Andrew has been tying for some 35 or so years, much of that time in-hand without the aid of a vise.
Andrew has been tying for some 35 or so years, much of that time in-hand without the aid of a vise. The first fly he tied was done in hand, with a bait hook, probably a #6 or #8, using gray mallard for tail. It was then palmered, with a second one up front as hackle. The tying thread was smuggled out from his mother's sewing stuff. The fly was stolen from him almost before the cement had dried, and so he figured, if it was that good, he must be on to something and made more.
It took a few years from then for Andrew to get serious, but he has been tying ever since. He is a confessed self taught tyer, learning either by figuring things out, or eventually from books. He learned Atlantic salmon flies from reading Dr. T. E. Pryce-Tannatt, and streamers from reading Joseph Bates. Andrew has also recently written a book, "The History and Evolution of the Trout Fly, Part 1" which is soon to be published by Reel Lines Press, and part 2 and 3 are in the works . These will feature photos of all the flies from the first ones described, to at least 1900, with the trendy ones there-after, tied with original materials and methods as much as possible.
Andrew has fished in various states and countries around the world, but his favourite river is the Wye, in Hampshire, England. "As I live in Dallas, Oregon, it is a long way back, and a long time since I was back fishing there, so my current best river to fish has to be the Deschutes, or the Siletz, though really I like any river that allows me to fish and is reasonably forgiving of errors. My favourite streamers are the Letcher Lambuth bucktails, flies that have caught many salmon and trout for me over the years in salt water, especially tied on a tube and fished on a downrigger."
You can check out Andrew's blogs at AltanticSalmonFlyGuy | Exploring Classic Streamers
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