Celebrities:

Lee Baermann:  Lee’s love of fishing began at an early age when his maternal grandfather showed him how to catch Musky in the lakes of Northern Wisconsin.  After his family moved from Milwaukee to Oxnard, California in 1960, that love continued, not only at the local lakes in Ventura and Santa Barbara counties, but on the beach, where he grew up.
As a child, Lee began fishing from the docks with a 50 cent drop line, graduating from there to spinning gear, then to a long surf rod, and finally to a fly rod.
Lee fishes the So. California surf at least 300 days per year; Whether guiding for his business, ‘FLY FISH THE SURF’ or just for fun, Lee has caught Barred Surf Perch, Corbina, Halibut, Leopard Shark, Striped Bass and all of the other surf species.  When Lee is not fishing in salt water, you can find him in the local canals guiding for Carp.
Lee is also on the pro staff with Rajeff Sports and Waterworks-Lamson Fly Reels.


Richard Bean:


Bill Blackstone:  Bill Blackstone approaches his art as a witch would a brew.
    A pinch of false fingernails. A splash of puff paint. A glob of epoxy. A dash of beetle shells. Toss in a silk flower leaf, a strip of plastic bacon wrapping and a slice of tourniquet.
    Absolutely nothing in the mix would suggest materials for tying fishing flies, but from what traditionalists might deem an unimaginable selection spring some of the world's most realistic and infamous patterns. These things are downright creepy.
    Those who don't know better might shudder at the site of a yellow jacket emerging from Blackstone's valise. Or the crane fly that appears as if it just landed. Or the katydid made from a silk ficus that looks like a bug trying to imitate a leaf.
    "Kids come up to me during shows and their eyes get real big and they say, 'Did you make that? Naw, naw, naw, that's a real bug, right?' And I say, 'Yeah, it's real. I put a hook in it.'"
    Blackstone, honored by the Federation of Fly Fishers with the Buz Buszek Award — the supreme accolade for the art — turned the fly-tying community on its (hare's) ear years ago by straying from the accepted methods.

Gary Borger:  Gary Borger is one of the world’s foremost fly fishing educators. He has taught classes and lectured internationally on all aspects of fly-fishing for trout and salmon since 1972. He is recognized as one of the world’s leaders in fly designing. He holds a Ph.D. from the University of Wisconsin-Madison and is Professor Emeritus at the University of Wisconsin Campus in Wausau. He has published widely in sporting magazines around the world and has written six best-selling books on fly fishing. Gary pioneered fly fishing video instruction with his release of "Nymphing" in 1982. Since then he has produced 27 instructional videos and has been featured in various television programs, including his own production “The Tzar’s Trout.” Gary was a consultant on Robert Redford's movie "A River Runs Through It." With his award-winning CD/cassette tape, "My Madison," he pioneered fly fishing, nature-music audios. In addition, Gary has been design consultant to a number of manufacturers in the fly fishing industry. He is a member of the Board of Governors of the Federation of Fly Fisher's fly casting instructor certification program, a member of many conservation organizations, and was a founding board member of the River Alliance of Wisconsin. He has received many awards for conservation, including the first Lew Jewett Memorial Life Membership in the Federation of Fly Fishers in 1979. Gary currently writes, lectures, produces videos, and teaches schools on all aspects of fly fishing and fly tying.

Conway Bowman:  Captain Conway Bowman is the owner/operator of Bowman Bluewater and a native San Diegan. He began fly fishing in Idaho at eight. Since then, he's mastered the river, lake and sea. His extensive saltwater experience includes Baja California plus inshore and bluewater up and down the west coast. He co-hosted ESPN's "In Search of Flywater" show, and is the host of "Dollar Wise Fly", currently being shown on the Versus Network. Conway is the current IGFA world record holder of Redfish on 10 kg tippet, a 41.65 pound bull!

