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B.C.TroutHunter

How Long Have You Been Tying?

How Long Have You Been Tying?  

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Started on March - April 2009 and really happy with all this fly tying and fly fishing thing. Gave me the opportunity to meet new friends and visit new places. Also keeps me occupied when bored. Helps to practice my English all the time seeing videos, movies, reading articles and books.

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My first fly was tied on a junk starter's kit in 1957.

 

The inspiration was a pattern called a "Michigan Caddis" displayed on a rotating tray in a local fishing shop next to big, flashy lures like Flatfish, Dardevles, and Heddon Punkin Seeds. It was a huge -- maybe #4 -- heaviiy hackled fly meant for big browns chasing after Hex flies at night.

 

The model was gorgeous -- my imitation hideous. The fish did not care. Caught many bass and a few trout with it. I lost it casting off a dock at night into the Detroit River to a fish I never even saw -- except in dreams.

 

Rocco

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I started by bending utility wire and then wrapping stray pillow feathers on with my mom's sewing thread when I was 6 years old, some day I'll be in the 56 plus category :)

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One year and a few days. I don't count the two years I tied when I was in Jr. High School because I'm in my early 50's now, but being familiar with the process helped jump start a new passion.

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24 years, good grief how time flies. I still have the pitiful ball of yarn that was my first attempt, and I cherish the memories of evenings with my fly fishing/tying mentor, Gus. Caught a bass lst weekend with my son on one of his first flies.

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This is actually an interesting poll to see where many on this site are at. Not particular persons just overall dynamics.

 

17 years for me. My first fly was an Adams dry w/o wings. I tied and fished Adams, Elk hair caddis, pheasant tail and hare's ear nymphs only for my first 3 years tying and fly fishing. I did well enough on just those 4 patterns to keep me interested.

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About 23 years , I took a class back in 1980. Learned to tie with a world class tyer, (He was just a tyer he did not fish) , I did not even have a fly rod of my own at the time. I started tying the classic flys , Adams, Coachman , Hare's Ear, Zug Bugs, Helgramites, Mosquito, and learned to spin hair on an Irrestible, and Muddelers. I learned to fly fish not long after that.

I quickly learned that I needed bigger flys for the bass and sunfish, we routinely fished for. The smaller flys were fun to tye, but were swallowed by the sunfish.

With lots of cutting hair off of hooks , discovered bass bugs. I've been hooked ever sense.

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right about 2 yrs, i tie for bream an bass, so mostly foam bugs, poppers, wooly buggers, and clouser minnows

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Long time ago, Back when I lived in North Calif. Used to fish the June Lake Loop, and Hat Creek. Bout 1962 so that makes it 50 years. Right now I live in Central Or and fish the Deschutes, though right now I am tying bugs for the Amazon and some Peacock Bass

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Been tying since my early teens...some years more than others given family demands. Been tying more frequently to tie rather than tying for fishing since retiring three years ago. I'll be 64 this year so it's been about 48 years worth. Still have some hooks priced at about $1.50 per 100.

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I like this thread as it provokes some deeper thought. In fishing, there are people who have done it for 25 years, but only get out 3 or 4 times per year. Then there are people who have fished for 3 years, but put 150 days on the water every year. Who has fished more?

 

Tying is kind of the same, although within tying there are many types of tyer, and different reasons why they do it.

 

1- Tyer who does it out of necessity. "I only tie flies because I don't want to buy them." I know guys who HATE tying, but do it anyway.

2- Tyer who gets a wild hair about tying a bunch of flies about once per year, and after 6 buggers, heads to the fly shop to buy the rest.

3- Tyer who loves to tie, but only uses exact recipes and patterns of well established patterns

4- Tyer who loves to tie, and creates custom stuff that works in home waters etc. Still ties some of the old classics, but perhaps with a twist. Loves the art of tying.

5- Tyers who love to tie due to the artistic nature of it, but doesn't fish at all (yes... I know several of these people)

 

All of the categories are fine with me. There are no rules to tying, and as long as you have fun doing it, you are doing it right.

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