The Fly Fishing Show is proud to have the best fly tiers in the world demonstrating at our shows.  All of the demonstration fly tiers are very skilled and able to teach to all levels.  You can find about any type of pattern for any fish being tied.  Here is some info on some of the tiers:


 Dave Allbaugh:  Dave was born and raised in Johnstown, Pennsylvania. He is a professional, licensed Pennsylvania guide, wet fly tier, and owner of Wet Fly Waterguides. He has been fly fishing since the early 1970's, and has concentrated his efforts at the famed waters of Central and North Central Pennsylvania, specifically streams like; Spring Creek, Penn's Creek, Little Juniata, Kettle Creek, and Big Pine Creek. Dave specializes in the classic art of wet fly fishing. His mission is to educate new and seasoned fly fishermen about the largely forgotten art of wet fly fishing, and to show exactly how productive wet flies can be throughout the year. Over the past 30 years, Dave has spent countless hours on the stream and at the vice, perfecting and designing highly effective wet fly patterns and customized wet fly leaders. His unique guide service is one of a very few in the country that focuses on fishing with wet flies throughout the year. Dave takes great pride in teaching his clients that this lost art of fly fishing is as effective today as in the past. He has given numerous seminars and demonstrations on wet fly fishing to local TU chapters, FFF clubs, Boy Scout troops, H.S.fly fishing clubs, and fly fishing shows. You can reach Wet Fly Wateguides at www.wetflywaterguides.com or wetflywg@gmail.com


 Kevin Arculeo:  Kevin Arculeo guides north of Atlanta, GA on Lake Sidney Lanier focusing on land-locked Stripers and Spotted Bass. He has also guided on the Chattahoochee River and several other trout streams in North Georgia.
Kevin's fishing obsession began as a small child. He spent his adolescent life in central and south Florida pursuing Largemouth Bass. He bought his first fly rod at age 12 using Green Stamps and caught several nice bass with it, but during that time, Kevin used mostly conventional tackle. In 1993, he discovered his true love for fly fishing during his first fly fishing trip to Colorado. He's been obsessively hooked ever since.
As an accomplished fly tier and casting instructor, Kevin is often called upon to teach fly tying and casting for adults and children. Several of his flies and instruction on how to tie them have been published -- including a feature in Saltwater Fly Fishing magazine.
Kevin is on fishing guide programs with Sage Fly Rods, Rio Fly Lines, Tibor Fly Reels, TFO, Action Optics, Redington, Minn Kota (Johnson Outdoors), Lowrance Electronics, and Sea Hunt Boats. To see more information about Kevin go to www.kevinarculeofishing.com.



 Sue Armstrong:  Sue has been an avid fly fisher and tyer since moving to Colorado in 1981.
After retiring from full time teaching in 2004, she and her husband moved to Bushnell, Nebraska, to be nearer her husband's job in the corporate offices of Cabela's.  Being a little further away from good trout streams now, she spends much of her time riding and competing on cutting horses.  Fly tying however, remains a passion and she especially enjoys demonstrating the construction of George Grant woven hair hackle flies.

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 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.


 Thomas E. Baltz:  A New Mexico native, Tom Baltz has been a fly tier for over 46 years, the last 32 spent among the legendary tiers and anglers of the limestone valleys of south-central Pennsylvania, near Carlisle. Tom is the only four time Pennsylvania State Fly Tying Champion and his flies have appeared in Field & Stream, Fly Fisherman Magazine, Art of Angling Journal, Eastern Fly Fishing, and American Angler magazines, the Orvis catalog (I.C.S.I Midge, MuddBugger, Hatching Nymph and Beetlenat) and the recently published book “Guide Flies”. He is a regular contributor to the Mid-Atlantic Fly Fishing Guide and appears at fly-fishing shows around the country.
Tom ties for several fly shops and discriminating anglers coast to coast. His trout and Salmon flies are in the collections of the Pennsylvania State Museum (Jack Eschenmann collection), the Pennsylvania Fly Fishing Museum, Vice-President Dick Cheney, and private collectors from Europe, across the U.S., to Asia.
A full time fly-fishing professional since 1974 and one of Pennsylvania’s first licensed fishing guides, Tom is an Orvis Endorsed Fly Fishing Guide who was named North East Trout Guide of the Year (2001) by Orvis. Tom is a member of the Regal Engineering (Regal Vise) Pro Staff. He and his wife Eileen live outside Boiling Springs, PA, very near Mountain Creek, the Letort, and the lovely Yellow Breeches Creek.


Don Bastian :  Don Bastian has been tying flies since age 12 in 1964. He was a Pennsylvania fly fishing guide for 16 consecutive seasons, and started tying commercially in 1989. He is the author of three fly tying DVD’s; Advanced Classic Wet Flies – 2007; Traditional Streamers and Bucktails 2007; and Tying Classic Wet Flies – 2004.
    Don was the featured guest author of the Ray Bergman chapter in the book Forgotten Flies, published in 1999 by The Complete Sportsman. This chapter contains 499 wet flies tied by Don. He has a combined total of approximately 765 wet flies, streamers, and bucktails published in Forgotten Flies. Don’s classic wet and dry flies, and streamers and bucktails were regularly published in Art of Angling Journal - 2001-2003. He has been published in Fly Fisherman, Fly Tyer, and Fly Fusion, and other magazines.
    Don has been a fly fishing instructor since 1991, specializing in teaching tactical dry fly, nymph, and streamer fishing techniques. He is a demonstrator and lecturer, and has participated at various shows, forums, and fly tying exhibits since 1991. He has been an amateur photographer since 1982. He has been a fly tying instructor since 1984, presenting fly tying classes at Trout Unlimited Chapters, fly shops, private clubs, and other venues. Don is a fly designer and has created nearly 125 original fly patterns. He has appeared as a Featured Fly Tier at the Annual L. L. Bean Spring Fishing Expo in Freeport, Maine, four times since 2006.
    The Ray Bergman Collection featuring historic wet fly patterns tied by Don Bastian debuted in September 2010 at Hatches Magazine Online. When completed this archive will feature 485 wet flies illustrated with Don’s macro photography and updated pattern and material information sourced from three of Ray Bergman’s books. Completion of this project sometime in 2013 will establish Don’s combined total of flies published in print and on-line at approximately 1,300.
    Don is presently working on his first book, titled The Favorite Flies of Mary Orvis Marbury.
    He specializes in tying classic wet flies and streamers but he is equally comfortable at the vise turning out dry flies, nymphs, steelhead and bass flies, hairwing salmon flies, panfish patterns, and even a few saltwater flies. His fishing experience is primarily freshwater - Don is a tactical fly fishing specialist. He has two daughters - Kim and Lyneah, and four grandsons. He lives in his home state of Pennsylvania.
His flies can be purchased on http://www.MyFlies.com
Don Bastian Wet Flies website: http://donbastianwetflies.wordpress.com



 David Benoit:  Started fly fishing with my Dad at 10 years of age for brook trout in the small streams close to home in Massachusetts and Fall trips to the Rangeley Lakes area of Maine. Took a hiatus from the mid 60's to the late 70's for military service and starting a career in communications. Started up again in 1979 and have since taught beginning fly tying for United Fly Tyers, New England Fly Tyers and NH Fish and Game. Attended The Sweetwater Travel's Guide School in MT and have guided on the Swift and Deerfield rivers in MA and the Farmington river in CT. An FFF Master Certified Casting Instructor I have taught fly casting for NH Fish and Game, LL Bean, American Angling Supplies, and The Lower-Forty Outfitters.
I have caught and released atlantic salmon on the Matane, Restigouche, Mattapedia rivers in Quebec. The Margaree and North rivers in Cape Bretton Nova Scotia. Grayling on the Test in Great Britain.



 Capt. Mike Benson:  My name is Capt. Mike Benson.  Some people call me “Mad Mike”.  I live in Charleston, SC where I work for The Charleston Angler, a local fly-shop as a fly-fishing specialist, and also guide inshore light tackle and fly trips.  I am a fly-designer and a writer as well. I have four fly patterns that are distributed worldwide through Pacific Fly Group, and have been published twice in The Drake magazine.  I was born and raised in western North Carolina, and grew up fishing the small mountain streams in and around my hometown of Morganton.  I moved to Charleston in ’05 to pursue a degree in marine biology from The College of Charleston, and have been living and fishing here ever since.  The endless creeks and inshore waters in and around Charleston have given me the inspiration to continue writing and tying, and sharing the passion for both with other anglers around the world.



 Ed Berg:  Ed Berg has been tying and designing flies for over thirty-five years. Ed ties flies for a wide variety of fish including trout, bass, panfish, and a variety of saltwater species. He does some custom commercial tying, and has been published in a number of fly fishing magazines and books including David Klausmeyer’s ‘Guide Flys’ and Steve Thornton’s ‘Flytyers of the World’.

He is on the prostaff of Whiting Farms, Fort Shockley and Nymph-head Beads and is an FFF Certified Casting Instructor. He has been a demonstration tier and instructor at various FFF Conclaves and Fly Fishing and Tying shows across the USA as well as Holland, Denmark, Norway, and the United Kingdom for the past twenty years.  For ten years he was the only American tying at ‘Le Monde de la Peche a la Mouche’ in Paris, France. Some of you may recognize Ed from The Fly Fishing Show at Pleasanton and Pasadena in California before he moved to the Denver area.  Since recently moving to Colorado he is appearing at more shows in the mid-west when he isn’t exploring all that great Colorado water or making bamboo fly rods.



 Travis Betz:  Born and raised in Colorado, I have been fly fishing for over 15 years and tying flies for almost 11.  In addition, I occasionally help as a fly fishing guide with South Platte Anglers throughout the year.  Some of my favorite places to fish include the Taylor River (a.k.a.., the ‘Hog Pen’), Delaney Buttes, Spinney Reservoir, and the Encampment River.  When not fishing or tying flies, I enjoy spending time with my beautiful wife, playing racquetball, getting together with family and friends, and going to the mountains to look upon the beautiful scenery of God’s handiwork.

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 Max Birnkammer:  I started tying flies seven years ago.  I tie mostly warm water flies which I use to catch largemouth, spotted and shoal bass in the rivers and lakes close to my home in Smyrna, Georgia.  I have tied at fly fishing shows and have conducted seminars at local fly shops.  In 2007, I had my first fly tying article published in Fly Tyer magazine.  My favorite bass flies are my hand painted poppers and streamers.  I  build my own fly rods and can often be seen fishing from one of my vintage wooden boats.  Every summer I travel to Maine to fly fish for northern smallmouth bass which I believe to be the ultimate trophy in warm water fly fishing.  

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Bill Black


Bill Blackstone


Tim Blair : Tim is a full time production tyer with S.S. Flies Inc. specializing in saltwater flies for the flats. He has been cranking out over 10,000 flies a year and somehow still has the drive to go home and yet tie more for his newly created warm water fly business. When Tim isn’t behind the vise, he spends his time enjoying the many ponds, lakes and rivers that Maine has to offer as well as an addiction for steelhead in upstate NY.  Be sure to stop by our table and watch the fast fingers of the S.S. Flies crew and don’t forget to pick up the right flies for your next saltwater adventures. 





 Marla Blair:  Fly-Fishing Guide/Instructor for Western Mass. & North Western, CT.
Author of “Positive Fly Fishing”  published by Lyons Press.
FFF Certified Casting Instructor
Can be seen on "The New Fly Fisher" Fishing Show, on PBS, OLN, & Discovery Channels
The subject of a Docu-Commercial, Advertising the Union News/Sunday Republican
Offers lectures, power point  programs, casting demos at trade shows
and to Fly Fishing, General Fishing, Libraries, and many different Civic Clubs
Writes for  FFF / NEC Newsletter, Internet newspaper, MassLive.com,
Woods & Waters USA, IWFF Newsletter, and more.


Mark Boname


 Tyler Bowman:  Tyler Bowman is a fly fishing guide for Bucking Rainbow Outfitters in Steamboat Springs, Colorado.  Tyler calls the Steamboat area home where he can be found actively pursuing trout and the various warm water species the valley has to offer.  Unique to Steamboat is the ability to fly fish year round due to the pristine tail water sections of the Yampa.  Instead of daydreaming about next summer, meet up with Tyler in the winter months and enjoy a snowmobile trip into the Yampa tail waters sight casting to large wild rainbows!  When he is not guiding or fishing, Tyler can be found tying flies.  Tyler enjoys creative tying, attempting to dream up new tying concepts and patterns for trout, saltwater, and warm water species.  Tyler’s greatest passion is to travel to new fishing destinations to test new fly patterns.  So far he has traveled to Alaska for large rainbows and salmon, Belize for bonefish, The Florida Keys for tarpon, and the gulf coast of Texas for redfish. 
Tyler would love the opportunity to share a great fishing experience with you in the Steamboat Valley.  For more information or to book a trip please contact Tyler:
Tyler Bowman
Guide, Bucking Rainbow Outfitters
Steamboat Springs, Colorado
Telephone: (303) 506-6998
Email: Tyler.Bowman26@gmail.com


 Jamie Boyle:  Whether sailing competitively, fishing on his own or working as a fishing guide, Jaime has spent nearly every minute of the past thirty summers on the waters of Martha's Vineyard.

With more than twenty years of guiding under his belt and over a dozen First Place Derby trophies on both his walls and his clients’, Jaime has become The Island's most sought after boat guide.  Jaime holds the Derby Fly Rod Record with a 16.38-pound false albacore that he caught back in 1990. The awards are numerous, but one of the high points occurred during the 2001 Derby when Jaime guided client Mike Henry to a 9.81-pound fly caught false albacore that grabbed one of the eight coveted Grand Leader spots.  He has won the esteemed Fly Rod Grand Slam division three times and guided angler Mark Budreski to the same award in the 55th Derby.

Jaime fishing with Nelson Smith 1978In 2003 Steve Halley won the Massachusetts Saltwater Derby with a 16.22-pound fly caught false albacore caught on the Boylermaker. In addition to fishing the derby, Jaime also was a Derby committee member for more than 10 years.

   Jaime on cover of Saltwater SportsmanJaime’s talents as a guide and fly tier have been recognized in innumerous magazine articles and several books. His Vineyard Squid fly pattern was the focus of an entire chapter in Secrets of the Saltwater Fly (Little Brown and Company, 1996) and he is well known as the creator of the famed and versatile Bonito Bunny and also the Red Can Squid. Jaime was named Northeast Guide Of The Year by The Orvis Company in 2000. Most recently, he was featured on the cover of the July 2006 issue of SaltWater Sportsman magazine.


Dave Brandt


 Peggy Brenner:  I've been tying for a decade and a half now; my specialty is flies that fish well in New England and the Florida Keys. I started with the basics, progressed to Classic Maine Streamers and now Salmon flies.
 