Jeff Currier:  Jeff Currier resides in Victor, Idaho with his wife Yvonne where he bases his globe-trotting career in fly fishing.  He is an active member of the Ross Professional Advisory Team, Rio Products Advisory Team, a fly fishing lecturer and well known fish artist.  He has taught the skills of fly fishing, guided fly fishers throughout Wyoming and Yellowstone National Park and escorted fly fishers throughout six continents for fish ranging from peacock bass, tarpon, Nile perch, permit, tigerfish, trevally, taimen and more.  This IGFA Record Holder has fished in over forty countries and caught over 275 species of fish on the fly!

Jeff’s articles, photographs and artwork have graced the pages of magazines, catalogs, brochures and books.  Jeff is the acclaimed author of Currier’s Quick and Easy Guide to Saltwater Fly Fishing and Currier’s Quick and Easy Guide to Warmwater Fly Fishing guide books.  He is a well sought after expert for television and commentary on radio appearing on Fishing the West, Fly Fishing the World, In Search of Fly Water, Reel Adventures, Fly Fish TV, Fly Fish America and Ask About Fly Fishing Internet Radio.  Keep an eye out for Confluence Films next movie, Connect, where Jeff is part of an incredible segment catching enormous tigerfish in Tanzania.

Jeff’s most recognized accomplishment was leading Team USA to its first ever top-ten finish in the World Flyfishing Championships in Jaca, Spain.  During the competition Jeff managed to fool fish on every venue and placed third in the individual standings, becoming the only American ever to take home a medal in the twenty-eight year history of the Championships.

During the Fly Fishing Show season Jeff can be found with crowds of people watching, listening and actively participating in his presentations.  Jeff’s programs entertain, inform and instruct through his stories and beautiful photography.  Some of his shows take you to distant waters and a world of fly fishing that many don’t know exists and will leave you in awe that such creatures can be enticed to eat a fly!

Jeff brings a sense of humor, enthusiasm, approachability and nearly forty years of fly fishing expertise to wherever he goes.
 
You can follow Jeff’s global fly fishing adventures, exploits, tips, advice, photography and story-telling on his expanding blog and informative web site.
Blog:  http://flyfishingbum.blogspot.com
Web:  http://www.jeffcurrier.com

Ed Engle:  Ed Engle’s fly fishing articles have appeared regularly in newspapers and magazines for more than 30 years. In the 1970’s his articles on short line nymphing techniques were among the first to appear in national fly fishing magazines. Since that time he has taught thousands of fly fishers the subtle art of nymphing through his books and articles, on-the-water seminars, and at his popular nymphing class sponsored by the Fly Fishing Show.
Ed’s newest book, Trout Lessons (2010), considers what to do when your usual fly fishing solutions don’t work. His interest in tying and fishing small flies led to the publication of Tying Small Flies (2004) and Fishing Small Flies (2005). The two-volume set is credited with helping create the current surge of interest in pursuing trout with small flies. Ed’s dedication to fishing bamboo fly rods resulted in the publication of Splitting Cane (2002) which chronicled the life and craftsmanship of  sixteen working rod makers. His first book, Fly Fishing the Tailwaters (1991), was a groundbreaking explanation of how to fish the regulated rivers found below dams.
Ed is a regular contributor to American Angler, The Boulder Daily Camera and Gray’s Journal. In addition, he has written for Fly Fisherman, Fly Rod & Reel, Flyfishing & Tying Journal, Trout, Fly Tyer, Sports Afield, and Saltwater Fly Fishing. Ed’s current projects include work on a new book, coming up with new small fly patterns (he’s a Signature Fly Tier for Idylwilde Flies) guiding on Colorado’s South Platte River, and teaching at fly fishing seminars throughout he country.
For more information or to contact Ed go to www.EdEngleflyfishing.com.

Ben Furimsky:  Ben began fly fishing at the age of 5 and was tying flies at age 7.  He has been guiding fly fishing from New Jersey's coast to the mountains of Colorado, where he now guides on the Gunnison River.  Ben's fly patterns have been featured in numerous magazines, books, and web sites.  A number of his patterns have been contracted out by several commercial fly tying companies.  His designs include his famous BDE and Foam Drake patterns.  His latest series of flies are the Artrickulated streamers incorporating his unique method of articulating flies.  

