Featured Fly Tyer - Allen Campbell

Our February featured Fly Tyer is Allen Campbell aka @amcampbell_flyfishing, a Tyer who we have found to be a really solid dude.

We were able to snag some time with Allen in his busy schedule to chat about tying, fishing, and of course coffee.

How did it all start?

"A good friend of mine, who was teaching me to fly fish, introduced me to tying flies in 2013. I was attracted to making something with my hands that could then be used to catch a fish. It took a long time before I actually caught a fish on a fly I tied, but once it happened, there was no going back. I started with a Pat’s Rubber Leg Nymph and my first streamer was a Spruce Streamer. 

"One of my favorite to tie are deer hair poppers and divers. I also enjoy tying streamers with deer hair heads.

This is a Deer Hair Frog Diver; tied similar to how a Dahlberg Diver is tied.

Tying with deer hair is a traditional method for topwater frog patterns. It's made by stacking deer hair on the shank of the hook and alternating the colors to achieve a pattern. Then it is shaved with a razor and scissors to achieve this shape. This fly deviates from the traditional Dahlberg Diver by using synthetic pre-cut material for the rear frog legs. This is one of my favorite flies to fish for bass and I love that the topwater takes are explosive!"

Fishing or Fly Tying?

"This one is close! I enjoy fishing more only because it gets me outdoors, it gets me moving, and I hopefully get the rewards of catching a fish. However, tying can be therapeutic and is an excellent replacement when I can’t be on the water.

Can you Fish without Coffee?

"I can fish without coffee… however, that is not preferred and I plan my mornings to make sure I have plenty on hand. Who fishes without coffee?? My favorite brewing method is a pour over but when I’m on a time crunch the coffee pot is an excellent choice!"