Fly Fishing Themed Cowboy Hat Band

First of all, I ain't no cowboy.  However, I appreciate what cowboys and cowboy hats symbolize.  To me, they stand for a variety of things.  I found the following list, also known as "The Code of the West" at https://visitjacksonhole.com/the-code-of-the-west and I feel like it does a good job of describing the characteristics that I appreciate when it comes to what cowboys symbolize.

• Live each day with courage
• Take pride in your work
• Always finish what you start
• Do what has to be done
• Be tough, but fair
• When you make a promise, keep it
• Ride for the brand
• Talk less and say more
• Remember that some things aren’t for sale
• Know where to draw the line

I like this code, set of principles, or whatever you want to call it.  That's why I sometimes wear a cowboy hat.  I also grew up wanting to be a cowboy so my love for the western lifestyle can be traced into my childhood.  In addition, the owner of American Hat Company once said, "“You don't have to live the lifestyle, you just have to love it.”  Granted, the guy is trying to sell hats but I like where he is coming from.  I also read a quote from an unknown author that stated, "“Some people are born with a cowboy heart, even if they've never been on a horse."  I dig that too.

What I DON'T like about cowboy hats are their sometimes plain, always overpriced, sometimes boring hat bands.  You already see where this is going don't you?  I wanted a hat band that was personal.  I wanted a hat band that I made with my own hands.  I also wanted a hat band that showed off my passion for fly fishing.  After a lot of brainstorming and experimentation, I arrived at what I felt was my optimum design for a fly fishing cowboy hat band.

The pictures below are going to tell the story better than I can.  A picture is worth a thousand words and you might not want to read 19 thousand words.  To summarize however, I started with three old fly lines.  I then selected a fly and ran it through one of the lines.  I then made an overhand knot.  From there, I braided the three lines, and tied them off with another overhand knot.  I then measured the band on the hat to determine the right length.  I then used super glue gel to hold the braid together at the point I selected and cut off the knot and excess.  Finally, I used the hook of the fly as a clasp and poked it through the braided line in a place that made the band tight but not too tight.  I tucked in the excess line and was done.

The number of cowboys in this world seems to be shrinking.  On top of that, the community of fly fishers is small compared to the number of conventional anglers.  When you look at the number of fly fishers that wear cowboy hats, the number is pretty small.  I thought about trying to sell a few of these but I believe my target audience is pretty small.  With that being said, if you want me to make you one, send me an email and I'm sure we can work something out.  I can customize fly line colors and fly patterns to fit your wishes.  Feel free to email me at showmeflyguy@gmail.com and thanks for reading!