History

I’ve been tying flies for over 50 years. I began tying at the age of 10, when my mentor from Big Brothers Canada introduced me to fly fishing and the art of fly tying. I was instantly captivated by what I was able to create with some string and feathers. I was hooked, to say the least. 

As a late teenager, I would bring my flies to local tackle shops to show the owners. Some shops bought my flies, others did not. I was incentivized to do better by the shops that wouldn’t buy my flies. 

In the late 1990s, I became solely affiliated with Grindstone Angling in Waterdown, Ontario. I tied for custom orders and taught beginner fly tying courses for the shop. I also represented Grindstone at various fly fishing, outdoors and sportsmanship shows throughout Ontario and Michigan, including presenting my skills at the Southfield Fly Fishing Show in Detroit for 10 years. 

During the early 2000s, I became senior pro staff at First Cast Fly Fishing Shop in Guelph, Ontario. I tied custom orders, including boutonnieres of fully dressed Atlantic salmon flies, and I taught beginner, intermediate and advanced fly-tying courses. 

Though I am self-taught, I was influenced by the late Blair Thompson of Prince Edward Island. I found his flies to be extraordinary and seeing him tie gave me the desire to improve my own work. Furthermore, I did workshops with renowned Atlantic salmon tires Rick Whorwood, Mike Martinek, Bob Veverka and Mike Radenchich.