2025 Classes

Please see details for each class below the table. Reserve seats by calling the shop at (207) 363-9269. Thank you!

Note that some instructors are willing to provide a second class if the first fills, so please call to get on a waiting list if you see a class you are interested in is full.

BEGINNERS FLY TYING CLASS

Fly tying is a rewarding aspect of fly fishing; catching fish on a fly one has tied themselves adds greatly to the satisfaction of fly fishing. This class is designed to take a student with limited or no tying experience and teach them how to tie effective patterns on their own. The student will learn about the tools required to tie flies and the selection and preparation of materials. You will be taught all of the proper techniques to take a bare hook to the finished fly. From there the class will go on to tie a few proven patterns for fishing in freshwater. The basic techniques learned in this class will be applicable to all types of fly patterns. The instructor for this class is Registered Maine Guide Aaron Broaddus. Aaron's profession as a middle school teacher allows him summers off to pursue his passion of fly fishing, fly tying and guiding people into the great outdoors in search of fish.
2 Day Class: Both Sundays ~ February 2nd & 9th, 2025
Time: 9 am - 1 pm
Instructor: Aaron Broaddus
Cost: $40 per student (covers both days)

FULL DAY TYING CLASSES

Please note the following information concerning our Full Day Tying Classes:

• Students must have at least an intermediate of fly tying to participate
• The classes run from 9 am - 4 pm
• Payment in full is required to hold a space
• Full day classes are $75
• Students must provide their own lunch
• Classes are limited to 13 students
• All tying materials (except thread) will be supplied
• Students need only bring their vises, tools & thread (demo vises will be available for students who wish to try out a different vise -- just please let us know in advance)

Leslie Hilyard ~ CARRIE STEVENS FLIES
Leslie is the author of "Carrie Stevens" and owner of The Rangeley Favorite Trout and Salmon Flies which was founded by Mrs. Stevens in 1923. Leslie will lead a discussion on all things Mrs Stevens touching on pattern origination, the development of her famous Stevens Method, and the impact it has had on streamer design right through the present day. The class shall be instructed to tie four patterns, the "Green Beauty", "Kelley's Killer", "Hammerhead" and of course the "Gray Ghost" All using her famous method. Also on display will be over 65 of her original flies from his personal collection.
Dates: This is not a 2-day class, these are two separate classes: Saturday, January 18th, 2025 -- and -- Sunday, January 19th, 2025
Time: 9 am - 4 pm
Cost: $75 per student

James Browne ~ STRIPER FLIES
Capt. James Browne (aka @mainestriperguide) is a local from Cape Neddick, Maine and has been coming into our shop since he was a little kid. He grew up spending a lot of time on the water and took that knowledge and passion for the ocean to work, becoming a full time fishing guide. He got really into fly tying while living in Salt Lake City, Utah and enjoys tying flies for many different fresh and saltwater fish. Stripers make up the bulk of his fishing and guiding, but he’s got a real passion for false albacore, bluefin tuna and sharks and loves sharing those experiences with his friends and customers. He strongly believes that great preparation leads to great fishing, and bringing the right flies is a crucial part of that. He will be teaching some tried and true patterns in his classes. This class will cover the meat and potatoes of strip[er flies for a full season in New England. We will highlight a variety of common baits, cover the water column from top to bottom, and discuss the thoughts and ideas behind their construction and good places/ways to use them. These flies will catch everything from 10” schoolies to 50” cows.
Date: Saturday, January 25th, 2025
Time: 9 am - 4 pm
Cost: $75 per student

Ben Whalley ~ STRIPER FLIES
Ben is a lifelong learner with a science and engineering background, that has a serious addiction to fly tying. It was really no surprise when he left his corporate career to guide full time and tie flies. It's clear his time on the water and at the vise is paying off with Ben continuing to raise the bar with bucktail flies that imitate baitfish found in Maine waters. The goal of this class is to provide tyers tips and techniques for tying flies with bucktail, understanding effective fly design, and putting those elements to work by tying up some of Ben's favorite flies.
Date: Saturday, February 15th, 2025
Time: 9 am - 4 pm
Cost: $75 per student

Tom Gagnon ~ TROUT FLIES
Tom Gagnon -- or "Young Tom" as many of you know him from his years at the shop -- grew up in southern Maine fishing and tying flies for the variety of fish species and waters New England has to offer. As an employee of the shop, Tom tied thousands of patterns for our displays, from classic Atlantic salmon patterns to our exclusive locally-developed striper flies and everything in between. Now a full time fly fishing and waterfowl hunting guide based in Montana, Tom takes a creative and unorthodox approach to his tying, which is based more on his experiences on the water than the “bin appeal” of standard patterns. As a student in his class, you can expect to tie a variety of dry and subsurface patterns aimed at solving specific angling conditions and variables. You’ll be using a wide assortment of both artificial and natural materials, some of which are custom-dyed by him. While these are flies Tom is using in Montana, you can expect both the patterns and tying techniques used to be effective on your home waters.
Date: This is not a 2-day class, these are two separate classes: Saturday, February 22nd, 2025 -- and -- Sunday, February 23rd, 2025
Time: 9 am - 4 pm
Cost: $75 per student

