Employee Feature: Jacob Lutz
Our shop team has no shortage of talent and Jacob Lutz is certainly no exception. I sat down with Jacob to discuss fishing, art and fly tying.
Q: Tell me a bit about your upbringing and the stuff you were in to as a kid?
A: I spent most of my free time barefoot playing outside in the pond and woods behind our house. A big part of that was I was home schooled second through 5th grade. I learned a lot from my dad about the outdoors and my mom really helped us with the classroom stuff. My mom has always been in to art and my aunt was an art teacher. Lots of outdoors, lots of art and some good ole home schooling. Chasing my two older brothers around helped..
Jacob's most recent work that will be featured on an Angry James beer called "Angry Angler".
Q: When did you start fly fishing? What about your art, when did that get going?
A: Oh I would say 2-3 years before I moved to Colorado so let’s call it since 2010. I’d been interested in it since I can remember but never had great resources to learn from. Getting hooked up with the Cutthroat Anglers crew made it possible. As far as the art, that goes back to my upbringing and my family being art focused. My aunt and mom helped me out a lot. My mom would always encourage us to draw as kids and I’ve always been in to it. I draw a lot of creativity from nature, collecting trinkets etc to stir up inspiration. Going to school at Virginia Tech helped polish my graphic design and sketching skills.
Q: Do you think your art elevates your fly fishing experience and vice versa?
A: Yea definitely. Sometimes I find it just as rewarding to draw a trout or fishing scene as I get from going out there and doing it. It allows me to relive past fish and bring out unique details in my own creative way. If you are stuck at home with the kiddo, you can draw it all up in your head.
A: Yea definitely. Sometimes I find it just as rewarding to draw a trout or fishing scene as I get from going out there and doing it. It allows me to relive past fish and bring out unique details in my own creative way. If you are stuck at home with the kiddo, you can draw it all up in your head.
Q: What is your favorite type of art?
A: Watercolor is my favorite. I’d say I draw a lot of inspiration from graffiti. I love classic water color and pen and ink.
Q: What is your favorite type of fishing?
A: I’d have to go with high alpine fishing, lakes, streams anything that involves hiking and getting away. I also enjoy fishing a crowded/technical tailwater because of the skill it requires to fool these tricky fish.
A: Watercolor is my favorite. I’d say I draw a lot of inspiration from graffiti. I love classic water color and pen and ink.
Q: What is your favorite type of fishing?
A: I’d have to go with high alpine fishing, lakes, streams anything that involves hiking and getting away. I also enjoy fishing a crowded/technical tailwater because of the skill it requires to fool these tricky fish.
One of Jacob's custom hats above the tree line.
Q: Tell us a little bit about your flies and how you got over the hump tying flies?
A: I want to say the first fly I tied I was somewhere around 10 years old. I didn’t know anything about fly fishing and we wanted to get my dad a present. We spun him up some feathery concoctions that probably fell apart. Charlie Schmidt also played a big role and got me started as far as showing me materials, what to buy, and from there it was time spent on the desk. I tied a lot of ugly flies before they started looking nice.
Q: Tell us a little bit about your flies and how you got over the hump tying flies?
A: I want to say the first fly I tied I was somewhere around 10 years old. I didn’t know anything about fly fishing and we wanted to get my dad a present. We spun him up some feathery concoctions that probably fell apart. Charlie Schmidt also played a big role and got me started as far as showing me materials, what to buy, and from there it was time spent on the desk. I tied a lot of ugly flies before they started looking nice.
A closer look at some of Jacob's Stonefly patterns.
Q: What advice would you give someone aspiring to become an artist or get in to fly tying?
A: I would say don’t rush it and expect to be painting a masterpiece or tying a masterful fly right away. Give yourself some time and don’t be afraid to ask for help. Use the internet, it is a super helpful place these days. Looking in to the history of fly fishing will help you learn techniques.
Q: What do you do when you aren’t fishing?
A. When I’m not fishing I’m uhh….hanging out with my baby momma and daughter, art, skiing is a huge passion for me. When I’m not thinking about fishing I’m thinking about skiing. Just enjoying the outdoors in general, disk golf, some skate boarding here and there.
Q: Any finishing thoughts?
A: I appreciate how much I’ve learned from the Cutthroat Crew. I’m also very lucky to have been raised around the outdoors and thank my parents for that.
A: I appreciate how much I’ve learned from the Cutthroat Crew. I’m also very lucky to have been raised around the outdoors and thank my parents for that.
Thanks for Listening,
Ben McCormick
