Fly Tying Group
2009 Board of Governors

(first posted July 10, 2009; last updated December 1, 2009

Meet your 2009 Board of Governors!

David Nelson, Chairman

I live in San Francisco, California, and am in the Northern California Council. I am 57 and work as an orthopedic hand surgeon, doing both patient care and research (my specialities are distal radius fractures, wrist kinematics, and post operative pain management; see http://www.DavidLNelson.MD for more information). I consider myself a beginning tier. Although I have tied for the national conclave since 1989, I just don't practice! I still have fun. I have been involved with tying since about 1986. I started the project Patterns of the Masters, a fund-raiser for the FFF highlighting the patterns tied at the Conclave. I started and have conducted the Tier as Teacher Initiative, which was under the FFF Department of Eduction for two years before it came under the Fly Tying Group's mandate. I was drafted as the interim Chair of the Board of Governors in 2007 and served in that capacity until I was elected Chair for 2008. I am serving a three year term.

I am very interested in biology, botany (native plants, teaching natural history to kids), and entomology (gave talks at Conclave for years on stoneflies, am a member of the Plecoptera Society). I have two wonderful daughters, 16 and 17, who are working full-time to put more grey hair on top of my noggin. They have both tied at Conclave, but now friends and boys are distracting them. I can wait. I keep telling them that there are tons of boys at Conclave!

My list of things for the FTG is large: increase our web presence, establish a strong program for helping members organize and execute fly tying classes, help demo tiers be better demo tiers. My particular interest is how to help our demonstration tiers be great teachers, reaching out the all students irrespective of their tying abilities. My ultimate goal is to get them to be flyfisherman, and thereby understand the importance of conservation and the need to become active at the local and national level in whatever conservation project is near and dear to their hearts.

If you would like to contact me, my email is my last name followed by "dl" (without any space or puctuation) at pacbell dot net.

Gene Kaczmarek; Chair, Standing Committee, Conclave Fly Tying

I live in Fremont, California, and just retired from Sales and marketing in the Silicon Valley. My home club is the Mission Peak Fly Anglers.

A member of the Northern California Council and have been on the BOD for the past 15 years, I currently serve as the VP Communications and have been VP Marketing (Booth), Fly tying chair, and one of the original members of the BOD for the FTG and currently the Standing Fly Tying Chair for the Conclave. I am the recipient of the inauguralNCCFFF “Ned Long Memorial Fly Tyer of the Year” award for 2002.

I have been tying flies for over 20 years and teach fly tying classes for the beginner, intermediate and advanced tyers. Also demonstrate advanced steelhead tying technique’s at a number of the FFF and western fly fishing shows and clubs.

Tying has become a passion not just a hobby for me. Though I tie everything from trout to Salt water, Steelhead flies are his first love because they provide the “Freedom of expression like no other tying style.” siTeaching needs to be the backbone of this group. We all should have the passion to want to pass on what we know and watch our students excel beyond our abilities.

Steve Jensen, Treasurer; Chair, Framing Committee

My wife and I live in Springfield, Missouri.  I retired three years ago, at age 64,  from Missouri State University where I spent 33 years as a professor of Biology, serving the last seven years as Head of the Biology Department.  My specialty was aquatic entomology (specifically, mayflies). (Steve is being modest here: he holds a PhD in mayflies! - David Nelson)

I have been a life member of the Federation since 1985 and have served as an officer at the club, council, and national level.  Specifically, I was the founding president of the Southwest Missouri Fly Fishers (and have held that office five different times).  I have served in the Southern Council as treasurer (8 years), vice president (2 years) and president (2 years).  I also served as a National Director (when they had such a position) and I am currently a Senior Advisor at the national level.

I enjoy fly tying and tie trout, warm water, and salt water patterns.  So far I have successfully resisted getting involved in tying classic salmon flies.  I get tremendous enjoyment in planning trips, tying the desired patterns, and building leaders and rods for each trip.  I have recently fished New Zealand, Canada, Mexico, as well as a variety of localities within the United States (including Alaska).  This year I have trips scheduled to Mexico, Canada, and Alaska (isn’t retirement grand?).

Relative to demonstration fly tying, I have tied at local clubs, regional shows (most recently the Smallmouth Rendezvous in Oklahoma), Southern and Southeastern Council conclaves, as well as the International Fly Show and Conclave.  I very much enjoy talking to tiers, especially those to whom I can contribute new ideas.  However, I usually find that I am the greatest benefactor during such exchange of knowledge.

