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Fly Tying
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RICHIE53

How did you get started tying?

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Great question. I got a late start, actually 55. That was 10 years ago. My wife had just

been diagnosed with a rare cancer. I was having a tough time figuring out what was ahead.

I was reading FAOL and seeing all that Al Campbell had on tying and thought I could maybe

do this. I'm so glad I did! It was really calming,it took my mind off of what was ahead.

I'm able to get away from thing and relax, to me that's important! :D

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I worked a second summer job as an EMT @ a large baseball camp. I don't like baseball and needed something to kill the time. My father in law had recently given me a fly rod and taught me how to swing worms with it. I decided since I had it I might as well learn to tie flies.

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I have to go back to when I got laid off in 2008 for the first time in my career. Getting married, having kids, I had gotten away from the simple joy of fishing. I would take my boys when we camped, but they were young so it was more about putting a worm on a hook.

 

When I got laid off, I needed some escape. Golf was too expensive, so I started fishing several times a week. I would get up at 6am, go fish for a few hours, and then job hunt the rest of the day. It was cheap (I had several bait caster rods and lots of lures from years ago), and it was a good distraction. After I got another job, I kept fishing because I had rediscovered the simple enjoyment. During this time I had met a neighbor who had been fly fishing for about 15 years, and we went together one time and he showed me how to cast. Then, after I was getting a paycheck again, he talked me into getting a fly rod and reel.

 

That's when the fly fishing bug hit hard. Real hard! I started reading everything about fly fishing, trout, flies, entomology, etc. One thing led to another, and in a fairly short amount of time I got an inexpensive vice and a few materials, and with the help of some youtube videos tied my first few flies. I tried my own patterns (very ugly!). I tried fly patterns (they were ugly also!). But I have kept at it, and now I'm proud of the flies I tie. They aren't Umpqua quality, but they catch fish, and even though I can't fish as much as I used to, fly tying is how I stay connected to the sport. It's relaxing to sit down at the vice on Saturday night with a glass of bourbon and try a new pattern or tie more of an old reliable.

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