Fly Fishing Shows & Classes

2023: I am planning to again teach at  Marc Adams School of Woodworking in June 2023.  This year I am offering a 5 day class. It will start with a quick over view of the various methods for constructing landing nets as well as design considerations. The first day, students will be shown quick and easy methods for developing a custom design. Participants will make a gluing form and handle inset. There will be a demonstration  on preparing the wood strips and warm water bending. Each student will have a chance to bend sample lamination strips. After a discussion of clamping systems there will be a demonstration of my clamping and gluing method. Day 2 starts with a demonstration of an alternate gluing method.  All students will glue their own net frame. The students will be building their own finishing fixture.  Day 3 starts with the students will removing the net frame from the form. They now start the sanding and machining process to produce the base frame. Each student will shape their handle to a personally pleasing contour before starting the final sanding and detailing. Day 4 starts with a discussion of epoxy its chemistry, its pitfalls and methods of work. The students will apply the finish to their nets.  They have the option of exploring decorative details or building additional shop jigs and fixtures. Day 5 After a night in the hot box the nets are ready to be drill and the net bag attached.  After a discussion of net bag attachment techniques, the students will be guided in the steps to complete their net. Along the way there should be time to discuss fishing, flies and life.

key points:

Overview of landing net construction

Easy methods of design

Quick and easy wood bending

Preserving symmetry with center lines and registration marks

Successful clamping and gluing of complex parts

Don’t worry about mistakes, your instructor has already made them all.

Home workshop Classes, Grand Rapids, Michigan

I will be conducting a class at my home shop in net building later in October 2023.  This has a limited class size (4 students) designed  to not only to teach landing net construction but teach you the details about workshop set up and correcting mistakes. The class starts Saturday morning, over the weekend the students will construct a basic net frame. Monday morning we will apply the finish and while the finish is setting the student will construct their own finishing fixture. Tuesday will include attaching the net bag and exploring decorative techniques.

Day one: Meet and greet, Review shop safety, select and bend wood strips for use the following day. Making fixtures and hardware.  Discuss net design. How to develop patterns and molds.  Prep and glue up. 

Day Two: Full day: Unclamp, sand, machine, and hand shape net frame. Prep for finishing, adding custom features. 

Day Three: (Add on)  Applying finish, making finishing fixture. The students will explore areas of interest including the following options as time permit : Working with a metal lathe, fixing finish flaws, scrimshaw art, brass inlay work, multi-piece handles, jigs and fixtures, design and construct a custom net form, building of gluing vise, working with antler, setting up a band saw. 

Day Four: Attaching the net bag and making hardware. Exploring techniques.

Please contact me directly to reserve your spot in the class.

I also conduct custom classes $600/day (2 students). Minimum of 2 days.    Contact me directly to arrange a date. 

 Recent student work from a home shop class. (November 2019)