 In 1994, having the desire to become more involved in fly plates and fly plate construction, I attended a two-day workshop conducted by Darwin Atkin held in Livingston, Montana.  I came out of that workshop with a strong fundamental understanding of fly plate construction and with a desire to begin building plates for display.  In 1990, Darwin had initiated a new fly plate project for the Federation entitled the International Fly Tyers Fly Plate Project.  From its inception in 1992 until 1996, Darwin was solely responsible for all aspects of the project: soliciting flies from tiers throughout the world, designing and constructing about 14 plates annually, shipping the plates, and keeping records.  At the 1996 Board of Directors meeting of the Federation of Fly Fishers, Darwin announced that he wanted to step down, and was seeking a volunteer to chair the program.  After some serious negotiations, Darwin agreed to remain on the project as co-chair provided there was a reduction in his responsibilities.  For the next four years, Darwin solicited the flies and handled all correspondence while I constructed and shipped the plates.  At the end of 2000, Darwin completely retired from the project.

Beginning in 2001, I initiated a new fly plate project entitled the Legends of Fly Tying.  Like the earlier project, this project was approved by the Federation’s Board of Directors, giving it official FFF status.  The Legends of Fly Tying project is in many respects similar to the International Fly Tyers Fly Plate Project, and is essentially a continuation of that very successful project, The Legends of Fly Tying fly plate project was scheduled to end in 2006, but because of demand I have agreed to continue the project on a limited basis indefinitely. Darwin and I are proud of the fact that the two projects combined have raised over $150,000 in support of Federation of Fly Fishers programs.

One of the objectives of the Fly Tying Group is to foster the design and construction of fly plates, and I am the head of the committee on fly plates.  Through workshops and presentations, it is our goal to involve more tiers in this rewarding activity. I would welcome your contributions to this committee.

I have a number of other hobbies, some of which are related to fly fishing (I carve fly tying bobbins from various woods) while others aren’t even distantly related (I spend a lot of my time hacking my way around a golf course).  I am blessed with a very full and happy life.

Steve (you may reach me at fly-framer at ATT dot net)

Jim Ferguson, Secretary; Chair, Fly Tying Instructor's Resource

My name is Jim Ferguson.  Just hit 65 and have been retired for about 3 years from 34 years in public education.  Taught physical science, math, geology, chemistry, and physics.  I live in Salem, Oregon, near Chemeketa Community College where I taught the last 9 years before retiring.  My major was physics.  Throughout  my teaching career I was involved with curriculum development and tried to pay special attention to the different styles of learning and how an instructor can adapt to different teaching styles to best match the learning styles of their students.  We had some real variances in learning styles of students in our "Chemistry for Fire Fighters", "Physical Science for Firefighters", and "Nursing Chemistry Series" at Chemeketa.
 
I belong to the Oregon Council of FFF and was elected as the council board VP of Flytying. Last year I was Flytyer Chair for the Oregon Council Fly Tyer and Flycasting Expo in Albany, Oregon, where we had about 296 tyers demo tying during the five sessions of the two-day event.  I will be Flytyer Chair again for next March.  Other tying experience includes demo tying at Conclave last year, teaching a caddis class at Conclave last year (and this year), demo tying at the Washington Council expo, demo tying at the Western Idaho expo and helping teach some vets at one of the start-up Project Healing Waters programs in Portland, Oregon, and Vancouver, Washington.  I have been involved in teaching fly tying classes through Salem's local fly shop, Creekside Flyfishing.  The classes have ranged from beginning flytying to full-dressed Atlantic Salmon Flys.  In  2006, I was the Oregon Council Fly Tyer of the year recipient.  I participated in the FFF fly tying contest  and received several awards both at the council and international level.
 
I have been interested in all types of fly tying, from trout to steelhead to Atlantic Salmon. 
 
I would like to see the Fly Tying Group work on some instructional DVD's showing techniques of tying and tool use rather than concentrating on particular patterns. 
  
Jim Ferguson 

Donald R. Van Buren

I live in Chardon, Ohio, which is in the Northeastern part of the state.

I am currently the President of the Ohio Council (OHC) and the North Coast Fly Fishers (NCFF)

I just turned 71 and have been retired since 1995.  I was in charge of a Quality Assurance department in Staff Engineering for a large Natural Gas Utility in Ohio.

