Who comes to mind when you think of fly tying celebs?

[Hogan Brown]

This is an interesting thread...thanks for the mention 'rylcrawford'. I always find it a bit sad to see this topic though as many of the people mentioned are either dead or of the "older generation". There are some GREAT young fly tiers out there...problem is they aren't posting up the Fly Fishing shows, fly clubs, or parking lot fairs...they are posting on social media or just tying flies and going fishing! Many good tiers are opting out of commercial production like Umpqua, MFC, and others and opening online "boutique" shops and tying there own patterns... Here are a few that blow my mind on a regular basis...

Matt Callies - one the most well rounded tiers I have ever known...trout, to salt, to traditional, to bass and steelhead and everything in between.
Kevin Price - one of the most innovative tiers I know
Ryan Williams - doing some really cool and innovative warm water flies for top water
The Fly Fish Food Crew http://www.flyfishfood.com - Clark Pierce
Looper Flies
www.greatlakesfly.com
Greg Senyo
Wyo Fly Co
Vaughn Podmore
Morgan Thalken
Pat Cohen - www.rusuperfly.com
Mike Schultz of Schultz outfitters

.

[Tony P]

Our friend Jay Murakoshi is a great tier too. I have saved some of his Seaducers for posterity.

Jay's a great tier as long as he's not putting Krazy Glue in his eyes thinking it's his eye drops.

[Lance Gray]

Bill,

I am still doing custom saltwater flies. I still have about twenty or so shops I sell to and a couple of lodges. If anybody needs saltwater stuff - like Ragheads, KO Charlies, Custom Tarpon we still produce it. All my trout stuff X-May's and Caddis flies are done by Aqua Flies now - Great company.

My mentor Denton Hill was a world class fly tier - he develop flies like the Clayhill, Longhill and awesome billfish flies.

So my top 3 tiers are:

Denton Hill
Tom Peppas
Milt Jensen

Sorry I am a Chico Boy!!!

.

[Baja Fly Fisher]

Thanks Tony, that's why I don't wear contacts anymore.

[Scott V]

Celebrity tier? All the ones I know don't act like celebrities, they are my friends. So I can't think of anyone. But I have ran into a few tiers at shows that thought they were celebrities and treated me like me an underlings. So they can all piss off.

But my favorite tier is Jay, he has always been kind and friendly to me. He helps me when I need it, and for that I will always be thankful Jay is good people!

[Bill Kiene semi-retired]

Bill,

I am still doing custom saltwater flies. I still have about twenty or so shops I sell to and a couple of lodges. If anybody needs saltwater stuff - like Ragheads, KO Charlies, Custom Tarpon we still produce it. All my trout stuff X-May's and Caddis flies are done by Aqua Flies now - Great company.

My mentor Denton Hill was a world class fly tier - he develop flies like the Clayhill, Longhill and awesome billfish flies.

So my top 3 tiers are:

Denton Hill
Tom Peppas
Milt Jensen

Sorry I am a Chico Boy!!!

.

Good Lance...

I knew Denton Hill too because he was a serious fly fisher and fly tier but was also very involved in the motorcycle world of the Greatest Generation. He was friends with Sacramento's old Harley dealer, Armando Magri.

Denton was connected with Fishing International travel in Santa Rosa so he took Armado to many nice exotic destinations fly fishing.

.

[Baja Fly Fisher]

OK Scott, you can stop by my table and pick up your fly . I always have time to talk to people. It might be that I will only tie one fly per day but what the heck, my partner in crime Ken Hanley has been doing that for years ))

[Reno Ragarm]

Charlie Schillinsky is a terrific tier and hasn't been mentioned...I'm sure many of you have seen Charlie at some of the shows & appreciated his work.
RR

[DLJeff]

OK Scott, you can stop by my table and pick up your fly . I always have time to talk to people. It might be that I will only tie one fly per day but what the heck, my partner in crime Ken Hanley has been doing that for years ))

Remember when we used to tie at the Ed Rice ISE Shows? There were more than a few people who talked more than they tied, heh heh. Shoot, I don't think Pete Parker tied one whole fly during the shows, heh heh. Danny Byford tied me one of his original Zonkers one show because I had a pencil drawing from Eldridge Hardy of a Zonker and wanted to frame them together.

[Darian]

Two of my favorite locals that produce great flies are Andy Guibord (another artist/photographer) and Maury Hatch. Andy's flies and photo's are amazing. Not sure Maury would describe himself as a tyer of note but his flies are good looking, durable and they catch fish.