Rick Takahashi
Signature Tyer
Rick Takahashi has been tying flies for over sixty-five years; he enjoys sharing with others what he learned about fly tying and fly fishing.
I love to tie and design fly patterns for the waters that I fish. I have been tying flies since I was eight years of age. After taking apart my first fly (Royal Coachman) and seeing the hackle unwind, I knew that I wanted to learn how to tie flies. I didn’t have the slightest idea what a fly was but knew it was for fishing because of the hook. A couple of years later, my uncle bought me my first fly tying kit and I have been tying flies ever since.
I love to bring others into the realm of fly fishing. I am a demonstration fly tier and have tied at local and regional venues such as the Denver Fly Show, West Denver Trout Unlimited Fly Tying Clinic, International Sportsmen Exhibition, Federation of Fly Fisherman Conclave and at various regional fly shops near Denver. I have presented programs on Midge Fly Fishing, Fly Fishing Terrestrials, midge and terrestrial fly tying in Texas, Wisconsin and New Mexico. I have been an an illustrator and contributor to Fly Fisherman Magazine. My art has been used for the Federation of Fly Fisherman Conclave. I am a fly designer for Umpqua Feather Merchants. I have had several articles published in Fly Fisherman Magazine as well as some illustrations. My fly patterns have appeared in Randall Kaufmann’s book “Fly Patterns”, “Fly Fishing Rocky Mountain National Park by Steve Schwitzer, Landon Mayer's “Colorado’s Best Fly Fishing”, Pat Dorsey’s “Colorado Guide Flies,” Todd Hosman’s book ”Colorado Flies”, Bruce Staples “Flies for the Greater Yellowstone Area”, and Chris Santella’s Hatch is On.
I wrote my first book “Modern Midges, Tying and Fishing the World’s Most Effective Pattern” Stackpole/Headwater Books. Our book has done well, we are into our third printing. My second book titled “Modern Terrestrials, Tying and Fishing the World’s Most Effective Pattern” deals with some of the more updated terrestrials from around the world. My goal has always been to share with others all of the various aspects of fly fishing and fly tying “it’s the teacher in myself that wants to share knowledge.” My third book has just been published this November 1, 2018 and it is titled “The Fly Tying Artist, Creative Patterns for Common Hatches”.
Rick's other interests when not tying flies or trying to catch fish, are creating art, cooking and enjoying his friends. He lives with his wife Susan, and daughter Haley who is a student at CU Boulder and his son Josh who is a Radiologist Tech in Arizonia.
Rick enjoys bringing fly fishing and fly tying to others, he ties flies every day for the pure joy of creating, “I’m one of those guys who enjoys tying flies as much as fishing them”.
Rick Takahashi has been tying flies for over sixty-five years; he enjoys sharing with others what he learned about fly tying and fly fishing.
I love to tie and design fly patterns for the waters that I fish. I have been tying flies since I was eight years of age. After taking apart my first fly (Royal Coachman) and seeing the hackle unwind, I knew that I wanted to learn how to tie flies. I didn’t have the slightest idea what a fly was but knew it was for fishing because of the hook. A couple of years later, my uncle bought me my first fly tying kit and I have been tying flies ever since.
I love to bring others into the realm of fly fishing. I am a demonstration fly tier and have tied at local and regional venues such as the Denver Fly Show, West Denver Trout Unlimited Fly Tying Clinic, International Sportsmen Exhibition, Federation of Fly Fisherman Conclave and at various regional fly shops near Denver. I have presented programs on Midge Fly Fishing, Fly Fishing Terrestrials, midge and terrestrial fly tying in Texas, Wisconsin and New Mexico. I have been an an illustrator and contributor to Fly Fisherman Magazine. My art has been used for the Federation of Fly Fisherman Conclave. I am a fly designer for Umpqua Feather Merchants. I have had several articles published in Fly Fisherman Magazine as well as some illustrations. My fly patterns have appeared in Randall Kaufmann’s book “Fly Patterns”, “Fly Fishing Rocky Mountain National Park by Steve Schwitzer, Landon Mayer's “Colorado’s Best Fly Fishing”, Pat Dorsey’s “Colorado Guide Flies,” Todd Hosman’s book ”Colorado Flies”, Bruce Staples “Flies for the Greater Yellowstone Area”, and Chris Santella’s Hatch is On.
I wrote my first book “Modern Midges, Tying and Fishing the World’s Most Effective Pattern” Stackpole/Headwater Books. Our book has done well, we are into our third printing. My second book titled “Modern Terrestrials, Tying and Fishing the World’s Most Effective Pattern” deals with some of the more updated terrestrials from around the world. My goal has always been to share with others all of the various aspects of fly fishing and fly tying “it’s the teacher in myself that wants to share knowledge.” My third book has just been published this November 1, 2018 and it is titled “The Fly Tying Artist, Creative Patterns for Common Hatches”.
Rick's other interests when not tying flies or trying to catch fish, are creating art, cooking and enjoying his friends. He lives with his wife Susan, and daughter Haley who is a student at CU Boulder and his son Josh who is a Radiologist Tech in Arizonia.
Rick enjoys bringing fly fishing and fly tying to others, he ties flies every day for the pure joy of creating, “I’m one of those guys who enjoys tying flies as much as fishing them”.