With regards to fly tying I tie just about any type of fly and have been slowly working on tying “Classic Salmon Flies”.

Dealing with Education I have developed and taught Fly Tying programs and courses for our club the North Coast Fly Fishers (NCFF), the Lake Metroparks (LMP) system here in Ohio.   A point I like to make when working with developing a fly tying program and staffing it, is “you can have an excellent fly tier but a poor teacher or an excellent teacher and a poor fly tier, to make the program work you need both”.  

My experience with demonstration tying has been tying at shows, special events  and club events, including Women in the Outdoors (WITO), etc.  I have had the privilege of teaching children Fly Tying at Ohio Department of Natural Resources (ODNR) and LMP events.

I routinely build fly tying tools and fly plates.  For the past nine years I have created a fly plate for our club, NCFF, consisting of flies from our “Favorite Fly Program”, to auction off.

I have also served as “Education Director” for NCFF and as “President” for both our club, NCFF, and the OHC. I have been actively involved with FFF at the Council level, both the Great Lakes Council (GLC) and the Ohio Council (OHC). 

One of my main objectives with fly tying is to teach our instructors how to teach fly tying consistently and to follow a plan, with emphasis on the “Student” assuring that they actually do learn how to use the tools of fly tying as well as following a pattern/recipe.  There is plenty of time to get creative later after they learn the craft of fly tying.  Most importantly to have fun and enjoy fly tying!

I would like to see a consistent methodology when it comes to teaching fly tying!

If you would like to contact me with an idea or to volunteer for a project, please contact me at vanman at windstream dot net.

Leslie Wrixon here reporting live from Boston. Taking a break from my nightly fly tying.  By day I paint fine and not so fine homes. Hmmmm, what to say.  Oh, you should never ask a girl how old she is, but I'll tell you anyway. I am 43.
 
I am on the Board of Directors for the North East Council, and am the NEC Fly Tying Chair. Teaching is a big part of my life. I offer many courses at various locales and am an instructor at United Fly Tyers of which I am also a Board member. I seem to manage to tye at a bunch of shows, events and clubs. The shows range from big and well-known to small and unknown. Of note, I was selected as the Fly Fishing Team USA official fly tyer in 2006 and traveled with the team to the Fly Fishing World Championships in Portugal. I am also on several manufacturers pro-teams.

Living in Boston gives me the opportunity to tye and fish saltwater flies in addition to fresh water flies, which are my primary interest.  My flies are available via my website at www.ityeflies.com.  When I am not painting houses or tying flies, I enjoy reading, cooking, sports (playing and watching) and the fine art of enjoying life.
 
It would be important for the Fly Tying Group to formulate and make available guidelines for tying instructors so that each person teaching fly tying does not have to reinvent the process anew. This might include lesson plans, recipe suggestions for students at different skill levels, materials checklists, and guidelines for effective communication and teaching. This may also be translated into a document or video containing guidelines for demonstration tying as well. It seems important to preserve our fly tying heritage. In addition to a museum setting this should also be done digitally so as to make our valuable information more widely available for research. I also feel we need to better utilize the FFF Forum as a structured way for tyers to communicate with one another. 
 
Tight Wraps,
Leslie Wrixon

I am Bob Bates from Spokane, WA, which is in the eastern part of the state where it doesn't rain all the time. At 78, you might say I am a mature (old) member on this team.  My home club is the Inland Empire Fly Fishing Club.  I have been a member of the FFF for many years and am currently VP Communication for the Washington State Council FFF.

The cutthroat trout in the Colorado high lakes forced me into fly tying in 1959-60.  They wanted little flies, circa 22, and none of the shops in the Denver area carried them.  I tie trout flies of all types and a few saltwater patterns.

After retiring in 1989, so many volunteer opportunities came my way that my fishing suffered.  I have been trying to cut back, but when this offer came by, I agreed.  Now I edit only one newsletter and maintain two web sites, www.washingtoncouncilfff.org and www.ieffc.org.  Educational activities include teaching fly tying and maintaining the FFF Fly of the Month web pages.  For years I wrote a weekly fly tying column for a Spokane fishing and hunting newspaper.  My recent demonstration tying has been has been with umbrella hooks, quill bodies, and a few regular patterns. 

