So of course I hit the Fly Tying Symposium today. When I was at the table to buy a ticket I went for the two day pass. I won't be going back tomorrow. That's not a complaint, well maybe a bit, but I got what I needed to get done in one day.
So let me just go with my ramblings on what the show was for me. Slow at the start but it got busier. Walked around and said hi to some friends and some "Facebook friends" which was nice. Found a buzz at a few places, Brad Buzzi drew a crowd with first his air brushed poppers (above) and then his sand eels tied with the Fleye Foils (below). Next door Pat Cohen always draws a crowd and next to
him Rich Strolis had the streamer guys watching and answering questions. Dave Nelson and Jonny King were set up at Greg Becker's Whitewater Flies and across from him the guys from Partridge of Redditch came across the pond as they were offering new hooks to the market, of which I brought two packs. These guys were the guest speakers at the Atlantic Saltwater Flyrodders this past week so I was aware of the new and improved hooks after seeing their presentation.
There were a lot of tyers, a lot of them. Most were freshwater and salmon fly tyers, and there were a hand full of saltwater guys. Sadly a few that I always like to see were absent this year. Leon Piasecki and Ray Stachelek to name a few. Talking with Rich Murphy is always informative, but I always leave him with my mind in a twisted mess of striper info. His book is one of my favorites. Good to see the guys from Regal Engineering in the house, as well as all the tyers that use them, like John Collins and John Kavanaugh. Mike McCauliffe hooked me up with a sweet Regal Sticker which was cool. Jim Matson of BrineFly Innovations creator of the Pulse Disc was there and if you go tomorrow, or fly fish at all, check out and purchase some of these for yourself. They will help your fly swim better. Joe Calcevecchia was there and it's always fun to stop in, say hi, and watch him tie up a couple of Striper Dragons.
Of course I had to sit, well stand in, and watch Steve Farrar tie some baitfish and sand eels with his SF Blend and next to him Bob Popovics was tying up some flies for his presentation on Baitfish Movements. Bob had to drop down and go low in order to hand swim some of his BULKhead Deceivers in the small pond. He demonstrated various flies with and without the Pulse Disc and man does this guy know his shit. He had young and old attend his demo and then his presentation on tying
the bins that Tight Lines brings to the show. I saw Blane Chocklett's 'Game Changer" over at The Flymen Fishing Company booth. They have a tank that swims his fly in it and it really shows how the articulated moves in the water.
I looked for something that jumped out at me, a product, a theme, a tyer. Mmmm. This year I saw a lot of big flies, big musky flies, seems to be more streamers that are articulated with stinger hooks hanging off the back. But all in all I walked the halls at least a dozen times and nothing blew me away this year. The show hall is full of talented tyers, some good booths to pick through, but nothing eart shattering new that I saw. If you go early tomorrow know you be home in plenty of time for the Sunday NFL games as this show, for me, is few hours in and out.
