Lots of fly fishermen tie flies. what separates the best tiers from everyone else is that the experts make their flies look like pieces of art.
Nick Davis is the expert’s expert. he runs a business called 239 flies. you can easily tell his flies from those of other tiers. Nick’s flies are colorful, smart, and creative, and his skill with deer hair is primo. Most importantly, his flies are deadly when it comes to catching fish. What i most like about nick’s flies is his attention to detail. every part of each fly has a purpose, and each part also has style. function and fashion. whether it’s the loud bright colors or the subtle homage to old school flies tucked in some of his work you have to agree he is on top of the game. not many people really push the envelope with tying saltwater. nick does. he is part of a new generation of tiers utilizing synthetics and naturals to create something awesome. i recently got a chance to catch up with him to ask him about his fly tying (and unicorn hair).
QUESTIONS
Shawn Abernathy :So tell me a little bit about yourself and how you got into tying flies commercially?
Nick Davis: The story goes like this: I have full- time career away from 239 flies. in the past, during my down time, i’d tie flies instead of sitting on my ass shoving ho ho’s in my face. i always got a ridiculously hard time from my coworkers for it too. There was a constant “what grown-ass man under the age of 80 ties flies … or even fly fishes?!” They didn’t quite get it, but whatever, it was always a good laugh. One of my coworkers who also couldn’t sit still took up web design. One day he approached me about building a website to sell my flies online. This sounds like a no brainer but i was really apprehensive about it. i knew that it would be extremely challenging
and would ultimately lead to me screwing up some tax form up and spending three to five years in a minimum security resort. it took him a solid six months to convince me to go forward with it. we joke about
it to this day. he drops my line – “no one is going to buy my flies” – daily. and yes, we figured out the tax situation (the internet is an amazing place). so really 239 flies wasn’t even my idea. At its inception it was nothing more than an attempt to sell a few flies to few local shops to support my fly tying obsession. I didn’t even want to give it a non-offensive name. I was pulling for “unzipped flies” for entertainment value.
Shawn Abernathy: I am not sure if i want to hear the story about unzipped flies. or do i? anyway, it’s awesome that you had someone to push you to get started. your flies are top-notch in terms of style. i am really into your new-school style with some subtle old- school flairs. what influences your tying? are there any old-school flies or tiers in particular that influenced you?
NICK DAVIS: i’m a little apprehensive about taking advice in general. everyone is an expert in everything, just ask them, haha. i wouldn’t even say i’m an expert in my field. i was always drawn to Mirrolure’s and enrico puglisi’s business models. They’re really brilliant if you step back and look at them. They offer a few different products in ass-tons of variations. The consumer says
“I need this and i’ll try these colors in it.” i came up with my line-up of flies by developing the bare minimum number of patterns i needed to catch the fish i might be targeting. After that, i tied them in the bare minimum amount of color and weight variations (while still looking bomb ass) that i needed for the water types i was fishing. so really, when we decided to make a go of it, i found the most successful people in the room and tried to emulate them on a scale i could match being one dude. like anything, though, it’s a work in progress.
Shawn Abernathy: one thing i’ve always been apprehensive about is using is the uV-curing products out there. i see you doing a lot with uV adhesives; what are the advantages to using uV- cured products?
Nick Davis: Time! Time is my biggest challenge given the amount of tying i do. batch-mixing epoxy- type products and having a finite time to work
with them is fine if you hate spare time and saving money. i was slow to try uV cements but i’ll never go back to other cements.
I use loon outdoors products exclusively (shameless product plug: you can buy loon products on 239flies.com and save dollar bills). it’s simple and you can be way more creative, plus you have infinite work times. The uV products may appear to be more expensive at first, but when you realize how much non-uV product (epoxies etc) is wasted because you didn’t use it in time, uV cements are far cheaper per fly. not to mention that you don’t risk totally screwing up a fly beyond repair. i used to mix eye shadow with two-part part epoxy for some of my flies. now with the thick uV and their tying powders i can stop buying makeup on a weekly basis. it really cuts down on my time spent wearing dresses and driving to estee lauder..
Shawn Abernathy: haha, jumping tarpon in drag would be quite a sight. i think i just need to get some uV and go for it. alright, three all-time favorite tying materials and why?
Nick Davis: no, no, go make-up shopping in drag. Keeps things interesting. i’m probably exaggerating, no, i’m lying, but let’s keep it rolling.
Three favorite materials and why? Top of the list would be red american fox. it’s got the action of marabou in the water but is as durable as a synthetic. plus it’s gray and tan and freaking gorgeous. i feel like giant asshole using it because those damn foxes are so damn cute but a dude’s gotta eat. i have really contemplated the idea
of vegan fly tying. i would do it if i could. hopefully one day I will number Two would be palmer chenille.