The good fortune of becoming a member of United Fly Tyers' when I started tying enabled me to receive instruction from some of the finest tiers in the industry.  Several years ago they encouraged me to start teaching ladies, kids and beginners, leading to demonstration tying, a stint as Editor of the Roundtable, and am a past President. Currently I’m on the Board of the FFF Fly Tying Group and Vice President of International Women’s Fly Fishing.

I now tie for a small group of customers, as well as giving instruction, presentations, and demonstrations around the country.  Professional affiliations include Whiting Farms, Anglers Sport Group, Raymond Rumph and Fly Men Fishing Company, that I represent at 12-15 events per season.

 I truly enjoy sharing my knowledge and encouraging new folks to join the fly fishing experience. This fall I’m going back to where I started by teaching an evening class at my local high school about fly tying.


 Shawn F. Britton:  I am a well known professional fly tier, published artist and freelance writer. I have had my feet wet somewhere in the woods and waters since birth and know the rivers and streams like the back of my hand.  My business, Flies by Britton, is located in the Northwest corner of Connecticut just minutes from two of New England's premier Trout fisheries - The Farmington River and The Housatonic River.  These are my home waters where I grew up fishing and the perfect waters in which to offer my instruction and guided trips for Fly Fishing. I also enjoy fishing and guiding on the smaller streams. You'll find me just the same on many of the local lakes and ponds. Whether it's from a canoe, kayak or float tube I'll be fishing for Trout, Bass, Pike and any other species of fish that will hit the end of my line. From Catskill flies to Crawfish & Hellgrammites, my approach to fly tying is not one dimensional as well. See you at the show and maybe we'll meet on the water.


 Dick Brown:  Dick Brown has stalked bonefish, permit, tarpon, snook, and other tropical saltwater species for over 30 years and he’s fished extensively for bones in the Bahamas, Caribbean, Pacific, South America, and Florida Keys. He is one the foremost authorities on bonefish and author of two definitive books Fly Fishing for Bonefish and Bonefish Fly Patterns, considered by many to be the bibles on this great game fish. Both have received high praise by reviewers. Learn more at: www.dickbrownbonefishing.com

Dick is an innovative fly designer, tyer, and authority on bonefish patterns. He has created several signature flats flies including the Beady Crab, the Hare Trigger, the Strip Tease, the Phantom Crab, the Magic Mantis, and the Slinky Toad.

Lyons recently released an all new second edition of Bonefish Fly Patterns, 2nd Edition: Tying, Selecting, and Fishing All the Best Bonefish Flies from Today’s Best Tiers, with the most comprehensive collection of bonefish fly patterns and tiers ever assembled in a single volume, profiling more than 195 fly patterns from over 100 veteran flats anglers and fly tiers worldwide.

Lyons Press also released a new edition of Fly Fishing for Bonefish featuring the latest discoveries in bonefish behavior and prey preferences as well as new angling techniques, strategy, equipment, and flies.


Randy Buchanan


Taylor Bussey


 Brad Buzzi:  Brad Buzzi has been tying flies commercially since 2004 and is the owner of BuzFly and the current President of The Atlantic Saltwater Flyrodders.  He specializes in saltwater flies for the Northeast and East Central Coast of Florida targeting primarily Stripped Bass, Bluefish, Weakfish/Sea Trout, Albacore, Snook, Redfish, Cobia and Jack Crevalle to name a few.  Some of his signature flies are Crease Flies, Gooey Flies, Epoxy Sand Eels and Dubbing Brush Flies.  He grew up fishing the Jersey Shore from Sandy Hook to Island Beach State park cutting his teeth on Snappers and Fluke when he was a very young boy leaning how to fish.  As he grew older, he started to fish for Stripped Bass, Bluefish, Weakfish and Albacore.  In the mid 80's his fishing expanded to fishing the East Coast of Florida, especially around Melbourne and Stuart.  It was during this time he discovered Snook and never looked back.
It was not until the 90's that he developed an interest in Saltwater Fly Fishing and was hooked as they say.  "I was fishing in Bayhead and watched a man waving a long rod with a washtub strapped to his belly.  He was catching fish after fish after fish while I was catching nothing along with the other pluggers on the beach."  Having never picked up a fly rod before, he realized he needed help especially after his first few outings doing everything wrong and getting good at the floating line shuffle in the surf without a stripping basket.  He never knew that one of the most influential Saltwater Fly Fishing Clubs was only 6 miles south of were he grew up every summer, so joining The Atlantic Saltwater Flyrodders was the next logical thing to do.  Since joining ASWF in the mid 90's he started to learn more about Saltwater Fly Fishing and Fly Tying.  He was very fortunate to be surrounded by so many people that were willing to help others and share what they have done openly and freely in a non-competitive environment.  
ASWF taught him everything he needed to know to start fly fishing the saltwater including fly tying.  Although not the best fly caster or rod and reel expert, he developed a keen interest in Fly Tying and Fly Tying Materials.  His fly tying was influenced by fellow club members like "Reggie" Regensburg, Lee Schechter, Steve Farrar and Bob Popovics.  The former Fly Tying instructor and ASWF club member Peter Vincelet was the one who accelerated his fly tying and tough him about Epoxy.  Peter showed him the importance of teaching others what you have done, not what you have only read or have been told.  Bob Popovics also taught him the value of good fly design, tying to solve a problem and keeping it simple.  ASWF and its members gave him his foundation in fly fishing and fly tying. 
Brad currently participates in all The Fly Fishing Shows on the East coast from Massachusetts to North Carolina, The International Fly Tying Symposium and TieFest to name a few.  While not at shows he ties flies for commercial and private clients, develops new materials, teaches fly tying classes, gives seminars and runs ww.BuzFly.com.  Every year he cleans, dyes and puts up a few thousand bucktails.  He has become know as having some of the best Saltwater Tails and dyes some very unique colors.  His website was just redone and includes articles about fly tying materials and step by step videos of the flies he ties.  More content will be added to give Fly Tiers a place not only to purchase materials, flies and other fly fishing related items, but to lean more about Saltwater Flies and Materials.  Brad is married to his lovely wife Jennifer and they have a teenage son Alex and live in Metuchen, NJ.



 Ben Byng:  Fishing has been in Ben’s blood since he was a young boy. His grandfather took him on many journeys from the Great Lakes to the Florida Keys. His father took him on summertime trips to Eastern Idaho for remote small stream fishing and high mountain adventures. These experiences have armed Ben with lessons that would follow him into fly-fishing. Having the California Delta in his backyard, Ben has spent many hours jamming in his boat through this 1200-mile waterway looking for Striped Bass. This is his fly-fishing wintertime playground.
In the summers of 2000-2005, Ben helped  Andre Puyans with his Fly Fishing Seminars in Eastern Idaho at Elk Creek Ranch. Ben with the help of Andre and has worked his way to Operations Manager.
You can catch Ben tying at the International Sportsmen’s Exops and the Fly-Fishing Shows on the West Coast. If you have time stop by and see what he is tying. Ben’s time is spent now as an instructor for Wilderness Unlimited Fly Fishing clinics and The Becoming An Outdoor Women Fly Fishing clinics. Both highly attended fly fishing schools.


 Joe Calcavecchia:  Joe Calcavecchia is a production tyer, one of the true masters of fly tying, and the creator of many splendid fly patterns. He has been tying commercially for the past twenty years for fly shops in the New England region. He is also a fly designer for Pacific Fly Group. He is  a master teacher in fly tying and instructs students with a jovial manner that is always infectious to everyone in attendance. Joe has taken part in many fishing Expos where he has been presented as a premier fly tyer.
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 Phil  Camera:  Phil  Camera has been fly fishing, guiding, writing and running fly fishing businesses for decades.  His book, “Fly Tying with Synthetics”, is the best work on this important subject.  Phil is well  known on an International basis fishing throughout the South Pacific to the shores of the North East Atlantic. Combined with his salt water experience, Phil has much knowledge to share.  Within the last six years, he has opened Prewett Creek Inn & Fly Shop on Montana’s Missouri River.


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 Dennis Charney:   Dennis Charney is an avid fly fisher who resides with his family in Bellefonte Pennsylvania.  He has spent countless hours in pursuit of wild brown trout in his local limestone streams.  It is these streams and their resident trout that has developed and challenged his fly tying skills.  Always busy at the vise, Dennis ties and develops trout catching fly patterns for use in his guide service as well as tying commercially.  He helps keep the fly bins full at Flyfisher's Paradise in State College, Pa as well as conducting tying seminars and instruction at the shop.  In addition to his guiding and tying, Dennis's       
experience as a fly fishing instructor is held in high regard.  He maintains a busy spring teaching schedule as a staff instructor at the Wulff School of Fly Fishing in Lew Beach, NY.  He also conducts various casting and fly fishing classes for Flyfisher's Paradise in addition to offering personalized private instruction.



 Scott Cesari:  Scott Cesari began tying flies six years ago after a trip to Maine introduced him to the sport of fly fishing.  Since that time he has had the good fortune of winning both the 2006 Pennsylvania state fly tying championship as well as several medals in the Federation of Fly Fishers fly tying contest that same year.  Scott is known for his unique, custom made wooden fly boxes, creative displays, and artistic flies, most notably his realistic butterfly patterns.  Scott enjoys presenting his work at various sports venues almost as much as he enjoys a day on the water.  He looks forward to connecting with greater numbers of fly fishers and tyers as his involvement in the sport of fly fishing grows.  He is always happy to discuss fly tying or fly fishing with fellow anglers and welcomes any comments, questions, or discussions.  Feel free to contact Scott at smcesari@epix.net or (610)-730-7928 (his business line, Scott Cesari’s Fly Tying) if you have any questions or if you would like to order some of his flies, custom made fly boxes, or unique gifts featuring his flies.


 Lawrence Clemens:  Lawrence Clemens is a resident of Virginia Beach, VA.  He is a professional Trumpet player and a propeller mechanic for Murphy’s Propeller Shop in Norfolk, VA.  Larry has served on the board of directors and as president of the East Jersey Chapter of Trout Unlimited and on the board of directors and president of the Virginia Coastal Fly Anglers.  He co-authored (with Jeff Dubinok) “Flies of the Chesapeake”, and ”Flies of the Chesapeake, Volume 2”.  Being an avid fly tier, Larry spends his free time fly fishing the lower Chesapeake Bay and its’ tributaries year round.  This will be his fourteenth year tying at the “Fly Fishing Show”.



 Pat Cohen:  My name is Pat Cohen. I live in upstate New York where there is an abundance of warm water streams, lakes and farm ponds to fish though anything with gills is fair game. I was always a terrible fisherman with traditional gear. I began flyf ishing in 2008 and since then I have caught more fish then I can count. I have been tying flies since January of 2009. Fly fishing and tying have become an essential part of my life.

I specialize in Deer Hair Bass Bugs, but I tie everything from streamers to nymphs. The artistic freedom that fly tying offers is what drew me to it. All of my flies are meant to be fished. To me, there is nothing like watching a 5 pound Large Mouth Bass, or an 18 inch Small Mouth come jumping through the water to crush a top water bug thrown next to a fallen tree.

Bass Bugs to me compare to Dry Flies for Trout. Every bit of hair, feather, weed guard and shape of the bug have a purpose. The final product is a fish catching fly and a tiny sculpture all in one. As a working Artist, I try to add an artistic flair to all of my fly creations. I hope you enjoy them as much as I enjoy creating them.

I am a member of the Pro Team for Peak vises and regularily demonstrate fly tying at various events on the east coast.If you would like to know about me and what I am up to please follow my blog, Warm Water Journal.


 John Collins:   As a life long resident of  NJ, I got into Trout fishing at about the age of five, but it wasn’t until my mid twenties that I discover the long rod and I have never looked back.
In fact I started tying fly’s before I became a serious fly fisherman. I started out on my own, tying Eztes Eggs for Steelhead and soon graduated to imitating stream born insects with the help of my friend and mentor, George Kolasar, who at the time was a commercial fly tyer.
George taught me in the “Catskill tradition” but with all the new materials available now, I’ve moved on to other methods and take creative liberties with the use of patterns and materials, all in the pursuit of whatever swims.
I have been a member of the Catskill Fly Tyers Guild for well over ten years and teach the art of fly tying via the internet at www.riseformstudio.tv .  This year (2010) I’m also teaching fly tying classes at Ramsey Outdoors in Succasunna NJ during the winter.
My philosophy about fly tying is the same as fly fishing, you will allway’s be learning something new for the rest of your life, no matter how long you’ve been at it.
 My motto is “Fly’s that catch Fish, not just Fishermen”.


 Kevin Compton:  Kevin is a commercial tier, author, speaker, tying instructor, and fly designer for Solitude Fly Co. He is also a member of the international pro team for Partridge Hooks. Kevin's company, Performance Flies (www.performanceflies.com), distributes specialty tying materials and hooks, including the DOHIKU European barbless hooks, throughout North America. Kevin lives in the Great Lakes, in Cleveland, Ohio where he ties patterns for the steelhead fisheries of Ohio and Michigan and for the trout waters of central Pennsylvania. He also spends part of each summer in the Colorado Rockies, fishing and tying patterns for guides and competition anglers. In 2006, Kevin was the runner-up in the Team USA National Fly Tying Competition sponsored by Fly Tyer magazine. In September of 2006, he traveled to Portugal to the World Fly Fishing Championship where he contributed flies for the US competitors. In 2007, 2009, and 2010 he tied for members of Team USA at the National Championships and the America’s Cup. Kevin's flies have been featured in magazines such as Fly Fishing and Tying Journal and in collections such as Rick Takahashi's Modern Midges. His article, "Going Barbless", appeared in the August 2008 issue of Hatches Magazine. He also runs the online fly-tying journal, TroutBug.com. Kevin is currently at work on a fly-tying project with Stackpole Books, entitled Styles of European Fly Patterns.


Greg Cooke



 Joe Cordeiro:  Fly Tying is not just a hobby for this man it is a passion. Joe Cordeiro has been tying flies for over 25 years. The past 10 years focusing on teaching, presenting at shows and marketing salt water flies. Joe has been fishing his entire life growing up near Cape Cod. Fly-fishing has been his main focus for many years His salt-water fly patterns have been tested in waters for their imitation to the bait they mimic. Many of his patterns are lifelike imitations. The materials used are natural and add to the authenticity of the product. Joe’s style and tying technique have caught the attention and admiration of many seasoned fly tiers and his passion for the art is evident.




