at the classic British North Country Spiders, the loch style wet flies – or the flymphs from Liesenring or Hidy.

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Håkan Karsnäser – fast draw fly tier

 

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Today we put the spotlight on one of Sweden’s most talented and productive fly tiers. Håkan Karsnäser has been tying flies for more than 30 years, so he is by no means a new kid on the block. He fishes in the ballpark of 100 days a year, and spends even more time on fly tying. He is a versatile and well-travelled fly fisherman but loves fishing for rainbow trout in his home waters of Hökensås in southern Sweden.

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