Al Ritt Flies is a product of the combined efforts of Al and Diana Ritt. For over 20 years they have been involved in promoting fly tying and fly fishing. Al Ritt Flies offers many enjoyable and educational opportunities to the fly fishing and tying community. They are currently based in Montrose, Colorado.
Al has fished as long as he can remember and has been fascinated with flies almost as long. Growing up in southern Michigan he fished primarily for warm water species, but remembers feeling magic in trout and trout flies. Al recalls making “flies” including forming his own “hooks” out of pipe cleaners. He took his first formal tying class in 1983 after moving to California. Since then he’s tied flies and fly fished for trout, grayling, bass, pike, panfish, catfish, carp, steelhead, salmon, bonefish, permit, snook, tarpon, redfish and other species.
- Currently Al and his wife Diana own and operate Al Ritt Flies through which they are fly tying demonstrators and domestic/international destination travel hosts. Al is also a presenter, fly tying instructor, member of Trout Unlimited, life member of Fly Fishers International (FFI) and a life member the FFI Fly Tying Group (FTG). Al currently serves on the FTG Board of Governors and has worked on committees developing the Fly Tying Video Library and Fly Tying Skills Award Program. His current board activities include participating as a member of the committee developing the Fly Tier Instructor Program.
- Al has taught fly tying classes and lessons independently and through local fly shops in Longmont, Loveland and Montrose Colorado. He has also led fly tying clubs in conjunction with fly shops in Longmont, Loveland and Montrose, CO. Al retired in 2021, but currently works part time for Montrose Anglers fly shop, in Montrose, Colorado.
- As a demonstration tier Al has appeared at numerous fly shops and expos including The Fly Fishing Show (in Denver CO, Somerset NJ, Edison NJ, Lynnwood WA and Pleasanton CA), The International Fly Tyer’s Symposium in Somerset NJ, the International Sportsman’s Expo in Denver CO, the FFI Annual Fly Fishing Fair (in Loveland CO, West Yellowstone MT, Livingston MT, Boise ID, Spokane WA and Grand Rapids, MI), The Western Canadian Fly Fishing Expo in Calgary AB, New Mexico TU Fly Tying Expo in Albuquerque NM, East Idaho FFI Fly Tying Expo in Idaho Falls ID, Black Canyon Fly Fishing Show in Montrose CO, Western Colorado Fly Tying Expo in Grand Junction CO, West Denver TU Fly Tying Expo in Golden CO, FFI Southern Council Conclave in Mountain Home AR, the Midwest Fly Fishing Expo in Warren MI, Sowbug Round-Up in Mountain Home, AR, Rocky Mountain Flycasters in Ft. Collins, CO, St Vrain Angler’s Trout Unlimited (Longmont, CO) and The Fly Tying Rendezvous (Denver, CO).
- Al is the 2022 FFI Buz Buszek recipient
- Al has received the FFI bronze, silver and gold Fly Tying Skills Awards
- Al is author of the book 25 Best Most Versatile Flies (Stonefly Press)
- Al has written articles for Fly Fusion, Fly Fishing and Tying Journal, Fly Tyer, Hatches, Flyfishing Journal and the FFI FTG newsletter
- Al was profiled in Colorado Trout Flies; Great Patterns and the Remarkable People Who Tie Them by Todd Hosman (Streamside Press), The Master’s Fly Box by David Klausmeyer (Globe Pequot) and contributed tips for Better Flies Faster by David Klausmeyer (Stackpole Books)
- Al has patterns featured in 100 Best Flies for Montana Trout by Thomas R Pero (Wild River Press), Modern Midges by Rick Takahashi and Jerry Hubka (Headwater Books), 100 Best Flies for Colorado Trout by Thomas R Pero (Wild River Press), 100 Best Flies for Montana Trout by Thomas R Pero (Wild River Press), A Fly Fisher’s Guide to Rocky Mountain National Park by Steven B Schwietzer (Pixachrome Publishing), 101 Favorite Dry Flies by David Klausmeyer (Skyhorse Publishing), 101 Saltwater Flies by David Klausmeyer (Skyhorse Publishing), Flies for the Greater Yellowstone Area by Bruce Staples (Stackpole Books), Super Bass Flies by Pat Cohen (Skyhorse Publishing) and Tying Heritage Featherwing Streamers by Sharon Wright (Stackpole Books)
- Al is a fly designer for Montana Fly Company
- Al is a pro-team member for Daiichi Hooks and a brand ambassador for Dyna-King vises
Diana had never held a fly rod, or knew anything about fly fishing and fly tying until she and Al met in 2003. But with her passion for adventures, new activities and the outdoors, soon she had her own waders, rod and reel and dove head-first into the sport. Soon after she began chasing trout in Colorado Diana was taking casting lessons and getting ready for her first destination fly fishing trip to Ascension Bay in Mexico. This was only the beginning of her adventures. Since that time, besides local waters in Colorado and Wyoming, Diana has co-hosted group trips to Alaska for salmon rainbows grayling char and steelhead, Oregon for steelhead, Wyoming for trout and both Belize and Mexico for bonefish permit and other flats species.
It wasn’t long after Diana took up fly fishing that she also had Al teach her to tie flies. She is not as avid a tier or instructor as Al, but she has tied at shows in Longmont CO, Grand Junction CO and Idaho Falls ID. She is known for her gregarious personality and mastery of tying anything purple. When she isn’t tying at shows she still attends many and has been in attendance in Warren MI, Calgary Alberta, Spokane WA, Pleasanton CA, Albuquerque NM and many venues in Colorado.
Diana recently retired from her corporate career and is looking forward to being able to engage even more in joint adventures with Al both hosting trips and participating at shows. She’s anxious to see what adventures you will join with her!