My wife definitely nominates me as a fanatic:
> 1. Raising genetic birds, exotics, or game for tying purposes.
---I don't have to because I scavenge them at my client's farms -
advantage to being an ambulatory large animal veterinarian - gotta love
those peacocks (wouldn't want to own one myself!)
> 2. Anything involving the family pet(s) and the ensuing procurement of
tying
> materials, including whiskers for antennae.
---Ditto number 1 - why do you think I stand over the surgery prep table
with a zip-loc bag when my wife shaves a uniquely colored cat or dog for
surgery
> 3. Causing a traffic jam in your pursuit of road kill. Knows how to
de-bug
> road kill.
---We don't have traffic jams in my neck of the woods but I have backed
up a big hill with poor visibility to pick up a road-kill pheasant
> 4. Making your own hooks
---Not yet but cannot rule it out
> 5. Dyeing your own materials not to save money, but to get 'just the
right'
> shade.
---Same as #4
> 6. Anyone who uses bark, tea leaves, roots, etc to dye materials.
> 7. Taking a vacation to tie flies, or make fly tying shows as a tier on a
> regular basis.
---Twice a year: Sowbug Roundup and Southern Council FFF Conclave - in
fact the only "vacations" our family takes in a year!
> 8. Searches through waste cans/dumpsters for tying supplies.
---Especially for packing foam
> 9. Name on 'call list' at taxidermist (at least one) for scraps, tails,
> etc.
---Have several hunters and conservation agents as friends
> 10. Owns more tying gear and materials than fishing gear.
---Definitely
> 11. People think of you first as "The fly tier", even before your
> profession.
---Yep, or at least as the fly tying veterinarian
> 12. Has more fur and feathers than he/she could ever use in a lifetime,
and
> sees no reason not to collect more.
---Yep, gotta have just that right color
> 13. Has a library for fly-tying.
---About 170 books all databanked on a spreadsheet
> 14. Has an dedicated area for fly tying that never gets used for anything
> else.
---Rolltop desk- 2nd most expensive piece of furniture in the house
> 15. The first use-consideration for any container is fly materials, and
> people know to save them for you.
---Yep
> 16. Ties a 19/0 fly, then a size 32 Mustad fly. (Need that one so I can
> get in)
---How about #4 to #26?
> 17. Takes up photography, buys gear, just to support/photograph the
> flytying hobby.
> 18. Has a web site for flytying.
---No on numbers 17 & 18
> 19. Gets a rush from seeing Whiting Cree or exotic bird plumage.
---Doesn't everyone????
> 20. Ties classic Atlantic Salmon Flies
---Have been collecting materials to start
> 21. You open a fly shop.
> 22. You own a Whiting stuffed rooster, and then name him.
> 23. You meister mega-fly swaps, and then actually do it again, and again.
---Have participated in two of Byard's caddis swaps and the other one
sponsored by someone else. Had to slow down on swaps because I have already
filled up a 50 quart plastic container with swap flies!
> 24. You enter more fly swaps than sit out.
---Used to
> 25. You actually tie all of your flies for all swaps you enter.
---Yep, even tied 200 woven bodied caddis larva flies for a swap, woven
with four different colored materials
> 26. Ties professionally although they have a job that pays the bills.
---Nope - give most flies away
>27-30. Yes on all four.
Plus I have a new proposed rule: 31. Buy new woodworking tools just to
make fly tying accessories.
Hopefully this qualifies me. If I don't make the cut-off there are some
VERY obsessive people out there!
Sincerely,
Bruce Whittle