 Gordon Cordova:  I started out tying two years before I took up flyfishing,I watched a TV show with Leroy Hyatt tying some flies and I was hooked! I tie realistic and midge patterns and tie at the Fly Fishing show(Pleasanton), The International Sportsmans Expo,FFF conclaves(Oregon,Idaho and California) I am also a life member of the FFF and on the Board of Directors for the NCCFFF; I am also member of the Pro staff at Jay Fairs Eagle Fly Fishing Products.  I am also tying for the Nor-Vise pro team.
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 Bruce Corwin:  I own a Graphic Design and Printing company in New York, 30 minutes north of New York City. I was fortunate enough as a youngster to spend summers in the Catskills where I learned to fish and appreciate being outdoors. My days were filled with discovery as I explored the treasures of a nearby creek. During a hot July day in the 60’s, a kindly farmer offered to let me fish his little, stream-fed pond. He handed me a “fly” and a small, clear, bubble float. Needless to say, the only thing hooked that day was yours truly!
I love all types of fishing but have spent the last 30 years with a fly rod in hand. As a graphic artist and designer, fly tying was a natural extension of my creative side. It allowed me to stay close to fishing through the winter months. I’m involved in multiple fly fishing groups including: The Hudson Valley Fly Fishers, Ray Bergman TU and Joan Wulff Fly Fishers.  I’m a New York State Licensed Guide and have tied at numerous events including: The Mayfly Club, Art of the Angler’s Show, Fly Tier’s Rendezvous, and The International Fly Tying Symposium.
www.brucecorwin.com



 Armand Courchaine:  Armand J. Courchaine born in Fall River, MA. Life long fly tyer, fly fisherman, photographer and instructor currently residing in Marlborough, Massachusetts. Life member of United Fly Tyers,  Rhody Fly Rodders. Founder of Crossroads Anglers.
At nine years old, while looking through the window of E.F. Cornell Sporting Goods Store. Armand was approached by the owner and asked if he had a job such as selling newspapers. The answer was no. Mr. Cornell than ask if he would like the opportunity to make money. Armand, asked “Doing what?” The owner said “Tying flies?” Armand’s reply “Do you hold them by the wings?” Thus was the beginning of Armand’s career of tying flies commercially.
1980 He wrote a column called “Fishing Time” for Somerset Spectator which was a weekly newspaper until 1996. He wrote articles for My Father’s Canoe, New England Fisherman, and On the Water Magazine. A member of New England Outdoor Writers from 1980 to 2004.
1997, Armand Courchaine received the prestigious “Lifetime Achievement Award” by United Fly Tyers and Federation of Fly Fishers.
Armand’s Fly Patterns have appeared; Ken Bay’s book, Salt water Flies, Jack Gartside’s Salt Water Patterns; Dick Surette, Fly Tyer; Ray Bonderow’s Stripers and Streamers; Lefty Kreh’ Salt Water Flies; Angelo Peluso’s Saltwater Flies of the Northeast. Armand’s Snake Bug was in Fly Tying Clinic, October/November 2009 issue of Fly Fish America.
Armand shares his tying experience with monthly classes at United Fly Tyers, New England Fly Tyers, Crossroads Anglers and Rhody Fly Rodders. He is currently President of Rhody Fly Rodders, the oldest saltwater fly fishing club in America.
 

 Henry Cowen:  Henry has been pursuing striped bass for over 30 years in both salt water and fresh water. He currently guides in Atlanta, GA on Lake Sidney Lanier, Lake Allatoona and the Chattahoochee River in Atl. He fishes for landlocked stripers, hybrids, spotted bass and carp as well as other salt water game fish approximately 200+ days a year. Henry is an accomplished fly designer as his trademarked fly patterns are sold nationally through Umpqua Feather Merchants. His patterns appear and are available in the Orvis catalogue as well as retailers across the United States that carry Umpqua flies. His fly patterns as well as articles on how to tie them continue to appear in magazines such as American Angler, Fly Fishing in Salt Waters, Fly Fish America, Fly Tyer and Fly Fisherman and Eastern Fly Fishing. Articles on fly fishing techniques and tactics appeared regularly in Salt Water Fly Fishing Magazine as his name appeared on their masthead as a contributing writer for them. Currently Henry’s name appears on the masthead of both American Angler & Fly Tyer Magazine as a contributing writer/editor. Henry was recently named to the esteemed Yellow Dog Fly Fishing field advisory staff. He is an FFF certified casting instructor. Henry has appeared as a guest on a number of nationally televised outdoor shows (The Orvis Sporting life, The Reel Guys, One More Cast w/Shaw Grigsby & O’Neill Outside) as well as some regional outdoor television shows (Georgia Outdoors and Growing Up Outdoors). He was featured as the fishing personality on the video entitled “Fly Fishing for Landlocked Stripers”. Henry is currently on pro staff w/Humminbird Electronics & on guide programs for Ranger Boats, Yamaha Marine, G3 Boats, Johnson Outdoors (Minnkota trolling motors), Sage, TFO, Simms, Tibor, Renzetti, RIO Fly Lines and Orvis. You can visit his web site @ www.henrycowenflyfishing.com




 Jerry J. Criss:  I retired to Central Oregon for the fly fishing in 2004. Before making the move from California I was fortunate to have as my fly tying mentor Andre’ Puyans’, he believed that “with great technique there is no fly that couldn’t be tied.” I continue that mantra today in my own teaching.

As well as teaching and participating in fly tying demos at Orvis, I also participate and demonstrate at most of the tyer conclaves and the Fly Fishing Shows in the western U.S.  As an Oregon Youth Angler Instructor and through the Central Oregon Fly Fishers I volunteer time to the Kokanee Karnival program.

The sport of fly fishing is for me a way to relax and enjoy the outdoors, and I like to call my method for fly fishing, “fish-hunting.” There is something very special about locating that one fish that keeps poking its nose up feeding on the tinniest of bugs and with an imitation you created you get that same fish to take it on that one perfect cast, and once in the net you give thanks and release that great creature of nature to live on.

In “2009” I received the distinction of Fly Tyer of the Year through the Oregon Council of the Federation of Fly Fishers, an award that is much coveted in the Northwest. I am humbled to be amongst those that came before me.

 Matt Crouse:  Captain Matt Crouse began fly-fishing and fly-tying as a teenager in South Western Pennsylvania.  In his early twenties he said goodbye to the mountains of “PA” and ventured to Southwest Florida.  There he started a small fly-fishing guide service and became a contract fly tyer for a local fly shop in Fort Myers.  After developing some of the region’s most productive saltwater fly-patterns, Matt began conducting instructional fly-tying demonstrations for area fly/tackle shops. Not long after marrying a “Keys Girl” and celebrating the birth of his son, he began longing for the mountains once again.  In 2007, Matt moved to Denver, Colorado where, in partnership with the Colorado Division of Wildlife’s Angling Education Program,  he teaches fly-fishing and tying to youth in and around the Denver Metro area.  Matt is an aspiring free lance writer, with his most recent contribution appearing in Fly Fisherman Magazine.  He conducts a handful of tying demonstrations around the Denver area each year - usually emphasizing saltwater patterns and their applications.  Matt is also on the Pro Staff for Costa Del Mar Sunglasses.  Several times each year he visits South West Florida however, he is truly at home pursuing trout in the Rocky Mountains.   
 


Stephen Cullen


 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

 Micah Dammeyer:  Fly fishing has been a passion for Micah since his youth, beginning with a birthday gift of a new fly rod at 8 years old. Tying trout, bass and saltwater flies for more than 15 years, Micah now focuses on sharing his love for fly fishing and tying with others.  As lead guide and president of Knee Deep Fly Fishing, he spends his days helping clients from around the world hone their skills on Maryland streams like The Big Gunpowder Falls and chasing bass on the Potomac River near Washington, DC. In addition to his work with Knee Deep Fly Fishing, Micah is also an instructor with Orvis in Bethesda Maryland.  



Shawn Davis


Herman deGala

 Loften Deprez:  Hello, I am 14 and have been fly tying for 4 years. I live in North Carolina and am often found fishing the Haw River in Saxapahaw and ponds around the area. I am a member of Triangle Fly Fishers and my favorite species to fish for are panfish, large mouth bass, carp, and native brook trout. My favorite flies to tie are my stippled poppers and foam panfish flies. I sell my flies at a local farmers market and on my website, www.latackleflies.com.


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 Casey Dunnigan:  Casey has been tying flies for 3 years now and fly fishing 4 years. He is a new fly designer for Montana fly Company with five patterns to choose from. This will be his second year tying publicly. He will be happy to show you how to tie his patterns and how to fish them effectively. Casey fishes all over Colorado and the western states and will be happy to share information on rivers and streams that he has fished extensively. Do not hesitate to approach his booth and ask questions. He is very friendly and knowledgeable.







 Terry Eggleston:  I have been fishing for 60 years and tying flies for 51 years.   I first became interested in tying flies after checking out Ray Bergman’s Trout from the public library.  I fell in love with the color plates of the popular flies of this time.  I was an art major at the time, receiving many awards for my paintings and sculptures.  I switched all of my energy over to fly-tying.   I have tied in exhibitions worldwide, extensively throughout the United States and Europe.    This includes all the major sports shows and FFF conclaves. 
I also teach beginning aquatic entomology for the beginning fly fisher.  I have been a professional fly-fishing guide in California, Oregon and about 16 years in Alaska.  I have also taught beginning and intermediate fly-fishing for the last 30 years.  My newest addiction has become salt water flats fly-fishing.  My wife and I have literally fished most of the major global fly fishing destinations.  I have accomplished 3 grand slams and 2 super slams the same week, with my biggest permit at 25 pounds. That was my personal best.  Over the years in flats fly fishing I have caught and released 25 permit to date.  I love tying salt water flies and most definitely love fishing the mangroves.



 Faruk Ekich:  Inventor of the Ekich Automatic Bobbin (The Ultimate Bobbin) and the Damaseal Vice

My background is in engineering and I have a passion for tool making as well as fly tying. I decided to make my own fly tying tools because I was unhappy with what is currently available. It is my opinion in the majority of cases, the engineer didn't tie with the device long enough to really refine it into a quality product.
I have developed two products that may be of interest to fly tyers.

The first product is what I call "the Ultimate Bobbin". This bobbin:
•    automatically rewinds thread;
•    uses standard thread spools;
•    protects the finest thread;
•    possesses easy & precise thread tension control;
•    allows quick & easy spool changes;
•    enables greater tying speed;
•    provides greater hold on material per wrap;
•    and there is absolutely no thread fouling.
You can view more information on this bobbin as well as view a video of it in action here: http://www.automaticbobbin.com

The second is a vise made of Damascus steel. This vise possesses:
•    a low ex-center for the mass of the jaws;
•    a positive grip for rotation (no bar);
•    a jaw profile that holds the hook firmly with the hook point hidden;
•    good access to the hook;
•    and an adjustment feature that achieves true axis of rotation for the majority of hook sizes.
You can view more information on this vise here: http://www.automaticbobbin.com/seal.htm
Drop by and say hello.


Loren Elliott :  Loren Elliott, at 20 years old, has been an avid angler since as early as he could hold a rod. Growing up fly fishing on California’s McCloud and West Carson Rivers, he developed a passion for chasing wild trout. At 14 he was featured in Mikey Wier’s video Fish Eye 3. The next year the two traveled to Belize for the filming of a segment of Wier’s Soulfish video. Elliott is based out of the bay area in California and chases striped bass, perch, and halibut in the surf every chance he gets when home from college. He and Dave Sellers recently completed a feature article for Fly Fishing in Saltwaters Magazine about the pursuit of bass in the surf and it’s history, with Elliott and a memorable fish from the past season on the cover. When not fishing or studying up at Western Washington University, Elliott works in the fly fishing department of Western Sport Shop in San Rafael and conducts clinics on local fisheries and casting instruction through the store. Elliott is also a skilled fly tier and enjoys nothing more than innovating new patterns and sticking fish with them.


Dean Endress


Steve Farrar :   Another Jersey boy, Steve is a self taught fly angler who fishes the surf of Sandy Hook, NJ.  He is an accomplished fly tyer and innovator of numerous patterns and techniques.  Steve’s work has been published in several of the leading saltwater fly fishing magazines and Journals.  He is the originator of “Steve Farrar’s SF Flash Blend” marketed and produced by JUST ADD H2O Products and the Fishient Group. Steve  taught at numerous fly fishing clubs demonstrating his patterns and sharing his local knowledge.  He has produced several instructional videos(thanks to the tutelage of Bob Popovics) on fishing local waters and tying patterns effective on a variety of species.   Steve is a past president of the Atlantic Saltwater Flyrodders and led the fly tying classes there for a number of years.




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 Steven Fernandez:  Steven Fernandez has been tying flies for over 40 years, and started tying professionally at the age of 13 for local shops. By the time he was sixteen he was demonstrating and teaching fly tying locally and then nationally. When he was 17, he was featured in the April 1977 edition of Field and Stream. While pursuing a degree in architecture in the 1980’s, he challenged the notion of artistic salmon flies by tying flies on straightened out hooks with atypical materials and techniques, raising a few eyebrows in the process. Judith Dunham included him in her book The Atlantic Salmon Fly, The Tyers and Their Art, published in 1991, which helped lead to international demonstrations, classes, and feature articles. Currently Steven enjoys tying fishing flies, classic trout flies, and artistic salmon flies and he is Fly Tying Co-Director for the Southwest Council of the FFF. He is an architect and artist and lives and works in Venice, California.


 Phillip Fischer:  Phil Fischer is an avid fly fisherman and fly tier who counts his home fly waters as those throughout Northern California and Central Oregon.  He has 40 years of experience tying flies, teaching fly tying and fly fishing.  He owns Phil’s Custom Flies (www.philscustomflies.com) and ties flies for customers throughout the United States.  He is a Whiting Pro Team member, and regularly speaks at fly clubs throughout Northern California.  Phil has published articles in California Fly Fisher Magazine on fly tying and fly fishing, and also serves as the managing editor for the Northern California Fly Fishing Board.

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 Michael Frank:  I was born and raised on Long Island in New York.  As a young man I was introduced to fly fishing by Charlie Nardi, then fly fishing manager at of the Camp Site Sports Shop.  Charlie watched me browse through the shop as a kid trying to understand why any fish would eat the tiny bundles of fur and feather in the fly bins and why anyone would collect the various animal parts hanging from the walls.

It took him until I was 18 to convince me to invest in my first fly rod, but only a couple of weeks to sell me a vise after my first trip to the Nissequogue River where I’d left half of my store-bought flies in the trees… 

As my passion for the sport grew, I expanded my collection of tackle to include a 9-weight rod and started casting from the beaches for striped bass.  After college, I had the good fortune to attend Georgetown University to pursue a graduate degree and the better fortune to spend ten years in our nation’s capital where I furthered my fishing skills developing patterns for the Potomac River, Chesapeake Bay, and the trout streams of Maryland. 

In the twenty plus years since I first picked up a fly rod, I’ve collected more tying materials than I could possibly use in a lifetime, I’ve fly fished up and down the east coast, and I now run Frank’s Fly Arts, a fishing guide service in Columbia, SC.  I tie all of the flies my clients use including patterns for trout, smallmouth, largemouth, and striped bass.  I’ve taught fly tying and fly fishing classes at Calleva Outdoor Adventures, the Art Shack Gallery, and Saluda Shoals Park, and am now teaching classes at the Hammond Academy, The Saluda River Club, and even the All-Local Farmer’s Market downtown.

