Freehand Tying by Al & Gretchen Beatty
Al Beatty / Fly Tying / Hatches / Hatches 2009
Are you “PC?” No! No! We’re not talking about politically correct! We’re talking about the method you use to attach your vise to your tying table. Do you use a pedestal (P) or a C-clamp (C)? Quite frankly we use both depending on the situation. If any of you have spent any time as a demonstration fly tier you already know that the tables in many convention centers were not manufactured with a fly tying vise in mind, at least not one with a c-clamp as its anchoring mechanism.
Many years ago, Al learned about this problem the hard way. He showed up to demonstrate at a show and found there was no way he could attach his vise to the table and he didn’t have a pedestal base. He corrected the problem when he got home that day however, at that time he was under-the-gun so to speak and ended up doing his demonstration freehand – without a vise.
He didn’t want the audience to see him in a panic so he chose an easy-to-tie Woolly Bugger as his first fly. He was only part way into the pattern when he was struck by the realization that he really did have a lot of freehand skills learned over the years; they had just grown a bit rusty over time due a lack of use.
This article and 12 others can be found in the 2009 issue of Hatches Click Here For More Info
Growing up in Brazil and becoming interested in fly-tying when I was 15 y.o. I was required to be very resourceful in my early fly-tying.
The Brazilian market does not have access to the huge amount of gear available in the US. No vises were available to purchase, and I almost had one custom made by a medical equipment maker, but that would be a fortune. I was also resourceful in “foraging” for my feathers and fur.
I learned how to tie all my flies without a vise. From about 15 to 18 I tied every single one of my flies freehand, and over the years became pretty good at it. Of course, I was tying on hooks 12 or larger, but I never stuck to the easiest patterns, there were several patterns I effectively tied. My parents still have a big box with the hundreds of flies I tied that way, maybe I should bring it back next time I visit.
Fly tying free hand is a old as fly tying itself. A small group of artisans tie professionally, their flies mounted in frames and selling to patrons of the art. Like Al, I learned to tie my first freehand fly by necessity – showing up without the vise. For me however it led to the production of a hand held vise, the ultimate in compact for travel vise.
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