The Art of Tying Flies: An Art Story by Emma, 6th Grade

The Art of Tying Flies

My dad was a fly fishing guide back in his twenties. One of his hobbies was tying flies.
He loved to be creative and use his imagination while making money.  My dad would sell his
flies to fly fisherman who were going on fly fishing expeditions all over the world. Enitally, my
dad started tying flies because it was cheaper than buying them at a fly shop. When he
became a serious fly fisherman he started to study aquatic insects and how the fish eat them.
He studied the different stages of bugs and he even went to the river to catch the insects and
then tried to recreate it as a flie in the different stages. He would have to tie different flies for
different rivers, species of fish, and different times of year. 

In order for my dad to practice his art he would have to read books, watch videos, studied aquatic
insects, and tie millions of flies. Before he makes a fly he has to analyze his materials including
string colors, hook sizes, feather types, and how he is going to construct the flie. He would have to
choose between natural and authentic materials. You would end up getting better and better, so you
might have to throw your first couple flies out.

When my dad ties flies he faces the obstacles of time, availability of natural and authentic materials,
eye sight, fine motor skills, and his arthritis in his hands. In our family my uncle, grandpa, and dad
all practice it. I practice it myself occasionally. My dad is inspired by the feeling of success. There is
a challenge when it comes to fly fishing with your own flies. He likes the reward once you catch the

fish and make money selling the flies. 

When it comes to tying flies my dad admires Lee Wulff because of his books, “Trout Flies,”and 
“The Art of Catching Trout on a Fly.” He also admires John Geerage from Lions Colorado and his
friend Ak Best because when he tied flies  at a shop  he got to see those guys in action, while they
were tying flies as well. My dad does not take lessons he was self taught by doing research and
observations. He has taught his friends and me his daughter. Tying a fly can be both mentally and
physically hard because you keep getting frustrated when you mess up over and over again and
it can be physically hard because you have to be able to tie these little knots and not poke yourself
with the needle. 

Overall my dad loves enjoying the outdoors by typing homemade flys and then going fishing with
his family. Even though, as he gets older it gets harder for him to see the little knots and be able
to use his hands with his arthritis. Every Time he ties a fly he can use his imagination to create
something that know one has seen before.