Salmon & Steelhead Board by Ronn Lucas Will asked me to write the first article for the Salmon & Steelhead tying board. He said it could be anything I wanted as long as it was relevant to this board.   I gave this some thought and quite a few topics came to mind relating the techniques and other concerns involving the tying of flies for fishing or display. Well, I decided not to address specific tying issues in this, the first article. It will be followed by many others that do delve into the tying of the flies. Instead, let’s see where this board has come in its very short existence and where it might go in the future.   When I found this board, I guess I was one of the first to start posting. That was maybe in September or October of 2004 or shortly after that. The salmon board was started in August 2004 so it isn’t even a year and a half old at this writing. The number of world wide viewers has grown tremendously in that short time.   The following statistics show some interesting trends. Only the passage of time will show if they will continue but I am betting that they do.   Salmon Section Posts August 2004: 120  September 2004: 235  October 2004: 878  November 2004: 546  December 2004: 517  January 2005: 891  February 2005: 870  March 2005: 1211  April 2005: 1114  May 2005: 627  June 2005: 835   July 2005: 625  August 2005: 1072  September 2005: 1021  October 2005: 1713  November 2005: 2224 Total posts for the entire website during the same period  August 2004: 4454  September 2004: 3742  October 2004: 5164  November 2004: 6393  December 2004: 5561  January 2005: 8959  February 2005: 6176  March 2005: 6302  April 2005: 4845   May 2005: 4452  June 2005: 4852  July 2005: 2552  August 2005: 3887  September 2005: 3846  October 2005: 4271  November 2005: 4550   I am a bit surprised that the total posts for the entire website is almost identical from August 2004 and November 2005. I don’t know why that would be so I will let the management explain that at another time.   The relevant numbers for us on the Salmon board are that there were only 120 posts in August 2004 and a whopping 2224 posts in November of 2005! The latter number and the total posts for the website show me that this board has become one of, if not, the most read and posted to board on the website. This is thanks to all of you, the readers who make the board what it is today.   During this time, I have seen a huge influx of readers/tyers to the board with all levels of skill for tying everything from hair wing fishing flies to the fully dressed classics and freestyle flies. Lately, even tyers who you’ve only read about have dropped in to show us what they are doing. This mix of tyers is kind of fascinating to me. Usually we see the “names” giving classes for $$$ but here, we are given the benefit of their collective years of tying for free. This is a good thing.   We’ve seen flies from every level of perfection from messy but effective fishing flies to antiseptically perfect fully dressed ones destined to hang over a fireplace somewhere and everything between.   We have also witnessed (and this really makes me happy) many tyers who are starting to tie the fancies (what I sometimes call fully dressed flies). We’ve seen their growing pains and growth in a relatively short time. If this craft (and, I consider tying a craft rather than art although a convincing argument can be made that some of it could be art) is to grow and continue after our passing, new tyers must take up where the experienced leave off. This board is becoming responsible for making this happen. Certainly it isn’t responsible for every new tyer out there but it is for many. Tyers of the fully dressed flies is really a very small community world wide and it is good to see it expanding.   I have said it before; we are living in the golden age of tying in general and especially tying the fully dressed classics and even more, the freestyle flies. Never before, have tyers from every corner of the world been able to discuss and share instantly as we can now through the internet. There are more books available on the topic and as new tyers find out how much fun we have tying these flies, the craft seems to not only be in good hands, it will flourish in years to come.   If you have any suggestions for topics for the monthly issues of this magazine, let the moderators or administrators know. You may even want to write one yourself. Bottom line is that this website and in particular, this board will be what you make of it.   Happy Trails!  Ronn  Hatches Magazine Subscription Price: $6.95 for each issue The Premiere issue is ready for shipping & the Fall 2008 issue will be available September 1st.