The International Fly Tying Symposium 2014

I really wanted to head out and fish a nice backwoods stream today, but since this morning, it's been blowing a bit too hard to cast light lines. With winter right around the corner, it's getting colder by the day... forcing the wood stove into duty earlier than I would want. Wouldn't it be great to have nice 65ish fall weather all winter! It's mid 40's today, with 25-40 mph winds, a far cry.   so what to do.......  Tie flies! 

  

   As ALL New England fly fishermen know, winter means stocking up boxes, and attending the Marlborough, Ma Fly Fishing Show.  I enjoy going to the show every year, regardless of my opinions of the directions that certain companies are going. (don't ask)  I always have fun, learn something new, and spend more money than I should, but like I've heard from other yearly patrons, the show has lost it's edge, it has become monotonous, vendors have backed out, or more likely.... I (we) have gotten old. The show, I have conclusively decided, has become something that should have evolved into more. More vendors, more new products, more new faces, more newer fly trends,  Please don't take this negative criticism as negative criticism, but more as me complaining about my getting older. I DO like the Fly Fishing Film Festival, and have attended the last two years. It's pretty cool to see videos that I have watched on my smartphone appear before me on the large screen, as well as many videos that I have yet to see, this alone will bring me back again this year... maybe
    So now for the part of the post that made me sit down and start writing altogether; This year, I will be attending another show... possibly as a replacement show, I'm still undecided.  This year I will be possibly boycotting Chuck Furimsky's Fly Fishing Show in Marlborough, and instead attending Chuck Furimsky's International Fly Tying Symposium
   Maybe I should have started going to the Somerset, NJ Fly Fishing Show years ago, as I hear it is the best of the tour to attend. Many tyers at the Marlborough show the last few years have stated that the NJ show is the best one, the one worth going to, the one that everyone (vendors) show up to. Not Marlborough. 
   I'm a New England guy, I dislike with a passion a certain breed of summer boat tourists, (NY is not New England) I don't like Yuengling, I drink too much cider, I love Vermont, I hate the cold winter, & I complain about the hot summers, so to travel to NJ is a huge decision. (mainly b/c I have to drive thru NY) 
   I have made my reservations, and will be at Somerset. That Fridays work won't end fast enough, I will be constantly thinking and re-thinking the following:

Will my Wife understand my overpriced need for a new reel?
Did I bring enough beer? 
Do I have enough orange packed? 
Will there be good parties? 
Did I pack enough hashish?
Will Hank Patterson be there?
Will Hank Patterson chug a PBR with me? 
Will PBR be a sponsor? 
Can I drink inside... openly? 
Will I be the only one not allowed to drink inside? 
Will there be lots of Fiberglass?


I'm guessing that (as long as the hotel doesn't kick us out) me and my two proud Yankee friends will have an amazing time.