WFS 350 – Semperfli Synthetic Fly Tying Materials with Ann and Andy Kitchener

Show Notes: wetflyswing.com/350

Presented By: Jackson Hole Fly Company, Stonefly Nets, LakeLady Custom Rods, Bearvault

Sponsors: wetflyswing.com/sponsors

We go behind the scenes with Ann and Andy Kitchener, owners and founders of Semperfli, to learn how they created some of the best fly tying materials on the market today.

We hear what it’s like to win the Queen’s Award for Enterprise for International Trade 2022 – the ultimate and most prestigious award given nationally to a business, and meet Prince Charles.

We break down some of their most in-demand products around the world and find out how fly tyers make it to the Semperfli Pro Team.

Semperfli Show Notes with Ann & Andy

03:30 – Ann and Andy semi-retired 14 years ago. As they were getting into fly fishing and fly tying, they realized that most threads on the market at the time were easy to split so they decided to make better threads

05:30 – They grew 44% a year since they started and then 3 years ago, they launched their Classic Waxed Thread

06:40 – Now they supply threads to 56 different countries around the world

07:15 – The Nano Silk GSP is their most in-demand product

09:00 – Andy tells us how they created one of the strongest threads on the market

09:55 – GlobalFlyFisher.com is a great resource for fly fishing and fly tying blogs – Martin Joergensen was on the podcast at WFS 099

12:50 – They have some artificial jungle cock

13:05 – One of their oldest products, Straggle String, is a great alternative for Peacock Herl

14:40 – They also got Synthetic Rabbit Zonkers “Wabbit” – There’s a video of Roy Ole Læhren Jakobsen testing the Semperfli Synthetic Zonkers. Scroll down to see that vid!

20:00 – Splitting a thread is useful for dubbing loops. Their waxed thread is designed for splitting.

21:00 – Their Kapok Dubbing supports 30x its own weight in the water – it’s one of their top-selling materials today

23:00 – Their Dirty Bug Yarn was developed 3 years ago

25:00 – Andy tells us what materials to get started with if you’re a beginner coming in to fly tying

27:00 – Tim Cammisa was on a while back – he’s an Ambassador of Semperfli in the US

28:10 – Hackle and CDC are materials that are difficult to make synthetic

30:00 – Andy talks about the “cytis” being endangered around the world so its feathers are illegal to use for fly tying – people get arrested for its use

34:55 -Andy is known in the business as the “naughty professor” – he does a ton of research and experiments to come up with the best possible fly-tying materials

36:45 – They’ve got 80 strong Pro Team around the world – they have an event called Fly Jam which is like Christmas for the team because they get a box full of materials from Semperfli

40:00 – Ann tells us how fly tiers make it to the Semperfli Pro Team – you can email them, show them your portfolio, and let them know why you are a great fit for the Semperfli family

43:20 – Son Tao is a very talented fly tier

46:40 – We talk about their lead-free wires

49:35 – Their Straggle Legs serve as synthetic insect legs

51:00 – One of the notable mentions is their Perfect Quills

54:25 – Semperfli recently received the Queen’s Award for Enterprise for International Trade 2022 – the ultimate and most prestigious award given nationally to a business.

58:00 – We hear about their experience entering Buckingham Palace, meeting Prince Charles

1:02:00 – Ann and Andy share some business tips bag

1:11:30 – Bill Oyster was on the podcast recently – a very passionate bamboo fly rod maker

1:15:30 – Ann and Andy share some bonus marriage tips

Show Notes: wetflyswing.com/350