I love this stuff. I primarily fish for tarpon, and tarpon will not eat a fouled fly. reason i love palmer chenille, its flash doesn’t foul. simple as that. Number Three would be medium cactus chenille. i know this is kind of vanilla but
I feel it’s the butter in the dish. The steak is what you’re eating but the béarnaise sauce is what sets it off. The medium stuff makes great gills, egg sacks, or bleeding noses. if used correctly it can be utilized to keep other materials from fouling. it’s not the main dish but it’s an invaluable ingredient.
Shawn Abernathy: all of those are on the top of my list as well. i totally feel the same way about using fox, but
it just looks so good in the water. The concept of vegan fly tying is something that could happen sooner than we think with so many new synthetics coming out. i think it’s a rad idea for sure. i’m also completely obsessed with tarpon. it seems like everyone has an opinion on what the perfect tarpon fly is. what are your thoughts on this? what do you think makes the perfect tarpon fly for oceanside and backcountry fish?
NICK DAVIS: as a german buddy Marko once said (as he was falling out of my blue canoe in the bowels of the everglades), “The fly rod was made for the tarpon.” I don’t think they’re as complicated as they’re made out to be. i’m a strong advocate of the theory that they eat flies better than lures. in my opinion there are only a few key factors that make up an effective tarpon fly. i could write a 20-page essay on them though so i’ll share the most important factors (in my opinion) in a brief synopsis. They’re lazy-ass eaters. nine out of 10 tarpon will eat a fly in a manner closer to sipping than crushing. That being said, if bait is jumping around and bobbing up and down, there’s a good chance they’ll miss it. Whatever you’re throwing needs to track straight and level. There’s so much that needs to go right in the sequence of catching a big tarpon, but it all starts with the fly making it into their mouths … which is sometimes the hardest part.
Shawn Abernathy: i never really understood why people are so crazy about tarpon until i caught my first big tarpon. [editor’s note: see abernathy’s article on this experience right in this issue.] now it’s really hard for me to get super excited about other species. you’re totally right about keeping it straight and level when tracking. in my opinion, the retrieve is super important with tarpon. Then again, everyone also has an opinion on hamburgers; what do you think goes into making the perfect burger?
Nick Davis: About damn time you ask a real question. first off if that beef ain’t at least 80/20 just opt for a grilled cheese. personally, i prefer buffalo. buffalo is second only to unicorn but doesn’t have the high glitter content. as far as toppings, i’m a big fan of the breakfast lineup. bacon, cheddar, hash browns, fried egg with a few ketchupy grilled onions. i hate my heart and pancreas with a passion so i’m a biased individual to ask. also brioche is the go-to bun. i really don’t even need fries or a coke. i’m fine with water and a side of 2-ply quilted.
Shawn Abernathy: i need one of those breakfasty burgers if we get a chance to hang. back to unicorns. i often fantasize that unicorn hair could be the answer to all the world’s problems, including permit. when we do find unicorn hair what do you think it will be like?
Nick Davis: see, here’s my thought, i think everyone’s unicorn hair will be different. everyone has his own impossible-to-purchase, constantly out-of-stock hair. i can tell you what mine will look like (remember, it will appear vastly different than yours). Mine will be something i can tie in, say the name of the fly i’m tying (using Michael Keaton’s batman voice), and poof, perfect fly in any pattern i desire in under 10 seconds. with my unicorn hair i’ll almost be able to keep up with orders and go fishing. but since this doesn’t exist i’ll just stick to baby panther fur and bald eagle hackles.
Shawn Abernathy: wouldn’t that be a dream. i imagine unicorn hair a mix of arctic fox and ice wing dubbing. of course it always catches fish, even on the worst of casts, cough.
alright, last question unless you wanna talk more about burger toppings. Tying can be difficult to even know where to start. what advice do you have for someone just getting into tying or who is reluctant to start tying?
nIck dAvIS: yes, fly tying is a daunting thought when you’re on the fence about doing it. you can have a very clear picture of what you want to tie but when the time comes to go material shopping you blank hard. There are a lot of options. here’s the bottom line, or lines: take up the hobby if you see yourself enjoying it. contrary to popular belief, it won’t save you a ton of money tying them
over buying them. if you can’t enjoy the process, or you expect your first creation to look like a co-venture of Michelangelo and Flip Pallot, it may not be for you. If you’re a creative person and are looking for the outlet to be creative but also constructive, then swan dive in headfirst. Hell, you might even get good, start a successful business doing it, and then get interviewed about it in magazines.
My nephew is an Army Ranger and is somewhere keeping us safe…(One of those if I told you I’d have to kill you lol)
Anyway., we asked what we could send in a care package and he asked us to go to your site and seems him some flies which I know nothing about. He also said to send directions so he will know how to make them. Lol honestly I thought he was talking about a kite! He is such an awesome young man and puts his life in same everyday for all of us. I just need help knowing what to send him to make his day….he’s like you, doesn’t handle being still very long and being overseas is hard. He’s a newlywed so that’s tough also. Any assistance you can give for Jacob to get a cool fly kit will be greatly appreciated!
Send us an email at admin@tailflyfishing.com, we’ll put something together for him.