“Wanna tie a fly Pop?”
It was a whisper, but it woke me. My son’s weight leaned against my chest. When I cracked my eyes, his gleamed back inches away. I took a deep breath and smiled.
Fly Tying (Shady Flies)
River to Fly Strategy (R2FS) – A Fly Tying Process for the Beginner’s Success.
I started tying flies twice.
I admit I discovered it slowly. I had just started tying for my next trip to the Yakima River.
When I began tying flies, I was stationed at Nellis AFB in Las Vegas. Part of the government budget sequestration in 2013 meant that my USAF fighter squadron was grounded for six months. Bad, because I loved flying and instructing in the A-10 Warthog. Good, because I had the opportunity to fly fish more and began learning how to tie my own flies.
There are times on the river when you are sure. From where I stood in the cold flowing water of the Provo River, I could see the water bend downstream and speed up before the bridge. Saw the rocks and white breaks beside gentle pools and midcurrents that hugged the bank walled with overgrowth. I knew that seam held fish. I was sure of it.
“We sure are losing a lot of beadheads Pop.”
Tying your own flies is a huge leap in the pursuit of becoming a great fly fisher. If you are just starting out, congratulations. Now that you have decided to start tying flies, you may be asking, “what fly should I learn to tie first?” The Zebra Midge is an outstanding answer for many reasons.
Fly Tying (Shady Flies)
DON’T BUY A FLY TYING KIT! A Beginners Guide On How to Start and Keep Tying Your Own Flies
It was in sunny Las Vegas Nevada, that I remember telling my wife, “I’d really like to get into tying my own flies.” My wife, whose memory can be either a steel trap or --- let’s just say the opposite of a steel trap --- decided to use her powers for good and several months later at Christmas I had a fly tying kit. Hooray! Hugs and smooches exchanged, I sat down to tie my first fly on Christmas morning, 2013. And while I tied a few flies between then and now, I can say that the fly tying kit may have “started” me into tying my own flies, but it was a weak and pathetic start. A long road filled with terrible flies, that rarely were used, let alone caught fish. I’ll tell you why.