Stop by my booth at the Charlotte show where I’ll be tying my latest bass pattern – the Whiplash Crayfish.  And for your next visit to South Carolina, I invite you to reserve a trip on our rivers – natural treasures that hold diverse fish populations that will challenge the skills of fly fishers of all levels of experience.


Wayne Freeman :  Wayne Freeman has been tying flies since he was ten and fishing since he was shown how to hold a rod.  He has taught fly fishing and fly tying at the University of South Carolina, was a guide for more than a decade, a commercial tier, and still provides free guide services to law enforcement and other public safety employees.  Many of his patterns have been published and he enjoys teaching others how to tie flies.  His classes and seminars have included saltwater fly tying, basic river biology, entomology-based fly tying, and other related classes.  He is currently working on a series of flies for all levels of tiers based on inexpensive materials, durability, and speed of tying.  He hopes to share these patterns with others and to publish his findings at a later date.




 Jay "Fishy" Fullum:  After working as a designer and graphic artist for over 30 years, Fishy retired in 1995 to pursue his passion for writing, tying flies and fly-fishing.  He still utilizes his art talent when illustrating his magazine articles or a new book.  Fishy also established himself as an accomplished watercolorist shortly after retiring; selling many paintings that combine his art and fly tying talents.
Fishy has been tying flies since the early fifties.  During the past twenty years he has designed nearly a hundred and fifty productive, innovative patterns for everything from bluegills to bonefish.  Many of these patterns are featured in his CREATIVE TYING column published in FLY TYER MAGAZINE. Other patterns can be found in Fishy's two fly tying books, Fishy's Flies and Fishy's Favorites and A Jar Full of Hoppers, a book of short stories on fly fishing and fly tying.  Fishy is featured at fly tying/fly fishing events from Massachusetts to Florida, where he teaches and demonstrates the art of fly tying at the vise, through his PowerPoint presentations and his new video.



 John Gantner:  John Gantner has been fly fishing for over 40 years and fly tying almost as long. He has written well over 50 fly fishing articles for magazines including Fly Fisherman, Fly Tyer, and American Angler. He presents programs to fly clubs and does fly tying presentations for FFF functions and others. John teaches fly tying in Redding, CA where he lives with his wife Maggie and dog Riley.  He is on Dr. Slicks advisory board.
 
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 Chad Gauerke:  Chad Gauerke is originally from Appleton,Wisconsin.  Living and tying in Sunnyside Denver, Colorado he has been tying flies now for the past 10 years and flyfishing since the age of 7.  Since relocating to the Rocky Mountains Chad spends as much time on the river as possible.  With help from the likes of Charlie Craven, Rick Takahashi, Kevin Compton and others, he was able to take his fly tying hobby from relative unknown to doing fly tying demos up  and down the front range.  He has several patterns published in Modern Midges and had an article published about his streamer technique in Fly Fisherman magazine in the 2009 July Issue.  Chad has tied flies at the West Denver Fly Tying Clinic, AFFTA flyfishing show and Denver's Fly Fishing Show.  He specializes in European patterns and European Materials, but also upgrading and coming up with new patterns that get tested in the Rocky Mountain West.  Chad does custom orders for flies which keeps him busy at the vise.  He has also been recently added to the Partridge of Redditch International Pro Team.

Philippe Geneix :  I was born in Paris the 7 July 1963 and caught my very first trout when I was 5 years old. I have fished the trout during many years but not with flies. I have started fly fishing in 2001 and have learned fly-tying and casting in a French club. I tie flies for catching some fish, not for catching fishermen. And I share without problem! I work as a music teacher and conduct a percussion orchestra. I love travels for fly fishing (Croatia in 2010, Serbia in 2011…) and it’s very exciting for me to tie original flies in public. My fly-tying style is most of the time an expression of hatch. I look for removing the hackle in its right place, place that it lost with the cdc dictatorship.


 Mike George:  I work with Deer Hair.  I have tied at various venues including The Bass Pro Shop in Springfield, Missouri, Sow Bug Roundup, Southern Council and International Conclaves, Fly Tying Festival in Houston, Texas, and the Small Mouth Rendezvous in Tahlequah, Oklahoma.

My flies are individually auctioned for FFF fundraisers and appear in FFF Fly Plates, some specifically for “Casting for Recovery” and “Healing Waters”. They were used in an ad campaign for The First National Bank of Olathe. They have been in several issues of “Flyfisher” Magazine, featured in the Autumn 2003 and mentioned in the Autumn 2004 issues of “Fly Tyer”, winner of the “Patent Patterns” Summer 2005 “Fly Fishing and Tying Journal”, and included in the most recent issue of “Art of Angling Journal”.  I have conducted Advanced Deer Hair seminars for the FFF Southern Council.  I was honored to be the 2004 and 2009 FFF Southern Council Fly Tyer of the year.  Other awards include first and second place medals in the FFF fly tying competition in 2006, first place in the Open category of the 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, and second place 2008 in the Mustad Scandinavian Open Fly Tying Competition.


Anthony Giaquinto


Jason Goodale


 John Gordon:  I was born in 1964, and have fished my entire life. I started out in the Pacific Ocean and on the piers of Southern California. Eventually, I fished my way around the world, some of it courtesy of the United States Navy. I began fly fishing in 1997, tying flies in 1999, and building rods in 2000.

In 2007 I qualified as one of the top ten fly fishermen in the Rocky Mountain Region. This earned me a spot in the USA National Fly Fishing Championships competing for a place on Fly Fishing Team USA.

I reside in Colorado Springs, Colorado. I fish wherever I can and for any species, but mostly I fish the Southern Rocky Mountain Regions of New Mexico, Colorado, and Utah. I began developing my fly fishing skills on the world renowned San Juan River in Northern New Mexico. I have spent a good deal of time figuring out the intricacies of the San Juan and other tail water fisheries.

If I can help in any way please don’t hesitate to contact me Flyfishnfool@gmail.com



Gary "Pop" Gould


 Matthew Grobert:  Matthew Grobert is a life-long resident of New Jersey.  He has traveled the country extensively in search of trout and a better understanding of the rivers and insects they live in.  Matt published his first book in 2008 – Fly Fishing New Jersey Trout Streams, and he is currently working on a more in-depth fly tying/fishing book due out in late 2010.  He previously wrote the weekly New Jersey Fly Fishing column for The Star Ledger, Beginners Corner for the Northeastern Fly Fishing Guide, and has appeared in Fly Fisherman and Fly Rod and Reel Magazines.  Matt is an expert fly tyer and has been teaching all disciplines of fly fishing for over 25 years.  He lives in Central New Jersey.    
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 Shea Gunkel:  Growing up in Canon City, Colorado, Shea cut his teeth in the fly fishing world on the Arkansas river at the age of 13.  Now that life and fishing has landed him in Colorado Springs, most of his free time is spent chasing trout along the South Platte river drainage and pumping out fly orders for his clients.  Gunkel’s “SPlatte” series of flies have caused quite a stir among the locals and are worth a second look when rummaging around the fly bins. Originally, the focus of these flies were for personal use, but with the popularity they’ve gained, special order “Splatte’s” have landed in fly shops throughout the entire Rocky Mountain region.  Shea manages the golf course maintenance department at Kissing Camels at Garden of  the Gods Club in Colorado Springs but finds time to be a part time guide for Anglers Covey and SoCo Guides.  He is also a commercial tyer for select fly shops along Colorado’s front range and a proud father raising a family of future anglers.


 Jason Haddix:  Jason is originally from Illinois, but grew up fishing the trout streams of northern Colorado, where there was tons of oppurtunity to learn. From even the youngest age, he has always had a love of fishing, tying and the outdoors in general. This later led him to become a commercial tier and guide for several different shop/outfitters. Along the way he has been able to some great friends in the industry and some affiliations with some oustanding companies. Such as Peak vises, Daiichi hooks, Rite bobbins and Trout flies.com to name a few.
Although he has spent many hours behind the vise cranking out thousands of commercialy tied flies, his love of realistic flies and deer hair bass bugs stilll comes to the surface at shows. So be sure and stop by to see some of his realistic flies. Some of which include the walking stick, spider, damsel nymph and any other off the wall thing he's come up with.
Also feel free to email or conatct him at anytime with questions j-onthefly@hotmail.com
 



 Ken Hanley:  2005 Hall of Fame Inductee, Federation of Fly Fishers (N. California Chapter)

Over 14,000 students have taken advantage of Ken’s varied programs both in the field and on the water. He’s been in the adventure angling industry since 1970.

He’s the author of seven fly fishing books. He also writes and photographs for both national and regional publications in the outdoor industry. Ken has two video/DVD’s celebrating saltwater adventures.

Ken’s extensive field experience spans the globe; from the highest peaks in Tibet and the Himalaya, to the remote wilderness regions of Asia, New Zealand, Mexico, Europe, and North America. From panfish to roosterfish, he’s caught over ninety different species of fresh and saltwater gamefish.

He’s on Pro Staff with the following sponsors; SAGE Instructor, SIMMS, RIO Products Intl, Daiichi, Renzetti, Umpqua, and Patagonia.


Thomas Harvey


 Mike Heck:  Mike Heck has been fly fishing the beloved Cumberland Valley streams since boyhood.  Mike was blessed to have been able to learn the art of fly fishing on some of the hardest and most famous spring creeks in the country.  Mike is a graduate of Penn State where he acquired a degree in Forestry. 
Mike Heck is the author of, “Spring Creek Strategies”.  Mike has also had articles published in Fly Fisherman, American Angler and Fish and Fly Magazine.  Mike has appeared in the TV show, “Road Trip USA”, a Discovery channel show that aired across Europe.
Mike operates an Orvis Endorsed professional guide service for the Falling Springs, Letort, Yellow Breeches and many other South Central PA trout streams.  Mike is also an innovative fly tyer with several patterns credited to his name. 
When not on the stream, Mike can be found enjoying the great outdoors with his wife Shelley, daughter Breanne and son Fisher.  You can find Mike Heck’s Trout Guides on the web at www.fallingsprings.com or contact Mike by e-mail at trout@mris.com and by calling (717) 816-7557.

 Sigurdur Hedinn:  Sigurdur Hedinn is called Siggi, 48 years old, he learned to tie flies 1988 and today he is a very productive fly tier and fly designer.  Siggi´s best known flies are Haugur and Von, both of them are very successful flies in Icelandic rivers.  He has also designed flies like Hrutur, Gosi and Skuggi.  Haugur - the name means a pile or grave of a Viking, Von (Hope), Hrútur (Ram), Gosi (Joker) and Skuggi (Shadow). Siggi has worked as a professional guide in Icelandic rivers for 20+ years.  He has also published a book about fly tying and was also the editor of Fishing news, a news paper owned by The Reykjavik Angling club. Siggi was among many  fly tiers at one of the biggest fly-fishing show in UK, BFFI British Fly Fair International. He  also produces and sells fly materials made from Icelandic horse hair called Arctic Runner
Siggi's passion is fly-fishing and fly tying, teaching and wide spreading his skill on both issues  to other fishermen and fly-tier´s, Siggi is not an artist-tier, he ties productive-fly’s that are effective.
Siggi has an MBA degree from the University of Iceland.



 Capt. Greg Heffner:  Captiain Greg Heffner is an avid fly tyer and fly fisher from Bath, New York.  He is  president of the Conhocton Valley Chapter of Trout Unlimited, and a member of the Catskill Fly Tyers Guild,  Federation of Fly Fishers, Theodore Gordon Fly Fishers, Izaak Walton Fly Fishing Club of Canada, and the Atlantic Salmon Federation.  He is a demonstration fly tyer at numerous fly fishing shows, and has had articles about his flies and fly tying in the Mid-Atlantic Fly Fishing Guide, the United Fly Tyers Roundtable, Fly Fishing New England, and the Federation of Fly Fisher’s Patterns of the Masters, Vol. 6, and has published a book, Some Old, Some New, Some Borrowed: A Fly Tyer’s Notebook of Favorite Patterns to Tie and Fish. His special fly tying interest is in traditional flies and techniques, including classic salmon flies, Catskill patterns, and New England streamers.  He hosts a website www.conhoctonriverflyshop.com offering flies and fly tying materials and information about fishing the Conhocton River, and is a licensed New York fishing guide.  When not fishing or tying, Greg is Planning Director for Steuben County, New York.


 Bud Heintz:  I have been a fly tier for approximately 40 years of which 35 years have been professional.  My professional tying, over the years, consists primarily of fly tying lessons at clubs, fly shops, private tying lessons, and at fly fishing shows such as: The Fly Fishing Show, ISE Shows, NCCFFF Conclaves, the International FFF Conclaves and in the 1970’s, tying custom flies for Buz Buszek’s Fly Shop, in Visalia, Ca.   

I have enjoyed fishing in California, Oregon, Idaho and Montana.  My favorite types of fishing are for trout and bass.  I have enjoyed developing patterns for trout, which have been marketed, and I develop custom poppers out of balsa wood for bass and pan fish.

Many of my patterns have been published in the “FFF Fly Pattern Encyclopedia”(Hopper on the Cover); “Innovative Flies and Techniques”; and the “FFF Patterns of the Masters”.  



 Scott Hoff: 



 Nancy Hopping:  Fly fishing  is a disease that I want no cure for! I have traveled the northeast in my  truck camper for over 25 years always in search of a better place to fish. I have learned
at an early age, by living and camping along the waters that I fish has given me the knowledge to go into just about any water and catch fish! This skill has also given me the gift of getting a  lot closer to wildlife as you can see in my photography.
I currently teach fly fishing  and wildlife photography skills at my log home on the mountain...In Greentown PA .I cater my classes to your needs.
Happy Trails
Nancy and critters
www.nancysphotosandflyfishing.com
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William Hrinko


Jerry Hubka:  Jerry Hubka began fly fishing on Colorado’s Frying Pan River in 1965.  Jerry attended Colorado State University and earned a BA in Art Education and earned a Masters Degree in Ceramic Chemistry from the University of Northern Colorado in 1983.
 
Twenty-Four years ago he met Rick Takahashi and they began tying, designing and fishing midges and traveling to tail water rivers throughout the Rocky Mountain West.  Rick and Jerry wrote MODERN MIDGES, Tying and Fishing the World’s Most Effective Patterns in 2009 and the book is in its 3rd printing.  Rick and Jerry are currently writing a book about Terrestrial Patterns.
 
Jerry retired after 32 years of Teaching in Fort Collins in 2002 and lives in Fort Collins where he continues to work in the visual arts as a Commercial Graphics designer through his company, Tailwater Media Productions.  

