I have been fortunate to live in St. Anthony, Idaho most of my life. I have tied flies and fished the river, which we called the North Fork, since I was 6 or 7. I started out tying the flies my father tied and used, which were renegades, gray hackle and brown hackle peacocks, and gray hackle yellows. I branched off into blue duns and white millers when I started wading the river and fishing by myself, probably at around 10.
I have always loved to fish and have been fortunate to have some great teachers. Aside from my father Bud, Mike Lawson and Rene Harrop have been life-long friends who showed me other patterns and ways to tie them. I tied and fished with Bing Lempke and Clark Everest, and was able to learn a lot of great things about the bugs on my home water and the best ways to imitate them.
I am still learning and trying as a tyer. I do not think I have ever been completely happy with a fly that has come out of my vise and in spite of hands-on teaching from Rene and Mike, I still struggle with no hackles.
I still have a great deal to learn, but am forever in debt to those who have gotten me this far.