Joe Jackson is a professional fly tyer most known for his artistic patterns spun with deer hair, creating real masterpieces like Baby Yoda, Hummingbirds, and T-rex’s. Joe is a veteran and a retired Sergeant in the U.S. Army. Joe spends most of his time tying flies, and volunteering as an ambassador for Project Healing Waters Fly Fishing. Joe has devoted his life to his passions on the water, chasing fish and sharing his passion with those around him.
Fly tying has been around for a while. When were your interests peaked?
November 2016, when I joined Project Healing Waters Fly Fishing (PHWFF).
What are some of the fish species you tie flies for?
Largemouth, smallmouth, trout, redfish, musky/pike vampire fish and tiger fish. I eagerly take on the chance to tie for new species. It is a thrill for me.
What was your first fishing experience/When did you begin fly fishing?
My first fishing experience was when I was about two years old, sitting on my mom’s lap and “helping” reel in a catfish. It was probably April of 2017 that I tried fly fishing for the first time with PHWFF.
What is currently on your vise?
At the moment, I am working on a half fished T-rex head.
Tell us about any flies that you’ve designed yourself.
I think just like 90% of all fly tyers in existence I “invented” a crawdad fly, only to find out it was a classic Bob Clouser or Whitlock fly.
My Jack-Daddy Sculpin started as a super complicated crawdad fly. As I progressed in tying, I just kept simplifying it and I finally got it where I wanted it.
The newest fly I have been working on is the Force Multiplier. It is a simple reverse tied streamer using squimpish fibers, but with a twist. I spin deer hair under the fibers to make it a wake bait that swims just under the surface. I am hoping to do some field testing in the coming weeks.
My most popular fly designs are my art flies. Around the world, I sell most of my hummingbird and flower displays. I’ve tied a Baby Yoda, Yukon Cornelius, the WENDIGO, T-Rex, to name a few.
What is it that draws you to fly fishing and fly tying?
The focus that fly tying and fly fishing requires takes me away from the world and its realities. When I’m at the vise or on the water nothing matters but what I’m doing. I can get lost in it, if it was an option, I’d live secluded in the mountains and that’s all I would do. I’d only go into society for supplies. Haha
Who is your biggest inspiration/mentor?
I really look up to the deer hair legends, Larry Dahlburg, Mike George, Pat Cohen, Dave Whitlock, Brian Wise, there are just too many to name really. Pat Cohen was the first “deer hair guy” I found. I learned the basics from his DVD’s. Being in bass country, deer hair is just what I gravitated towards.
What is your favorite book about fly tying? Why?
Dave Whitlock’s trout and their food. It is a great read for beginners and advanced alike.
Being a trout novice, it has helped me develop the skills and knowledge needed to really up my trout game. And, the art is phenomenal!!
What are some favorite fly tying resources that you direct others to?
I get asked often how I went from novice to a “pro” fly tier so fast, or how I progressed so quickly. And, I always answer that the best way to learn is to join a fly club and sit down with the older guys. They have a wealth of knowledge, and you should take their advice to heart. The greatest generation of fly tying innovation is aging and alot of their self developed skills will go with them if our generation doesn’t take the time to learn from them.
The best online sources that I have found are on Youtube. Tim Commissa’s “Trout and Feather”, Tim Flagler’s “Tight Lines Fly Fishing”, Brian Wise’s “Ozarks on The Fly” and Shorty Bartholomew’s “Shorty on The Fly” are all channels I find very informative and well put together.
What was the first fly pattern you tied?
Good ol’ Wooly Bugger! With the Indianapolis PHWFF.
Is there a fly style that you are still interested in learning about?
I’ve dipped my toes in the Catskill style, I really enjoy tying those beautiful classics. When life allows me to, I like to spend time reading/studying older tying techniques.
What advice would you give to someone thinking about beginning fly tying?
Get the best equipment and tying materials you can afford. Practice thread control and stick to the basics. Even though the fly tying community is welcoming, you will encounter online trolls. Don’t let those few discourage you from hitting the vise.
What’s the first fly you typically recommend a beginner to learn to tie?
The Wooly Bugger!! It’s easy to tie, and effective in the water. But, tying it also takes practice to tie a bugger flawlessly, so practice perfection.
Favorite and least favorite thing about tying flies?
My favorite thing about tying is the creative element, to look at something and try to put it on a hook using fur, hair and feathers is thrilling.
My least favorite is tying like 20 dozen midges. It gets redundant. Haha! To make it fun though I use a tap timer for each fly and try to tie it faster each time without messing up.
What fly tying technique took you the longest to learn?
Tying hackle tips in for dry fly wings.
Let’s talk about fly tying equipment and materials:
Tell us about your scissors. Do you use a generic brand or specific style, and why?
I’m on the DR.Slick team. I love them because they stay sharp and they are comfortable in my hand. The options they have is unparalleled.
What about bobbins: tension or no tension?
I use my palm to apply the tension I want for a given situation.
Your tying vise is practically sacred. What is your go-to, and why? How many did you try before deciding this was your favorite?
I’m a very proud Regal Pro staffer. I tied on maybe 6 vises before I won my first Regal. I knew the first time I flawlessly went from hook size 2/0 to 20 and only had to squeeze the handle with no adjustments that I was a Regal guy.
