Winners - 2025 Pacific Fly Fishers Fly Tying Challenge
The 2025 Pacific Fly Fishers Fly Tying Challenge has concluded, showcasing an impressive array of creativity and skill from numerous talented fly tyers. We received dozens of entries, each demonstrating innovative techniques and artistic flair in the use of the required materials for the contest.
The required materials were:
We extend our sincere gratitude to all participants who contributed their time and effort to this event. The diversity of designs and demonstrated fly tying skill were outstanding, making the judging process both enjoyable and challenging.
Your esteemed judging panel of PFF staff members used the following judging criteria to determine this year's winners:,
- Significance of mandatory materials in the fly design
- Creativity of use of mandatory materials
- Demonstration of general fly tying skills
- Usefulness of the fly in an actual fly fishing situation on the water
Each entry reflected the passion and dedication of the tyers and we enjoyed talking with each of you about your entries for those that dropped them off in person.
Thank you once again to all who participated in the 2025 Pacific Fly Fishers Fly Tying Challenge.
WINNERS
First Place - Cory Dronen
Cory Dronen took first place and the $500 gift certificate with his articulated streamer called, St. Regis. Cory used a very creative technique of using a snowboard waxing iron to flatten the exterior portion of the Pearl Core Braid, creating an unusually cool, somewhat rigid, pearlescent flash down the sides of the fly. His color choices were dead on and very appealing at first glance. They also serve a purpose on the water. Cory wrote about the St. Regis, "The Clark Fork River near St. Regis has a butt-load of crayfish and juvenile trout. This imitates them both".
Corry used the Pheasant Body Feathers as a hackle under the marabou. The Crazy Legs add movement and color along the sides. The Pearl Core Braid, after the core was removed and then flattened with the snowboard waxing iron, was used along the sides for flash and a color highlight like the edges of fins. The body on both the main hook and trailing hook uses Arizona Simi-Seal as the dubbing to form the underbody.
Second Place - Miles Titland
Miles Titland's No Name Steamer #1 measures in at 6.5 inches in length and was tied for big Brown Trout and Smallmouth Bass. It took our Second Place and the $250 prize in our Fly Tying Challenge.
The No Name Streamer #1 is features five different segmentations. One of the cool things about this fly (and unlike many flies with so many segments), you can wad it up in a ball and then throw it on the floor and it still looks perfect. We also really liked the use of hackle tips on the tail which adds to the size and silhouette while still being a very light fly for it's size. Miles states about the No Name Streamer #1, "It's big. Throw it on a sink-tip and rip it back". Sounds like a good plan to us!
Miles used Golden Pheasant Body Feathers down the back of the fly on each segment. The Crazy Legs are featured at the head of the fly like pulsing pectoral fins. The Pearl Core Braid was wrapped on each segment shank to form the rear portion of the body for that segment. The Pearl Core Braid is then veiled with Arizona Simi-Seal Dubbing for the forward portion of each segment.
Runner Up - Maveryke Hines
Maveryke Hines submitted this awesome version of a General Practitioner he called the Creepy G.P. The Creepy G.P. took second runner up and is right at home around our parts for targeting Steelhead.
Maveryke used the GP Body Feathers for the wing/shellback segments. The Pearl Core Braid was used for the back 1/3 of the body. Arizona Simi-Seal Dubbing was used for the forward 1/3 of the body. A couple of Crazy Legs out the back are perfect and add a nice tough of color as two shrimpy feelers.
Runner Up - Victor Rossiter
Victor Rossiter submitted this beautiful winter Steelhead fly, the SVJ Prawn. Victor took third runner up says the SVJ stands for "Skagit Vic's Juicy". He also states about the fly, "Made for the coastal and PNW rivers, but mostly the Skagit since I fish that river the most and consider it my home river".
Victor used the Pearl Core Braid for the body material. He used the Arizona Simi-Seal in addition to what appears to be Arctic Fox to form the rear shoulder/prop on his shank. Crazy Legs were added at a couple different locations to add color and movement. The wing/shellback was created with the GP Body Feathers. We also really appreciated the addition of Jungle Cock feathers, with most of the stem stripped, to add to the shrimpy appeal of the fly.