It all started in 1985 when I was fishing with spinning rod on the River Dalälven in Sweden. A gentlemen showed me his fly box full of hair winged salmon flies and I was hooked. I was impressed with their beauty and all the different colored flies he had tied and was fishing with. A year later I was right in the middle of it, fishing for salmon with a fly, and tying my own classics.

At first I used a vice, with very poor results, so I decided to try tying without one. Today, tying without a vice works best for me. I don't know why, but I feel freer when I can turn the fly around with no vice in my way. There is also no thread holder or bobbin to work around or to get in my way.

I have always strived for perfection and I also try to give all the flies I tie an antique look. I'm not much for the "new" style with false hackles, non-tapered bodies and micro heads. I prefer the dressings of Kelson, Hardy and Hale rather than the dressings of Pryce-Tannatt, which I feel are not true to the originals dressings.

Thanks,

Wolfgang von Malottke

Editors Note: Wolfgang plies his trade from Sweden and has his own Classic Salmon Fly web page and it is a must see. Check out his site at www.classicflies.net. When you are there you must goto the For Sale section and go to the very bottom and check out the frammed flies Wolfgang has for sale. Wolfgang has a large collection of 40 of the most famouse flies ever dressed. They include the Jock Scott, the Popham, the Childers, the Silver Wilkinson, the Blue Doctor, the Durham Ranger, the Green Highlander, the Yellow Torrish, the Silver Ardea, and much more. Wolfgang dressed all by hand without the use of a vice in sizes from 6 up to 10/0. Oh if I only had the money! Check it out.