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Harold Ray

I'd like to have Earl Stanek write and article for Hatches #3.

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Will,

 

I would like to mention Earl Stanek, my 80~ year-old friend from Cotter, Arkansas who ties realistics from materials he gets from hardware stores. He does not buy fly materials. Earl's a little eccentric and quite a friend. I am sure he already has multiple articles written and waiting. In the past, he has had articles in various fly tying magazines including Fly Tyer.

 

Earl does not belong to FTF because I cannot talk him into buying a computer. He was the lead engineer for 3M for years, and in his spare time, invented and perfected the Scientific Angler line of fly reels.

 

Here is some of his work I posted here:

 

http://www.flytyingforum.com/index.php?sho...;hl=earl+stanek

 

A previous quote:

 

Once there, people were coming in and the Ramada quickly gained the look of a hangout for wayward adults intent on having fun while playing in the water. I enjoyed a daylong entomology class, something I never thought I could do, but while there I met some interesting folks, one of whom, Earl Stanek, made the whole trip worthwhile. Earl is a lifelong bachelor who worked for 3M. He invented several items that you and I use daily, and in his spare time, he designed some of the fly reel models for Scientific Angler. What whetted my interest most though was his hobby of tying nearly exact replicas of living insects, dragon and damsel flies that appear ready to take wing, along with a multitude of above and below water winged fish food. At 78, Earl told me he fishes less and ties more, using only the materials he buys from a local hardware store. Having told you that and seen and participated in some of the discussions here on just what feather to use, which thread to buy, and the costs of all of these, you may think hardware store handcraft couldn't match what some on the Forum tie; I would tell you quickly to forget that. If anyone can tie as realistically as Earl, I would love to meet them.

 

This frame was done by Earl Stanek of Cotter, Arkansas. Earl was the lead engineer for 3M for 33 years. He is a life-long bachelor who, for fun and in his company sponsored creative time, about 25% of his worktime when he could do whatever he wanted while at 3M, designed the Scientific Angler line of fly reels.

 

All of his realistic creations are done with materials he finds at hardware stores or in nature. He buys nothing at fly shops. He also doesn't use computers, because as he says, "Ray, I'm an old-time engineer!" This was Earl's first frame. He has been making domes full of damsel and dragon flies, of which I have three. I will buy a frame but that will probably come in the fall at the October Conclave.

 

The glass in the lower portion of the frame acts as water in the picture, and beneath the water (glass) are all of the developmental stages of the adults you see above the surface. The nymphs, etc. are much darker usually, so I was unable to get good shots of them through the glass.

IPB Image

IPB Image

IPB Image

 

I would greatly appreciate it if we could find a place for an article by Earl. It would make his day, and everyone here would learn something from this man, not the least of which would be the vision of a lifetime fly tyer and angler who, near or above 80 years of age, still ties flies with abandon while explaining every step.

 

Ray

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I think it would be great if Earl could be pursuaded to donate an article to Hatches. Looking at his work I can clearly see where many of the tying concepts have been used by many

 

 

Mike........................................ B)

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Below is a post on an Arkansas site by a friend who knows Earl:

 

Earl's realistic terrestrials were featured in Fly Tyer magazine in the last year or two. I'm not sure I call what Earl does tying. It is more like creating. His creatures are amazing.

 

He gave me a tour of his facilities last fall. It is more than impressive. He has fished the world and has many wonderful stories to tell.

 

All this and he is a true gentleman as well. His generousity in helping local fly clubs is well known. The ladies literally argue over who is going to get his damsel and dragon fly pendants and broaches. I hope he will be at conclave in Mt. Home this year.

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I want to 2nd, 3rd, or whatever the motion to get an article on Earl Stanek for the magazine. I have had the pleasure of sitting down with Mr. Stanek on a few occasions and am mystified, amazed, and otherwise blown away at some of the things this fine gentleman does when creating flies. He is truly a very unique individual and anyone who gets the chance to sit down with him will learn something, I guarantee.

 

I have high hopes of sitting with him again at the Southern Council Conclave in October in Mountain Home, AR. As I talked with him last March at the Sowbug Roundup, he was discussing the frame seen in Harold Ray's post above. He and I discussed some ideas on another similar frame he was working on and how he could make the "water" seem more realistic. He was experimenting with a couple of ideas, mixtures, and witchcraft to get the "sensation" down pat.

 

This man is a brilliant mind, artistic engineer, and painfully perfectionistic true gentleman. You should watch him make front legs for a hopper pattern... You may then understand the term "perfection."

 

And article by Mr. Stanek or by anyone who would be willing to sit down and interview him would be a great addition to Hatches for sure. So please consider room for an article on this man who deserves a lot of credit for inspiring a lot of tyers...

 

And if you don't, Will, I'm gonna have to get rough with ya... :nono: :flex: :boxing:

 

(Maddog, take care of my "light work" for me, will ya?)

 

(See... told ya, Ray... :lol: )

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After reading this article and viewing photos, I realized that I miss my old friend more than I thought. He was a wonderful old man who also was engaged in writing and biology. He worked for about a year in the writing service edu birdie and I always ordered my work on this service, because I knew that if I asked for that from him personally, he would refuse any gratitude, but I wanted his work to be paid for. He died recently, so I miss him and the things he wrote. I hope you find someone who will support your friend.

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