Who's your GOD Of Fly tying?

[Chase Creek 0]

Hard question. A. k. Best, Chris Helm, AL & Gretchen, etc. Too many to pick out just one. Every one mentioned on this thread have their own style, both tying and personality.

[FKROW 0]

Deer hair = Tim England, I attended a two day seminar about 20 years ago, fantastic teacher.

 

Saltwater = Bob Popovics, I attend several two day seminars, every year he creates new innovative flies.

 

Smallmouth = Bob Clouser, I fished with Bob on his home river and have followed his creative patterns for SM for many years.

 

Trout = too many for posting, IMHO most of the more creative tyers are from the West.

 

Steelhead = John Shewey

 

Salmon = Bill Hunter

 

Regards,

FK

[mking5 0]

Bob Clouser

[bootow 0]

Sylvester Nemes

[Silver Doctor 0]

My Dad. He was an avid fly fisherman and in 1963 bought me a vice. So started in me a love affair with hook, hackle rod and stream. Although he is gone his tying style live on through my hands and now through the hands of my twin sons.

 

 

Thanks Dad.....

[ron P. 0]

.

 

 

Sylvester Nemes

 

 

The Soft-Hackled Fly compelled me to finish my own little fishing book, Philadelphia on the Fly, and his story and direction reintroduced me to the art of fly tying that I had not dabbled with since my high school years; I would say that today most if not all of my fly tying falls under the soft-hackled and classic wet fly category.

 

Thank you, Mr. Nemes!

 

 

 

p.s. I must also give public praise to the late, great Al Campbell; his columns at FlyAnglers OnLine have continued to be a great help to me . . .

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Fly pattern illustrations for your viewing pleasure at: http://www.ronpswegman.com/sketches.html

[bowfin47 0]

In over twenty years of attending and tying at FFF Conclaves, I'm lucky enough to have watched almost everyone mentioned so far tie (most of them many times) and agree that they are all excellent tyers. However, I do know that several of these tyers would quickly remove their names from contention (but I won't).

 

However you asked for opinions on THE BEST TYERS - Easy: Billy Munn and Royce Dam - Both of these gentlemen have forgotten more about tying than most of us will ever learn.

 

In interviews, both Tim England and Chris Helms have praised Billy Munn as the best deerhair man in the country... Like most of the best hairmen in the the country, Billy is the person that Tim and Chris learned from and who they still look up to.

 

Royce Dam can tie with the very best in the world in all types of tying: deerhair, nymphs, dries, extended bodies, woolheads, streamers, and classics. You pick the style and Royce's tying will amaze you! As overall best, Royce would have to be it. If you ever have the opportunity to sit and watch the man with the cowboy hat tie... DO IT!! It will be some of the best time that you ever spend !

 

For best "relatively unknowns" or "Innovative Tyers", I'd have to say Michael Huffman and the late Michael Verduin. As far as innovative tyers go... They own the top of that hill! Two brilliant guys who have amazed eveyone who ever took the time to review their work. Those of ya' that were at the FFF National in Gatlinburg, TN when everyone was taking turns casting that dragonfly with the 5 or 6 inch wingspan - casting it 70 and 80 feet (without spinning with a 6wt. rod!) will remember Huffman. Huffman's extended body foam mayflies; mud daubbers; deerhair frogs, dragon fly nymphs and bream (the very best cutwork on deerhair that I've ever seen by anyone!); wool shrimp and other patterns are all so original, unique, and technically superb. Anyone who has ever seen Verduin's Catalpa Worm, Plastic Pigs, Cap Spiders , damsel and dragon flies nymphs, QT Dragons, deerhair Ball Heads and Bream, or other original patterns knows that Verduin's work was not only beautiful, but extremely effective at catching fish!

 

As far as Poppers goes, while many are known for their marvelous work, most of the better bass and pencil popper tyers learned directly or indirectly from Huntsville, Alabama's Walt Holman. Holman will go down as the Best Ever Popperman...

 

I'll be tying with Bill Heugal at the North Toledo Bend Rendezvous on Nov. 2-4 (Please see my posting under " The Lodge" on the North Toledo Bend Rendezvous), and while I know better than to put words in anothers mouth, I feel that sure that Heugal and most of those tyers attending Rendezvous would agree with the above.

 

I think the Classic work would have to have it's own category, and while I haven't see all that is out there, or enough to give a truly qualified statement, after seeing a hundred or so of his flies, I do have to state that Bud Guidry's work is fantastic (plus he's great guy- none better!). If Bud isn't at the top of that hill yet (after only 5 years tying) then it won't be long until he is the tops!

 

As I look back over this list, I have to remark that each and everyone of these tyers listed is also a "class act" - They're all "wonderful guys"! They have all given selflessly to teach tyers for many, many years. It been a pleasure to know them all.

 

Bowfin47

[Sagittarius62 0]

Ward Bean, of Council Bluffs Iowa. Maintains a wonderful website, with excellent instructions, and photography. Also seems to be a humble down to earth guy.

[Ten Bears 0]

A. K. Best. Arch accurately matches the entymology, is innovative, ties aesthetically pleasing flies and can fill a fly box quicker than most mortals.

[Hot Tuna 0]

It is clear that this a pantheon of gods....with few gals(goddesses )mentioned. Let's not forget Mary Dette Clark; a true legend of the Catskill school. As far as guys(gods) go I haven't seen Craig Matthews of Blue Ribbon Flies mentioned...I always look forward to the Blue Ribbon catalogs and newsletters for ground breaking patterns. In fact, I'll be tying up some ICU Baetis for use on the fussy trout of the Housatonic tomorrow. Thanks for all your contributions Craig et al.

John

[Snowmass Angler 0]

Ken Sawada.

Everyone should be in possession of his book of wet flies entitled "Wet Flies"

$55 and worth much, much more.

[camoham 0]

id have to say..............

 

a lot of the tyers that reside within this forum!

 

there's a lot of talented folks here.

 

camoham

[sukhoidave 0]

I"ll add Charlie Chute for his salmon flies. For saltwater I think Borski has created some really great patterns.

 

Truly a god? --> Lee Wulff, maybe. Carrie Stevens certainly seems to be worshipped by many.

 

[duckydoty 0]

Billy Munn was amazing to watch at the Conclave. I also like Terry Tanner's innovation in tying. Tony Spezio was also great to talk with. I sat in front of Stack Scovial for 6 hours at the sow bug and watched in awe as he tied one fly. Would love to do that again.

duckydoty

[streamcaddis 0]

I would have to say Chris Helm. Lefty, Carl Richard's ( I took my first tying classes from him back in the 60's.) Carrie Stevens. Oh yes Al Beatty ( I took a tying class from his wife a few years back.)

As for number one, I would have to think long and hard.