Gene Kaczmarek; Chair, Standing Committee, Conclave Fly Tying

I live in Fremont, California, and just retired from Sales and marketing in the Silicon Valley. My home club is the Mission Peak Fly Anglers. A member of the Northern California Council and have been on the BOD for the past 15 years, I currently serve as the VP Communications and have been VP Marketing (Booth), Fly tying chair, and one of the original members of the BOD for the FTG and currently the Standing Fly Tying Chair for the Conclave. I am the recipient of the inauguralNCCFFF “Ned Long Memorial Fly Tyer of the Year” award for 2002. I have been tying flies for over 20 years and teach fly tying classes for the beginner, intermediate and advanced tyers. Also demonstrate advanced steelhead tying technique’s at a number of the FFF and western fly fishing shows and clubs.

Tying has become a passion not just a hobby for me. Though I tie everything from trout to Salt water, Steelhead flies are his first love because they provide the “Freedom of expression like no other tying style.” siTeaching needs to be the backbone of this group. We all should have the passion to want to pass on what we know and watch our students excel beyond our abilities.

Steve Jensen, Treasurer; Chair, Framing Committee

My wife and I live in Springfield, Missouri.  I retired three years ago, at age 64,  from Missouri State University where I spent 33 years as a professor of Biology, serving the last seven years as Head of the Biology Department.  My specialty was aquatic entomology (specifically, mayflies). (Steve is being modest here: he holds a PhD in mayflies! - David Nelson) I have been a life member of the Federation since 1985 and have served as an officer at the club, council, and national level.  Specifically, I was the founding president of the Southwest Missouri Fly Fishers (and have held that office five different times).  I have served in the Southern Council as treasurer (8 years), vice president (2 years) and president (2 years).  I also served as a National Director (when they had such a position) and I am currently a Senior Advisor at the national level.

I enjoy fly tying and tie trout, warm water, and salt water patterns.  So far I have successfully resisted getting involved in tying classic salmon flies.  I get tremendous enjoyment in planning trips, tying the desired patterns, and building leaders and rods for each trip.  I have recently fished New Zealand, Canada, Mexico, as well as a variety of localities within the United States (including Alaska).  This year I have trips scheduled to Mexico, Canada, and Alaska (isn’t retirement grand?).

Relative to demonstration fly tying, I have tied at local clubs, regional shows (most recently the Smallmouth Rendezvous in Oklahoma), Southern and Southeastern Council conclaves, as well as the International Fly Show and Conclave.  I very much enjoy talking to tiers, especially those to whom I can contribute new ideas.  However, I usually find that I am the greatest benefactor during such exchange of knowledge.

 In 1994, having the desire to become more involved in fly plates and fly plate construction, I attended a two-day workshop conducted by Darwin Atkin held in Livingston, Montana.  I came out of that workshop with a strong fundamental understanding of fly plate construction and with a desire to begin building plates for display.  In 1990, Darwin had initiated a new fly plate project for the Federation entitled the International Fly Tyers Fly Plate Project.  From its inception in 1992 until 1996, Darwin was solely responsible for all aspects of the project: soliciting flies from tiers throughout the world, designing and constructing about 14 plates annually, shipping the plates, and keeping records.  At the 1996 Board of Directors meeting of the Federation of Fly Fishers, Darwin announced that he wanted to step down, and was seeking a volunteer to chair the program.  After some serious negotiations, Darwin agreed to remain on the project as co-chair provided there was a reduction in his responsibilities.  For the next four years, Darwin solicited the flies and handled all correspondence while I constructed and shipped the plates.  At the end of 2000, Darwin completely retired from the project.

Beginning in 2001, I initiated a new fly plate project entitled the Legends of Fly Tying.  Like the earlier project, this project was approved by the Federation’s Board of Directors, giving it official FFF status.  The Legends of Fly Tying project is in many respects similar to the International Fly Tyers Fly Plate Project, and is essentially a continuation of that very successful project, The Legends of Fly Tying fly plate project was scheduled to end in 2006, but because of demand I have agreed to continue the project on a limited basis indefinitely. Darwin and I are proud of the fact that the two projects combined have raised over $150,000 in support of Federation of Fly Fishers programs.

