I grew up around fly tying and fishing. My family and the people they surrounded us with had incredible talent. Being 32 years old now with a lifetime of fishing and tying, it is time for me to start giving back as they did for me. I have found and secured a workshop room to make a group oriented arena for young tyers and their parents to share in and learn together.
There has been a great deal of interest and commitment from friends and community members (including my partner, thank you Julie.) This campaign's goal is to speed up the equipment and material acquisition process. Raising funds privately can be a long affair, as such, this crowdfunding platform could get us ahead of the curve.
I have people come into my shop where i have my fly tying desk all the time, and i love their enthusiasm, but it's hard to leave them alone and not stare over their shoulder while they try the equipment and handle the materials, I don't want to scare anyone off, this is my solution.
Having started very young in tying, my story, sounds like many that grew into lifelong tyers. Friends and fellow fisherman started noticing me catching fish, and asking me what I was using. This led to them asking to "borrow" one, or me to offer one. From there they became christmas and birthday gifts. In the end I started selling. Eventually my full time job took over, and tying went back to where it has always stayed. An artful hobby that helped me feel more connected to my fishing, and ultimately my food.
@FlyTyerMiller on twitter
The ultimate goal is simply to have young people love tying and fishing. Byproducts of this are obvious, environmental and conservation respect, eduction on fish, waterways, insects, and so on. If funding goes well i know some likeminded people here and in other cities where the resources can be share and the idea spread!
It will be a community based project, that aims to make fly tyers for life!
here are some samples of work i have been doing recently, getting away from some current trends but testing some of my skills. It's a fun exercise to revisit patterns.
PLEASE CHECK MY GALLERY. i have added more photographs including some of me fishing to hopefully help legitimize myself to the people whom I am looking to impress.
you can reach me through twitter.
These flies are my version of a thank you letter. If you have any requests, feel free to do so, if you would like to help in another way, I would be thrilled to talk with you as well.
@FlyTyerMiller
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I am willing to discuss other "perks" if there is interest. i simply wanted to throw something out there so that donations don't come without a thank you in the mail.
**** Further explanation after questioning. Your purchase of any flies from me will go towards sending you the fly. The fly itself is my donation to this cause, all materials, are paid for and purchased by myself. Postage will come out of your donation.
This is a charitable cause, i understand wholeheartedly that these flies (given my status as a amateur tyer) are overpriced, if we were talking about buying a fly. What i am hoping is that you can see this as a donation to a proactive cause, that helps us give back to something we love. The fly is a thank you letter. I have no interest in becoming a commercial tyer, I would have no customers.
