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John
CarpenterMembership: Texas
Flyfishers.org, Society of Entomologist, CCA Texas
Owner: www.flatshunterflys.com
Years Fishing: 37
Involved in the arts from childhood to present.
I have been very fortunate to have spent a large portion of my life
outdoors. Fishing, hunting, art and conservation have been a large part
of my life and has always meant a great deal to me. My specialty is
realistic fishable flies.
Over time, many of my flies have been adjusted to give them more durability. Most of the time, that means swapping deer hair legs for other materials. Still, when a new fly is created, it is tied with all natural materials. Only after testing the fly, will other materials be used, and then only if it is necessary for durability.
Tying the originals for any of the series of flies that I do is the same. It starts with the specimen. I spend as much time as possible on the different waters of the Gulf Coast. I collect and fish as time away from tying allows. To have more time on the water, I designed my tying strategies to accommodate this outdoor life style. This way I get to work from the actual specimen. I make sketches and shoot photographs. Exceptional characteristics are noted and measurements taken. By the time all of the measurements are completed, the list will be very long. Since I try to simplify the fishing flies, the majority of the measurements will be used on future art pieces. Next, I begin working on color matches. Sometimes it is no more than the right color markers. The rest of the time colors must be blended with paints. I use oils mixed with acetone. The next stage is deciding the position of the specimen on the hook. This determines how the fly will set on the water. The hook size usually corresponds to the measurement from the head to the back of the specimen’s thorax. This will leave the abdomen extended. I find most flies benefit from this by sitting on the water more like the natural. Most times the hook must be adjusted by bending to fit the profile of the specimen and increase the hook gap. The actual tying begins with the insect's abdomen. Most are tied off the hook. I use wires of different sizes to build my abdomens on. This is where measurements become helpful. I wrap all of the abdomen segments within the length of the abdomen, with thread over deer hair. The finished size and shape is determined by the measurements taken from the specimen. When it is correct, color is applied and the whole abdomen is coated with glue, (Flexament). When it is dry, it is taken from the wire. The finished abdomen is now a hollow bobber of deer hair and thread, ready to tie on to the hook. The head and thorax are done the same way except, of course, on the hook. Legs, antennae, markings and my prepared wings or carapace’s are added to finish the fly. The original is then used to determine the feasibility of tying the fly in production as a fishing fly or an art fly. As an example: my shrimp pattern is tied in production as a fishing fly and can be tied as a presentation fly. When tying time is no obstacle, I also tie it as art. Most of my flies can be tied in all three categories. I do tie many specialty patterns. Generally the specialty patterns will go into presentation art, as I do not tie them in regular production.
Fishing the realistic fly is of course the main reason for creating
it. My goal is to tie a fishing fly, and a realistic fly others can
learn to tie, that will help solve problems often encountered when
fishing over selective species such as some of our native fish on the
coastal marshes. Most of the time I have found little or no difference,
when casting, to other flies. However, some of my finest fish catching
patterns require the most skill to deliver properly.
John
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