NC Fly Fishing Show Review

If you want to meet the legends in fly fishing I can't think of a better place than a fly fishing show.   What's great about the show is it is very interactive. You can share ideas with fly tiers and other fisherman. Take classes, listen to seminars and talks about fishing exotic locations. There's chances to get heavily involved or just watch from a distance. There's deals on gear and the newest gadgets in the industry. My favorite part is the ability to get up close with celebrities and ask them questions  from their books.  

This year I sat through a talk by Bob Clouser. I didn't know much about Bob except for the obvious things. He's considered an expert in fly fishing for bass and the inventor of the Clouser Minnow.  After watching his presentation and talking to him I realized what he shared just scratched the surface of his knowledge. Another person I can never get enough of is David Whitlock. The Whitlocks drive from show to show.  It has to be stressful traveling all the time and hardly ever sleeping in your own bed. Emily and Dave are always kind and friendly whenever you talk with them. Dave's art speaks for itself. I walked by his booth several times during the day and each time I saw something that caught my eye and had to stop.  

Out of all the vendors and booths the one I saw the busiest dealt with Tenkara. Every time I walked by there was a group of people gathered around. Loften Deprez is a local from NC and an accomplished fly tier. The amazing thing is how much he has achieved at a young age. He's only 15 and tying flies commercially. At the show he was demonstrating how to tie Tenkara flies.

Sorry there isn't a ton of pictures. I forgot my camera. The fly show was in a new location for NC this year. The booths had a lot more room and the talks and seminars were in nice rooms with big screens and great sound. I'm happy it's not too far of a drive from Raleigh. I talked to many of the vendors and tiers.  It seems many are happy with the new location and talking about how they can expand things even further next year. 

The biggest surprise happened on my way home from the show. I got a call from a number I didn't recognize and when I answered.....

"Hello Kevin, this is April Vokey."

I had been talking with April via email for the last few months. Our talks were around her giving a presentation for the Triangle Fly Fishers. It has been a struggle since April requires a certain reasonable fee and many members of TFF are older and not quite sure who April is. I'm sure once they know what she is all about it will be a no brainer to get her to present for us. Still when I answered the phone I was wondering if maybe I was getting punked. I mean this was someone who I follow quite a bit. I read her blog and have watched many of her videos on youtube and listened to her podcasts. Having her call me was a little over whelming. I kept calm and tried not to seem star struck. I'm glad she called because there was some confusion on where exactly TFF was. She was visiting NY soon and hoping she could combine speaking at our club. When I explained we were in NC she laughed and explained the situation. I was amazed at her professionalism and candor on the phone. I'm still amazed she took the time to call me.  







NC Fly Fishing Show Recap 2012

This year instead of working at the club booth I took one day to soak in the show. The talent of some of the fly tiers is unbelievable. Especially the realistic fly tiers. When I saw these flies I couldn't believe they were made out of the same materials used to make common fishing flies.

The flies were intricate and detailed to the highest level. This mosquito looked so real I had to constantly fight the urge to smash it.

The tier of these flies is BoB Mead. I talked to him a while about the technique for tying the flies. It's interesting that he just did this as a hobby then people started offering what he felt was ridiculous amounts of money for the flies. He realized quickly that he could have the life we all kind of dream. His hobby could be his main form of income. His work is displayed all over and often used in movies and commercials. The fly show is always great at show casing new inventions to the fly fishing industry. Kevin Arculeo had some very interesting creations.

When I first saw the fly I didn't know what to think. It looked kind of like a science project or something more as a decoration than a fishing fly. Kevin had a small display where one of these flies was swimming against a current. It was in this display that you saw the true efficiency of the fly. It gave one of the most life like swimming motions I've ever seen. The flies are made out of foam and feather light.

There were several variations and styles. I'm pretty sure we'll see more of this type of fly in the future. Part of the fun of the show is the people. I even ran into a fellow blogger. We were both talking to the same vendor when Joel mentioned A Year On The Fly. I couldn't believe the situation. If that scenario didn't happen there would probably be no other way we would have met or known each other was at the show. We talked for a bit and checked out some of the other booths together. Joel is a cool guy and showed me a new wooden fly box he created. Like all of his creations it was awesome.

My Special Moment
Lefty Kreh was giving a presentation on casting techniques. Near the end he was looking for volunteers to try out what he was teaching. No one was chomping at the bit to volunteer but I decided to give it a try. He told me I'd be the last person for the day. It's one thing to cast on a stream with hardly anyone around but doing it in front of 50-100 people is nerve racking. He gave me a few tips to get more distance on my cast and tighter loops. Then at the very end he was talking to some folks then as I was leaving he asked where I put the fly rod. I noticed where I put it up against a railing it had slid over. I was kind of embarrassed and said "well I didn't leave it there on the ground." Lefty said that's alright and walked over with me to pick up the rod. While I picked it up and handed it to him, he said "Kevin you cast very well. Your cast is very smooth. I don't say that to very many people." The compliment blew me away and I was so taken back by who it was coming from I was speechless. I did manage to say thanks. Then I went over and told my friends and we all giggled and acted like teenage girls who just talked to Justin Beiber. It was a moment I won't soon forget and I appreciate Lefty for taking the time for anyone who will listen his knowledge.