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Spokane, Washington  Est. May 19, 1883

Matthew Arndt, 11, picks up fly-tying hobby, business lesson


Matthew Arndt, 11, of Post Falls, has taken his fly-tying hobby to the next step and is now selling his creations. 
 (Kathy Plonka / The Spokesman-Review)

Bead-headed pheasant tails, woolly buggers and some newly created fly patterns spill out of boxes on 11-year-old Matthew Arndt’s fly-tying desk.

The blue-eyed, freckled Post Falls boy came to the fly-tying craft in atypical fashion about three years ago. He had never cast a dry fly on an Inland Northwest stream or weighted a nymph to sink into a deep pool filled with hungry trout.

A man boarding a horse on his family’s property mentioned that some use horse tail hair to tie flies and Arndt soon asked his dad to look up fly tying on the Internet.

“The first fly I tied was a saltwater fly, but I didn’t know it at the time,” Arndt said.

After hours of Internet time, a few books and many supplies and helpful hints from generous local fly fishermen, Arndt was tying a variety of his own flies. Now he rattles off the parts of a fly – the head, tail, hackle, wings – like a pro.

“He likes to make things. He really likes to work with his hands,” said Matthew’s mother, Jennifer Arndt, of her son.

He and his 15-year-old brother, Christopher, are home-schooled by their mother, who encourages them to try new things. Christopher Arndt’s hobby is tanning hides.

In addition to fly-tying, Matthew Arndt enjoys playing the fiddle, ham radios and skiing.

Fly-tying has allowed him to explore his creative side.

Horse hair didn’t make for a very neat fishing fly, and Matthew Arndt now uses feathers, string, fur and manmade products. He’s even used feathers from his family’s chickens.

“Some guys have really neat desks. I’m one of the other guys,” he said as he showed off his work area.

The bead-headed pheasant tail is his current favorite fly to tie, but Arndt doesn’t let traditional patterns limit his work. He’ll make up his own patterns to look like real bugs or just a tasty morsel that a fish might like to eat.

One recent creation has yet to meet its test. The fly – essentially a fluffy white ball – is designed to mimic fish food used by people at Post Falls Park.

Arndt sells some of his flies at Rathdrum Drug.

It’s been a business lesson for the young entrepreneur.

“I told him to do some research and find out which flies work around here,” said Rathdrum Drug Manager Paul Prety.

Prety also instructed Arndt to write up an invoice.

“It was really nice of the manager to give him this opportunity,” said Jennifer Arndt.

Though Prety said he likes helping the boy, the business transaction is not all about altruism. “The price is right,” he said, “and there’s demand for them.”