He works full time as a sales rep in the fly fishing industry for the Rocky Mt. region.  He is also the owner of www.theanglingbookstore.com, the world's best collection of fishing books and more.  Ben is currently the Co-Director of the Fly Fishing Show and is the organizer of the fly tiers area.  He can be found chasing fish any where he can and enjoys catching all types of fish on a fly rod.

Daniel W. Galhardo:  Tenkara USA is a fully independent, US-based company. It was founded and is run by Daniel W. Galhardo. Daniel has spent years researching and learning everything he can about tenkara. Truly, tenkara has become his single most important subject in life, he needs no floatant, no weight and no reels, yet continues catching trout. In this time he's developed a strong relationship with tenkara masters in Japan, particularly Dr. Hisao Ishigaki, the most prominent tenkara angler in Japan. He relies on their knowledge and feedback to ensure all products are of very high quality. No one in the US has come to know as much about tenkara as he does. This knowledge and relationships show in the quality of the products offered by Tenkara USA, which have acquired renown worldwide and applause from his masters in Japan.

Simon Gawesworth:  Simon learned to fish at the age of 6 and took up fly fishing when aged 8, being trained by his father - well known fly fishing instructor and author, John Gawesworth. By the time he left school at 16 to teach fly fishing Simon had become the British Junior casting champion, repeating the feat the next year. In the following years Simon broke seven casting records and won the adult casting championships three times in succession, representing England in two European and one World Team Championships.

With the collapse of the British Casting Authority and the tournament casting scene in the UK, Simon turned his hand to competitive fly fishing. Over the following years Simon represented England in three home internationals (against Ireland, Scotland and Wales), two European championships and five World Championships, culminating in the prestige of becoming the England Team Captain and Manager for the 2003 World Championships in Spain.

During his career Simon has written numerous articles for the fishing press, published two best selling books on spey casting, presented five instructional videos and DVD’s, appeared on numerous television and radio shows, demonstrated casting at fly fishing shows around the world and is recognized as one of the leading authorities on spey casting.

He is a Master and THCI (Two Handed Casting Instructor) certified instructor as well as being on the board of governors and on the two handed committee for the Federation of Fly Fishers in the US. He also holds the APGAI and STANIC diplomas for Fly Fishing Instruction in the UK.

Simon currently works for RIO products in Idaho where he helps design and tests fly lines, handles foreign distribution for RIO and is Vice President of marketing. He also conducts fly casting classes and seminars around the world.



Ernie Gulley:  Ernie Gulley has spent most of his life in Southern California.   He started fishing with his father from the time he could walk.  At age seven he moved to New Orleans, LA. and learned how to fish Lake Ponchatrain for speckled trout and other salt water species.   He returned to Southern California with a passion and love affair for fishing.  He started fishing the stillwaters of the High Sierra’s including Crowley Lake and Bridgeport reservoir.   He also fished many lakes in Utah, Idaho and Nevada.  During this time he fished exclusively with “Noodle Sticks” which are (IFGA) rated two pound class ultra light rods.   His hunt for big fish on light lines had begun.
 
In 1998 he became intrigued with fly fishing and purchased his first fly rod.  He fell in love with fly fishing and has never looked back.  In 2006 he joined the Deep Creek Fly Fishers Club in Riverside, CA.  He has become one of the principal instructors in fly tying and stillwater tactics.
 
In 2007 he won the “Double Hall in the Fall” tournament at Crowley Lake.  In 2008 and 2009 he placed second in the “Stillwater Classic” in the team category.   In 2008 he joined the “High Desert Fly Fishers” and has made presentations on “Crowley Lake Stillwater Tactics” and “Fishing Lake Pyramid” Nevada.
 
He is a hard core stillwater fisherman and is always eager to share his knowledge and expertise with others.



