Tying one on

Art of fly-tying taught by masters

At any given time, there are at least a dozen fly tiers and casting coaches ready and able to share their expertise at the 43rd Annual International Fly Fishing Show and Conclave in Whitefish.

The Whitefish High School gymnasium is filled with exhibits featuring outfitters, rod makers, gear companies, art work and conservation programs.

But a signature of the show, sponsored by the Federation of Fly Fishers, is the constant presence of tiers at tables throughout the gym, each with specialties covering a wide range of nymphs, streamers, emergers and dry flies.

While clinics and workshops are largely limited to federation members, the know-how of fly tiers and casters is available to the public for an entry fee of $5.

"It's the ultimate educational experience from a fly-tying standpoint," said Russ Forney, a tier from Beulah, Wyo. Forney explained that the conclave is much more open and interactive than other fly fishing shows, where tiers are often in more of a promotional mode.

At the conclave, however, people can sit right in front of exhibition tiers, takes notes, ask as many questions as they want. "It's much more relaxed, much informal, which I appreciate," said Forney, who was teaching his specialty, a weaving method that creates braids on a hook and distinctive, segmented abdomens for his flies.

While other tiers were showing off talents for a variety of flies, Lillian Nelson was demonstrating the Aztec, a fly that was developed in 1978 by her husband, Dick.

"We've been coming to these conclaves since 1975," said Nelson as she combed out acrylic knitting yarn as the main material for the Aztec, an olive-colored fly that simulates small bait fish.

Nelson recalled that after her husband had a stroke, she provided her left hand to hold materials on the tying vise while her husband used his right hand to do the tricky tying.

"We came to conclaves and tied flies, with me being his left hand," said Nelson, who traveled from California for the Whitefish conclave. Dick Nelson died in February.

David Nelson, chairman of the federation's fly tying group, explained that teaching tying is actually more involved than a person might suspect.

"There are a lot of target audiences," he said, including youth, adult beginners, advanced, disabled and geriatric.

The federation has over the last two years been developing an online curriculum to provide tying patterns and organizational help so that local clubs, such as the Flathead Valley Chapter of Trout Unlimited, "don't have to reinvent the wheel" in launching fly-tying clinics.

Out on the high school lawn, about a dozen people were methodically casting colorful lines back and forth with coaches giving them tips.

"This is an amazing conglomeration of talent," said Lee McKenna, who was casting under the tutelage of master instructor Jim Valle. "The level of expertise at this event is just unparalleled."

McKenna was brushing up on her double haul, a casting technique.

"I was just working on double hauling and he was just correcting some things I didn't know I was doing wrong," said McKenna, who traveled from Ennis for her fifth conclave. "I went from not getting it to getting it in 10 minutes."

Like many others attending the conclave, McKenna enjoys getting out on the water. She has fished on the Blackfeet Reservation and plans to fish the Middle Fork Flathead River this week.

"That's one of the great things about this," she said. "It gives people a chance to get out on waters that aren't their home waters."

Nearby, 15-year-old Dan Priddle was working on his cast. "I've been trying to get my casting going," said Priddle, who traveled to Whitefish from Clifton Park, N.Y., with his grandparents as part of "a long vacation."

Priddle said he was taking advantage of the fly-fishing wisdom and experience available at the conclave. "There is definitely quite a bit of help around here," he said.

The conclave continues through Saturday.

Reporter Jim Mann may be reached at 758-4407 or by e-mail at jmann@dailyinterlake.com