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Fly Tying Month 2019 Photo Contest Winners

Fly Tying Month has been a great month of knowledge, sharing ideas and a wonderful sense of community. We set out this month launching 4 different photo contests covering 4 very different themes but all coming together to celebrate the art of fly tying. This month we have seen some amazing behind the scenes photos of some of your fly tying benches and rooms, we have seen fish caught with flies you made, your favorite flies and fly boxes made representing hours and hours of time and money investing in building them. What a contest! Thank you everyone for taking the time to submit your photos and participate in our giveaway.

We also want to thank all our amazing brands that gave us gear that made this giveaway possible! Here are all our sponsors, Thank you! Umpqua Feather Merchants, Firehole Outdoors, Fair Flies, Wapsi, Dr. Slick, Loon Outdoors, Griffin Enterprises, Fishpond, Tacky & TyWheel.

Here are our winners for our Fly Tying Month #1
The theme: “Show Us Your Fly Tying Bench/Room”

1st place: Jason Light

 

Very multi functional basement space. ”stickeredup” tote can fit all my others inside it and more . Good for when you want to tie somewhere other than your bench/basement!
Very multi functional basement space. ”stickeredup” tote can fit all my others inside it and more . Good for when you want to tie somewhere other than your bench/basement!

2nd place: Sam Fetzer

A good fly tying table begins with a good table. I feel very fortunate to have scored my table from my dad who used the table as a clothing display at his old store Muskoka Lakes. The table is lightweight, long, and makes for a great tying table. I particularly like the top shelf that goes on top. It adds just enough room for extra supplies and a place to put pictures and other miscellaneous items. I have been tying for about three years and learned from my brother in law. I used to live in Utah and tied mainly trout and bass patterns. Now I am a student living in Maine and have entered the saltwater tying game. I have been tying up striper patterns and cannot wait for the stripers to return!
A good fly tying table begins with a good table. I feel very fortunate to have scored my table from my dad who used the table as a clothing display at his old store Muskoka Lakes. The table is lightweight, long, and makes for a great tying table. I particularly like the top shelf that goes on top. It adds just enough room for extra supplies and a place to put pictures and other miscellaneous items. I have been tying for about three years and learned from my brother in law. I used to live in Utah and tied mainly trout and bass patterns. Now I am a student living in Maine and have entered the saltwater tying game. I have been tying up striper patterns and cannot wait for the stripers to return!

3rd place: Jeremy Anderson

I bought this 19th century English desk at an auction years before I got bitten by the tying bug. With a toddler and 6 year old at home, it's the perfect workstation because it folds up. It's my unwind ritual to sneak downstairs, make a cup of tea and tie flies when everyone else goes to bed. I've only been tying a few months, but it's my new addiction, and this is my happy place.
I bought this 19th century English desk at an auction years before I got bitten by the tying bug. With a toddler and 6 year old at home, it’s the perfect workstation because it folds up. It’s my unwind ritual to sneak downstairs, make a cup of tea and tie flies when everyone else goes to bed. I’ve only been tying a few months, but it’s my new addiction, and this is my happy place.

Here are our winners for our Fly Tying Month #2
The theme: “Show us a fish you caught with a homemade fly”

1st place: Toby Hurd

First fish I’ve caught on a fly I tied. White clouser
First fish I’ve caught on a fly I tied. White clouser

2nd place: Monica Humble

monica Humble - 5c86b66f4bcdf-IMG_4314
Check out this beauty!

3rd place: Jordan Palm

I caught this trout on my home river in North Idaho with a Sculpin streamer that I tied!
I caught this trout on my home river in North Idaho with a Sculpin streamer that I tied!

Here are our winners for our Fly Tying Month #3
The theme: “Show us your best looking or most proud of fly”

1st place: Steve Yates

Biot body Light Cahill. Just a slight variation from the typical Catskill style flies. The cream biot with just a touch of yellow dubbing under the hackle are a close match for one of the dominate hatches in the Southern Appalachians. The light cahills hatch last almost all spring. I've probably caught more fish on this dry than any other in my box. I've been tying flies about 35 years.
Biot body Light Cahill. Just a slight variation from the typical Catskill style flies. The cream biot with just a touch of yellow dubbing under the hackle are a close match for one of the dominate hatches in the Southern Appalachians. The light cahills hatch last almost all spring. I’ve probably caught more fish on this dry than any other in my box. I’ve been tying flies about 35 years.

2nd place: Matthew Chenoweth

This was a tough decision for me. I chose this fly because of the ammount of work that went into it. Everything from painting the lead eyes with enamel, to melting the mono eyes my self. I was pretty proud of this fly upon completing.
This was a tough decision for me. I chose this fly because of the ammount of work that went into it. Everything from painting the lead eyes with enamel, to melting the mono eyes my self. I was pretty proud of this fly upon completing.

3rd place: Rod Brashears

This is the third weedless frog I have tied up with a 3/4 inch shank attached with 25 pound stainless steel wire on an Ahrex 5/0 hook. It takes almost an hour to tie up and trim..
This is the third weedless frog I have tied up with a 3/4 inch shank attached with 25 pound stainless steel wire on an Ahrex 5/0 hook. It takes almost an hour to tie up and trim..

Here are our winners for our Fly Tying Month #4
The theme: “Show us a fly box filled with your own homemade flies”

1st place: Fred Block
fred block - 5c9713ef267fe-flybox_1_01

2nd place: Jacob Buchanan

Box filled with Spey and Dee patterns for Pacific Northwest steelhead
Box filled with Spey and Dee patterns for Pacific Northwest steelhead

3rd place: Brandon Kalpin

I decided I wanted to make a fly box just for nymphing. I would pick 1 pattern and tie up a bunch, before moving to the next pattern. I found it helped me get my proportions right, and I felt the most accomplished when all the flies started to look the same. This box is not quite full, but it did take some time to build. But time flies when you’re having fun sitting in front of a vise.
I decided I wanted to make a fly box just for nymphing. I would pick 1 pattern and tie up a bunch, before moving to the next pattern. I found it helped me get my proportions right, and I felt the most accomplished when all the flies started to look the same. This box is not quite full, but it did take some time to build. But time flies when you’re having fun sitting in front of a vise.

Thank you again everyone for your support and participation in our photo contests and don’t forget our fly tying sale is still ongoing until the 31st!

Winners, please email me at marketing@avidmax.com with your shipping address. Thanks!

Start taking photos for next year and we will see you out there!

Click below to scroll through the photo galleries.
Fly tying benches
Fish caught with a tied fly
Most proud of fly
Fly boxes filled with homemade flies

Published by

Curt W.

Photography and Tenkara fishing is my game, and Curt is my name! I'm one of the site moderators so please mind your p's and q's and comment as you would want to be treated.

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