When did you begin fly tying?

[nfrechet]

1981

 

[outsider]

1961.

I learned at my father's vise. Problem is he was right handed and I was left handed, and I never thought about it. I tried to reverse the vice about 10 years later, but there was no going back. First fly was a white calf tail streamer with a silver tinsel body. Used my mom's red nail polish to finish it off. We used these streamers for trout and crappies.

 

[Phish_On]

I was about 14 or 15. I know I couldnt drive. I'm 28 now.

 

[dc410]

Freshman year in High School. 1980.

 

[gochs]

I tie all my own nymphs/emergers. Won't touch a dry fly. I don't use them enough to pay for the hackle and such.

The funny thing is I started out thinking I was only going to tie pts and hairs ears, the commonly used/lost flies. I haven't bought a nymph for over a year now because I tie every single one!

 

[tulenkot]

My parents bought me a fly tying kit for christmas when I was 10. I tied and fly fished pretty heavily with no teachers or help for a while but only recently have I been tying seriously again.

 

[delta_dog]

Heritage-Angler wrote: 1966.

Ed your as old as dirt. :-D . It was 1986 for me.

 

[flyfishermanj]

1966.

My mom was celebrating her sweet 16!!

Started dabbling in 2001, been full blown addiction since 2004.


JH

 

[StarvinMarvin]

2013. . .

 

[Ebrant10]

2002 i was 12 years old when i got a cabelas kit for my birthday. I tied for 4 years before i ever picked up a fly rod!

 

[Fishidiot]

About 1975?

Not exactly sure of the specific year but I taught myself as a young kid by reading outdoor magazines and books from the library (my favorite at the time was Art Flick's Master Fly Tying Guide).

 

[RLeeP]

1964. I was 12. I started with a Herter's kit, which was roughly equivalent to trying to learn to play the mandolin while wearing oven mittens on both hands.

So, 50 years next year, although a lot of my flies still look like I started tying a week ago this coming Thursday...

 

[sandfly]

I lived next door to knoll's fly tying buisness. (knoll's fly tying kits, books, etc) they made the kits for other companys as well. might have made the herters along with others.

 

[Dale49]

I started tying in the late 60s while I was living in north Central PA. Moved to Ohio in 1973 and did not pick up a flyrod or tie until 2001 when I moved to WV and didn't keep up with the newer patterns materials.

When I started tying again, it was like I never tied before. I felt like Roborto Duran (hands of stone). New materials and patterns, CDC, snowshoe, antron, comparaduns, pharachutes and the list goes on, had my head spinning. When I started to tie again, I had a few good mentors who helped me. These mentors got me to tying small flies and to spend no more than 4-5 minutes to tie one. Concentrate on shape and color and that should do it they said.

I continue to be a minimalist when tying, using as few of materials as I can and tying small midges, nymphs and caddis. This strategy has worked well for me and at this point I don't feel I'll change what I do.

Dale

 

[Night_Stalker]

I went, with my Dad, to the Carlisle Fish & Game Association / TU meetings way back in the mid '70s. I built fly rods and began tying then...I still use rods / flies made from back then! If I could only remember how to do that stuff...

 

[DaveS]

I think it was 1979. Took a class @ "The Fishing Post" in Greensburg.

 

[dubthethorax]

Just about 3 years ago.

 

[wbranch]

Maurice wrote;

"Curious to see if there are any over 50 year veterans."

I started tying flies in 1957 when I was 12 years old. I'm now 69 years old- so maybe I've got the record at 57 years??

I've tied over well over 20,000 flies.

All of my fly tying material was in that round cookie tin and a little wooden box on the table. The book on my lap is "Matching the Hatch". I remember I was trying to tie what Marinaro has mstakenly called a Caenis when in fact it was later determined to be a Trico.

 

[lv2nymph]

Look at you all young and tying. I'll bet your tying stuff doesn't fit in that cookie tin now. Love seeing pics of that time line. Thanks, sounds like you've been tying just longer than I've been on the earth

 

[blueheron]

All of us 50 somethings bow to your stamina.