Our newest feature is Justin Bruce, who makes his home in Northwest Georgia. Like every fly tyer, he has a story uniquely his own.
“I was diagnosed with Tourette’s Syndrome in the ninth grade,” Justin tells us, “and I learned early that anything I did with my hands–such as piano, guitar, drawing, and so on–would let my brain relax to the point where I did not feel the urge to ‘tic.’ Since I loved fly fishing, I thought tying flies would be another great way to get some tic-free time. My parents bought me a fly-tying kit from Cabelas, but I never opened it. This was before YouTube, and I didn’t really know where to go to actually learn. That was in 2006. Fast forward to three years ago, and my buddy Caleb says to me, ‘Man, you should really try to tie some flies.’ He was busy finishing his masters degree, and he let me borrow his stuff. The first time I sat down and tried to tie a fly, I looked up and I had been sitting at the table for four hours. It was incredible. I have been obsessed with tying ever since.”
And what are Jusin’s favorite patterns to tie? “I love tying anything,” he says. “I tend to change what I am tying throughout the year. Sometimes I just want to tie classic patterns. Then I might get into how to tie really flashy flies. Then, I might get into tying bass flies. I am currently stuck on figuring out how to incorporate foam into classic dry fly patterns. I hate a dry fly that does not float all day. But I will always find a way to weave something onto a hook.”
As is true of many tyers, Justin’s efforts are both a hobby and a business. “I take orders for flies,” he says, “but try to keep it reasonable so that I do not squash my love for tying. Tying flies and eventually using them is my way of recharging so I am the best version of myself for my family. It has become my creative outlet.”
Does Justin have any quick suggestions or tips for beginners who are just starting to tie their own flies? Absolutely. “Don’t crowd the eye!” he insists. “There is nothing more frustrating than spending all this time tying your first perfect-looking fly and then realizing you can’t use it because you crowded the eye. The way I learned to fix this was to tie flies with bead heads. It lets you learn how the materials are going to play out and how to nail down the proportions without messing up your chances of tying it on. The other thing is try to tie a minimum of twelve flies of a certain pattern before you try another pattern. I think that really helps you see how you are progressing.”
As much as he celebrates the traditions of fly tying, Justin is an innovator. His Houdini weave has its origins in the “Christmas fly” designed by James Payne, “a simple red and green ‘polish’ woven fly.” How did the Houdini come about? “My Dad wanted me to tie him some Christmas flies,” Justin recounts, “and at the time I had no idea that ‘weaving’ was even a thing, and I certainly didn’t know there were tutorials on the Internet. So I sat and looked at the fly and tried to reason out how it was done. I knew that it had two wires that looked braided together and one color stayed on top and one color stayed on bottom. It finally hit me how I thought it was done, and I sat down at the vise. When I finished, I saw that I had definitely done something, but it wasn’t the same as a polish weave. I had no idea that I had actually created something new. I am sure I am biased,” he laughs, “but I think the pattern is so beautiful and versatile. It has been so cool to see other tyers take it and create some awesome flies.”
And what does Justin like to fish for with his creations? “Brook trout,” he says. “In Georgia, they are the only true native trout, so I love thinking that when I catch a wild brookie here in Georgia, its DNA has been here since the beginning. I usually go fishing one Saturday a month. I try to dedicate fifty percent of those days to chasing Southern Appalachian Brook trout.”
As for his rod and reel of choice, Justin uses his 10.5′ 3 wt. Cortland Comp. rod to Euro Nymph “ninety percent of the time.” “When I am chasing brookies,” he says, “I am using my White Cloud Tenkara rod from Tenkara Rod. Co. or my 7.5’ Redington Butterstick.”
Although Justin is not currently sponsored, he tells us he would love to “find a company to work with to help [him] continue to grow in [his] love of tying flies.” And what else does the future hold for him? “I am continuing to tweak some of my current patterns,” he says, “that I have submitted to some of the companies that have fly tyer programs. I have not had any of my patterns picked up, but I’m still trying. I am also close to getting a YouTube Channel up and running.”
And we at the Art of Tying look forward to that!