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2007 FFF Southern Council NominationJunior Fly Tyer of the YearJesse HuthI would like to nominate 16 year-old Jesse Huth for your consideration as Jr. Fly Tyer of the Year. His name may sound familiar because he was nominated by Constance Whiston for 2002 and you graciously voted him as the winner. Back then he was a cute, little, eager 11-year-old who loved tying flies and fly fishing. He was always eager to share his love for tying with anyone who would listen to him. I am extremely happy to be able to say that his love of tying has not diminished one bit as a teenager. He is still just as eager to share the art of tying with anyone who will listen! Jesse completed the Texas Parks & Wildlife Angler Education Program for Fly Fishing Instructors in 2004 and teaches the program at every opportunity. He has been a member of the Southern Council FFF Central Texas Fly Fishers club for eight years, demonstrated fly tying in the Fly Fishing tent at Texas Expo every year for the past seven years, demonstrates tying and casting at Fly Fish Texas every year since 2002, has demonstrated tying at the Houston Fly Tying Festival every year since 2002, teaches the Boy Scout Fly Fishing merit badge to other Scouts, helps Cub Scouts earn their fishing loops/pins, and will be a featured presenter at the 2008 Houston Fly Tying Festival. Jesse participates in almost all of the CTFF outreach programs but his favorite is the annual Fun Fish Day sponsored by the San Marcos Parks & Rec Dept. All Special Needs classes in San Marcos schools are invited to spend a day fishing with CTFF members as their mentors. These "kids" have had a profound effect on Jesse; he would not miss this event for anything! Jesse has also taught fly tying at the Guadalupe-Hays-Comal Co. 4-H Range Camp for the past four years and has brought new members to CTFF as a result. He has taught fly tying and casting as 4-H club programs in Hays, Comal and Blanco counties for the past five years. He taught tying at the Hays, Comal and Guadalupe Co. 4-H Sportsfishing Camp for the past four years. He conducted a fly tying seminar at the Guadalupe Co. Fair in 2006 and teaches a fly tying session every year at the Annual Butterfly Day Celebration at the EmilyAnn Theater in Wimberley, TX. He also co-conducted a workshop on fly tying at the 20th Anniversary Celebration of the Texas Wildlife Assoc. Convention. Jesse's "signature" fly is tied with llama fiber which he shears from the llamas he raises as his 4-H project. He then dyes the fiber into a myriad of colors, combines that with feathers from the exotic chickens he raises and creates custom flies which he mounts on pieces of gnarly oak and then donates the displays to various fund-raising events. Jesse's fly displays have also won him numerous Grand Champion awards at National Llama Show Assoc. competitions, 4-H shows and County Fairs. In addition to his fly fishing activities, Jesse is currently working on his Eagle Scout rank (he is building a 16*#39; x 24' bird blind w/one-way glass on city property for the community), is a Bronze, Silver and Gold Star Award recipient in 4-H, is an avid astronomer and is certified to operate the telescopes and observatory at LCRA Eagle Eye Observatory in Burnet, TX, is a regular lector at St. Mary's Catholic Church in Wimberley, Tx, is an avid birder and captain of a winning team of youth birders in the Great Texas Birding Classic and is the resident astronomer for the education program at Bamberger Ranch in Johnson City, TX. You'll recognize Jesse if you see him because he's the blond-headed kid wearing the white t-shirt with the hand scrawled message proudly proclaiming "I'M A FLY TYER!!" Jaci Kroupa |
