John Alevras interview -- June 21, 2013

              John Alevras Edited Transcript – June 21, 2013
Fly Fishing Collection
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Western Washington University Libraries John Alevras
Special Collections
Fly Fishing Oral History Program
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This interview was conducted with John Alevras on June 21, 2013, in the Special Collections Research Room, WWU Libraries in Bellingham, Washington. The interviewers are Tamara Belts and Larry Wasserman.
TB: Today is June 21, 2013. I’m here with John Alevras and Larry Wasserman and we’re going to do an oral history.
And so our first question is: How did you get started fly fishing?
JA: I, like most fly fishermen, started fishing with my dad using worms for anything that would bite. When I was sixteen I was fishing the Paulinskill River in New Jersey. It was opening day and I was still fishing worms, but with a fly rod. Upriver from where I was fishing, I saw a fellow fly fishing. I was struck by the artistry of his casting. I fished a while longer then sat down and watched him. Slowly he came down to where I sat. I am sure it was obvious I was watching him so he came over, sat down next to me and began a conversation. I was so taken by what I had watched and heard it was the last day I ever fished bait or lures. From that point on I immersed myself in fly fishing.
TB: So, how did you get started tying flies? I have some pictures of your work here, you’re on a couple of these pages. You have become a real artist in fly tying yourself, so how did that—
JA: The following Xmas my Uncle Bill gave me a beginner’s fly tying kit. Unfortunately the kit did not have instructions or any pictures of flies so I struggled to get started. Fortunately our family lived in New Jersey close to New York City where there was an annual fly fishing exhibition. That winter my father took my brother and I to the show. I had only one objective that day, watch people tie flies. When we walked in to the coliseum I immediately noticed a booth where three gentlemen were tying flies. I sat down at that booth and at 6 PM that night, my father dragged me away. I had never left. I did not know it at the time, but I was watching and learning from three famous tiers: Ted Niemeyer, Charlie DeFeo, and Ken Bay. I think that it was obvious to them that I was an enthusiastic kid. I probably drove them crazy, but they were supportive and even had me come into the booth and tie a fly. I learned far more than basics and even left with eight or nine of their flies that became wonderful models to try and replicate. However, when I got home that night I quickly realized I did not have the tools, hooks or materials to tie their patterns so I did the best I could with what I had and began a slow, but endless process of accumulating needed tools and materials. I also acquired a few books on fly tying that spawned a passion for book collecting. Now that I am retired I still tie flies almost every day and when not at the vise I am searching for books to add to a very large collection.
TB: How do you get the inspiration for—I mean, they’re beautiful, they’re beyond the imitation of an insect.
JA: In trout fishing you tie flies to imitate the food fish feed upon: aquatic insects, minnows and terrestrial insects. If you are serious about tying flies you become extremely sensitive to these food forms, what they look like, their behavior and the tie fly patterns that best represent their traits.