Many, many years ago, like in 1996, Dutch fly tyer Hans Weilenmann asked me if I wanted to tie at the Dutch Fly Fair, which was taking place in Zwolle in the Netherlands that year.
I was like "What? Me? Tying at a show? You know who I am, right? I'm just Martin, an average guy from Denmark, moderately decent at tying flies, and not a famous and stellar fly tyer like yourself..."
"Bah!", he said. "You will have something to show. Don't worry".
So I didn't worry and went.
So I didn't worry and went.
And lo and behold! I did have something to show.
I just tied my plain and ordinary sea trout flies, but two things dawned on me while sitting at the table, tying for people passing by, chatting and answering questions:
- The flies that I tied were actually quite interesting to a lot of people. Going to Denmark to fish the coast was a desire with many of those who came by, and not only could I show which flies to use and how to tie them, but compared to the average spectator I was a true expert on sea trout fishing, and I believe that I managed to help quite a few people with some tips and some patterns.
- I realized that I wasn't as mediocre at tying as I thought, which was a nice thing to discover. Not that I was (or am) stellar in any way, but I could tie an OK fly, get materials and thread to do what I wanted, be consistent and even explain to people what I did and why it made sense.
I thoroughly enjoyed myself, and truly thrived behind that table, met a ton of great people, expanded my network significantly and certainly got a taste for demoing fly tying.
And things developed as these things often do: once you get a connection, you get dragged along, and suddenly I was invited to tie other places: Sweden, Germany, the US. I had more invitations than I could accept, but I did manage to go to a few of these events, expand my network even further, get more contacts, more invitations, get to go again and so on.
Now, before you start thinking: "Lucky bastard, he gets to go all over the place to have fun and tie flies. Free travel, fame, money, groupies..." let me correct you.
Nothing is free, and I don't "get to go". I pay to go. In most cases I pay for everything except the ticket price at the show. That's how it works. Some shows offer to accommodate you if you are a foreign tyer, meaning that you get a place to sleep. You also get coffee, water and probably a lunch during the show, but apart from that it's mostly expenses to be a "show tyer". Basically all work behind shows like these is done on a voluntary basis, and a lot of people spend a lot of time and energy making them happen.
I'm not complaining. It would be nice to be flown in and out and having things paid for, but I travel anyway, and traveling to flyshows is just another way of going on holiday.
In most cases I pay for everything except the ticket price at the show.
Same thing this coming weekend: I'll be at the tables in Kolding at the Danish Fly Festival, tying flies, talking, answering questions. I go there in my own car, pay gas and bridge tolls, pay for a place to sleep and pay my meals apart from a sandwich during the show.
It's something that I have no problems doing. The show is great, and I know I'll meet tonnes of people I know, and just as many that I haven't met before. I will make new friends, say hello to old ones, meet people who I have had contact with online. All while doing something I like: tying flies.
What's not to like?
I also get to take my credit card for a walk up and down aisles of flyshops, which oddly enough all have something I desperately need and when not shopping or tying, I spend a lot of time during the weekend just hanging out with all my friends attending, tying and arranging the show.
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Hi Martin, I like the picture
Hi Martin, I like the picture from Zwolle and the very cool one Rob Dings made! BTW biggest collection of Waldron Vises during recent Kolding fair. Rgds Ole