Chuck Furimsky Fly Tyer
The Fly Fishing Shows, held across the nation, are the result of a fly tyer’s love of sharing information about feathers, fur, and steel. Chuck Furimsky started the Shows in 1989. This year, the Shows offered events in Denver CO, Marlboro MA, Somerset NJ, Atlanta GA, Lynwood WA, Pleasanton CA, and Lancaster PA. The Somerset Show is the largest fly fishing show in the world (see Shows). In 1989, Chuck also founded the International Fly Tying Symposium, held annually in Somerset, NJ the weekend before Thanksgiving (see Symposium).
All well and good, but Chuck is always so busy at the Shows and at the Tying Symposium that he never ties. A real pity, because he is an innovative tyer, especially when it comes to using his “Bugskin” material. Specially skived and treated New Zealand lambskin, Bugskin is tough and very soft. It makes great leeches, worms, and other flies that require a highly flexible tail or body. In addition, it makes a great material for the back on nymphs, crustaceans, and the like. (Go here, and then page down to find Bugskin)
This year it’s a different story. Chuck will be tying at the Midwest Fly Fishing Expo in Detroit, and demonstrating his Turbo Tail series. These flies use a twister tail cut from Bugskin, and I can tell you, they have action second to none. His smaller sizes reflect the notion of the Woolly Bugger, and he calls them his Turbo Tail Buggers. His larger sizes haven’t been named yet, but the medium sized ones are excellent for bass, big browns, smaller pike, and the like. The big ones are great for big pike, muskies, and salt water fish like blue fish and stripers. He also dresses some in slider configurations, like the Black Snake shown below. These really create top water commotion.
If you’re anywhere in the Detroit area, get to the Show and watch Chuck whip out some of these really active imitations, March 17 & 18, 2017. Check it out at Expo.
For those you in distant places go to Utube to see Chuck tie the flies.
Turbo tails (top) Large for pike, muskie, blues, stripers, etc., (middle) Medium for bass, big browns, salmon, redfish, etc., (bottom) Turbo Tail Bugger, great for trout, bass, bones, and so on.
The top water blacksnake is a real commotion creator.