My (quick) Story:
I started tying flies in Michigan as a teenager and sold a bunch of them to local tackle stores.
Later, I was in Anchorage, Alaska for a number of years where I tied and sold a "TON" of
them to several local fly shops - many of them, then, being resold to Lodges and Guide
services. Now, I'm retired (Software Engineer) and am satisfying my "Perfectionist Compulsion"
by tying the most Accurate, Traditional Dry Flies that I can tie.
What I Do:
I've tied thousands of Dry Flies, Salmon/Steelhead Flies, Muddler Minnows, Sculpins, Wet Flies,
nymphs... BUT, my passion is "Dry Flies". Just something about them, and the "Fussyness" it
takes to make really good ones, that satifies my "In-Born" desire for perfection. So, even though
I still tie and sell other types of flies, my focus is on "Traditionally Tied Dry Flies".
Why My Flies Are Different (and more expensive):
First of all... You know the guy tying them (Yours Truly) - not an offshore "Fly Factory" or some unseen, unknown
source that you can't see, know or communicate with. Not saying anything wrong with foreign or
unknown sources, but if you prefer to know (and be able to talk to) the guy who actually ties your flies,
then here I am. Now for some bullet points (that us Engineer Types love):
- My approach is Small-Quantity/High-Quality.
- I'm "Not-In-A-Hurry" and I "Take-MyTime" because...
- I don't need to make a living doing this and I have no quotas to fill. I indulge myself by "Taking My Time".
- I ONLY use Natural Materials. I don't make any flies that need Beads, Foam Bodies or Rubber Legs, etc... I leave that to the rest of the industry. Nothing wrong with all that... Just not my "Thing".
- I ONLY use THE BEST Dry Fly Hackle - Whiting Farms. It's expensive, hard to get (what you want), but I have a TON of it. (confession: I'm sort of a Chicken Feather Fanatic when it comes to Dry Fly Hackle).
- I ONLY use Mustad Hooks (see the fotos). There's a lot of other Non-Branded, Foreign-Made hooks out there (that are WAYYYY Cheaper than Mustad), and I own some. But for you... Nothing but "Mustad"!
- I ONLY use Real Animal Fur for the "Dubbed Bodies" of my flies. There's a LOT of Synthetic Body Material out there that's cheaper and easier to work with than natural fur. But I personally don't care for it and don't use it. The bodies of my Dry Flies are exclusively: Beaver, Muscrat, Red Fox, and Alpaca. Compare one of mine to one made with synthetic... You'll see the difference!
About This Fly Pattern:
Of course, this is one of the famous Lee Wulff creations. Fabulous Dry Fly - looks way better "In Person" than it does in my (admittedlly) non-pro fotos. Here's a few things to know about this one:
- The biggest thing about how I tie this one, and this as Really Cool, is the tail. You always see it made out of Black Moose Body Hair or, maybe, some flavor of deer hair. But if you recall, the original "Royal Coachman" (not the Wulff version) had a tail made out of an Orange & Black Barred feather from a "Golden Pheasant" called "Golden Pheasant Tippet". The feather fibers were Orange with a Black bar at both the tips and in the middle of the feather. Essentially Orange with Black barring. So, this Orange Dyed Bucktail REALLY does a cool job of simulating that Pheasant Feather - but using hair - which is what the Wulff series were all about: Hair Wings & Tails. I really like this, but would love to hear your opinion.
- It's a little hard to see in these fotos, but if you look close you can see the body is wrapped with really fine copper wire. Fairly standard practice on this fly these days. It helps protect the delicate Peacock Hearl (the green part) that the body is made from.
Shopping Cart and Shipping:
You can see/find the other flies I have available by going to the top-right of this listing and clicking on "See Other Items". So, if you'd like to buy a handful of different patterns - and not pay excess shipping - here's what you do:
- Select the flies, here, that you want and add them to your "Shopping Cart".
- Go to my other listings (as mentioned above) and add whatever else you want to your "Shopping Cart".
- Don't "Check-Out" until you've added everything you want to your "Shopping Cart".
- THEN, go to "Check-Out". You can then pay for everything, all at once, but ONLY BE CHARGED SHIPPING ONCE!
Final Thoughts:
- Better flies give you more confidence: More confidence makes you fish harder: Fishing harder catches more fish!
- If I put THIS MUCH time & effort creating this darned Ebay listing... Imagine how much Time, Effort and "Perfectionism" I put into tying Your Flies!?
- You spend untold "Thousands" of dollars on: Rods, Reels, Lines, Leaders, Rod Cases, Vests, Waders, Nets, Cloths, Travel, Food, Lodging... And after spending that "Small Fortune"... The FLY is The ONLY THING the fish is going to see. SOOOOO - Don't go cheap on your flies! That's kinda like Fumbling The Ball on the One-Yard Line.
So... "That's my story, and I'm sticking to it"!
Kindest Regards, Stay Safe, and Good Luck!
Kevin