You might have seen me at Conclaves photographing tiers as they work. There are many great tiers in the FFF who are not on the well known list.  I try to introduce them to the FFF membership, pass on their ideas and introduce some new materials. Also I try to show that there are many ways to tie a fish-catching pattern.

 

Photography is a hobby, and I teach alpine skiing.

 

I have proposed some things to enhance the FFF fly tying pages.

 

Bob Bates (you may reach me at Bob-Bates at MSN dot com)

Hi Everyone,
I am Sister Carol Anne Corley, RSM. I am a  Sister of Mercy of the St. Louis Region.
I am 63 years old (No, I don't mind telling.) I live in Hot Springs, Arkansas, and belong to the Southern Council.
 
Fresh warm water flies and trout flies are what I tie, teach and demonstrate most of the time, as that is the fishing we have around here. (I have taught and demonstrated a few salt water patterns, but not much.)
 
I am a nurse and have worked in health care for 32 years, the last 13 years of which were as the administrator of several (both for-profit and non-profit) Home Health, Hospice and Durable Medical Equipment companies. I retired in 1999.

I was the Educational and Program Director for the United States Youth Fly fishing Association at it's inception. In that capacity, I developed and implemented the “Streets to Streams” and “Tyme Flies” youth educational programs. I am a volunteer teacher at St. John’s Catholic Elementary School where I teach fly tying in the Art curriculum for 7th and 8th grades, Water Conservation and Aquatic Ecology in the Science curriculum and coordinate the St. John’s Stream Teams and Classroom Aquarium projects. I am an adjunct professor at National Park Community College where I teach Fly fishing and Fly Tying (beginning and advanced classes of each). I am also a Co- director of St. John's Parish ESL Program. I have taught fly tying and/or fly fishing for the Boy Scouts, the Girl Scouts, CFR, TU Rivercourse Camp, Southern Council Conclaves, Women's Outreach, and various other groups, as well as private individuals. I have spoken on fly fishing, fly tying and/or developing youth programs at local, state, regional, and international fly fishing club and organization meetings. I was a contributing author in “The No Nonsense Guide to Women’s Favorite Fly fishing Destinations.” I do fly tying demonstrations at several shows a year.

I would like to see the group develop and promote more organized, long term youth programs, perhaps with Boys Clubs and YMCAs for after school programs and work with major suppliers to provide free materials to start and then sustain them at a reasonable cost...if not free. 

I am Oscar Feliu, I am 59 and I live in The Villages, in Florida. I am in the Florida Council. I work for The Villages, a retirement development of about 74,000 strong and growing. Though my titles will change on an hourly basis, I’m known as an Event Coordinator. From my office at Church on the Square, I operate some seven year-around projects. 

I teach four six-week Fly Tying Courses a year at The Villages' Lifelong Learning College, and participate as often as I can in Fly Fishing and Tying Symposiums and Trade Shows state & nationwide. I have the privilege of being a teacher of workshops & demonstrator for the FFF for over 33 of my 35 years membership. I will be forever grateful to the FFF for these opportunities.

While most of the patterns I tie are original fresh and saltwater patterns, now and again I tie other folk’s creations for friends. Most of the patterns I had a chance to develop are better suited to the intermediate to advance fly tier. That is a blessing in the sense that the students have a greater comprehension of the techniques. The patterns maybe interesting, but“tying techniques” are what I focus on, techniques the students can take and apply to many other fly tying situations long after the class is done.I feel it’s most important to establish the relation from the living organism to the fly at the vise through entomology or water zoology. And by all means give the students hints as of how to fish the flies. After all “Angling” is our final objective and how all patterns are proved.

I still get a kick out of teaching kids. Young unspoiled minds and hands with incredible dexterity. I must agree: guidelines suggesting better ways of organizing a class are needed. This is especially true when teaching newcomers the use of the most basic tools to understanding the nature of a pattern. Also guidelines allowing the teacher the freedom to use methods he or she feels reach the intended target “The Students”.

I’m in favor of “informative printouts”. A lesson plan needs to be flexible, so it should be left to the individual teacher to create, then it will satisfied their teaching style and personal methods. To be a good teacher you must first have the desire to teach, the knowledge of the subject, methodical orientation, and practice this craft often enough so he or she will excel. Finally make sure that all students are getting the message, the know-how.  

I hope I can bring to the board enough experience to be an asset…I know I’m in good company.

