Dariusz Ptak

Dariusz Ptak (pol. Bird), Gdynia citizien, seaman and flyangler, easy could achieve a membership of Crazy People Fancy Club. For more then twenty years he designs, tyes – or (as common name between Polish flytyers) twists salmon full dress flyes. He creates them using imagination and professionalism together based on deep knowledge and reverence to history. His creations go far beyond typical salmon flyes sold everywhere. Such mastery handicraft can be easly considered as pure art. The collections of salmon flies are highly regarded and sought around the world by fly fisherman and collectors. They sell for quite high prices from few dollars up to more then ten thousand dollars.

Darek started tying flyes for his own use and for close friends. On the rivers of Pomorze he used them for brown trout, grayling and seatrout. On the fields and between trees of many forests often he gathered different feathers. The city parks and bird ranches were not omitted in this search. Feathers of condors, ostriches and other exotic birds were available sometimes at Oliva (part of Gdansk) zoological garden under permission of staff. In 1987 he sent few flyes to the World Atlantic Salmon Fly Tying Championship held in Canada and won 2nd place in mandatory fly category for amateurs. Two years later he repeated this acheviement as the single representative of all non anglosaxon countries.

When not on the sea most of his free time Darek is busy with vice inventing new flyes or changing and improving previously tyed ones. Carefully selected feathers are dyed and many other materials are under special inspection to prepare them for new fly models.

This is his personal remedy and recipe for recreation after multiweek hard work at the sea. His Bird’s asylium.