How Long Have You Been Tying?

[ArkieFlyGuy 0]

10 months, $10,000, and 1,000 Wooly Worms ago.......

 

OK.... the $ and WWs are exaggerated a bit.....

[go-n-fishn 0]

I started tying in 1965 right after I got out of the Air Force. I found out I could tie as good as the flys I was buying made in who knows where. Plus I caught fish with them.

 

go-n-fishn

[cfgsteak 0]

I have been tying for 2 weeks. I have saved my fist couple of flies. I have to admit, it has been easier than I thought it would be. I attribute this to two excellent books (Orvis Fly Tying Guide and a book called Beginning Fly Tying). Both of these books have excellent step by step instruction. I also have got some advise from the local Fly shop and I attended the Denver Fly Fishing show and sat through a few seminars with expert tyers like Ed Engle, and a few others (my short term memory has been "pink floyd-ed").

 

There is no doubt that it must be easier for new tyers today. I have access to great advise 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Books, the internet, seminars and shows are readily available. I really didn't have any trouble finding tools, materials and advise on what to buy. I have heard some guys say this is a dying sport, but from the looks of this and other boards this sport and fly-tying in general seem to be growing. My kids are interested, and I am hooked.

 

Fishing is great, but tying has really made me think more about fishing tactics. It has also complelled me to get better at all aspects of the sport because I want to know if my flies work. I realize if I suck at basic technique, I will never know if it is my flies or my poor skills that are preventing me from catching as many fish as possible.

 

[sandflyx 0]

I started in 1968 skinnin roosters for a shop in exchage for leasons. On the weekends the owner would drag me to the catskills where I learned from people like Lee Wulff, Art Flick, the Dettes, and harry Darbee. Since then I have tied pretty much none stop. Now I tie for a shop I work at and do custom orders for clients.

[Guest]

QUOTE (sandflyx @ Jan 19 2005, 09:00 AM)

I started in 1968 skinnin roosters for a shop in exchage for leasons. On the weekends the owner would drag me to the catskills where I learned from people like Lee Wulff, Art Flick, the Dettes, and harry Darbee. Since then I have tied pretty much none stop. Now I tie for a shop I work at and do custom orders for clients.

NAMEDROPPER!!!! SHEESH!!!! (just jealous! ) All kidding aside that's a great level of experience and interest to be involved with. I can only imagine the history you had a chance to listen to. Cool.

[Carver 0]

I have been tying for almost 10 years but have only gotten serious about in the last 3. I mainly tye for trout and sleelies but have started to dable in salmon stuff. My biggest improvment came with the purchase of a Renzetti Traveller. It made al the difference in the world(probably just a confidence booster) but allowed me to start tying with much higher percision and detail.

[Gilly 0]

I've tying since I bought a basic kit in 1996. I've been getting more serious lately though

[Sjo Crapels 0]

I've been tying flies since I was 20 years, which is almost 33 years ago. I still like to ty my flies very much and each day I keep on learning more. It's a fantastic hobby and usefull too.

Sjo

[fatpossum 0]

I started tying about a year and a half ago. The logic was that everytime I went into a fly shop I left a chunk of cash, went to the river and lost a portion of what I had just bought. I've been fly fishing for 30 years. I had the brilliant idea of learning how to tye my own flys and build my own rods. I'm learning about bamboo. It's taken me a year to put my rod building and fly tying shop together. My initial logic was fatally flawed. I will be putting off retirement as earlier planned. I'm 54 going on 25. Possibly growing old but not up.

 

Bill

Union Oregon

[Michigan Trout Guy 0]

I have been tying since February 6th. I went to a sporting goods store in my neck of the woods (Grand Rapids, MI) that was having a customer appreciation blow out. I had always thought fly fishing looked like fun, and a week or two before, had just finished reading "Fly Fishing For Dummies." This was my dad's book and I was getting cabin fever not being able to hunt, so I had to at least read about some kind of activity in the out doors. That day I ended up leaving the store with a beginner's fly tying kit, and a very basic book that came along with it.

 

So I started tying before I even got my first fly rod. I have been tying like crazy ever since. I recently participated in two swaps and finished my 12 flies for each in two days. I can already see a large improvement in my tying, mostly because I have been learning the basic techniques critical to good tying. I still have a long way to go of course. I have mostly been focusing on flies to catch fish, but I would like to get into some artistic and realistic tying eventually.

 

I am eagerly awaiting the traditional mayfly hatches in my area. It has been a bit frustrating for me because I have been fishing like crazy lately with no results. I've been getting skunked for a month straight. I know it's because of water temps. etc. (or at least I hope it is ) but it would be nice to see some results from all the time spent at the vice and all the $ spent at the fly shop. I still have fun tying them, but I think it would be twice as satisfying to catch a fish and watch my creations perform the task they were designed for.

 

I am still hoping to take some lessons and get my fundamentals down, and hopefully expand my range of tying ability.

 

Ok, so that's pretty much my life story I'll wrap it up and let you get on to the next post.

 

Tight lines everyone.

Brandon

[wahl.flies 0]

I've only been tying for about 4 yrs now off and on.

[Staff 0]

I started tying in January of 2000. I'm in my late 40's and have been interested in tying for many years, just never had the time to start getting into it. I enjoy the shear beauty of a fly as a piece of art work. Catching a trout on a fly that you have personally tied is a wonderful experience.

[Al Beatty 0]

Hi group,

 

I started tying flies on Jan 6, 1957. A month later I sold my first order of flies. Take care & ...

 

Tight Lines - Al Beatty

www.btsflyfishing.com

[flounder 0]

about a week.

[Bud Guidry 0]

well lets see, i tied a set of flies for christopher columbus. hawwwww, been at it for a little under a year now, Bud