Dropped in at the NW Fly Tying Expo in Albany, Oregon today. One day remains..Saturday, March 13, 2010. The show has steadily grown. The show is a nice Spring time boost of spirits and a good learning format for fly tying. Today there was a nice balance of tyers, featuring trout, steelhead and the more artistic Atlantic Salmon patterns.
I saw my favorite fly tying materials vendor, Fly Tying Specialties out of Petaluma, California at the show and acquired a selection of materials I have not seen available at any fly shops. The materials seem centered around the Czech Nymph, but the materials can be used for all manner of fly patterns.
Also, I came across two men, Mike Barnum and Dan Kellogg out of Medford, Oregon. They are starting to establish a business ventures called Tyers Tool Shop. Mike Kellogg has developed nice looking tying stations and Mike Barnum has machined classy fly tying tools.
A portent of things to follow came today as I arrived at the Expo. My camera battery was dead. No problem, I would snap photo’s with my new crackberry. Well, I took pics of Barnum, Kellogg and their craftsmanship and where those pics went, hell if I know. Disappointingly, I write this piece with no pics and I told Mike & Mike that I would create a nice piece highlighting their work.
Their website is in development, but will be active. They can be reached at Tyers Tool Shop, 403 Picadilly Circle, Medford, Oregon, 97504 (541) 210-0949 or Barnum’s Machine Shop, 1684 Spring Street, Medford, Oregon 97504, (541) 772-5315.
Mike Barnum told me, he and Dan Kellogg have been ‘operating out of a shirt pocket’. Having full time careers while trying to develop and market a dream project is admirable. All the piss poor photographer can say is they had quality tying stations and fly tying tools. If you hit the show tomorrow in Albany, Oregon look them up and support their first marketing effort. Mike and Mike…sorry about the pictures.