All the best… Oscar

Hans Weilenmann, Chair, International Committee

I live in Amstelveen in the Netherlands. A few days back, 18 June, I turned 54. Not sure which council I am in, me being an 'old world alien' and all that ;-)

My tying is mostly for trout and grayling, and I would characterize it for the most part as quick & easy patterns. I have also been known to tie up flies too small to be seen by many tiers and anglers, but plenty big enough to be seen (and appreciated) by the fish. My signature fly is the CDC & Elk.

I have been tying for close to forty years, and have been demo-tying regularly at national and international events in both old and new world for some twenty-five years now.

Professionally I have been a 'geek', working in IT (Information Technology) for several decades, but at present I am doing a full-time project management on enterprise wide projects at the company which employs me, Reed-Elsevier, a publisher of scientific books.

I have several hobbies, and I pursue them all with gusto. A non-comprehensive list would cover help raising my two kids, flytying (fancy that, eh? ;-)), flyfishing, (macro) photography, music, cooking a varied range of 
cuisines, reading, traveling, maintaining my web site (more on that below), and socializing with other anglers and tiers on the Internet.

One of the exciting things for me right now is the serious interest in featherbending displayed by my eleven (soon twelve she reminds me) daughter Faiza. Over the past eighteen months she has taken to it like a duck to water, and  we have since covered a number of shows in father-daughter tag-team mode, such as in Denmark, German, the Netherlands and Italy. This November we plan to hit the British Fly Fair International, an event Faiza is looking  forward to very much.

Flytier's Page
As part of a "giving back" to the tying community I started a niche web site in 1997 called Flytier's Page. It is, simply stated,  a gallery by flytiers for flytiers. I receive sets of flies, submitted by tiers  from around the world, photograph the flies and present them, with detailed  recipe, on the web. Since its start it has grown to be, what I believe, the finest and most comprehensive web site of its kind with at present some 3,500 flies by over 200 tiers, with many many more waiting in the wings to be added. Should you not be familiar with the web site, you are cordially invited to check it out at http://www.danica.com/flytier

I believe the two most significant developments in flytying the past 100 years is the combination of the Internet and affordable high-quality (digital) macro photography. This combination has paved the way for an interaction,
and an information exchange in almost real time unparalleled in history.

We truly live in the Golden Age of flytying. My friend Ed Berg put it like this: "Ever since I got onto the Internet my neighborhood has gotten kind of large". Ed was, and is, very right.

I believe one of the focus areas for the team should be to harnass and  use this power in better and more varied ways than the FFF has managed to do to date.

As noted above I am not located in the USA as all the others appear to be, which places me closer to 'outside' tying community and its potential candidacies to attend the USA based conclaves.

Hans

My name is Clifford S Sullivan Sr.

I live in Tracy California. I am a member of the Northern California Council, and also a life member of the FFF. I have been tying flied since 1956. I am 63 years old and have been retired since 2000.

I have been a Certified Fly Casting Instructor since 1997, the past President of Diablo Valley Fly Fishermen and a member of the Tracy Fly Fishers. I have been teaching fly tyiny for over 20 years. In 2002 I did a 3 part TV show for our local TV station (30 mins ea) called Introduction to Fly Tying With Cliff Sullivan. 

 

I am fly tier of the year foe 2007 for the Northern California Council. I was on the Whiting Farms Pro Team for 6 years and am now team leader for Jay-Fair Pro Team. I have be Tying for the I.S.E Shows for 10 years and the Fly Fishing Shows since they started. I have tyed at the FFF conclaves. I do a lot of fly ting demos for different Clubs. In 2003 some of my flies were used in the Jackson on fly. I have been published in different magazines. Jim Schollmeyer and Ted Lesson put one of my flies in the book Tying Emergers. I also took first place in Jim Schollmeyer Patten patterns. I was one of the tyers Jack Dennis asked to tie in his Jack Dennis and friends Volume 3 (which I did).

Tight Lines
Cliff

Hello,  My name is Vern Jeremica.  I live in Issaquah, Washington.  I am a current Board  member of the Washington State Council of the FFF.  I'm 57 years old and  work as the Chief Pilot of Flight Standards for Boeing Commercial Aircraft in Seattle.  My job has afforded me the opportunity to train commercial airline pilots and flight test Boeing jet aircraft all over the world, and in some fortunate situations an opportunity to meet kindred fly fishermen and fly tyers in the international arena.   Although my degree is in Biology, with a concentration in Fish and Game Management, I am living one of my dreams,  doing engineering, training, standardization, flight test, and management at Boeing Commercial Aircraft Company. What did my Biology degree do for me?  It has helped me create three children and has made me a better fly fishermen.