One of the objectives of the Fly Tying Group is to foster the design and construction of fly plates, and I am the head of the committee on fly plates.  Through workshops and presentations, it is our goal to involve more tiers in this rewarding activity. I would welcome your contributions to this committee.

I have a number of other hobbies, some of which are related to fly fishing (I carve fly tying bobbins from various woods) while others aren’t even distantly related (I spend a lot of my time hacking my way around a golf course).  I am blessed with a very full and happy life.

Steve

I am Oscar Feliu, I am 59 and I live in The Villages, in Florida. I am in the Florida Council. I work for The Villages, a retirement development of about 74,000 strong and growing. Though my titles will change on an hourly basis, I’m known as an Event Coordinator. From my office at Church on the Square, I operate some seven year-around projects.  I teach four six-week Fly Tying Courses a year at The Villages' Lifelong Learning College, and participate as often as I can in Fly Fishing and Tying Symposiums and Trade Shows state & nationwide. I have the privilege of being a teacher of workshops & demonstrator for the FFF for over 33 of my 35 years membership. I will be forever grateful to the FFF for these opportunities. While most of the patterns I tie are original fresh and saltwater patterns, now and again I tie other folk’s creations for friends. Most of the patterns I had a chance to develop are better suited to the intermediate to advance fly tier. That is a blessing in the sense that the students have a greater comprehension of the techniques. The patterns maybe interesting, but“tying techniques” are what I focus on, techniques the students can take and apply to many other fly tying situations long after the class is done.I feel it’s most important to establish the relation from the living organism to the fly at the vise through entomology or water zoology. And by all means give the students hints as of how to fish the flies. After all “Angling” is our final objective and how all patterns are proved.

I still get a kick out of teaching kids. Young unspoiled minds and hands with incredible dexterity. I must agree: guidelines suggesting better ways of organizing a class are needed. This is especially true when teaching newcomers the use of the most basic tools to understanding the nature of a pattern. Also guidelines allowing the teacher the freedom to use methods he or she feels reach the intended target “The Students”.

I’m in favor of “informative printouts”. A lesson plan needs to be flexible, so it should be left to the individual teacher to create, then it will satisfied their teaching style and personal methods. To be a good teacher you must first have the desire to teach, the knowledge of the subject, methodical orientation, and practice this craft often enough so he or she will excel. Finally make sure that all students are getting the message, the know-how.  

I hope I can bring to the board enough experience to be an asset…I know I’m in good company.

All the best… Oscar

My name is Monte Smith. I’m 43 years old and reside in Halsey, OR, with my wife and two children (ages 11 and 9). Halsey is a small farming town located in the heart of Western Oregon’s Willamette Valley, and many excellent fishing opportunities are within just an hour’s drive. I work as the Director of Business Operations for a real estate software company, which keeps me busy wearing many different hats. Some of my interests and activities outside of fly tying & fly-fishing include outdoor photography, coaching youth baseball, participating in local government, and following sports (especially baseball). I’m a member of the Oregon Council and have been demonstration tying and teaching classes in support of the FFF at the Northwest Fly Tyers Expo, the State Fair, and other events great and small for a dozen years. In 2008, I served as the Education Assistant Chair in charge of fly tying classes for the newly configured Northwest Fly Tyer & Fly Fishing Expo in Albany. I continue to tie at other events and offer the occasional class through local fly shops as well.

I am a proud member of the Daiichi Pro Staff and have always enjoyed tying a wide variety of flies - from those to fill my trout and steelhead boxes to display flies of somewhat greater complexity for various fly plates and auctions. While my primary focus has settled on dressing Atlantic Salmon flies, I retain a strong interest in tying flies of all kinds.

Some things I would like to see the Fly Tying Group tackle include:

1. Better utilizing the Internet for providing instruction, education and communication tools for tyers and instructors under the auspices of the FFF.
2. Developing a process or guidelines to help develop high quality instructors, whether at the demonstration or classroom level.
3. Strengthening youth tying programs.

