From owner-flyfish@LSV.UKY.EDU Mon Mar 18 22:21 PST 1996 Date: Tue, 19 Mar 1996 01:20:37 -0500 From: MMSELDON@AOL.COM Subject: FF@ at the NW Fly Tying Expo To: Multiple recipients of list FLYFISH Listers: I don't know why we never listen to the voice of experience, but when Skip Hosfield suggested ordering one $4.95 luncheon special for every two of we eight people, at the Ocean Sky in Eugene. It was good advice. Wheeler Pavilion at the Lane County Fairgrounds takes in about 10,000 square feet for the Oregon Council FFF NW Fly Tying Expo which put together four mammoth shifts of up to 55 tyers at a time from 9:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m. About 115 of the best fly tyers from California, Idaho, Washington and Oregon and it was a blast. Too names many to mention, but many friends, greats and all sorts of innovative thinking on all aspects of materials, techniques and approaches. The world of fly tying is as varied as the personalities that practice this fine aspect of our sort and from that reference point it all was somewhat overwhelming. One of the Oregon clubs collects donated tying materials and excess stock all year and they hold a gigantic materials sales at the Expo. There was also an ongoing silent auction and a raffle. I sorry I was not able to stay for the evening dinner and auction. There were some unbelievably fantastic fly plates to go on the block including a number of great Atlantic salmon plates and one of Darwin Atkin's International FFF fly plates with some words from Hans Weilenmann. Starting off slowly it took a PA announcement to get Marguerite away from the tyers, but we finally roused a FF@ mini-conclave with: Les Benscoter and wife William Bragg Andy Clark Steve Lundgren David A. Mason and Friend Marguerite McKenzie Marty Seldon Rob Pounding, Roger Barga, Andrew Bonamici, others might have been there but they either didn't make it for lunch or we lost them in the 700-800 of us that tried to soak up all that wonderful fly tying. I hope I didn't miss anyone's name - them's all on the list I brought home. Great day and a great opportunity to put faces on some of the names. Lets do it again. I hope someone will post some of the tying highlights. Marty Seldon