I began tying Classic Atlantic salmon flies actively in 1990 after I spent two days, one-on-one, learning from a master of the classics, Ron Alcott. But I was smitten with them long before, even as far back as my late teens when, as a student at the University of Kansas, I took up trout fly tying and fishing. Around that time I purchased Herter's book on fly tying which included a chapter toward the back of the book about Classic Salmon flies. Even though I didn't actually try tying one until many years later, the seed had been planted.

I began working on my first book, Tying the Classic Salmon Fly, in 1991 and it was published by Stackpole Books in 1997. I truly thought it would be my only book on the subject until a rather persistent friend (you know who you are!) egged me on to do a companion book about the materials used in the classics. It came out in December of 2006. Is there another book in the works? Well, only my hairdresser knows for sure!

Admittedly, I've been in and out of tying the Classics over the years and there was even a rumor circulating around some time ago that I had quit them for good. Well, I hope the new book and this web site will put that rumor to rest once and for all. I may take a "sabbatical" from fly tying every now and then but I will never give it up. It's too deeply engrained and, even to this day, I still love the look of a classic pattern.

What I want to do in this web site is offer the collector of Classic Salmon Flies a number of framed flies to choose from. I have individual flies to offer in small and large sizes (in small and large frames) as well as two complete series including the Blacker 15 and the Traherne 20 collections. I will also offer both my books as well as a 2-volume DVD set on tying the classics that I produced a few years ago. All of these items can be found on the Catalog page.

So thanks for visiting and I do hope you enjoy this site. If you have any comments or suggestions, please send me an email from my Contact page.

Sincerely,

Mike Radencich