I
live in Motueka which is a small town in Northwest Nelson, New Zealand.
I am now (2001) in my late 30's and started to tie flies when I started to fly
fish way back in the mid 1970's.
The
one thing that really appeals to me about fly tying is that you can never stop
learning. There will always be some new fly, some new technique, or some
new material to play about with.
If
I was ever in the awful position to choose between fly fishing or fly tying, I
think the fly tying would win out. I love fly swaps, and never cease to
delight in opening a package from somewhere else in the world to reveal little
masterpieces from some distant tier's vice.
New
Zealand's first trout flies were made by settlers from Great Britain in the mid
to late 1800's and the early patterns reflected the styles used there.
As time evolved New Zealand fly tiers started to perfect their own styles and as
a result some unique patterns and techniques have emanated from our shores. For
example, the 'Matuku', 'Killer', and 'Pukeko' styles of streamers, amongst
others, came about as a result of local fishermen needing to imitate the
small bullies, Koura (Freshwater Crayfish) and smelt that abound in our
waters.
I
like to solve fly fishing problems. I have a local river that has a
significant mayfly emerger hatch. The browns are incredibly fussy in what
they will and will not take. The biggest joy is trying to find out what
the fish are taking and why.
I
have started with a basic emerger pattern and am constantly changing, altering
and trying to improve an as yet inconsistent pattern. That to me is fly
tying at it's best. You have to look at so many things that factor in
making a fly successful: thread, size, colour, movement, materials and so
on. One day I might find the right pattern, but in a way I hope I never do. |