Hal Gordon (Aloha) is a traditional fly tyer and fisherman who teaches fly tying and sells his flies in many local shops in Aloha area. In 2010, he was named Oregon’s Federation of Fly Fishers “Fly Tyer of the Year” and currently chairs multiple state and local fly tying associations.
Bio
Hal Gordon grew up fishing the beautiful waterways of Utah with his grandfather, who taught an eleven-year-old Gordon to tie the classic Renegade fly. The Renegade is simple to tie and works anywhere to attract a variety of fish. The style, said to have originated in the early 1930s along the Malad River in Idaho was a favorite of Ernest Hemingway. This style has hackles (a single ring of feathers) at both the bend of the hook and just behind the eye; the part in between the hackles resembles a fat, fuzzy caterpillar. Soon after he’d mastered the Renegade, Gordon began selling his flies to other fishermen. As an agricultural economist working in natural resources and fishery issues, Gordon uses his knowledge of entomology, geology, and hydrology to better understand the art and science of fly fishing and fly tying. In crafting his flies, Gordon uses only natural materials, and he has a vast collection of animal fur, feathers, and hair. Gordon usually ties about five dozen flies per week and sells many of his creations to local shops. Gordon also chairs multiple state and local fly tying associations and teaches fly tying at conventions and Aloha area fly shops. In 2010, Hal Gordon was named Oregon’s Federation of Fly Fishers “Fly Tyer of the Year.” He keeps a fastidious record of every fly fishing trip he has ever been on, including a photograph for each entry. In 2013 he published a book chronicling his records of 42 years of fly fishing trips.
