A course or a demo by a person who knows how to tie would make a good "short course" for you. I know I stuggled for years before I learned how to tie good flies.....then only long after that did I take my first course. I went with a buddy of mine and and when the course ended he was tying flies about as good as I was at the 10 year mark. Courses really make things easy.

Now, if you wanted a demo and were willing to come up to Kirkland I'd show you how.
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zen leecher