If any of you tie your own flies here is an interview with Jim Misiura that I did recently: Hello Jim, thank you for doing this interview for Fly Tiers Anonymous on Facebook. A group of very diverse fly tiers and fly anglers. To begin, could you give some bio information on yourself? I lived in Northeastern Pennsylvania for most of my life. I grew up fishing the rivers, streams and lakes all around Pa. I fished in Florida while serving in the U.S. Navy. Upon returning I began fishing N.Y. Catskills and Upper Delaware River. I started guiding in Pa. shortly after returning home from the Navy. In the 1990s I started teaching fly tying classes with a group of home school students from the area. In 1992 I guided Author Charles Meck on the Lackawanna River, for his book Pa. Trout Streams and Their Hatches. Since that first book he has featured me in several other books and articles on fly fishing in Pa. How did you become interested in fly fishing? I was a quick learner with bait fishing and soon was looking for more challenging ways to catch trout. In the late 1970s and early 1980s there were very few fly fisherman in my area. I finding one that would be willing to teach a 12 year old was even harder to find. So I just continued to bait fish until I was 17. I bought my first fly rod at that time. One day a friend of mine was in need of some fast cash and offered to sell me his Grandfathers old Southbend outfit. So with $40 I purchased my first rod. When I bought it, it had a reel and line but no leader, not that I knew what a leader was, but I knew I needed one. So I ran home took ten feet of Stren from my spinning rod, tied one end to the fly line and a #6 baitholder hook to the other. I had no flies, so I searched through the toy box and found a little rubber cricket, which I impaled on the hook and quickly ran back to the river. It was a hot July that first time I tried fly fishing. With my friends cheering me on, I caught trout after trout on that little rubber cricket. I took six before I was through. That day changed the way I looked at fishing ever since. How did you become a fly tier? After losing my only fly,rubber cricket, I had to find a supplier. I did find a bait shop that also sold flies. The flies were 50 cents a piece and made only God knows where. I would buy a dozen of these flies every other day. The reason for this was first I wasnt the best caster and second the flies fell apart after catching one or two fish. These flies would either come apart or the hook would break. So I knew I needed to start tying my own, at least if they failed I would have only myself to blame. I knew my dad had an old fly tying kit, so I dug it up from the basement and salvaged what I could. A few materials had somehow survived the last 30 years of moth infestation. But the more valuable tying books from the 1950s had survived. After studying them in depth I purchased what I needed to get started tying my own flies. As with everyone that tries to start on their own my flies left alot to be desired. But I caught trout with them, and my new Mustad hooks didnt break, so I was ahead of the game. When did you post your first video and why? I posted my first video on youtube in April 2010. It was a fishing video, that Ive since removed. I remember watching for my how many hits I got on it daily. My friend and I would watch to see who would reach 100 hits first. I think it took about three months to get my first video to reach 100 hits. As experienced fishermen and fly tyers I believe it is our duty to help as many people new to the sport as we can. I know what it was like trying to learn to fly fish and tie on my own. Before I started posting videos I was already doing alot of guiding and teaching, both fly tying and fishing. And that was something I loved doing. I watched some of the other guys who posted fly tying videos and decided that I can do at least as well a job as they did. I always wanted to be a teacher and what better way to teach people then on the world wide web. I have viewers from 120 different countries now. In this day and age one should be able to find out all they need to become better fishermen and fly tyers. What is your favorite fly to tie? Why? My favorite fly to tie? I cant say that I have a favorite to tie. I do alot of experimenting, and when I come up with something new that works and works well that is where the joy comes from. I believe the first fly for anyone learns to tie is the Griffiths Gnat size 14. This I would have to say is my favorite, because it is very easy to tie and is very very effective. Ive caught over 1500 brown trout over 20 inches and I would say 50% have been caught on the Griffiths Gnat #14. The other fly that is so successful is the GSS Emerger (Gartside Secret Stuff). Both only take a minute to tie and are very very effective. When used in tandem they are a deadly combination. What is your favorite water to fish? My favorite water to fish is my home water, for a few reasons. Youll never know any water as well as you do the one you grew up on. The water that taught you to love fishing. My river I grew up on has taught me everything I know about fly fishing and life in general. It teaches you not to give up, it teaches patience, it teaches you that you always have a place to come home to. I spent countless hours in and around the river. As a teenager and well into my twenties I would spend 300 or more days a year on my river. I love fishing the West branch of the Delaware River. if you start getting cocky and thinking you know it all, take a trip to the upper Delaware. It will humble all who enter it. I love going there because it humbles all. It makes you rethink everything you know about fly tying and fishing. You need to take a long look at everything that is happening in and around the water. Take a close up look at the hatch, I mean close up, you need to catch samples of the hatch and inspect it. What works on one stream doesnt mean it will work on the Delaware or anywhere else for that matter. That is one of the greatest things about fly fishing. In the last several years Tenkara has come onto the fly fishing scene, what is your opinion of Tenkara as an alternative? Tenkara fly fishing. Originated in Japan at least 200 years ago, used for fishing small mountain streams. I havent done it yet myself but am interested in doing some. I think it will be very effective on small streams where the fish wont run far. But as for catching large trout in wide open rivers, youll have to show me to make me a believer. What would be your advice to beginning fly tiers? The key to tying quality flies is the materials you use. Poor materials make poor flies. Quality should be your goal. So buy the best materials you can afford. Dont buy every new thing on the market, youll go broke. Figure out what flies you use the most and buy the best materials to tie those flies. Youll have everything on the market before you know it. Concentrate on proportions. Get a good reference journal, a book or the web. A fly that is made with top quality materials in the wrong proportions wont work well. For example a dry fly size 14 tied with a hackle that is soft and a size 10 is going to sink. Dont overload your dubbing, you can always add more if needed. Take your time a rushed fly is going to look it BAD. You want your flies to last as well as catch fish. So take your time and enjoy yourself. Dont try to tie every fly in the book only those youll be fishing with. Thanks for time and support. And as always let me know if you have any questions. Jim Your welcome. Thank you again for taking time for the interview. Personally, I have learned a lot and really enjoy your youtube channel. Chris Schatte youtube/user/TheFlymanJim
Posted on: Thu, 16 Oct 2014 04:18:42 +0000
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