Jerry’s does Fly Tying Demonstration in the Rocky Mountain Region. He concentrates on Midges and on small Intruder Style Streamer patterns for Rocky Mountain Trout using materials that have a great deal of movement in streams and in stillwater.  


 Eric Ishiwata:  Eric Ishiwata splits his time between Fort Collins and Tokyo and his tying introduces Japanese methods and materials to the trout streams of the Rocky Mountains.  In 2008, he co-authored with Rick Takahashi an article on tying and fishing sunken hopper patterns for Fly Fisherman Magazine.
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 Tim Jacobs:  Tim Jacobs is a master fly tier from the Roaring Fork Valley. He is most noted for creating a wide range of multi-colored deer hair flies. Tim is a retired teacher from Glenwood Springs Middle School and works as an instructor at the Michigan Youth Trout Camp each summer. Aside from published articles and the numerous clinics he conducts, Tim is an FFF certified casting instructor who taught the Sage Casting Clinics during the 1990’s.  He has guided in the Steamboat Springs area and the Roaring Fork Valley.  Tim is a member of the Whiting Farms Pro Team. Visit Tim’s Website at:  http://www.timjacobsflyfishing.com



 Thomas Janukowicz, Jr.:  Thomas Janukowicz, Jr., an avid fly-fisherman and fly-tier for over 27 years.  It is a matter of fact, that he tied flies long before he ever he even fly-fished.  At the age of 7, Tom attended and received certification by the United Fly Tiers Association.  His work was so well received that 13 years later he was invited back by the UFTA to instruct.  

Not only has he taught fly tying, but he also taught fly fishing to not only people on an individual basis, but on a group basis, as well.  

His work is so compelling – that he has filled not only individual orders -- but has tied on a commercial basis for fly shops in Vermont.  

Tom is currently enjoying his mentorship under Joe Humphreys (a renowned fisherman, Educator, Author, and Conservationist).  Through Joe – Tom is refining his casting, tying, competition & night-fishing techniques!

Tom has been an avid Fly Fishing Show attendee for many years!  At one such symposium – he met Bob Mead (Realistic Fly Tying Pioneer).  They immediately hit off – the meeting was almost pivotal – Bob said “you should open up your own booth and show your work!”  And well…the rest is history!  



 Aaron Jasper:  Aaron Jasper is a third grade teacher, owner of Fly Fishing Evolution guide service, published author, and the co-founder of www.troutpredator.com . He fishes over 200 days per year and his true passion in life is sharing all the information he gathers with the fly fishermen of the world. While Aaron has been fishing for nearly 30 years now, he is fairly new to the Public Fly Fishing eye He Also believes that our toolboxes of methods should be constantly growing and EVOLVING. Beyond this obvious fact, our sport is in a constant state of evolution, better equipment, better materials to use at the vise, even genetically engineered trout. How does this apply to Aaron’s beliefs? Even though the sport’s practices are subject to constant change, sometimes evolving dictates that you look back; back to methods long forgotten. So… Aaron’s view of evolution is this: the fly fisherman must constantly evolve to become better at their craft, and in order to evolve they must not only learn modern techniques but they must also look backwards through history and analyze all methods available to ensure their constant state of evolution. His guiding website is www.troutpredator.com. He also came out with his first DVD titled "European Nymphing: Techniques and Fly Tying." He is going to be doing a series of teaching DVDs that are going to cover nearly ever facet of fly fishing for trout.

Joe Johnson :  I am a thirteen year old avid fly fisherman and fly tier from Longmont Colorado. I started fly fishing for bluegills and bass at my local ponds when I was only five. It quickly progressed into an obsessive condition with the only thought in my mind is to catch fish. I have fished many places around North America but my favorite places are my home waters right here in Colorado. I started fly tying when I was seven and now I tie commercially for The Laughing Grizzly Fly Shop in Longmont. I do tying demos for local shops in my area when I am not fishing. 



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Stephen Johnson 


Gene Kaczmarek :  Gene has been tying flies for over 20 years and teaches fly tying classes for the beginner, intermediate and advanced tiers. He can be found demonstrating advanced steelhead tying technique’s at a number of the western fly fishing shows and clubs.
Tying has become a passion not just a hobby for him. Steelhead flies are his first love because they provide the “Freedom of expression like no other tying style.”
Mission Peak Fly Anglers in Fremont California is his local club. He serves on the Northern California Council Federation of Fly Fishers board of directors and is their Fly Tying Chair. Gene is the recipient of the inaugural NCCFFF “Ned Long Memorial Fly Tier of the Year” award for 2002. He has served as the FFF Fly Tying Chair along with serving on the “FFF Fly Tying Group BoD.


Larry Kingrey :  Larry learned to fly fish on the Arkansas River, and is now lucky enough to work on the river he learned on over thirty years ago. He has been tying for most of that time, the last fifteen of that as a professional tier and guide. He has worked on the Green, Yampa, Elk, Colorado, and South Platte. He now manages the guide service for Royal Gorge Anglers in Canon City, and owns his own fly tying company, Larry’s Line. He is a member of Whiting Farms Pro Staff. He is also a signature tier for Idylwilde Flies of Portland, Oregon, designing patterns for their production facility. His patterns are developed and tested on the Arkansas and South Platte, to create a blend of effectiveness for freestone and Tailwater Rivers alike.

Dave Klausmeyer :  David Klausmeyer is the editor of Fly Tyer magzine. David has written hundreds of magazine and newspaper articles about fly fishing and tying, and is the author of more than half a dozen books, including Striped Bass Flies: Patterns of the Pros, Tying Classic Freshwater Streamers, and Trout Streams of Northern New England. In 2007, David received the Golden Hook Award from the Catskill Fly Fishing Center and Museum for his contributions to educating anglers about fly fishing and tying.

Cecilia "Pudge" Kleinkauf :  Pudge Kleinkauf has owned and operated Women’s Flyfishing® her instruction and guide service in Alaska, for the past twenty-five years taking both women and couples fishing for salmon, trout, Arctic grayling, char, and pike in locations all around the State.  She also guides trips to Mexico and Argentina each year. Pudge ties the flies for all of her guided trips, and demonstrates fly tying for clubs and shows around the country. Her special salmon flies are used by fly anglers throughout Alaska. A contributing editor for “Fish Alaska Magazine,” and the author of three books, “Fly Fishing Women Explore Alaska,” and “River Girls: Fly Fishing for Young Women”  (both Benjamin Franklin Award Winners) as well as her new book, “Fly Fishing for Alaska’s Arctic Grayling: Sailfish of the North,” Pudge also instructs for Casting for Recovery, Alaska, and is a member of the International Women Fly Fishers, the Alaska Fly Fishers, and the guide associations of both TU and the FFF. Her web site is www.womensflyfishing.net and her e-mail is pudge@womensflyfishing.net



John Klemm Jr.


Peter Koga


Matt Koles:  Matt"Gilligan"Koles began fly fishing the waters of the Eastern Sierra and Tahoe Region when he was 13. Gilligan brings to the river over 20 years of experience fishing and tying flies for Sierra Nevada trout. Gilligans Guide Service runs trips year round on the Truckee River and Little Truckee River.
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Steve Korbay


Dave Kruss


Capt. Dean Lamont :  Capt. Dean Lamont is a 13-year salt-water fly fishing/light tackle Captain/Guide in Eastern North Carolina.  He started fly fishing in the mountains of N.C. in the early 70’s in the Wilson’s Creek area while living in Lenoir.  Early spring finds the captain on the Roanoke River guiding for Shad and Striped Bass in his 18ft. Maverick Master Angler.  It is not unusual to have 50+ fish day trips fly-fishing.   Both American and Hickory Shad offer the first spring opportunity to fly fish within a few hours of your house.  The Shad arrive in early March and leave the river in early April when the Striped Bass move up the Roanoke River.  The Stripers are in the river from early April until later May.   The end of May, Dean moves his guide service to Atlantic Beach, N.C.  Summer fishing includes Red Drum, Spanish Mackerel, Cobia, Flounder, Amberjack ect.  Fall fishing is world class for False Albacore and Trout.  Albacore fishing is from his 25ft Hydra Sports.  Dean will be exhibiting and tying his flies for these fish. He will make presentations at the show on how to catch Shad and Stripers on the Roanoke River.  Capt. Dean will share his experience and secrets with any fly fisherman interested in learning.  



Unrecognized Guid format.Jackson Leong:  Hi, my name is Jackson Leong.  I live in Portland, Oregon with my wife and 2 young daughters.  I am a practicing pharmacist/manager who specializes in long term care pharmacy, where we take care of the elderly.
When I am not spending time with my family and working, I enjoy fly fishing and fly tying.  I have been doing both for over 20 years.  For the past 10 years, I have been demonstrating realistic tying at shows on both sides of the country. (Some of my flies can be seen in Fly Tyers of the World, Vol. 2.).
 I am a proud member of the realistic fly tying movement and enjoy every opportunity to share with others the artistic side of fly tying.  Whether it be my flies or flies from other tyers. 
One of my other hobbies is collecting realistic flies and flies from the great innovators of our craft.  It is fun meeting fellow tiers from around the country and world and learning about fly tying in their area.
Please stop by and bring along your flies to show us!


Rob Lewis :  Rob is a professional fly tier, river guide, lecturer and fly tying instructor. He is one of the foremost fly pattern designers in the country and his Realistic Series has been touted as the future of fly design. He has been featured in magazines such as Fish & Fly, Fly Fishing New England and Fly Tyer.

While Rob describes himself as "a pair of pants away from a caveman", the best description was written by one of the hundreds of clients Rob has guided on rivers for trout in Montana and New York.
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Ted Lewis


Bob Lindquist



George Maciag :  George Maciag has been involved in fly fishing and fly tying since childhood.    He holds college degrees in biology and biology education.  His many interests include entomology, nature photography, and stream ecosystems.  As a person who taught high school and college biology for many years, he is skilled at communicating his knowledge about the life cycles of fish and the organisms upon which they feed.  
    George keeps pace with the technological advances in fly tying while maintaining his passion for classical patterns and materials used in the past.  He is particularly interested in the Catskill style of tying wet and dry flies.  The timeless feather-winged streamers that originated in the Rangeley Lake region of Maine are another area of expertise.
    The Fly Fishing Show and the International Fly Tying Symposium, both in Somerset NJ, are two major events in which George participates as a celebrity tyer.  He was also featured in the Pennsylvania Fly Fishing show at the Valley Forge Convention Center and also participates in the Eastern PA Fly Tying Jamboree.  
    George is currently serving as the fly fishing professional at the Saucon Valley Country Club.  In addition, he is a fly tying instructor and naturalist at the Graystones Preserve in the Pocono Mountains.  George also teaches fly tying and casting at the L.L. Bean store in Center Valley PA.  He has also instructed at numerous fly shops and gives both private and group lessons. His classes are very popular since he has the ability to combine science and humor to the sometimes complicated mechanics of fly tying.
    Among flies of his personal design are; George’s Killer, George’s Thing, and George’s Woven John.
His teaching skills are a tremendous benefit to anyone wishing to learn the intricacies of fly fishing.


   

Tim Mack :  Tim began tying at age 12 after receiving a tying kit for Christmas from his grandparents and has been tying for 21 years now. In 2004 he left his career in pharmacy to manage ATF Fly Shop where he began tying for the shop and also tying commercially. Tim ties for his guides on the San Juan and with their help, designs new flies for that river. In 2007 Rick Takahashi asked him for some midge patterns for a new book and this past year, twelve of his patterns made it into Modern Midges.  Tim is the head tying instructor for the Ft. Bliss/MVFF charter of Project Healing Waters,  the instructor for Mesilla Valley Fly Fishers'  "Liars and Tyers" and fly tying instructor for Borderland Fly Fishers. Tim is a pro staff member for Nymph-Heads Pro-Team.



Sylvie Malo-Clark :  Sylvie Malo-Clark lives in Durham Bridge in New Brunswick, Canada on the banks of the Nashwaak River. She is an avid angler, artist and fly tier and very passionate about fly fishing. During the fishing season you will find her angling for the Atlantic salmon and brook trout mainly on the Miramichi, Cains and the Restigouche rivers. Since her retirement, she has been involved in many aspects of the fly fishing industry.  She is a volunteer with the Fish Friends program sponsored by the New Brunswick Salmon Council. She enjoys participating in fly fishing shows as a guest fly tier and speaker. She is featured in the exhibit “A Graceful Rise Women in Fly Fishing Yesterday, Today and Tomorrow” at the American Museum of Fly Fishing in Manchester, VT for her flies, paintings and involvement in the sport of fly fishing. She is on the board of the International Women Fly Fishers organization (IWFF).
Malo-Clark specializes in Atlantic Salmon flies and her journey has also taken her in tying the Classics. Her Birdseye art fly boxes, a watercolor combined with Atlantic salmon flies, are sought after by discriminating collectors.


Bruce Marino


Dennis Martin


Mike Martinek, Jr



Kuni Masuda :  Kuni Masuda has 34 years of fly fishing experience and a member of the World Fly Fishing team of Japan, IFFF and Clark-Skamania Flyfishers in Vancouver, Washington.
Kuni Masuda participated in the 2012 World Fly Fishing Championship in Slovenia in June 2012. He was invited to compete as a member of Team Japan and manager of the team. He was also invited back to WFFC in Norway in August 2013 as a team member and manager for Team Japan. Kuni has also been invited to complete in the American Cup, fly fishing championship in North America.
He joined one of the finest handcrafted and high performance rod maker, C.F. Burkheimer as a pro-staff in 2011. http://cfbflyrods.com/staff/kuni-masuda/    Also, he has been invited to become Wastatch Fly Tying tools Co’s “Angling Pro” staff as a demo tier.

Currently he is a member of the International Federation of Fly Fishing club and
part of the Fly Fishing Museum committee in Livingston Montana as well as a demo fly tier for their fly fishing events.

Besides a vice president of the Clark-Skamania Fly Fishers in Southwest Washington. He got involved and committed to the education, conservation, promotion of fly fishing as a method of angling. And through it, an understanding of and appreciation for the diversity of nature.

Kuni has been invited to tie his flies at the Northwest Fly Tying & Fly Fishing Expo, Pacific Northwest Fly Tyers Rendezvous, FFF Washington Fly Fishing Fair and the FFF International Fly Fishing Fair and Pacific Northwest Sportsmen’s Show in Portland. He manages and teach the Fly Tyers’ Night every 2nd Wednesday each month at WDFW.

Over the years he’s fished in Alaska, Canada, Mexico, Japan as well as widely in the Northwestern U.S. Befitting a man of all this experience, he has been very generous in giving time and attention to CSF. His many contributions have included serving as facilitator for the CSF Fly Tyer’s Night, fly fishing school, serving on the Board as Membership Chairman and Director At Large.


