Here’s the second part of our recent interview with Flies for Rivers tying wizard Buck Ryan; if you missed Part One read it here.
We give you and your team two thumbs up for your donations ($1 for every dozen flies sold); what prompted you to start consistently giving back?
Team? I want a team…it’s just me at the vise. My wife Molly provides patience, food, product testing and proofreading. Our dogs Otis and Mimi keep the squirrels at bay.
Practicing public interest environmental law heightened my awareness of the inadequacy of conservation funding and laid bare the embarrassing lack of angler contribution. Having seen many groups lose their environmental ethics to reliance on institutional donations that often come with conditions, ulterior agendas, and political bureaucracy, I wanted to fund no-strings-attached independent donations so that deserving, science-based fisheries conservation projects can afford to do the right thing. Everyone wants healthy fisheries, but most folks have little time or desire to volunteer. The only other way is to support future fisheries is to fund those with the hours and will to do the protection and restoration work on the ground. The unfortunate reality, in my opinion, is that our consumerist mindset makes sales-driven donations the best way to raise interest and money. My hope is that by providing a superior product with a donation built in, I can reconnect anglers to their rich history, push the envelope of modern fly design, and facilitate river protection work that ensures the future of our fisheries.
Best advice for the experienced tyer who’s thinking about moving into the professional arena?
Don’t commit full time until you can deliver a quality product and pay the bills. Conceptions of fly value confound me; a House of Harrop fly costs just $3 – you can literally own a masterpiece of artistic design that is hand-crafted by the greatest tiers of all time for less than a Big Mac. People routinely shell out $700 each for a new rod, waders, or reel, then balk at a fly that costs more than $2. Skimping on flies, unlike the other items, can and often does detract from an angler’s experience. The fly is the direct link between angler and fish, the raison d’etre for hatch-matchers, and the only variable you can change after downsizing tippet. When you have worked and spent and traveled to be in that moment, it is worth having a selection of high-performance patterns tied on quality hooks so you can close the deal. Above all, keep it simple – carry a handful of proven patterns that are pleasant to cast, and enjoy the process of learning what works.
Tell us a bit about your day job…how about something good for rivers and fish?
My last case was a success, but it doesn’t always work out that well. I was contracted to represent Idaho Rivers United in a challenge to the Forest Service’s failure to halt “megaloads” of tar sands refinery equipment – some as long as a space shuttle and weighing over 600,000 lbs – from using the Middle Fork Clearwater/Lochsa Wild and Scenic River Corridor on Highway 12 from Lewiston to the Lolo Pass en route to Missoula. Working with the Nez Perce tribe, our team won a preliminary injunction in federal court which required the Forest Service to close Highway 12 to megaloads. The judge found that the Forest Service abdicated its mandatory federal statutory duty to protect certain rivers as wild. I was lucky to be involved, and we were fortunate to achieve such a result. This outcome should discourage future transporters from pursuing this route and risking the type of harm the shipper suffered due to delays, contract damage, reputational harm, and attorney fees, not to mention damage to a pristine area.
Of the flies you tie, what’s been the best seller and where are they shipping?
The Catskill Dry, Scorpion Dun, and Emergent Midge were the most popular patterns this winter. I think the market that has found my flies to date are mostly collectors and tailwater guys who are looking for an edge in the picky-fish game. I expect the Half-Spent will become more sought after in May with the appearance of big mayflies and drakes, and I think the Skating Spider will take off in the summer once I get a video up on my site showing how they are fished and the way fish react and chase them down.
If you could encourage fly fishers to do just one thing in terms of river stewardship this next year, what would that be?
Get involved in areas that were badly damaged by last year’s fires. In places like Colorado and Idaho (and California next year), there will be an enormous amount of silt entering river systems and affecting the course of the river as well as bugs and fish. For tailwaters, pressure dam operators to adopt flow regimes that use reasonable pulsing flows to flush silt without dislodging downed trees, disrupting fish habitat, and leaving no water for August. After runoff, there is an opportunity for revegetation, and many local groups will be on the water cleaning up and making improvements. Volunteer with Waterkeeper for monitoring efforts or your local TU chapter for native tree and shrub plantings, see if American Rivers has a nearby project, or assemble your own project group. If your health or schedule won’t allow it, directly donate whatever you can to fund these efforts.
Buck, many thanks from team Chi Wulff for spending the time you spent cranking out responses to our questions – much appreciated. Keep up the great work at Flies for Rivers…
