I tied my first fly in 1970, when dinosaurs still roamed the earth!
Growing up in Edmonton, Alberta, I was fortunate enough to have a friend whose father fly fished and tied his own flies, both of which have been life long passions since. Back in those days there were no local fly shops, and as my friend and I got more into the sport the only source of supplies for tying was the limited stock of feathers, furs and hooks in the basement of the W.W. Arcade and Army and Navy department stores, requiring a 25 cent bus trip in the dead of winter, when we did most of our tying.
And after retiring from 43 years of practicing dentistry, I am still tying, and I would like to share my creations with you! I have been fortunate to be able to travel afar to beautiful rivers, lakes and streams that are home to beautiful trout, and having the right fly for the right situation, tied sturdily and precisely, can make your time on the water that much better.
Being a fly fisherman and fly tier means becoming a life long student, and I am still learning things about both crafts. I had the good fortune to take several tying courses from A.K. Best, and fish with him and John Gierach when they came to visit Stauffer creek and other west central Alberta trout streams in 1999, when I owned a small fishing lodge on Stauffer. I consider myself a disciple of A.K. and learned more tips and tricks for producing good flies from him than anyone could hope for.
I am truly blessed to be able to live in Canmore, Alberta, in the Bow valley, surrounded by beautiful mountains and waters. Send me an email or give me a call with any questions you may have about how I can be of service!
- Brad Townsend, DDS
Alberta Premium Flies
