Francis Frank H. Thompson, Jr.
Born January 7, 1933, in Washington, D.C., raised in Virginia, currently residing in Maryland, USA.
Retired December 1997, as 1st Vice President after 48+ years of service to a heating, cooling and refrigeration firm located in Virginia.
As near as I can recall, I started fly-fishing in the mid to late 1960s. In the late 1960s I taught myself to tie flies. I went to a large sports store and bought the tools and materials to tie with. I remember the 1st flies were Muddler Minnow Streamers. Within 5 years I was teaching others how to tie flies. I became a member of several fly fishing clubs, both local and international. Around 1973 I was elected president of the National Capital Chapter of Trout Unlimited and was very active in this chapter for approximately 10 years. My wife, Phyllis, and I were raising 5 children. As they became teenagers, I backed off fly-fishing and tying flies for about 5 years (anyone reading this who has teenagers, might understand the reasoning).
In the early to mid 1980s I got back into fly-fishing and fly-tying. Prior to this, I had one of the largest collections of bamboo fly rods and fly reels, which I had the honor of showing to, President Jimmy Carter at a corn roast in Thurmont, Maryland (better known as Camp David). Over the years I had the pleasure of demonstrating fly-tying to members of congress, generals of the United States Army, and teaching children as young as 5 years of age to tie their first fly. Today, I must admit that I enjoy teaching the young people to tie flies the most.
I was interviewed and included in the article entitled Trout in the April 1996, National Geographic.
For over 35 years I have demonstrated fly-tying locally, around the United States and in Canada. I tie 1000 or more flies per year, boxing many of them up and donating them to clubs and organizations that can use them. Ive never attempted to sell my flies as I am not sure there is a market for them. Also, I think that trying to turn fly-tying or fly-fishing into a money making endeavor may take away the enjoyment that these activities provide me.
I have met a great many wonderful people though my involvement in the sport of fly-fishing and fly-tying and I look forward to continuing to do so.
Groups/Organizations for which I have demonstrated and/or provided fly-tying instruction include, but are not limited to:
New Jersey School of Conservation/Montclaire State University (for about 10 years)
National Capital Chapter Trout Unlimited (for over 30 years)
Mid-Atlantic Council/Federation of Fly Fishers (more than 15 years in various states which are part of the Council)
Boy Scouts Jamboree/Fort A.P. Hill in Virgina
Various clubs and organizations in Pennsylvania, New York, New Jersey, Virginia, West Virginia, Washington, D.C., North Carolina and Toronto, Ontario, Canada
Congressional Casting Call (Washington, D.C.)
Current memberships include:
Federation of Fly Fishers (Life Member)
Fly Fishers Club of Harrisburg, Pennsylvania
Potomac Valley Fly Fisher (Frederick, Maryland)
Creekside Anglers, Inc. (Morgantown, West Virginia)
Antietam Fly Fisher (Hagerstown, Maryland)
Free State Fly Fisher (Annapolis, Maryland)
Brotherhood of the Jungle Cock (Maryland)
Brotherhood of the Jungle Cock (New York)
National Capital Chapter of Trout Unlimited
The Catskill Fly Tiers Guild (New York)
Catskill Fly Fishing Center & Museum (New York)
Pennsylvania Fly Fishing and Museum Association (Pennsylvania)
Maryland Fly Anglers (Baltimore, Maryland)
World Fly Fishers of Japan