My first fly caught trout was on a fly I tied myself, a grizzly hackled black woolly worm...........At 15  I was teaching the kids on my block to fly cast and tie flies.  One of them, Sam Matalone, has become my life long fishing buddy.  We've fishing all over the northwest together.

I have been teaching fly casting and fly tying since 1965.  Teaching, everything from river running with drift boats, to fly tying, to fly fishing, to fly casting, to flying has been a part of my life. I have actively taught how to fly turbo-jet aircraft, in the USAF, since 1977 and at Boeing  since 1986.  I love sharing what I know with everyone I meet.  Teaching is a part of my life.

My wife Koni has asked why I spend the time helping and promoting the FFF instead of just going fishing.  Well, this sport of fly fishing has given so much to me.  It has enriched my life.  It has created life long friendships.  Because of this, promoting fly fishing is what I do.

Regards to the FFF and where we go with fly tying, we have many choices and opportunities.  I hope that a large part of our efforts center around our youth, and the beginning fly tyer. Creating the proper structure and format can lay a strong foundation in fly tying. I believe that stressing the basics from the very beginning will do wonders for enhancing one's ability to learn other techniques and processes in fly tying.

Dennis 'Bear' Reed

I taught fourth grade for 34 years before moving over to Adult Education (and having a former student now as my boss), three years ago. On the Fourth of July my wife Rita and I celebrated our twelfth anniversary. First it is easy for me to remember and second, since I did not get married until I was in my late 40's, I figured that I should go out with fireworks.

I am a life member of the FFF and TU.  I am a member of the Southern Council and have been the Conclave fly tying chair for approximately 5 years.  I have been chosen as the Southern Council's fly tyer of the year, teacher of the year, man of the year, federator of the year, and of course my most coveted award being the tall tale teller award. I have tied at the Southern Council Conclave, the Southeastern Council Conclave, Gulf Coast Conclave, the Smallmouth Rendezvous, Sow Bug Roundup, and the Mid-South Fly Fishers' Home Waters Expo.

My favorite fishing is in small creeks for smallmouth and sunfish, although I have been know to fish for anything that I can with a fly rod.

Hubert Brodell Jr, and I were the founders of the Northeast Arkansas Flyfishers here in Jonesboro, Arkansas.  We started the club 20 years ago.  I have been president elect, president twice, and have been the newsletter editor on three occasions.  I am currently secretary/treasurer, newsletter editor, and chief cook and bottle washer.

I help every year with the Arkansas Casting for Recovery, and will be helping this fall with Reel Recovery, which is for men who have or have had cancer.  I am also planning on working with Project Healing Waters.

Gretchen and Al Beatty

We are from Boise, Idaho. We are best friends at the vise, on the water, behind the camera and at the keyboard. When not on the water they enjoy spoiling their grand children, attending FFF Conclaves and traveling to new corners of the world.

You can read us at albeatty followed by the numeral 2, then the at sign, then aol dot com.

 
 

Mike Stewart

I started fishing on the Canadian border in Vermont about 50 years ago.  Currently, I am a freshwater and saltwater fly tyer and fisherman who has had the fortunate opportunity to fish in many of the most beautiful places in and outside the US.  I have been tying for over 27 years.  I taught myself to tie.  Through the opportunities made available by my home club, Connecticut Fly Fishermen’s Association (CFFA), I further refined my techniques such that I was confident to be a demonstration tyer, sell my flies, and ultimately teach fly tying.  My bit to pass on the art to the next generation.

 

In addition to being an active member of the CFFA, I am very active with the Federation of Fly Fishermen (FFF) at the Council and International level.  Currently, I am a member of the Board of Directors and a former Treasurer of the FFF.  Other memberships include the Catskill Fly Tyers Guild, and Catskill Fly Fishing Center and Museum.  I have been a demonstration tyer at the FFF Conclaves, CFFA Expos, Fly Tyers’ Rendezvous, Theodore Gordon’s Clearwater Junction, and at the CFTG booth at various fly fishing shows.  I am also on the Nymph Head Pro Team.