Jake Jordan:  Captain Jake Jordan has spent over half of a century traveling the world in search of large game fish on light tackle and fly. He is an excellent educator and communicator, Jordan loves to excite anglers with his stories regarding his many spectacular fishing adventures.
Captain Jordan is a world-famous Florida Keys Tarpon Guide and world-renowned big game fisherman. He is the founder and host of "The Bonefish School," a saltwater fly fishing school held several times a year at the Peace & Plenty Bonefish Lodge in the Bahamas. Jake is a consultant to many first rate Flyfishing lodges and several fly tackle companies; he also designs customized Flyfishing vacation packages and fly fishing schools for anglers throughout the world and is a well known speaker, author, and consultant to the boating, fishing, and fly fishing industries. Jake has authored and or been featured in dozens of articles in most major sport fishing magazines and is considered an expert in all areas of big game sport fishing, and fly fishing.
He is also a FFF certified fly casting instructor, an original member of the FFF advisory committee, and a charter member of the IGFA Certified Captains Organization. Jake Jordan's Fishing Adventures, Jordan's company, for more than three decades has operated several charter boats out of Marathon in the Florida Keys. Captain Jake Jordan (now 66 years of age) still poles his flats boat with fly anglers aboard in search of Tarpon and Permit during April, May, and June, in the Florida Keys.
Jake was an original member of the Mako advisory professional team.


Maggie Merriman:



Jay Murikoshi:  Jay has been in the fly fishing industry for 35 years.  He has been leading fly fishing specialty programs since 1973.  He is a
founding member of the “Pacific Pro Surf Association.”  Over several years, he has taught fly fishing courses at the local junior college.

Jay’s specialty is salt water fly fishing, especially
the waters off Baja and the Sea of Cortez.  He loves to target rooster’s, dorado and yellow fin tuna. He has also ventured to Australia, Honduras,
Christmas Island and Costa Rica.  During his spare
time, he loves striper, large mouth bass and shad fishing.

Jay’s commercial tying skills (both design and production) are highly sought after.  He started commercially back in 1973. His first commercial account was Orvis.  And like the saying goes “the rest is history”.  All of his flies are available
directly through his website www.fliesunlimited.com.

With decades of field experience, Jay has earned a Pro Staff position with numerous companies including G.Loomis, RIO Fly Lines, Bauer Reels, Spirit River and Daiichi.


Al Quattrocchi:  Al Quattrocchi (aka Al Q) was born in Brooklyn, New York where he developed his love for fishing early in his childhood while living in Sheepshead Bay, Brooklyn. As a teenager he spent endless hours on party boats and surf fishing the beaches and jettys of Breezy Point, Rockaway and Jamaica Bay for snappers, blackfish, porgies, seabass, flounder, striped bass, weakfish, fluke and bluefish.

After moving to California in the late seventies to attend college he was later inspired to switch to the fly rod and fly fish the surf after years of reading articles written by his mentors; Lefty Kreh, Bob Popovics, Lou Tabory, Ed Jaworowski and Nick Curcione. His articles and fly patterns have been published in Flyfishing in Saltwaters, Fly Tier and Saltwater Flyfishing magazines.


John Sherman:  John is the West Coast Sales Representative for Simms Fishing Products cover CA, AZ, NV and HI.  John is also one of the most published fly fishing photographers who has had his work published in Fly Fisherman, Fly Fishing in Saltwaters, Saltwater Fly Fishing, The Drake, Cal Fly Fisher, North West and South West Fly Fishing to name a few.  John lives on the banks of the Ca. Delta in Discovery Bay with his wife Natih, and daughter Kalum and son Kasix. John teamed up with Captain Mike Costello to produce the first and only Fly Fishing book dedicated to the California Delta, "Fly Fishing the CA Delta," has been one of the top selling Fly Fishing books in 2010.   He will be presenting his slide show "Fly Fishing for Delta Stripers" which will visually take you through one of California's best fisheries.  John's passion for Delta fishing began at the age of 18 on his first trip to California Delta and it now has been his "home" water since 2003.