Scott Biron ~ TRADITIONAL STREAMERS
Attendees will learn how to tie single hook streamers for both trolling and casting. All the material (except thread) will be provided. You will need your own tools, vice and bobbin, as well as black, white and red fly-tying thread (Danville or UNI 6/0 or 8/0 will work). The instructor will have a limited amount of HMH vises and tools if someone needs one (please let the shop know if you need a vise when you are enrolling in the class). The class will focus on several streamer patterns, (the instructor strives to teach 4-5 ). All patterns will have a slight nuance that will add to your tying techniques. The patterns will be tied on Partridge streamer hooks, which will be provided. The streamers we are tying include the following:
1) Deadly in Maine
2) Sebago Sunset
3) Barnes Special
4) Colonel Bates
Date: Saturday, March 1st, 2025
Time: 9 am - 4 pm
Cost: $75 per student

James Browne ~ ALBIE FLIES
This class will cover albie flies - funny flies for funny fish. Albies arrive inshore in New England sometime in August and run strong until the cold really sets in in October/November. These little speed-demons can be very trying for fly anglers and often times the right fly can make a world of difference. Subtle variations, colors, or size/profile changes can be so crucial to a successful Albie trip. We will cover a bunch of patterns and variations that have been very productive for me and my customers. (Please note that this is not a beginner’s class, all materials are provided except UV resin. Please bring your own UV resin and light.)
Date: Saturday, March 8th, 2025
Time: 9 am - 4 pm
Cost: $75 per student

Graham Haley ~ TROUT FLIES: EARLY SEASON TROUT PATTERNS & TECHNIQUES
Graham Haley is a registered Maine fishing guide, running float trips on the Kennebec and Penobscot rivers. He always has two nets on the boat, one for the fish and one for catching bugs. Whether it’s guiding or fly tying instruction, the emphasis is always on education - building a better understanding of the ecosystem and an appreciation of its complexities. His philosophy - “it’s only nerdy if you’re not catching fish.”  As winter turns to spring and trout become more active, the first major hatches of the year begin. It’s a great time to be on the water, but it can also be challenging. In this class, we’ll be taking an in-depth look at this early season activity, from the emergence of Hendricksons and Grannoms, to the increasing availability of the nymph and larval stages of hatches to come. Patterns will reflect key characteristics of these insect life cycles with accompanied discussions on timing and presentation. We’ll also look at the overall changes in the river ecosystem throughout the spring and how those relate to changes in trout behavior. Although we’ll be going into some detail, there's no prerequisite amount of knowledge needed to join the class - both newcomers and seasoned angler/entomologists will find something of value. Intermediate tying ability is recommended. 
Date: Saturday, March 15th, 2025
Time: 9 am - 4 pm
Cost: $75 per student

2-3 HOUR FLY TYING CLASSES

Fly Tying Jamborees are 2-3 hour classes that are taught by local guides, fly shop employees, production fly tyers and local tiers who excel at the art of fly tying. They will teach students to tie fly patterns that they have confidence fishing. I'm excited about the lineup of tying classes we are offering this year. We have many returning instructors that have new flies to teach. These guys & gals have so many killer patterns up their sleeves that their classes never become stale. Each one of them spends almost as much time at the vise as they do on the water. They are constantly creating new patterns or tweaking old ones to fool more fish. Their knowledge of tying materials and flies is surpassed only by their ability to bend those materials to their will and fish those flies effectively in their respective waters. No matter where you fish -- around the corner or around the world -- our instructors will have something new and informative to contribute to your tying and fishing knowledge.

Please note the following information concerning our Jamboree Classes:

• Students must have at least a basic knowledge of fly tying to participate
• The classes run from 1:00 pm till 3:00 pm
• Payment in full is required to hold a space
• Jamboree classes are $30
• Classes are limited to 13 students
• All tying materials (except thread) will be supplied
• Students need only bring their vises, tools & thread (demo vises will be available for students who wish to test drive a different vise -- just please let us know in advance)

Travis Johnson ~ TROUT FLIES
Date: Saturday, January 4th, 2025
Time: 1 pm - 3 pm
Cost: $30 per student

Joel Watson ~ STRIPER FLIES & TOPWATER GAME CHANGER
Date: Saturday, January 11th, 2025
Time: 1 pm - 3 pm
Cost: $30 per student

Evelyn King ~ TROUT FLIES: A BEVY OF PHEASANT TAILS
Date: Saturday, February 1st, 2025
Time: 1 pm - 3 pm
Cost: $30 per student

Victor Trodella ~ BONEFISH FLIES
Date: Saturday, February 8th, 2025
Time: 1 pm - 4 pm
Cost: $30 per student

Travis Shipman ~ STRIPER FLIES
Date: Saturday, March 22nd, 2025
Time: 1 pm - 3 pm
Cost: $30 per student

ELDREDGE BROS. FLY SHOP 19th ANNUAL FLY FISHING EXPO
We cordially invite you all to our 19th Annual Fly Fishing Expo on Saturday, March 29th, 2025, 9:00 am till 4:00 pm here at Eldredge Bros. Fly Shop. All of us here look forward to seeing you at this festive event, rain or shine. Please keep an eye on the "Expo" page on our website for developing details.