Michael Mauri :  The fish management technician caught his first fish at age six in a small stream in Bavaria.
In 1983 - at age 12 - he decided to devote himself entirely to the royal discipline. Since that time, he has been fishing exclusively with flies. His early, influential sources of inspiration were, for example, Sepp Prager at a show in 1985 and later Lefty Kreh and Steve Rajeff.
Starting in 1998, Michael Mauri has been participating in international shows and conducting single- and doublehand workshops all over the globe. As a professional flyfisher he also guides all over in Europe, from Italy up to Norway and Greenland.
Motion sequences acquired from many years of martial arts training as well as his great desire to experience something new allowed him to create his own unique casting techniques, the EFCT (Effective Fly Casting Technique). The secret of his style is the natural movement, which makes it easy to learn – for everybody!
In search of new challenges, he continuously hones his own skills while at the same time coming up with new ideas for improved equipment.
But if he’s outside on the water and becomes ones with the nature, he is still that boy of six.

Check out Michaels DVD about the magic water casts for fishing – spey casting for single hand available at www.theanglingbookstore.com.



David P. McCants :  Dave has been tying for over 43 years and tie everything from size 28 zebra midges to size 8/0 Atlantic Salmon flies
He is also a designer of flies as shown in three of my original patterns –
•    Streamer for Trout/Bass/Steelhead – Big Ugly (Western Outdoors Dec 2002)
•    Salmon Fly for Steelhead/Salmon – Lavender Princess ( Winter 2001 FF&FT)

He is a  member of Diablo Valley Fly Fishers, Federation of Fly Fishers, and established a local fly tying club “Creative Comfort Flytyers” in Pleasant Hill, California.  Dave has been a Whiting Farms Pro Team Tyer for over 10 years and  enjoys working with Tom and Richard of Whiting Farms.

Most interesting catch -  a 30 pound Albacore Tuna in the Farralones off San Francisco on a 1960 Fenwick 9 weight rod with no fighting butt …was the thrill of a lifetime (with my own Flash Herring, no less) and I had the stomach bruises to prove it!  

Locally, Dave enjoys fishing Putah Creek (trout), Walnut Creek (various species), and the American River (Steelhead).
 
Dave really enjoys tying Steelhead and Atlantic salmon flies due to the creativity one can attain with color and feather flow and design.



Allen McGee :  Allen McGee grew up fishing on the family's farm ponds in Missouri for bass and bluegill. He has been fly fishing and tying flies for trout for nearly 20 years. Allen has fly fished extensively throughout the United States and even as far away as South Korea. He enjoys pursuing big fish with light tackle particularly on difficult spring creek-type streams. He is a fly designer for the Montana Fly Company, an outdoor photographer, and author. He has written many articles for fly fishing magazines and is the author of Tying & Fishing Soft-Hackled Nymphs. Much of his fly tying has focused on developing new and innovative soft-hackle techniques and fly patterns. He believes in designing and fishing flies that imitate movement and behavior feeling that these trigger a trout’s feeding instinct. He lives in North Georgia with his wife and son.


Mark McMillan :  A lifetime Coloradoan, Mark McMillan has been fly fishing for nearly 40 years and fly tying since the late 1970's.  A self taught tier, he has become known for his inventive use and incorporation of common and not-so-common materials into flies of his own design.  He has been a demonstration tier and instructor at various Fly Shops, Conclaves, Trout Unlimited fund raisers, and Fly Fishing and Tying shows in Colorado and the west since 2003.  His patterns are effective fishing flies for trout, bass, wiper, and carp, and his strong interest in carp fishing has led him to build a shallow water carp fishing boat complete with poling platform for pursuing his beloved golden bones.

Mark has been guiding walk-wade, float tube and pack horse trout fishing trips, and teaching casting and fly tying classes since 2000.  He is a member of the Whiting Farms and Vosseler pro teams, and often jokes that he is a pro staff member with Michaels, Hobby Lobby, Jo-Ann Fabrics and Dollar Tree.  He has several fly patterns in Modern Midges, and his patterns are available through Blacks Flies and Wetfly.Net.


Bob Mead :  Bob Mead of Scotia New York has been tying realistic flies since 1966. The Praying Mantis, Walking Stick, and Water Scorpion are just 3 of many unusual patterns he originated and have been published along with articles and interviews in books, magazines, and newspapers around the world. Recently he was sought out to tie two realistic black widow spiders as props for the TV show Royal Pains.
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Ibrahim Mesinovic


Kenneth Miller :  Kenneth Miller prides himself in producing well proportioned and consistent flies; even if he only ties a few per a relaxed session.  He is most notable for his delicate epoxy applications and other unique synthetic material pattern coatings.

Patterns Ken ties are used to fly fish for Trout and Steelhead species within the Eastern Sierra mountain range as well as famed Northern California freshwater fisheries.  In addition, he ties multiple saltwater patterns which he utilizes in the Pacific Ocean surf and Mexican waters for many exotic warm water species.

As a event show tier Ken has performed at every southern California Fly Fishing Show event since their debut in Ontario, CA.  His dedicated fly tying endeavors have culminated with his acceptance as an Umpqua Feather Merchants Company - Signature Tyer and Designer.



Rickey Mitchell :  Kayak fly-fishing guide, professional tier, freelance writer, photographer and Author, Rickey Noel Mitchell, started out closed to twenty years ago with a fly rod and float tube exploring the lakes and rivers of Central California. After a year of or more fishing reservoirs and dealing with the float tubes limitations he moved up in the water level to a pontoon boat. The pontoon boat gave him the golden opportunity to explore and fish his all time favorite waters…rivers. However it didn’t take long to learn…on open waters this inflatable craft was a wind toy and it lacked speed.





Walt Mueller :  Walt Mueller, aka “The Otter” (always in the water and sometimes catching fish!), has been an avid fly tier for over 50 years. Living in the mountains of Colorado, he fishes all the major western rivers from New Mexico up north to Montana plus the Great Lake tributaries each fall and spring for steelhead.
Walt developed his soft and ultra realistic “Soft Milking Egg”® egg patterns over 7 years ago. His materials now are available in 16 different colors of eggs, in 7 sizes; 2 x 2 mm, 3 mm, 4 mm, 6 mm, 3 x 6 mm clusters, 8 mm and 10 mm sizes.
 Whether tying his tiny 2 x 2 mm “Soft Sucker Spawn-OS-3” or 3 mm eggs on a tiny #20 hook, or up to multiple and larger 3 x 6 mm clusters or 10 mm eggs on 2/0 hooks for use on King Salmon, he will demonstrate how to tie multiple types of egg patterns using his wide array of materials that will improve your catch rate for all trout, steelhead, and even bass and carp!




Jay Murakoshi :  I have been in the fly fishing industry for 37 years. I’ve also been a commercial fly tyer for 36 years, having tied for such notables as Lefty Kreh and Trey Combs. At one time or another, I have tied for most of the northern california shops in the region. My patterns have been featured in Fly Fishing in Saltwaters, California Fly Fisher, Western Outdoors and Southwest Fly Fishing. I am the west coast contributing writer for Fly Fishing in Saltwater magazine.. I have developed a few top water bass patterns that I will be selling through my web site www.fliesunlimited.com. They are the CB diver, wiggle waker, swimming minnow and a hula girl.
As a speaker I have been doing seminars and clinics since the early ’80’s. I have spoken to thousands of people at events like the International Sportsman Exposition, the Fly Fishing Show, Renzetti Fly Fishing Fair, sports pro shops, fly fishing clubs and conclaves. I am also on pro staff for TFO, Galvan Fly Reels, RIO, SmithAction, Anglers Sports Group (Dai Ichi Hooks) Gamakatsu and GoPro Camera. I run my own travel business which takes people to Baja, Honduras and Australia.




Connor Murphy :  Connor, age 16, caught his first fish, a large rainbow trout, when he was three and has been “hooked” ever since.  Connor has competed in dozens of fishing and casting competitions and has done some informal guiding and exhibition tying.  He was a member of the America Cup Youth Team and competed in the “America Cup International Fly Fishing Tournament” Sept. 2010.
Connor has designed several flies that are proven producers on Colorado streams and lakes.
He started a fly fishing club at his high school, and has written several articles that have been published about his fly fishing activities.  When he is fishing locally in Colorado, Connor divides his time between the high mountain lakes and streams of Rocky Mountain National Park, local tail waters of the Big Thompson and Cache la Poudre rivers, and the dream stream. 
Some of his other favorite fishing waters are the Frying Pan, Roaring Fork, and Blue rivers.  Connor also enjoys fishing The Snake, and Gros Ventre rivers of Jackson, Slough Creek and Trout Lake in Yellowstone, and Crypt Lake in Alberta.  
Connor is a high school sophomore, honors student, plays bass in the symphony orchestra and jazz band and shoots for the Dynamics JOAD Archery Team.  He enjoys reading, hiking, mountain biking, playing his guitar and is active in his church and community.



Rich Murphy :  Rich Murphy is a Professional Civil Engineer in Massachusetts, a published author, a  professional fly designer, a salt water fly fishing junky, and a pretty good husband to a lovely wife.
Murphy taught himself to fly cast and tie simple fresh water flies over the winter of his eighth year. He caught his first trout on a fly that next spring using a mayfly spinner pattern copied from an old Field and Stream. 
He started tying saltwater flies commercially over 20 years ago. In the winter of 1995, Murphy entered a fly designing contract with Umpqua Feather Merchants. To date, Umpqua has accepted eight of his fly patterns for their catalog: the Conomo Special, Steep Hill Special, RM Shortfin Squid,  RM Flatside, RM Needlefish, RM Rattlesnake, RM Spitfire and the Pamet Special.
Murphy has written feature articles for fly fishing periodicals that include Saltwater Flyfishing, Fish and Fly Magazine , and Fly Tyer .  His first book, Fly Fishing for Striped Bass, went to print in July 2007,  and is presently available in most major retail and internet book retail outlets.
He lives in Georgetown, Massachusetts, with Lucy, his wife and most cogent critic, and their faithful bad dog, Tahoe.


Capt. Bill Murphy :  Bill started fly tying in 1991 and has been addicted to it ever since. In 1995 Bill won 1st place in "Fly Fishing Magazine" fly tying contest for his Chocolate CDC Elk Hair Caddis. He is also the owner of E-Z Body Products and is known as "The E-Z Body guy", he loves to teach fly tyers all the tips, tricks and techniques of using his tubing. Since 2005, Bill has been one of Rainy's Flies "Innovators" and currently has 14 patterns in production. During the fishing season, Capt. Bill operates Little Rhody Charters where he guides clients throughout the waters of Southern New England chasing everything form Stripers to Tuna. If your tired of tying the same old fly's, or need a few tying tips or a good fishing story, stop by and spend some time with Bill, you'll be glad you did.


Bill Newcomb :  When Bill was born, he was very young so he doesn’t remember much of the event. But he absolutely recalls fishing the streams near his boyhood home. As time passed, he graduated from school and joined the Navy, and continued to fish up and down the Eastern Seaboard, the Northern Atlantic and the Caribbean. When he discovered flyfishing, the sanity men seek in life disappeared. Along with flyfishing, of course, comes flytying. On a fishing trip for salmon, he spent $20 on six flies. After seeing his friend tie a fly, he realized he could have saved that amount by tying his own. Over the years, he’s figured he spent $40,000 trying to get that $20 back. You’ll see Bill at the fishing shows. He enjoys meeting new people, swapping lies, and stealing their patterns and claiming them as his own. Unlike many of the other tyers, Bill IS a legend in his own mind.

Bill is a member of Trout Unlimited and the Catskill Fly Tyers Guild, and he believes in passing on this time-honored tradition to a new generation of flyfishers and tyers. So when you come to the shows, look for him. You’ll know it’s him … because he looks just like his picture.




Safet Nikocevic :  Self taught, hand fly tier, Safet was introduced to the wonders of fly fishing and fly tying at very young age. This began at the age of ten when he and his buddies chased roosters in the yard and hoped to get a perfect feather for a fly. He felt nothing is more fun than seeing seven inch brownies flipping and kicking.  Born and raised in Montenegro (former Yugoslavia) near the finest rivers with no fishing store anywhere to be found and where hooks were real treasure. He spends his free time tying by hand and using simple materials such as grandmothers treads sheep’s wool  or a chicken’s feather.  He immigrated to New York City in 1993 and here he brought his fist vise Dyne-King Aristocrat #627 in a fishing store that he never saw before, Urban Angler NY, and started commercially tying for them.
Safet spends free time on the finest river, East Branch in Upstate New York.  Safet’s flies are very durable and productive and he is involved with fly tying demonstrations at fly fishing shows and various fly shops all over New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania and Connecticut.  Safet continues his fly tying pursuits through participation in some of the industry’s biggest shows, such as the International Fly Tying Symposium.
Safet is a very proud full time employee of the piano company Steinway and Sons where he makes flies during his lunch breaks and everybody that knows him calls him a fly maker.  He is also very active and very respectful Karate Instructor in Astoria’s Dojo.  Using only the highest quality materials in a very creative ways, Safet flies are excellent very durable and effective.


Jim Norton :  Jim is probably best known for the version of the Alder Fly he ties but has original patterns including nymphs and streamers. All of the patterns were developed for fishing the rivers and ponds of the north east but have been successful around the country.  A fly tying instructor for over 20 years Jim is an active member of several organizations and clubs.

Jim started New Hampshire Rivers Guide Service and is a licensed New Hampshire guide and member of the New Hampshire Guides Association.
 
Jim is the author of Granite Lines published in 2010 and has written columns for over twenty years; his column now appears monthly in the New Hampshire Outdoor Gazette.

Jim spends the majority of his time guiding on New Hampshire waters and has fished from Alaska to Newfoundland.

Jim is a featured speaker at shows, clubs and events throughout New England; conducts Fly Tying seminars and the Northeast Fly Fishing School.



Wally Nowak :  Wally Nowak used to live in Southern Ontario and when he retired from teaching high school he moved to Vancouver Island to be closer to his two sons and grand children.  Besides enjoying the new kind of fly fishing the West Coast provides he is fond of carrying an umbrella for most of the winter.  He has been instructing fly tying and demonstrating his hobby since the early 1970’s.  He has been honoured to be invited to tie classic patterns to be auctioned by Christie’s of London to raise funds for the North Atlantic Salmon Fund.  He has donated classic and other flies for Trout Unlimited, the BC Steelhead Society, and other conservation fund raisers.  Recently he has participated in the showcase of fly tiers at the Fly Fishing Show in the United States, at the British Fly Fair International in the UK and at the Izaak Walton Fly Fishing Show in Ontario.  He will readily admit that he has been doing this for too long.   But he will promptly tell you that he returns to the fly tying bench because he has an intrinsic fascination for dressing up a hook to fool a fish.  His friends call his fly tying “minimalist” because his patterns tend to look slim and sparsely tied. If you look into his fly boxes of his fishing vest you will notice some different kind of flies.  Ask him to name them and he won’t have a name for them.  He just bends existing patterns to his own liking to help him get a more effective fishing fly.  His passion is to tie Spey flies, Dee strip wings, and anything with a folded hackle.  Wally Nowak is not a commercial fly tier.  He ties flies for his own use and to share with family and friends.   He also ties flies for something to do.  He thinks some of his flies actually look pretty.


