My road to tying at ASFI 4 is a bit ironic. Having been on the committee for ASFI 1 and 2 as the coordinator of tiers, I was show
“staff” and had to work each show, attending to guests’ needs. But the road is longer than from 2014 til now. I began tying trout flies in 1988 after my parents got me an LL Bean fly tying kit for Christmas. Like most things with kids, my interest ebbed and flowed until my mid teens when I took to tying seriously and began supplying Hunter’s, American
Angling and other shops in New England with trout and hairwing salmon flies. Christmas 1993 left me with Judith Dunham’s
Atlantic Salmon Flies: the Tiers and Their Art, and the fire was lit. Though I was familiar with fancy featherwings, it was not at this level. Living in New England I had access to many excellent tiers like Paul Seymour, Paul Schmookler, Bill Wilbur and Bob Warren, who all influenced my early tying. While I was intrigued with both classics and creative tying early on, about 10 years ago I became more interested in the history and old world craftsmanship of classics and tying them in the true classic sense. I found that tying something pretty and practical, “functional art,” was much more satisfying, and it also resonated better with my old soul. Nowadays my focus is on preserving the history and old world approaches. Using silk thread and wax and learning to work
with materials’ natural capabilities to tie smaller, historically-used range of sizes has led to many challenges, but another level of satisfaction for me. That said, I appreciate fly tying in any form. As Paul Schmookler once said, “The hook is the canvas and the feathers the paint.” Being at a show like ASFI is like a stroll through an ephemeral museum. I look forward to the exhibits and reconnecting with everyone!
“staff” and had to work each show, attending to guests’ needs. But the road is longer than from 2014 til now. I began tying trout flies in 1988 after my parents got me an LL Bean fly tying kit for Christmas. Like most things with kids, my interest ebbed and flowed until my mid teens when I took to tying seriously and began supplying Hunter’s, American
Angling and other shops in New England with trout and hairwing salmon flies. Christmas 1993 left me with Judith Dunham’s
Atlantic Salmon Flies: the Tiers and Their Art, and the fire was lit. Though I was familiar with fancy featherwings, it was not at this level. Living in New England I had access to many excellent tiers like Paul Seymour, Paul Schmookler, Bill Wilbur and Bob Warren, who all influenced my early tying. While I was intrigued with both classics and creative tying early on, about 10 years ago I became more interested in the history and old world craftsmanship of classics and tying them in the true classic sense. I found that tying something pretty and practical, “functional art,” was much more satisfying, and it also resonated better with my old soul. Nowadays my focus is on preserving the history and old world approaches. Using silk thread and wax and learning to work
with materials’ natural capabilities to tie smaller, historically-used range of sizes has led to many challenges, but another level of satisfaction for me. That said, I appreciate fly tying in any form. As Paul Schmookler once said, “The hook is the canvas and the feathers the paint.” Being at a show like ASFI is like a stroll through an ephemeral museum. I look forward to the exhibits and reconnecting with everyone!