Sara Jo Royalty is here to give some fly tying techniques and take us into her story around sailing and music. We find out whether being a professional golf caddy or a professional fly fishing guide is harder, what’s new with her new FFI fly fishing event she got coming up this year, and then she knocks it out of the park with a live guitar solo at the end of the episode.
Fly Tying Techniques with Sara Jo Royalty. Hit play below!
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(Read the Full Transcript at the bottom of this Blog Post)
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Fly Tying Techniques Show Notes with Sara Jo Royalty
2:49 – Sara talks a bit about the recently conducted NW Fly Fishing Expo in Albany which she attended with Caleb Luzader and tied for Daiichi. We had Caleb in the podcast in episode 431.
5:32 – Sara shares how she got into fly fishing and fly tying. She started on the east coast as a commercial long liner.
8:21 – I ask her about how she got sponsored in fly tying and how that works. She sells flies and also ties ones for Daiichi Fly Fishing. She also tells her goals regarding her widely sold patterns.
12:14 – She talks about her process of tying flies or her fly tying zone.
13:42 – Her most common patterns are perdigons, salmon flies, simulators, and chubbies. Her most popular pattern is the pinfish which costs $45 for a 6-inch fly. You can use it for any and every species. If she can only have one fly in the box, that would be her fly.
16:42 – She pretty much ties all year. She also has a guiding license, but she doesn’t guide that much.
18:20 – For her, it’s harder to guide than to caddy.
19:40 – We dig into how she got sponsored by Daiichi.
21:55 – We had Steve Potter on recently in episode 444. She mentions her go-to hooks from Daiichi. Her favorite hook from them is the 1730 nymph hook.
27:35 – She describes their first fishing camp on the Upper Rogue last year. She invited a number of conservation groups in Oregon. Sara is the vice president of Fly Fishers International in the state of Oregon.
32:21 – For this year, the camp will be open to the public. They’ll have passes for one night and two-day camping. They’ll also have night passes for the music. Free Creatures will be their main band.
34:12 – We dig into her music. She started as a classical pianist when she was three. Now she writes songs and plays the bass and the guitar. She loves classic rock like The White Stripes.
39:36 – Right now, she has been working full-time at Bandon Dunes Golf Resort as a caddy for 10 years.
42:02 – She explains what she does as a caddy, the difficulty of playing golf, and how it’s an excellent place to get to know somebody, especially in business.
47:41 – We talk about Tiger Woods and his son, Charlie Woods, who also plays golf.
50:50 – We get back to fly tying and her process.
55:05 – She shares that time when she encountered a different bug that she hasn’t seen before.
56:35 – We talk about how she knew Dick Sagara of Temple Fork Outfitters (TFO). Sara has been with TFO for about eight years.
58:18 – She shares her experience when she was living in a boat just sailing for eight years before moving to Oregon.
1:05:26 – We talk about her music. She already has three albums ready to record.
1:06:08 – She promotes their event from August 18th to 20th called Hook, Wine & Thinker – Conservation Campout by Oregon Council of Fly Fishers International at Rogue River Ranch.
1:07:45 – She asks the listeners for stage name suggestions for her. Send your suggestions to her Instagram @SaraJoFlies.
You can find Sara Jo on Instagram @SaraJoFlies and @LooperOnTheFly
Facebook at Sarajoflies/ Steeliez Flyshop
Related Podcast Episodes
WFS 431 – Chota Outdoor Gear With Mark Brown and Caleb Luzader – Waders, Boots, Fly Fishing
WFS 444 – Selecting Hooks for Fly Tying with Steve Potter – Daiichi, Deer Hair, Cigar Fly
Read the Full Podcast Transcript Below
Conclusion with Sara Jo Royalty
Our conversation with Sara Jo Royalty was nothing short of inspiring. Her passion for fly tying, caddying, sailing, and music was infectious, and we are grateful for the opportunity to have spoken with her.
The upcoming Hook, Wine & Thinker – Conservation Camp Out is an event not to be missed, as it promises to be an excellent opportunity to learn about conservation efforts while enjoying great music and company. We hope you’ll join us in supporting this fantastic event and continue to follow our blog for more exciting stories and interviews.
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