I’m honored to be considered for the board amongst the supremely talented tyers and highly dedicated FFF members represented in this group. It would be my pleasure to serve with any and all of you.

Best Regards,
Monte

Hello Everyone. I'm Henrika Prescott.  Last year I relocated from the East Coast and now live in Hemet, which is in southern California. I started a Fly Club last year in our community of Four Seasons. I have had several careers over the years.  I worked as an accountant from which I'm retired.  For 15 years I modeled for a modeling agency in Washington DC.  I have also become an accomplished portrait artist since that career began 40 years ago. I discovered the world of Fly Fishing when I relocated to Florida from Washington DC in 1995.  In 1998, I became the President of St. Andrews Fly Fishers in Panama City, Fl.,  and served several terms.  At that point I discovered fly tying was another artistic outlet that closely related to my work as a portrait artist.

I feel that I'm still in the learning process but would like to see more fly tying programs established in our Senior Communities.  After seeing the interest from the Seniors in our community, I would like to pursue that on a National level.  Not all Seniors still have the ability to go Fly Fishing but I haven't found one that is unable to sit and tie flies.

My name is Jim Ferguson.  Just hit 65 and have been retired for about 3 years from 34 years in public education.  Taught physical science, math, geology, chemistry, and physics.  I live in Salem, Oregon, near Chemeketa Community College where I taught the last 9 years before retiring.  My major was physics.  Throughout  my teaching career I was involved with curriculum development and tried to pay special attention to the different styles of learning and how an instructor can adapt to different teaching styles to best match the learning styles of their students.  We had some real variances in learning styles of students in our "Chemistry for Fire Fighters", "Physical Science for Firefighters", and "Nursing Chemistry Series" at Chemeketa.

Jim Ferguson 

 

Hello Fellow Fly Tying Fanatics, my name is Anthony Hipps. My wife (Robin)and I live in Lexington, NC. I am  46 years young and enjoying my age very much. I received my Masters of Science degree in Environmental Chemistry from the University of Tennessee in 1989.  Since June 1989 I have been employed by Syngenta Crop Protection, Inc. (formerly Ciba, formerly Novartis, formerly Zeneca; you get the picture) first as a research chemist and;for the last 10 yearsas a Product Chemistry Regulatory Specialist writing registration applications to EPA and PMRA (Canada). I have been a member of the FFF since 1994. I am a member of the Nat Greene Fly Fishers (TU/FFF affiliate), Greensboro, NC where I have served as Board Member, Vice-President, President, Program Chairman, Publicity Chairman and fly tying instructor.

I have served on the Federation of Fly Fishers - Southeastern Council Board of Directors and tied flies at the FFF-SEC conclaves since 1999.  I have had the privilege to work as a volunteer  speaker, tier and tying instructor and  have taught many tying classes and seminars to clubs and fly fishing events around the Southern USA including Bass/Saltwater Expo, TU and FFF Clubs, Charlotte Fly Fishing Show, Southern Conclave, Callaway Gardens Fly Fishing Weekend and various fly shops. At the June 2007 FFF-South East Conclave I was awarded "The Presidents Award” for outstanding service to the FFF-SEC. I have authored 4 articles published in Fly Tyer Magazine since 2006 and  will have a 5th article published in Fly Tyer this fall.

I enjoy and teach most disciplines of fly tying; coldwater (not salmon flies), warmwater and saltwater.   My favorite flies are warmwater patterns, but I love tying and fishing for any species that will eat a fly. My goal for our Fly Tying Group is to somehow get more young people involved in our sport and the art of fly tying.  I feel that having local/regional fly tying only events may help bring others in.  Also, we want to publish who we are and what we are doing in the fly fishing/tying magazines to increase visibility.  Fly Tyer Magazine has already asked me to convey that they are very interested in publishing an article about our group.

Other hobbies include writing, reading, kayaking.canoeing, hiking, horseback riding, white water rafting, softball, tennis, and basketball.  I also enjoy speaking on religion at various churches.