Naomi Okamoto :  Tying flies has been part of my life for a few decades.
It is a creative, sometimes frustrating and often rewarding past time.
I love to share what I have learned with those that share the same
interest.  Hopefully,  I can humbly impart some of my knowledge that I have
acquired  through trial and error at the vise thus helping others with the learning
curve.


Mas Okui :  For the best part of six decades, Mas Okui has fished the Eastern Sierras, during which time, Hot Creek became as familiar as his reflection in the mirror.  Along the way, Mas met and fished with some of the legendary Hot Creek anglers; Bill Lawrence, Ciff Wyatt, Ned Grey, names from the past often unknown to the present day angler.  Each taught the nuances of that most challenging stream and Mas took those lessons and tried to improve on them.  Over the years he has developed patterns that consistently cause trout to come to the fly, the "Killer" being the most notable.  Scores of present day fly anglers have benefited from Mas, learning which patterns work best, frustratingly casting the long hand tied leaders, and being gently coached how to set the hook

Mass has generously sharde his knowledge with any and all who ask.  When you see him on the stream, walk up, introduce yourself, and ask.

Don Ordes


Graham Owen


Rob Parkins :  Rob Parkins began flytying to save money while living in a van down by the Housatonic River in CT. In 1997, after realizing that was a myth, he started guiding on the Housatonic and then the Delaware River in NY to make enough dough to buy more materials. As a fly collector, Rob's creative tying is inspired by the true masters of the craft and he can only hope to one day tie a fly that one of them would actually fish. He now resides in Victor, ID where he guides on the Snake and Green Rivers for Westbank Anglers and the South Fork of the Snake for The Lodge at Palisades Creek. When not shoveling water for a living, Rob attempts to cast his spey pole more than 50 feet and tries to unravel the mysteries of using a whip finishing tool. He is honored to be a part of innovative team of Montana Fly Co. fly designers and the Winston Rod Co. and Hatch Reels Pro Staffs. His photographic prowess and irregular angling reports can be seen at www.rpoutside.com



Tim Paxton :  Robert Paxton, aka: "Tim" has been an avid fly tier and fly fisherman for 50+ years.  Tim got "hooked" on fishing in his teens, fishing the piers and waters of Southern California.
In 1964 he relocated to Eureka, California, where he presently resides; and thus began his salmon and steelhead adventures.
Tim has always had the gift of gab, so it was natural for him to begin instructing children in the fine art of fly tying through school and club programs-ie 4-H.
In 1980 a business venture was started under the Paxton's Buggy Nymph.  A fine, translucent dubbing was developed by Tim and this material is supplied to shops and tiers in the US, Thailand, Japan and Singapore.  The business was sold in 2003 to two teenagers for the sum of $1.  It helped sustain them through their college days.
Tim has also developed many flies(Tim's Twit, Humboldt Honey, Buggy Nymph Hare's Ear, Herniator, Soft Pop) that have been featured in magazines, books and videos.
This man loves to attend the Fly Fishing Show and share his ideas with others; to learn, and to perhaps give just a little of what he has learned back to the community.



Carl Pennington :  As a young adult after fishing for many years with friends and family I decided to teach myself to tie flies to save a little money. Armed with a Thompson Model a vice and basic tools and materials I got started on what would become a life long pursuit of knowledge and skill in the art of fly tying. Twenty years and thousands of flies later I realized that I wasn’t saving any money bout I had developed a love for tying flies for trout. Fly tying has been a passion of mine and has grown in recent years with my appreciation for Colorado and all the great fishing waters it holds. I don’t travel much and may never fish anywhere else which is fine by me.
I would have to say my signature patterns are those that require the most attention to detail and purporting such as the pheasant tail, biot emergers and parachute dry flies. I am a bit of a perfectionist when comes to the size and profile due to many years of fishing Colorado tail waters and the tiny flies they require.
Just recently two of my fly patterns have been pickup by Montana Fly Co. I’m also a staff designer for Deek Creek Flies in the UK.
http://www.danica.com/flytier/cpennington/cpennington.htm


Tracy Peterson


Joe Phaby :  I’ve been fly fishing for over 30 years and tying for 25 years. Most of my experience is on small lakes and streams in the Central Sierras. I have been associated with Fly Tying Specialties from its formation, specializing in unique products for fly tying. We provide guiding along the Truckee and the Little Truckee Rivers teaching the Czech Nymphing technique. We also provide tying lessons for beginning fly tyers. I have been demonstrating tying at fly shops and fly shows for the last five years representing Fly Tying Specialties.



Richard Pilatzke


Roger Plourde :  My journey into flyfishing is different than most.  I did not get interested in this sport until I was in my 30’s.I woke up one day in 1991 and realized that I’d been in business as a building contractor for 16 years.  I also realized that there had to be more to life than just working; I needed a hobby.  Although in my youth I had lacked the patience to fish, I thought it might be relaxing to walk in a river and learn to flyfish.  I decided to join a local club, The Connecticut Flyfisherman’s Association.  I signed up for their flyfishing course, made friends with club members, asked a lot of questions, and fished the local rivers as I put into practice all that I was learning from my new friends.  The following year I took the club’s flytying course and I was off on a journey into this new world of feathers and furs, the world of trout and saltwater flies.  I was content to tie these types of flies as I worked on the efficiency and quality of my tying.

Salmon flies never entered the picture until the spring of 1998 when a friend asked me to split the cost of salmon flytying lessons.  We took an intensive two-day course with Paul Ptalis.  This course opened yet another new world to me.I had known nothing of the many types of exotic birds, tinsels, silk and other materials used in salmon fly tying, I was struck by their beauty and artistry.  I was hooked from the very first day and could not learn quickly enough to satisfy my curiosity.  I read books, practiced tying and tried to gather materials.  I would go to Paul to ask for critiquing and advice.  I’d ask questions of other tyers.  I was open to anything that would help me learn the skills of the salmon fly tyer.  In this fast paced world we live in, it feels good to sit at a vice and force yourself to slow down as you strive to tie the perfect salmon fly for mounting or to give as a gift to a friend.  But perfection is elusive, there is always some part of the fly you would do a little differently if you could do it over again.  The beautiful colors and the flow of the classic patterns depicted in books and other medias by Chutes,  Ptalis, Radencich, Rossman, Schmookler and others are what I try to emulate.  The process allows me to let my imagination create new patterns.

I was born in Connecticut in 1956 into a French-Canadien family.  My wife of 31 years, Pierrette is from Quebec.  Because of this history I spend quite a bit of time fishing for trout, salmon and landlocked salmon in New Brunswick, Canada and Maine.  I always enjoy fishing close to home in the Connecticut rivers.  When I am not fishing or tying flies my friends can usually find me in my woodworking shop making cabinets, fishing nets, framing and matting artwork, repairing canoes, or making gadgets that are usually related to fishing or hunting.

A large part of this sport for me are the many friends I have made from around the world.  We discuss techniques in tying and different ways of fishing our favorite waters and the variety of hatches.

A suggestion: If you are thinking of learning to tie salmon flies, take a course with one of the many great tyers around.  Take your time, practice techniques and the rest is up to your imagination.  Join a local club and don’t be afraid to ask questions.  Most members will take you out and show you the local waters.
In closing I’d like to quote Albert Cohen, “There are so many things in life people look forward to getting behind them.  Dressing a salmon fly should not be one of them”


Bob Popovics :  Born and raised in New Jersey, Bob Popovics “Popfleyes” has been saltwater fly-fishing around the globe for over to 40 years.  Bob’s involvement in the promotion of saltwater fly-fishing run as deep as the concepts he has created at the vise. A member, former president and executive board member of the Saltwater Flyrodders of America, Bob helped pioneer modern day saltwater fly fishing in the northeast through his ground breaking fly tying concepts and teaching of the sport to anyone who was interested in learning. A true sportsman in every sense, Bob’s contribution to saltwater fly fishing continues to prosper today through his fly fishing, tying, and eye catching videos.
In the 1992 Bob founded the Atlantic Saltwater Flyrodders in Seaside Park, NJ. And in 1998, Bob was inducted into the FRESHWATER FISHING HALL OF FAME where he sits amongst some of the greatest names in the sport of fishing. Most widely known for his innovative fly tying techniques and designs, Bob’s creations of “fleyes” have literally changed the direction of fly tying with unique and durable saltwater fly designs. The originator of epoxy and silicone flies, Bob’s realistic “baitfish like” designs have come to be widely known as Popfleyes. From his early introduction of the Surf Candy design in the mid 1970’s to such sport standards as the Hollow Fleye, Siliclone, Pop-lip, Ultra Shrimp, Bucktail Deceiver, Bob’s Banger, 3-D, Cotton Candy, and Shady Lady Squid. Bob now leads the way in fly tying with acrylics. Bob’s impact on fly tyers and fly fishers has been widespread throughout the globe. Lefty Kreh has called Bob “The most innovative fly tyer I have ever met!”
Currently, Bob sits on the advisory staff to many of the industry’s top manufacturers such as St Croix Rod, MAKO Fly Reels, and Renzetti. He is a contributing writer to Fly Fishing in Saltwaters Magazine, and his co-authored book, "POP FLEYES" with Ed Jaworowski, a staple read for anyone interested in saltwater fly fishing. To his additional credits, he has created and stars in two “POP FLEYES” videos from Reel Resources. He is a frequent seminar speaker at many of the sports national and regional consumer and industry venues.
Today, Bob spends much of his time passionately capturing a video history of fly fishing in the northeast since 1984. As a surf fly fishing specialist with innovative approaches to the challenges and demands of using a fly rod in the ocean surf, Bob continues to share his knowledge with beginners and experts alike. He is referred to by many as one of the greatest ambassadors of our sport.
Bob owns and operates the Shady Rest Restaurant in Bayville, N.J., with his wife Alexis, and still resides just a short walk to the beach from his house in Seaside Park, NJ.


Steve Potter :  Christmas of 1990 is when Steve received the gift of his first fly tying kit. In complete enjoyment he practiced for hours upon end, tying many different types of flies. Steve gained further expertise in this area from studying the pros like Billy Munn, Jimmy Nix and Chris Helm. As time went on, spinning deer hair not only became a favorite of Steve’s, but he was a natural at it.

Steve’s been tying bass bugs and trout flies ever since receiving that first fly tying kit. He has demonstrated his tying skills in Oregon, Idaho, Montana and California at Federation of Fly Fishing events. Steve has also tied at the International Sportsman’s Expositions in Pleasanton, San Mateo, and Sacramento, California. The Fly Fishing Shows in San Rafael and Pleasanton, California have featured Steve as one of their tiers.

The waters of the Sierra supply various species of trout that make a bountiful day of fishing - well worth the time spent at the tying table! Steve also enjoys wetting his fly line out on the California Delta for Largemouth and Striped Bass. As a team member in 2008, Steve took first place at the 1st California Delta Bass and Fly Competition.


Matthew Powell :  My name is Matthew Powell and I am an avid 14 year-old fly fisherman and tier. As an Employee of Rocky Mountain Anglers in Boulder, CO, I fish all across the state with local guides and other friends. Since I was five when I caught my first fish, water, fish, bugs and all things fly-fishing began to consume my life and I now devote most of my time and money to fishing-related purposes. Although I have fished in several competitions such as the America Cup, I mostly enjoy spending time on local waters such as the Big Thompson, South Boulder Creek and Rocky Mountain National Park as well as terrorizing the bass ponds close to home. I tie hundreds of flies professionally for my shop as well as custom orders and try to fish patterns of my own when fishing new water. I enjoy public tying and am very excited to tie at the show in January.


Roy D. Powell


Juan Ramirez :  Juan grew up in Northern New Mexico fishing the small streams and creeks of the Sangre De Cristos.  In 1997, a switch to fly-fishing was made and he has never looked back.  Over the years, he has guided on the Cimarron River in New Mexico as well as the South Platte River in Colorado. 
Juan received his first tying kit when he was 15.  After a few disastrous “creations”, it was put away for a few years.  In college at Durango, CO the kit was opened and a new appreciation for the globs of fur, feathers, floss and thread was created.  Now after 15 years of tying Juan is an accomplished fly tier.   Currently a part time guide for Anglers Covey, there are not many seconds that pass without the thought of fishing or tying that go by.  Juan runs a blog about fly tying and fly fishing at hopperjuan.blogspot.com.  Got Hoppers?      


Chris Reeves



Craig Riendeau :  Craig Riendeau is an ardent warm water fly fisherman. He is the Warm Water Fly Fishing Director for the Atlanta Fly Fishing Club, VP of the Fall Line Fly Anglers in Macon, GA and founder of the Bass Bugger Division of the Smallmouth Alliance. Craig is also a fly designer for Rainy’s Flies and his patterns are often found in the pages of Fly Tyer Magazine. At River Bassin’.com Craig is the resident fly fishing pro staff member and he is also a part-time guide on Lake Lanier for spots and stripers.
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Al Ritt :  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 and other species.

Currently Al is a fly tying instructor as well as a fly fishing guide in Rocky Mountain National Park and several private waters in Northern Colorado.  As Brand Manager for PEAK Fishing, Al’s duties entail sales/marketing, product development and customer service.

•    Al is the Brand Manager for PEAK Fishing and PEAK Outdoors
•    Al is Fly Tying Editor for Fly Fusion Magazine
•    Al has written articles for Fly Fusion, Fly Fishing and Tying Journal, Fly Tyer and Hatches Magazines
•    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) and A Fly Fisher’s Guide to Rocky Mountain National Park by Steven B Schwietzer (Pixachrome Publishing)
•    Al is a fly designer for Montana Fly Company
Al is a member of Trout Unlimited, a life member of the International Federation of Fly Fishers, a life member the International Federation of Fly Fishers Fly Tying Group and is currently a member of the IFFF Fly Tying Group Board of Governors.
As a demonstration tier Al has appeared at numerous fly shops and expos including The Fly Fishing Show in Denver CO, Somerset NJ and Pleasanton CA, the International Sportsman’s Expo in Denver CO, the IFFF Annual Fly Fishing Fair in Loveland CO, West Yellowstone MT and Spokane, WA, New Mexico TU Fly Tying Expo in Albuquerque NM, East Idaho IFFF 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 Denver, IFFF Southern Conclave in Mountain Home AR and the Midwest Fly Fishing Show in Warren MI.
Al is a member of the PEAK Fishing, Whiting Farms, Performance Flies, Flymen Fishing Company, Daiichi Hook and Fishing For a Cause pro teams.



