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PAGE 6 ALL ABOUT IDAHO IDAHO SENIOR INDEPENDENT • JUNE / JULY 2020
Joe Roope’s Lifelong Career
Built Around Fly Fishing
He even picked up whatever
BY JACK MCNEEL road kill he could use for tying
flies and bought whatever local
Joe Roope may very well be stores had in the way of fishing
the best fly tier and fishing guide equipment.
in the intermountain region. It’s He and his dad took trips to the
taken him around the world but Coeur d’Alene River, or to Fernan
Coeur d’Alene, Idaho, remains Lake, to hone his fishing abilities.
home. About that time, a local store
He tied his first fly as a grade committed to buying his flies.
school student, he had no idea it “It was something like 49 flies
would lead to a life-long career. but a real diverse variety. I walked
All those years have been devoted in, and they paid me!” said Roope.
in various ways to creating fish “It was like WOW! I was 12 and had
flies and fishing itself. It’s a true sold my first flies.”
fish story. Every summer, a big conclave of
We recently talked and he fly fishermen from around the world
reminded me I had a part in would meet in West Yellowstone to
his introduction to fly fish- tie flies and talk fishing.
ing. The Presbyterian Church Roope had picked up a contract
was offering various classes with Orvis, and he was also selling
for young members, and I had to local sporting goods stores.
volunteered to teach a father- That helped to get him invited to
and-son workshop on fly tying. the conclave where he met notable
Joe was one of the students. fly tiers and learned new tech-
That’s how it began. niques. He was able to attend the
“Dad thought I’d try it and conclave, year after year, improv-
then be done with it, but I ing his techniques and learning
really enjoyed creating,” Roope different types of patterns.
said. “He would take me to a During his school years, he told
local outdoor store and give his folks he wanted a fly shop. They
me money to get more stuff. I agreed and erected a little building
checked out every book I could on a spare lot adjoining their home.
get at the libraries about tying Joey started selling flies, leaders,
flies and read everything about Joe Roope tied his first fly as a grade school student, he had no idea it fly line, rods, and other fishing
three times.” would lead to a life-long career. Photo by Jack McNeel. gear. People began showing up.
The North Idaho Flycatchers His dad helped, and it became
Organization was located in Coeur d’Alene. members took him in and really taught him a place where people would congregate to
They didn’t have a youth membership, but the art of fly fishing and fly tying. He was talk about fishing. “Everything just started
Roope had the personality such that the hooked before he reached his teens. expanding,” Roope said.
During high school he even taught a life
sports class in fly tying and casting. He also
started guiding.
He had been tying flies for Ray Killian,
who owned a tackle shop in Ennis, Mont., on
the Madison River. They developed a good
relationship, and, at that time, you could
be a guide at 17. Killian licensed Roope for
guiding in Montana on the Clark Fork.
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