Patrick Daigle
Signature Tyer
My parents raised me in Moodus, Connecticut along the banks of the Salmon River, a tributary to the Connecticut River. Here I honed my river rat skills; exploring like Huck Finn every summer, fishing and snorkeling like crazy, I can’t tell you how many valuable lessons were learned there. I saw my first fly rod being cast by a former music teacher who came over to fish one day in my folks’ backyard.
The colored line flying back and forth in the air captured my attention, but it wasn’t until Mr. Tab, my Vo-ag teacher in Jr. high demonstrated fly tying in class that I became hooked… Tab knew it to so he advised my Mother pick up a basic fly fishing kit. I used it feverishly. It wasn’t long after that I picked up my first fly tying kit from LL Bean. A river runs through it literally came out at the same time, total coincidence, then It was over.
I have been trying to come up with a unique idea for a fly since I started tying flies in the early 90’s. Dick Stewart and Farrow Allen’s, Trout Flies had me hypnotized at times. I would spend hours at the bench going through the pages of recipes one by one, imagining how each one could be tied.
This was before I owned any step by step guides so I often had to use a lot of imagination when I tried to recreate them and I didn’t have a lot of the materials. When I tied I was horribly inefficient, but I was not lacking passion. I still have the book, signed by many of the tiers…my favorite signature is Gary Lafontain’s. It is my prized fly fishing possession.
Over time my skills improved, but not much. All of my flies were pretty inconsistent and often looked like a result of ADHD at the bench. It wasn’t until I started to work at North Cove Outfitters in Old Saybrook, Connecticut when my coaching began. Brian Owens, another Umpqua tyer :) introduced me to the Fly Fishing industry and ultimately helped to focus my passion and coach me in the right direction.
I spent 7 years at NCO. There I became a competent salt water tyer. Being along the coast, I was distracted with Stripers, Bluefish, False Albacore, Bonito, and the occasional Spanish Mackerel in Long Island Sound. Most often from a kayak. Trout were still my first love, but I was going through my big fish phase. My personal best from shore was a 43” striper I caught on one of my 13” bunker flies tied on a 8/0 600 SP.
I became good enough to teach the beginner and eventually the advanced salt water tying class at the store. When we went to fishing shows, we had a bench set up and I would tie there also. I met Page Rogers working at NCO also and I became quite good friends. As we worked the fishing shows I was able to meet Lefty, Bob C, and Bob P…I have a Dyna King base signed by all three from one show.
I found my way to Blue Ribbon Flies in the Spring of 2005 with Craig giving me my commercial order for flies. 8 Dozen $3 Bridge Serendipities was my assignment, and it was tough. I had never tied more than one of anything! Like I said, ADHD… With blisters on my fingers from the spool, and a sore back, I brought Craig his flies a week later. Now I can bust out 2-3 dozen an hour. How perspective can change.
BRF was like going to a fly fishing university for tying and packaging materials. The coaching from Craig Mathews, John Juracek, Nick Nickolas and countless others have provided me with a wealth of skill and knowledge. I am lucky. I worked 4 summers in the shop and I have been guiding now for 10, working on the waters of Yellowstone National Park and SW Montana.
I’ll even guide the mighty Missouri from time to time. The Beaverhead and the Ruby are my favorite rivers to fish on days off, and I am head over heels in love with Hebgen Lake and her Gulpers. Cruising trout on top turn me on…it all becomes strategy, and quick thinking to help improve your odds for success.
I work as a ski instructor in the winter and I care-take a house along the Madison River.
My parents raised me in Moodus, Connecticut along the banks of the Salmon River, a tributary to the Connecticut River. Here I honed my river rat skills; exploring like Huck Finn every summer, fishing and snorkeling like crazy, I can’t tell you how many valuable lessons were learned there. I saw my first fly rod being cast by a former music teacher who came over to fish one day in my folks’ backyard.
The colored line flying back and forth in the air captured my attention, but it wasn’t until Mr. Tab, my Vo-ag teacher in Jr. high demonstrated fly tying in class that I became hooked… Tab knew it to so he advised my Mother pick up a basic fly fishing kit. I used it feverishly. It wasn’t long after that I picked up my first fly tying kit from LL Bean. A river runs through it literally came out at the same time, total coincidence, then It was over.
I have been trying to come up with a unique idea for a fly since I started tying flies in the early 90’s. Dick Stewart and Farrow Allen’s, Trout Flies had me hypnotized at times. I would spend hours at the bench going through the pages of recipes one by one, imagining how each one could be tied.
This was before I owned any step by step guides so I often had to use a lot of imagination when I tried to recreate them and I didn’t have a lot of the materials. When I tied I was horribly inefficient, but I was not lacking passion. I still have the book, signed by many of the tiers…my favorite signature is Gary Lafontain’s. It is my prized fly fishing possession.
Over time my skills improved, but not much. All of my flies were pretty inconsistent and often looked like a result of ADHD at the bench. It wasn’t until I started to work at North Cove Outfitters in Old Saybrook, Connecticut when my coaching began. Brian Owens, another Umpqua tyer :) introduced me to the Fly Fishing industry and ultimately helped to focus my passion and coach me in the right direction.
I spent 7 years at NCO. There I became a competent salt water tyer. Being along the coast, I was distracted with Stripers, Bluefish, False Albacore, Bonito, and the occasional Spanish Mackerel in Long Island Sound. Most often from a kayak. Trout were still my first love, but I was going through my big fish phase. My personal best from shore was a 43” striper I caught on one of my 13” bunker flies tied on a 8/0 600 SP.
I became good enough to teach the beginner and eventually the advanced salt water tying class at the store. When we went to fishing shows, we had a bench set up and I would tie there also. I met Page Rogers working at NCO also and I became quite good friends. As we worked the fishing shows I was able to meet Lefty, Bob C, and Bob P…I have a Dyna King base signed by all three from one show.
I found my way to Blue Ribbon Flies in the Spring of 2005 with Craig giving me my commercial order for flies. 8 Dozen $3 Bridge Serendipities was my assignment, and it was tough. I had never tied more than one of anything! Like I said, ADHD… With blisters on my fingers from the spool, and a sore back, I brought Craig his flies a week later. Now I can bust out 2-3 dozen an hour. How perspective can change.
BRF was like going to a fly fishing university for tying and packaging materials. The coaching from Craig Mathews, John Juracek, Nick Nickolas and countless others have provided me with a wealth of skill and knowledge. I am lucky. I worked 4 summers in the shop and I have been guiding now for 10, working on the waters of Yellowstone National Park and SW Montana.
I’ll even guide the mighty Missouri from time to time. The Beaverhead and the Ruby are my favorite rivers to fish on days off, and I am head over heels in love with Hebgen Lake and her Gulpers. Cruising trout on top turn me on…it all becomes strategy, and quick thinking to help improve your odds for success.
I work as a ski instructor in the winter and I care-take a house along the Madison River.