The Buzz on Fly Tying Shows

I often get asked about fly tying shows.  Usually the shows are part of a larger fly fishing show, a state program on outdoors or something related to the sport of fishing.  The questions are always around the benefit of going.  My answer is the benefits are endless.  Typically these shows have great presentations on fly tying that you can learn a lot from.  The best aspect of these shows can be the interaction you have with individual tyers.  You can often observe them tying flies and ask questions getting valuable tips that you can use when you tie.  Specific questions I often get are on things like....how do you set your wings on streamer flies?.....how do you measure hackles? .....what is the best vise?  These questions go on and on.  For the new or the seasoned tyer your questions can get answered and its the personal touch that really can benefit those attending the show.  I think I've been to over 10 shows both small and large in the last 12 months.  They all have been excellent.  The interaction I get from the attendees often shapes my fly tying instruction as I make modifications to the classes I volunteer teach for NH Fish and Game.  A perfect example was last week someone asked me about measuring hackle on a fly.  Yesterday at the NH Fly Fishing Show I decided to teach the Deer Hair Alder fly I blogged about a few months ago.  It requires a hackle and can be tricky to size because you are tying in over a slight ramp made from the comparadun hair wing.  Before we tied the fly we attached our Whiting Farms hackle gages to out Regal Vise's and when it was hackle time we used them to size our hackles.  The class was intermediate tyers and very few of them had used this tool to size their hackle.  I was able to explain sizing hackle, downsizing hacks because of the ramp on the fly from the hair and some history on catskill dry fly hackle sizes.  All this came for someone asking me a question at a show.  Yes there are lots of benefits attending a show some instructional, some for the presenters themselves like me and some getting great deals shopping for materials and gear.