(An excerpt from an article which appeared in the Winter 1992 issue of The Salmon Flyer - Ed.)

First of all, what you contribute to The Salmon Flyer in written form need only deal with Atlantic Salmon Fly tying subjects (loosely interpreted). There are no requirements for length or originality. Your topic needn't be original to have a profound effect on Salmon Fly tying for years to come.

There are a million stories out there just waiting ot be published in The Flyer. So how do you find them? Sit! Sit at your fly tying desk and grab something. Now, tell us what you don't know about it, then what you do know about it and -drat might he the potential use for the object. There, now you have something for The Flyer, it's that simple.

I happened to have grabbed a pumice stone. My contribution to The Flyer on this pumice stone would tell you why I bought it (cost and where), application, durability, substitutes, recommendations, etc. Now, if I thought a pumice stone article was worthless, it just might have brought some other articles to mind. These might include stuff like fingernail filing hoards, silk gloves, silk floss, rayon floss...

What if someone wrote something that gave you an idea? Fine, send it in even if it is similar or just shows an alternative. Did you see something in the paper, or an article, or a book you thought would interest other members? We'll never know unless you tell us. Feel free to write something outrageous, controversial or just go spacey on us.

Don't worry about what those "elite" members are going to think, don't worry about them trashing your ideas. Take my word, it ain't: gonna happen.

I'll take three minutes to come up with some article ideas: what is it like to be a beginner (helpless), sources I buy from, how to solve a problem of technique, guinea feathers, skin vs. neck vs. strung hackle, storage containers, mechanical whip finish vs. hand finish, by favorite fly (book, tyer, source, etc.), most difficult fly to tie, The Salmon Fly - why it hasn't won a Pulitzer, tinsels, proportions, style, cements and thinners, Andy Rooney and the cost of materials (I lave you ever wondered? ... ), authentic vs. substitutes, take a gamble, learning from failure, threads, vises. Time! My three minutes are up.

Only one article per year is requested, but go right ahead and submit as many as you would like. Too much copy is a problem we will just have to live with.

That's it. If The Flyer still sounds like an elite group to you, so be it. Like tying a Captain, I can eventually get use to the term.

From your new editor... Please feel free to submit your articles in any manner you wish. Hardcopy, disk, fax, whatever.

Thanks to Jon Schaefer for this ability! Now, with all these ideas for articles and the ease with which to submit them, don't hesitate! The deadline for articles to be placed in the January 1995 issue is December 15''. If you're going to be just a tad later, give me a (-all and tell me you've got one on the way. I'll work it out from there!