Brian van Erem
Hello, My name is Brian van Erem. Even before my attention span would allow it, my father was attempting to make a fisherman of me. To a five-year-old watching a bobber and waiting for yellow perch was pure torture, and soon I was running the length of the pier looking for something (or somebody) to bother. My childhood years in Wisconsin passed, and I graduated to fly fishing. I convinced my father to help me obtain the tools and supplies necessary to tie my own flies. Years later as a young man fate placed me in Florida, and the pragmatic simplicity of the saltwater fly became a catalyst in my need to find challenge in fly tying. The legacy of my time among the palm trees is my involvement in fly tying competition. In a pursuit of proficiency with no mentor or benchmark, these contests became my source of feedback. Although I thoroughly enjoy this competitive environment, the real prize is the friendships I have made through the years. My life has brought me to Wisconsin once again, where I am learning to balance my time at the vise and on the water.
Some twenty years since first sitting before that vise, my focus has centered on classic and creative salmon flies. I see classic patterns continuing to evolve, constantly reinventing themselves. With few exceptions it is impossible to dress a classic fly true to its original design, so I choose to work within the rigid proportions that give these flies their stylized appearance, yet inside these confines strive to express the fly creatively. On the other hand, in a fly of my own creation, I feel free to blur the concept of tail, body, and wing. Even in this, I still prefer to dress a fly that will perform properly in the current. I don't think Salmo Salar has never seen my work, but I do swing classics to steelhead with success.
My future with salmon flies is a blank canvas. I will continue to compete in various venues for some time. I would enjoy meeting those I consider mentors, the professors who have never met their pupil. I consider myself a student-for-life, and know there is always room for improvement, always new techniques to master. I always look forward to making lasting ties with colleagues; we are the "young guns" who will be the masters of tomorrow. Finally, I eagerly pass along the skills I have learned to those who would earnestly pursue the discipline, a tradition I believe should continue.
Thanks,
Brian van Erem