 

While I tie all types of flies, I especially enjoy classic wet flies.  Not only are they a joy to behold, they harken back to our mutual fly fishing heritage, and, “Boy!” do they catch fish.

 

Mike (You can reach me at micheal-stewart at hs dot utc dot com)

  
     

Eric Pettine

In 1947 I was dangling a royal coachman off a bridge over a river in northern New Mexico.  A brown trout rose, as if by magic, to the fly and I was hooked.  Since that time he has fly fished all over the world.  I have been doing fly fishing and fly tying demonstration for more than forty years and am a regular at Conclaves and for the International Sportsmen’s Expositions.  I was the talent for six fly fishing videos for Chevrolet Trucks ad division and did hard copy ads for them.  I have been a fishing guide in northern Colorado and southern Wyoming for almost fifty years and presently guides out of St. Peter’s Fly Shop in Fort Collins, Colorado.  I also designs trout flies for Umpqua Feather Merchants and put together destination fishing trips for St. Pete’s.

In real life, I am a dentist!

You can reach me at eapfish at comcast dot net

 

 

Frank Flowers

I have been involved in Fly Tying for over thirty years and have been fly fishing since the mid 50’s in the Mid South, in the Memphis region. My early fly fishing consisted of using popping bugs and bream killers and I did not get into fly tying until I met a fellow at a sporting show in Houston in the 70's and took a few lessons from him. When we moved to the Boston area in the late seventies, I really got involved with more lessons and became a member of the United Fly Tyers and eventually serving on the Board for about ten years.

I have been involved with teaching beginners as well as intermediate tyers, as well as youth, and have participated at various fly fishing shows and tying events here in the Northeast and New England.

Among the shows and events have been the International /Fly Tying Shows in New Jersey over the years and a number of shows here in the greater Boston area, I have worked with several youth groups and currently am working with a local boy scout troop as part of the instruction for the Merit Badge requirements which I have chosen as my FTG project. On a few occasions I have tied professionally as well and have tied at the Conclaves in Idaho Falls, Bozeman, and Livingston and participated in the all-night Tie-a-thon hosted by “Bear" Andrews in Livingston some years back.

My professional career spans some nearly fourty years in trade book publishing, Boostores, Museums, Special Sales, Libraries, Textbooks etc.

I retired five years ago as a trade book sales representative with WW Norton Publishing company of New York after 33 years and had the privilege of servicing accounts such as LL Bean and many fly shops and accounts here in New England. I now have a retirement job as a delivery man for a local pharmacy here in Acton Mass. I will be 71 in January 2010.

My FFF experience includes a number of years as a member of the BOD of the New England Council and have help to man the booths and tie at many of the events we exhibited at and at freshwater and one saltwater conclave.

I particularly enjoy working with young people in instructing them into the art and skill of fly tying and the wonderful history which surrounds it.

If all goes well I hope to attend the Conclave in W. Yellowstone next August and look forward to meeting all of you at some point. I live at 18 Orchard Drive, Acton, Massachusetts, 01720. You can reach me by email at frank dot flowers1 at verizon dot net.

  

Bob Jacklin

Bob Jacklin was born in New Jersey and started fly fishing as a boy. An ardent fly fisher, he began tying flies in 1961 and selling flies in 1963. He was honored by the late Lee Wulff with a letter of authenticity recognizing the quality, durability, and pattern identity of his dressings of the Wulff series of flies. He arrived in West Yellowstone in 1967 and gained experience in all aspects of regional fly-fishing through employment at Bud Lilly's Trout Shop and Jim Danskin's Tackle Shop. In 1974 he began his own business, Jacklin's Fly Shop.

His literary contributions include articles to The Big Sky Journal and Fly Tyer magazine, and Fly Fishing the Yellowstone in the Park, co-authored with Gary LaFontaine. He is a master certified fly casting instructor. In 2000 he was given the Buz Buszek Memorial Award for fly tying excellence. He is a life member of the FFF, with continuous membership since 1967. In 2004 Bob was inducted into the very prestigious "Fly Fishing Hall of Fame."  In 2008 Bob received the FFF's highest award, the Order of the Lapis Lazuli, for his many years of dedication to fly fishing and the FFF.

  

Dave Duffy

Peggy Brenner

Tom Berry

 

The 2008 Board of Governors is here.

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