Chef Jeremy Charles ties fishing flies in his backyard shed, where he showed us how to make a common Atlantic salmon lure, the White Wing Blue Charm, in six steps.
5 Things to Know Before Your Newfoundland Fishing Trip
Here’s where to get gear, beer, a license and a guide – plus expert tips on tying flies – for an angling expedition to Newfoundland and Labrador.
First, attach the thread to the hook shank and then wrap up to the bend. Each knot on this fly is tied with a half–hitch.
Attach the silver tinsel tag and place the golden pheasant crest (tail).
Tie on the butt and rib material. Follow with the black–chenille body material and then the silver rib material, wrapping and tying them to the shank.
“Tying a fly is a lot like creating a new dish: You’re using your hands and exploring all these different colours and textures,” Charles says. “There are no limits to what you can create.”
Place the blue hackle – the throat of the fly – on the bend side of the shank and tie that off.
Related: A Perfect Day in Quidi Vidi, Newfoundland and Labrador
For the fly’s wing, place the Krystal Flash followed by the white calf tail on the top of the shank, and knot again.
Finally, tie off the head with several tight loops just below the eye of the hook.
Related: Cast Away in Western Newfoundland
When You Go
Newfoundland’s Humber River
Photo: Tom Cochrane
Do
Tight Loops Tight Lines
Learning to fly–fish or improving on your angling game is easy when you have world–class teachers like Kastine (what better name for a professional fly–fishing guide?) Coleman and Terry Byrne. When they’re not guiding clients on iconic rivers in their western Newfoundland playground, you can catch the duo on their eponymous Sportsman Channel Canada fishing show.
Photo: Atlantic Rivers Outfitters
Shop
Atlantic Rivers Outfitting Company
The one–stop salmon shop in St. John’s not only stocks a wide selection of high–performance gear and apparel designed to help you land the big one, it also hosts fly–tying workshops and introductory fly–fishing courses. Students can get the hang of casting on dry land before crossing the street to throw lines for real fish in the Waterford River.
Photo: David Hiscock
Stay
Humber Lodge Big Falls
Set right nearby the world–renowned Big Falls fishing spot, this wilderness lodge is the perfect retreat for anglers seeking some comfort in the wild. Guests can use the mud room and drying facilities to make sure they leave the wet behind at the end of a day and, from their chairs on the property, still see the salmon jumping. If you need any last–minute gear, an angling license or simply want to expand your collection of fishing flies, the on–site tackle shop has you covered.
Photo: Boomstick Brewing Co.
Drink
Boomstick Brooming Co.
Fish stories sound better when paired with fresh local beer, so tell your après–fish tales over pints of hopped–up Wild Bologna IPA or Nan’s Puddin’ Blueberry Ale, inspired by a classic Newfoundland dessert. Before hitting the river, stock up on cans or growler fills at Boomstick in Corner Brook, a recent addition to the island’s flourishing craft brewery scene.
Related: Bring Newfoundland Home with a Comfort‑Food Classic