Where do you source your fly-tying supplies? Why do you choose these resources over others? (okay to mention more than one resource)
I order directly from Nature’s Spirit and Partridge hooks. If I cannot find what I need from them, I order from the J. Stockard website. If it is something I need asap, I will go to my local shops, Fly Masters of Indianapolis, Moving Waters Outfitters in Zionsville, or J.L. Waters in Bloomington Indiana.
Do you have a particular type of hackle that you prefer over others?
I’m a big Whiting Farms fan for my dry flies and changers, Sidling Hill Hackle when I’m tying the classic catskill style, and random mix of both on my streamers.
Do you prefer synthetic or natural materials when you use it? (dubbing, hackle, bucktail, etc.)
I try to stick to the naturals, not a huge fan of flash but I do indulge sometimes.
What brand of hooks do you prefer to tie on?
Partridge of Redditch- they are strong and have the wide selection I’m looking for as a tier who ties a range of styles.
What is your preference in head cement and resin?
Solarez all the way!! It cures hard, tackfree, and the curing doesn’t burn my eyes like other brands I’ve tried.
Let’s talk about thread… How should a tier approach choosing the right thread for their fly?
I pick my thread for what I’m using it for. Hairbugs and big streamers I’m using 200d gsp. Small flies, small thread, I keep it pretty simple.
What’s the one fly tying material you can’t live without? What’s so special about it?
Most definitely it is Nature’s Spirit belly hair.
Do you tie for personal use, or do you sell your flies?
Both. I travel and sell flies at fly fishing shows and take orders through my Instagram and Facebook pages. I pretty much just fish my rejects and they fish well!
What is your favorite fly pattern to tie? What is the intended species for the fly?
Dalhburg divers!!
What was the first specialty deer hair design/character you made -tell us about it and how you came up with the concept.
The first deer hair design I made was the hummingbird. My daughter “Bear” was probably a year and a half old and pointed at a hummingbird and told me to “make her a bee.”
So, I pulled up some hummingbird photos on Google and tried to tie it. I had only been tying three or four months so it was a little wonky looking compared to what it has evolved into now.
Is there a teachable moment you can share about how you make these specialty designs?
I just use basic deer hair techniques and look at pictures and try to make them look the same and piece them together.
Tell me about your hummingbirds and how you created those cool display stands for them.
I build the scene using moss, driftwood, bucktail and deer body hair. Some hot glue and solarez seals the deal. The flower is a belly hair tied at the hook eye surrounded by hen hackles.
One of the coolest designs you’ve done is Yukon Cornelius – What’s the backstory of why you decided to do this one?
Me and the family were watching a Christmas favorite, Rudolf the Rednosed Reindeer and Bear said “Your Yukon Dad!!! You should make a Yukon fly!!!!”
So, the next day I spent about 12 hours designing and tying it. Looking at pictures and videos, it was exhausting. I remember when I finished him I yelled to the house that I fricken did it. I’m a total dork.
What about your Thanksgiving Turkey?
I did it for a Project Healing Waters Fly Fishing social media post. They have done alot for me and I love doing those promos!!
Why did you decide to make a T-Rex?
I was watching Jerassic world and the kiddos wanted me to make blue. I didn’t think I could and I wanted to keep pushing in the weird direction. I was going with the art stuff. I didn’t have the right color hair for blue so instead I made a T-Rex. The Bratigans were pleased. Every little kid at the fly fishing shows wants a picture of it. It’s pretty awesome.
Everyone loves Tweety-Bird – tell us about this design?
It’s one of the few commission pieces I’ve done in public.
It was an easy tie besides the eyes. I cheated a little and drew eyes on white foam, then cut them out and stuck them into the eye recesses I cut into the hair. One coating of Solarez Bone Dry and it looked pretty legit.
The Madalorian is a huge hit right now. I have seen your Baby Yoda design. Tell us why you decided to create it and what was the most difficult part.
My kiddos are really into the show. I’m waiting for the series to end before I get into it. But they wanted one, it seemed like a cool idea. The hardest part of creating Baby Yoda was carving the ears and getting the two tone color of the ears to line up.
What other specialty designs have you done?
- The Wendigo! It was one of my favorites to tie, based on an evil spirit from Native American lore
- Stitch, from Lilo and Stitch
- The Arkansas Razorback
- A belted kingfisher
- A realistic pheasant
- Pileated woodpecker
- Cardinal
I’ve done a lot. I can’t even think of them all!
Your instagram handle is Sgt.Bassfisher – tell us about your time in the military.
I was enlisted for 14 years as an 11B Infantryman. I spent a few years in the Middle East, it was a wild ride.
Tell us about your work with Project Healing water…
It definitely does not feel like work! I talk to veterans anytime I see one. I will introduce myself and talk to them about the PHWFF mission. [PHWFF is dedicated to the physical and emotional rehabilitation of disabled active military service personnel and disabled veterans through fly fishing and associated activities including education and outings.]The mission is an important one and it does save lives, literally and figuratively. If you know a vet who is interested, shoot me a message!
Where can people find your work? (Retail store, online store, social media handles, etc)
Currently my website is shut down for show season. But, normally it is www.sgtbassfisher.com
Until I open it back up, I take orders on my Instagram (@sgt.bassfisher) and Facebook (@sgt.bassfisher) accounts. Just shoot me a message!
Any parting thoughts you’d like us to add?
I want to thank everyone who read to the end! And to Rob Giannino of Fly Fishing Journeys for asking me if I wanted to do this. It has been pretty cool revisiting old memories.
Tightlines and see yah on the water.
-Joe
