Fly Tying: "An Endless, Weird Journey"

Chester Allen (who sadly will be leaving the The Olympian in January, a victim of the downturn in newspapers) explains as well as anyone how fly tying is like wood carving and traces his obsession over many decades. “For years, I had boxes of trout flies that never got wet – until I started fly fishing in warmwater lakes and ponds. I discovered that crappie, bluegill, yellow perch and even bass will eat ugly, poorly tied trout flies. Eventually I reached the most dangerous point in fly tying – or lure making. That’s when you stay up late listening to jazz on public radio stations and tie weirdo flies.”