Winter challenge: Try your hand at fly tying

Winter challenge: Try your hand at fly tying

By Tyler Frantz

            It was a chilly late-winter morning. A slight break in the weather (and my schedule) offered an opportunity to hit a local trout stream to try out the new fishing flies I had recently learned to tie- something I anticipated for weeks.

            Eager to test my wares, I selected a flashback pheasant tail nymph- an underwater lookalike of multiple aquatic insects. The fly’s abdomen and tail were wrapped with strands from the tail feather of a ring-necked pheasant I had shot earlier that fall, while the thorax was adorned with peacock herl and a bit of shiny tinsel running across its back, thus the given namesake.

            With the fly securely attached to my tippet, I added a little weight further up the leader before casting upstream. I watched my line drift down through the rolling riffles, tumbling into the spill pools and looping around with the current.

            On the third cast, my line went taught and I reactively set the hook on a beautiful holdover rainbow glistening beneath the surface- the first trout I ever caught on a fly tied by my own two hands.

            It is hard to explain, but the satisfaction one gets in mimicking nature with a personally handcrafted fly is extremely rewarding. Though years have passed since that first taste of success, it’s an experience I still hold dear to my heart- largely because the endeavor was entirely self-fulfilled. 

            The process of fly tying is an art that certainly takes some studying to figure out. Patience and hand control are just as important as matching the size, shape and color variations of the species one hopes to imitate.

            However, once one gets the hang of it, fly tying can be an extremely enjoyable pastime- particularly throughout the winter months when staying inside near the fireplace sounds more appealing than braving the elements out in the cold.

            Winter is a great time to restock the old fly box with a variety of fly patterns destined to fool hungry trout come late spring and early summer when hatches emerge and fishing reaches its peak. 

            But to do that, one must first learn the tricks of the trade. It’s easy for beginners to drown in the vocabulary of fly tying tools and materials alone. Bobbins, vices, whip finish tools, hackle, scud hooks, dubbing- it can all get pretty confusing. 

            While how-to books and YouTube videos are readily available for insight and exploration, nothing quite compares to authentic, hands-on, face-to-face instruction from a seasoned fly tying veteran.  

             Fortunately, there are several local opportunities for novices to learn from the masters of hook and thread in a helpful, informative setting. I’ve included the details below for anyone interested in taking on the winter challenge of trying their hand at fly tying. It certainly adds an extra personal touch to the fly-fishing experience.

Susquehannock Fly Fishers 44^thAnnual Fly Tying Clinic 

When: Begins Jan 25^th and runs every Monday evening for six weeks.

Where: Lebanon Career and Tech Center- 833 Metro Drive, Lebanon.

Time: 7-9 p.m.

Cost: $20 for entire clinic

Notes: Pre-registration required. Beginners age 12 and above and an advanced class are limited to no more than 12 students each. Students must provide their own fly tying equipment such as vice, bobbin, thread, scissors, etc. Susquehannock Fly Fishers will provide most of the tying materials. Interested individuals may contact Gary Robson at 717-274-2740 or garyrobson@comcast.net.

Doc Fritchey Trout Unlimited Beginners Fly Tying Course

When: Begins January 27 and runs every Wednesday for eight weeks.

Where:Wildwood Nature Center in Wildwood Park, Harrisburg.

Time: 6-8 p.m.

Cost: Free

Notes: All equipment and materials will be provided. To sign up or obtain additional information, contact Rick LaTournous at ralatour@comcast.net or 717-579-2947. For directions, please see http://www.wildwoodlake.org/contact/directions.aspx

Schuylkill County Trout Unlimited Fly Tying Classes

When: Begins February 21 and runs every Saturday for five weeks.

Where: Feb. 21- Schuylkill Haven Rec. Dept.; Feb. 28- Sweet Arrow Lake, Pine Grove; March 6- Tamaqua Art Center; March 13- Whippoorwill Dam, Frackville; March 20- Rivers Outdoor Adventures Fly Shop, New Ringgold.

Time: 1-4 p.m.

Cost: Free           

Notes: SCTU will supply all materials and vices. Refreshments and drinks are available by donation. Classes fill up quick, so please call Tony Mione: 717-979-0235, Chris Scherr: 570-516-5115, Greg Wood: 610-568-6770, or Bruce Schneck: 717-829-4301 to reserve your spot.

 

 

For more great writing, photography and video work by outdoors freelancer, Tyler Frantz, visit www.naturalpursuitoutdoors.com. Also, please LIKE US ON FACEBOOK!

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