I originally started tying at about 13 - I come from Abingdon-on-Thames, just south of Oxford and so grew up course fishing in the weirs. I intially started tying because I'd read that Perch (Redfin) took flies, and so bought some at Woolworths (a Butcher, a Teal and Blue and a Greenwell - which I fished behind a bubble float). Needless to say I had a nose at them and fancied having a go myself - so did the usual and shoved a hook in a bench vice, and pinched some sewing thread off my mum.

Around this time the first fishing shop opened in town, run by a guy called Ian Hayden - a very well known course fisherman - but also a game angler and commercial tyer. Back in those days, fishing shop owners were always after people to tye for them and so Ian taught me how to do basic stuff for the shop - 13 pence (20 cents) each, or 20 pence (40 cents) if I supplied the materials and hooks. It wasn't long before I was working there on a weekend, running the fly dressing department, and of course fly fishing (I cycled the 30 mile round trip to my local fishery as often as I got the £6 charge together).

Though I didn't tye many, Salmon flies were my passion back when I was younger (though I never got to fish for them back then) so when I came back to tying I quickly got back into the Classics. I tend to stick pretty closely to the original patterns at approximately 3/0 (I rework 4/0 hooks so they end up smaller), usually tie mixed/built wing patterns and almost never 'create' flies... As a designer I spend all day being 'creative' so I don't find creative dressing either liberating or an outlet for pent-up artiness. What I really enjoy is the strict discipline of tying to a set, highly complex pattern (though many of the flies I tie with married wings, I do have to say, should technically feature old-style mixed wings) and aiming to do it as well as I can... Whilst, most importantly, maintaining a progressively improved technique and finish. Though of course, we all have fits and starts in this department.

I'd pay a massive tribute to the internet in helping my tying, particularly the Fly Tying Forum and the help of people like Ronn Lucas, Aaron Ostoj, John McLain, Charles Vestal and a number of others - great guys who I communicate with regularly but have yet to meet. Without their assistance and critiques I would be a much lesser tyer today - particularly as until I recently met the staggeringly good Paul Little I didn't know a single Classic dresser within 100 miles.

Dave Carne

Ballyshannon 10/15/06	Bann Olive 10/15/06	Beryl 10/15/06	Black & Gold 10/15/06
Claret # 3 10/15/06	Golden Drop 10/15/06	McIntyre 10/15/06	Rory 10/15/06
White Doctor 10/15/06	Golden Olive # 8 12/03/06

Below is the full set of the Irish series of flies designed by Pryce-Tannett and tied by Dave Carne.

Black Goldfinch 12/03/06	Black and Yellow 12/03/06	Blue Palmer 12/03/06	Claret Jay 12/03/06
Fenian 12/03/06	Fiery Brown 12/03/06	Goldfinch 12/03/06	Grouse and Green 12/03/06
Grouse and Orange 12/03/06	Grey and Brown 12/03/06	Lemon and Blue 12/03/06	Lemon and Grey 12/03/06
Orange and Grey 12/03/06	Golden Olive 12/03/06	Thunder and Lightning 12/03/06