I grew up in Wyoming along the North Platte River.  First started fly fishing in 1968.  Back then all of my fly casting to fish was done on a small pocket-water creek near my home town of Casper.  

My fly tying adventures began in 1974.  The only pattern I tied in the early days was the Platte River Special.  Those streamers were presented to trout on the North Platte River via a spinning rod.  My use of fly rods was on hold during those years.  

I resumed fly casting  in 1990.  Acquired my first graphite rod in 1991.  At that time I also branched out in my tying endeavors.  Began by tying nymphs because that's what I could catch trout with on the Green River, which I lived close to.  

In recent years I've been attempting to tie small dry fly patterns to varying degrees of success.  Recently I've relocated to Cheyenne, Wyoming.  That's further away from prime trout water than I'm accustomed to, but its still within a reasonable distance.  Wyoming is a GREAT place to live if you like to hunt and fish.