Jude Duran


Casting a rod into the crystal clear waters of my home rivers has been a part of my existence since I can remember. I have always loved the gurgling sound of the water, the savage take of a stream raised brown trout smashing a hopper, the unpredictability and challenge of fly-fishing, and the fulfilling experience of catching a fish on a fly I've tied the night before.

This sport is truly wonderful. I was born and raised in New Mexico and grew up fishing the Jemez and Pecos watersheds for browns, cutthroats, and rainbows. I started tying my own flies when I began guiding in Northern New Mexico about 4 years ago. Since then, I've benefited tremendously from the knowledge of the many experts in the fly tying community. Like many of my peers, I taught myself to tie and used my knowledge of the entomology of New Mexico's watersheds to create new and innovative patterns. After all, pushing the envelope of the fly tying body of knowledge is what fly tying is all about.

I specialize in midge patterns for the tail water of the San Juan River in Northwestern New Mexico. The challenge of tying dry flies on size 30 scud hooks has captured my attention and I spend most of my time trying to discover new midge patterns for use on tail waters or spring creeks where the water temperature remains constant. Many of the patterns I've tied are not uniquely mine, but rather derive from a combination of the many set patterns in fly tying. Tying with epoxy on small, size 24 hooks is an avenue I am exploring more in freshwater fly tying. The epoxy patterns I've developed are unique and (so far) successful.

You can see more of my flies on my web page http://www.customflys.com.

I am grateful to Hans for constructing a site where innovative fly tiers can share their ideas with the world.

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