SOW BUG 2011
I was able to be back at this meeting for the first time in three years. Things had not worked out to be able to be there the last few years, but this year was different.
I drove down to Mt Home on Thursday, and tied on Friday morning and Saturday. After that I was able to wander around on Friday afternoon and see what a lot of people were tying. It was great fun to see what people were doing with different materials.
I got to meet several folks there, including Wayne Blake-Hedges.. He built a bamboo rod the week before the meeting. He was a very fun person to be around. It is a pity that he is not excited about his bamboo rod.
While I was there I tied a bunch of flies. I did the furl tailed mohair leech and another pan fish fly that are my favorites. It was great fun to talk to all the folks that came by.
I even had two guides from a fly shop stop by and compliment me that I was using the rotary function of the vice. When I expressed surprise about this, they told me that very few people were using the rotary function of the vice. I watched several folks tie and it seemed to be true. People rotated the fly to look at it, but did not wrap any materials using the rotary function.
I did pick up a few things while I was there. I got some barred blood marabou in a yellow and red color. I could see some small leeches made with this. Have a few tied and will need to see how they will work.
Also ran onto a nifty little tying item. My camera is on the blink so a picture will have to wait. Best description is an elastic band with a plastic “O” ring on it to go around wired spools to keep the wire from splaying everywhere. The way wire works for me that is a good thing for me to have. I had three wire spools out and put a ring on each one of them. I like the way they work.
After the show we went out to dinner with a few friends, and I was invited to go to Tony Spezio’s house after dinner. Tony and Dot live right on the White River.
I had to go right down to the river and look at the water. More houses have been built up river from Tony. Those people are fertilizing their lawns. There are now mats of grass growing along the bed of the river. It is not possible to fish from his dock any more. We could still see fish rising, but I know that I would get hung up on the grass trying to cast to them.
We came back on Sunday. I had a good time. If you ever get the chance you need to make it to this show. Great fun and lots of information is available.
Hope you can get out on the water.
Rick