STELLARTON - The diligent work of the Pictou County Fly Tyers Club serves two purposes – a practical one, preparing for the coming fishing season, and a place for enthusiasts to gather and talk about their hobby.
“We see it as a way to continue our interest in fishing throughout the winter,” said Parker Wong, one of the club’s organizers. “You can’t do much fishing in the winter, and this is a way to make the best of that, and tie flies for the next season.”
The club has been around for at least 15 years, although members are uncertain when, specifically, it began.
Wong encouraged anyone interested to check out the club, and said fly tying isn’t a particularly difficult skill to learn. When he spoke to The News last Sunday, he had just finished showing a newer member of the club how to tie a particular style of fly.
“Once you know the basic methods, it’s basically just repetitive work,” he said.
However, Wong noted, things never become too repetitive or boring, because there is more often than not fellowship among fly tyers and good conversation as the tying goes on.
“There’s a lot of camaraderie. We come here with a common love of fishing, and enjoy tying flies,” said Wong. “Why not get a group together, enjoy tying and the stories that come with it?”
There are anywhere from six to 12 people who show up for the regular sessions and, for a $3 fee from each member, Wong purchases all the necessary materials to construct flies.
There is an abundance of kinds of flies that club members end up tying. According to Wong, there are hundreds of thousands of different potential styles, since “fish aren’t that difficult to fool.”
Each night the club meets they tie flies in two or three different patterns. At the end of each evening, Wong said the club takes suggestions from members on what types of flies they want to build the following week.
The club meets every Sunday from 6:30 to 9:30 p.m. at the Stellarton Seniors Club building.