Carl Ronk :  Carl Ronk has been fly fishing since he was eight years old. At age ten he learned to tie flies and has been tying since. Carl is now in his sixties and continues to tie and teach fly tying.
Carl was the CEO of Terra Fly Tools, designing and selling tools for fly tying until the company was sold to Wapsi, in 2007.
Carl is currently on the Jay Fair / Tie Fast Pro Team.
Carl has been a demonstration tier at many show across the northwest for the last six years. He enjoys helping other tiers with tips and tricks.
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Richard Ross :  Richard became interested in fly tying in the 1990's as a way to decompress from his day job as a trader on the floor of a US securities exchange.  He quickly learned that fly tying was a natural extension of his love of fly fishing.  Over the last decade he has demonstrated fly tying at shows from Scandinavia to Alaska and rarely leaves home without a fly box, tying kit, rod and reel!

Richard specializes in practical flies for cold water species, particularly the large trout found in his home waters of Pennsylvania and the Catskill Mountains of New York.  Although his current occupation as a specialist in the design and operation of derivative securities exchanges keeps him busy, he always finds time to teach fly tying and chase an occasional trout, grayling or salmon.
 



Mike Romanowski :  My passion for fly tying was ignited 37 years ago when I received a Cortland 444 fly tying kit for Christmas.  My initial skills were honed by Joe Humphreys and George Harvey while attending Penn State University in the early 80's.  After graduating from PSU in 1985 I began tying commercially.  During this time I founded the Stanley Cooper Sr. Chapter of Trout Unlimited in Northeast PA.  I began teaching fly tying in 1987 for the chapter and since then have instructed approximately 400 students in the art.
 
I have given fly tying demonstrations throughout the Northeast U.S., tie regularly at the Catskill Fly Fishing Museum in Livingston Manor, The Arts of the Angler Show in Danbury, CT, and the Fly Tying Symposium in Somerset, NJ.  One of my flies was featured in the 2011 Renzetti catalog.
 
While I specialize in trout flies, my fly tying is very eclectic, ranging from full dress Atlantic salmon flies to deer hair bass  bugs for Susquehanna River smallmouths.  I am a 30 + year Delaware River veteran, and have fished extensively on three continents for trout, salmon and steelhead.  Currently, I am affiliated with  AA Outfitters in Blakeslee, PA, where I am the shop's lead fly tying instructor.  An educator by profession, I am co-chair of the Mathematics Department at Wyoming Area High School in Wyoming Valley, PA.
 

Paul Rossman 


Dave Rothrock


Philip Rowley :  Phil has been fly fishing for over 30 years. His love of fly fishing has taken him across North America pursuing trout, Atlantic and Pacific salmon, char, pike, walleye and numerous other species on the fly. But Phil is best known for his stillwater exploits.
A former commercial fly tyer, Phil has written for almost every major fly fishing publication in North America. He has authored three books and numerous feature articles and two regular columns. Phil’s first book Fly Patterns for Stillwaters is a best seller. In addition to his writing, Phil has four instructional DVD’s. In 2007, Phil was a member of the gold medal winning team at the Canadian Fly Fishing championships.
When he isn’t on the water Phil travels North America performing at outdoor shows, providing seminars, speaking to fly clubs and conducting fly-fishing schools. Phil also provides instructional stillwater guiding on the lakes located a short distance from his Edmonton area home.
Phil has appeared on a number of T.V. shows including, BC Outdoors Sports Fishing, Sport Fishing B.C., Fishing Alberta and Fishing with Shelly and Courtney. Phil is presently one of the co-hosts of the New Fly Fisher, an educational fly fishing production.
Make a point of visiting Phil on-line at, www.flycraftangling.com.


Karen Royer :  For over 16 years I have tied flies.  First dabbling in the beautiful Traditional Atlantic Salmon fly patterns, I still have an assortment of beautiful exotic feathers that I horde on my tying room wall today.  Following someone else’s idea and having to substitute materials because the original pattern called for something I couldn’t afford or was no longer available did nothing to  spark my creativity.   It soon became mundane and my interest in bugs and nature began to stir.  Tying with all natural material, or those that would have been available to tiers 100 years ago, and not so harmful to our environment, became my objective.  I also wanted them to be quick so that fishermen would actually use them.  After all, what are flies for?  Now don’t get me wrong, the beautifully artistic display flies whose creators take days, even months, to finish are extraordinary feats whose patience to complete eludes me!  


Cliff Rugg :  I started tying some five decades back when getting good materials was hard and getting good instruction even harder.But I was fortunate to have a series of good teachers coming out of the Catskill tradition. William Mills, the Leonard shop in Manhattan, was a gathering place for anglers awaiting the next opportunity to go astream. And my first formal lessons were there. I fished streams and rivers and lakes where ever the family spent summers. And trout became and remain the ultimate quarry for me.
I tie flies which try to incorporate the illusion of life. Movement, color, form are the basis of my flies. I hope folks like them, catch fish to beat the band, and after admiring them, release them to provide sport another day. 



Jake Ruthven :  My name is Jake Ruthven, and I have been tying flies for five years now.  I am 15 years old, and love the sport of fly fishing with a passion.  I am a freshman in high school in Fort Collins.  I received a 4.0 GPA for midterms, and also help to run the Fly Fishing Club at my school.  This will be my first year tying at the show, and I look forward to answering any questions that you may have, as well as tie a fly or two.  I fish mainly on the Poudre and Big Thompson rivers, pursuing the local rainbow, and brown trout.  Feel free to stop by my booth, and chat for awhile.  I am looking forward to the show, and hope to see all of you there. 




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John Ryzanych :  Through his modern approach in the use of fur, feathers and synthetics John has become widely recognized as one of the sports leading creative tiers. His original designs, including the Fat Head bait fish and Air Head top water fly, are used the world over and considered cutting edge for their unique functionality and greater representation of the things sport fish eat.

His company, ICON Products, manufactures and distributes specialized fly fishing products. The body forming material SOFTEX is complimented by a line of market leaders like Fly Stages (fly tyer's vise mounted organizer), Perfect Loops ("engineered" braid loops for perfect line to backing connections) and The Catch & Release "Zero Limit" line of conservation message apparel and decals.

In addition to managing the operations and development aspects of his company, John regularly performs tying demonstrations at both domestic and international fly fishing venues, and contributes articles to the sport’s leading magazines. He is also a board member of the Northern California FFF, advisor to the California Department of Fish and Game, and recently successful in sponsoring conservation legislation in his home state of California.

When time allows, he pursues his passion for fishing the salt waters of the world!

Masahito Sato :  I am a freelance writer and a correspondent for a Japanese publisher. I've lived in Cambridge, Massachusetts since 1999.
In Japan, I enjoyed largemouth bass and bluegill fishing but most of the time, I was enthusiastic about fly fishing for yamame, which is a type of landlocked salmon, and iwana, a type of Japanese trout. Although I had about thirty years of fly fishing experience before coming to US, I had never done saltwater fishing. Since I moved to a suburb of Boston, which is a mecca for striper fishing, my fishing life changed dramatically and I now enjoy striper fishing.  I just enjoy any type of flyfishing from angling for sunfish with a 3 weight rod to pursuing striper with a 10 weight rod.
As a professional fly tier, I create mostly saltwater flies for striper, but I also like to create flies for trout and other species.  My policy is to make new fly patterns nobody has ever seen… sort of.  As a writer, I wrote countless articles for a Japanese fly fishing magazine.


Lee Schechter :  Lee Schechter is a long time avid fly fisherman and tyer.  His passion for fly tying focused on saltwater flies for many years but his horizons expanded as he discovered the beauty and historical significance behind traditional salmon and bass flies – often termed “gaudy” wet flies of the late 19th century.  Lee’s inspiration for his work is based on the classic Orvis/Marbury wet flies and salmon flies from the books and collections of the 1800s & early 1900s.  His style is unique in that he uses vintage hooks and materials as well as traditional techniques when tying the original patterns from over a century ago.  He also ties “free-style” flies using designs reminiscent of the classic patterns using vintage materials – an aspect that adds creativity but at the same time brings into consideration function in terms of fly fishing & tying.  Overall, while these “gaudy” flies of the 19th century are a current focus, Lee enjoys tying for all types of saltwater and freshwater fishing – in addition to casting some of those old classics to fish!

Lee has published articles on fly tying across the globe (Fly Tyer, Hatches, Fly and Tie, and Fly Fishing in Saltwaters among others) in addition to contributing flies to multiple books.  He has participated as an invited tyer at national and international fly fishing shows in Europe including England and Italy.  In a collaborative fashion, he has worked with a few artisans who create fly tying materials to fill the needs of classic tyers.  This includes replicating original blind-eye hook styles from the 19th and 20th centuries.  Lee is a skilled photographer and his photos capture the essence of his flies.  In that regard, his flies and photography can not only be seen in fly fishing journals but art galleries as well.  Notably, Lee’s biography was included in the limited edition book “Fly Tyers of the World – Volume 3” published in 2009.  He finds great pleasure in demonstrating and teaching fly tying as a means to preserve a tradition that hopefully will be continued in future generations.  

Dave Schmezer:



Mike Schmidt :  Mike Schmidt is known by all of his friends as a fish junky.....every spare moment not on the water is occupied by some aspect of fly tying. From the time he could walk he was constantly being taken out on Lake St. Clair, Lake Huron, up Michigan's West coast rivers, and into the Upper Peninsula in search of fish. Regardless of where he is, Mike is always thinking about new techniques, fishing locations and fly patterns/applications to enhance the next trip for him and his clients.
 
Mike is a commercial fly tyer for his own company, Angler's Choice Flies (www.anglerschoiceflies.com), and is a signature tyer for both Jag Fly Co. and the Nymph Head pro team. Throughout the year Mike teaches fly tying and fishing techniques at a number of clubs and retail locations throughout the Midwest while maintaining his primary residency at Mad River Outfitters in Columbus OH.


Steve Schweitzer :  Steve is a regular presenter and guest tyer at flyshops & clubs throughout the country each year.  His Tabou series of wet flies, particularly the Tabou Caddis Emerger, has become a favorite go-to fly for local shops and guides.  Steve is best known as co-founder of Globalflyfisher.com and his association with Whiting Farms, where he served as VP of Sales and is currently serving on the Farm’s Board of Directors.  On Globalflyfisher.com, Steve’s popular Hyper-Compleat Guide to Tying Leaders & accompanying Leadercalc software has surpassed 1/4 million downloads since first published in 1998. It remains the most comprehensive guide on tying leaders, including formulas for over 120 leaders.  Steve has authored several articles appearing in Fly Fisherman Magazine, Angling Trade, Trout, Wall Street Journal and a myriad of other regional angling publications.  He also is contributing author & illustrator for Drag Free Drift – Presentation Techniques for Fly Fishing. His fly tying patterns appear in books by Chris Mann, John Shewey, FFF Masters, Rick Takahashi and others.  Steve is currently working on his second book, concentrating on fly fishing a very special region in Colorado.  If you stop by his tying desk and inquire, he just might discuss it with you!


Peter Simonson :  Peter has been fly tying for about 15 years, initially just creating flies needed for fishing. He enjoys tying Rangeley style streamers. He became interested in tying these flies in about 2006.

Peter has tied at the International Fly Tying Symposium and The Fly Fishing Show, and a few of his flies appear in various books and web sites, including streamers365.com.  Peter has studied streamer tying under Mike Martinek, and credits FlyTyingForum, ClassicFlyTyingForum and the StreamerList with providing him a rich interactive learning environment for tying streamers and classic Atlantic Salmon flies. His favorite streamer book is Graydon Hilyard’s “Carrie Stevens” which set the standard for research protocol and provenance of streamer patterns.

When he’s not tying, Peter is a signal processing systems engineer, and enjoys fly-fishing, kayaking, and hiking. He enjoys fishing these Rangeley streamers to bring up big land-locked salmon from deep pools in the upper Connecticut River. Peter has two grown sons, and lives with his wife Lynne in New Hampshire, where they have been pouring money into a small farmhouse for 30 years.




Preston Singletary :  Introduced by my father to fishing for salmon, steelhead and sea-run cutthroat trout here in western Washington, it took me until my teen years to come to fly fishing.  By the time I was in my twenties, tying flies had become something more than a favorite pastime and remains so.  Over a decade ago, my acquaintance with outdoor writer Les Johnson led to an opportunity to begin writing book and product review columns, and the occasional article, for Flyfishing & Tying Journal.
  Living in Seattle with its saltwater beaches and being close to and almost equidistant from the wild coastal rivers of the Olympic Peninsula and the trophy trout lakes of the Columbia Basin and Washington’s only blue-ribbon trout river, the Yakima, has provided the opportunity to fish for a large number of species with an unparalleled variety of flies.  Having retired from a position as a designer with a large aerospace firm ten years ago has allowed me much more time to pursue fly tying and fishing and I hope to continue to do so for as long as I am able.


Bill Skilton


Dave Skok :  Dave Skok is a Boston-based fly tier, photographer and writer with over twenty years of fresh and saltwater fly fishing experience.  He is a two-time winner of the Martha's Vineyard Striped Bass & Bluefish Derby and was lucky enough to be the only fly fisherman in the sixty year history of the Derby to win the Grand Prize.  He has held the IGFA 6-lb. tippet record for Atlantic Bonito since 1994.  Dave's skill with rod, vise, pen and camera has been featured in over a dozen books including Bob Veverka's Innovative Saltwater Flies, Rich Murphy's Fly Fishing for Striped Bass and numerous periodicals from American Angler to Sportfishing.


Peter Smith : Black bear green butts – just the bodies, was the first fly Peter Smith tied commercially.  That was in Dick Surettes’s fly shop when most rods were made of fiberglass and “bamboo” was called “cane”.   Returning to the tying bench more than a decade ago Peter starting tying trout flies for New England shops.  Through some odd twists the business turned into S.S.Flies the premier saltwater tying operation.  Now the standard in flats flies S.S. Flies ships thousand of flies a year that are fished everywhere there’s skinny salt water.




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John Snively :  By the standards of many of the other tiers on this site he is a relative new comer, tying since the late 90's. John is best known in the industry for his innovative feather retailing operation Fly Tyer Variant (which is being continued by Whitewater Flies of Summit, N.J.) He is responsible for developing markets for many new products for Whiting Farms during that time. He has been featured in a number of magazine articles and included in tying books by Dick Talleur, Dave Klausemeyer and Paul Willock (UK). Most of his knowledge of feathers is a result of extensive one on one tutoring from Dr. Tom Whiting and their applications by Dick Talleur and many of the tiers from the Fly Fishing Shows.
    Now retired after 40 years as an analytical chemist of precious metals he plans to become more active in the fly fishing/tying industry as well as his long time passionof competitive archery and firearms training.

Michael W. Snody : I basically started my fly fishing passion when I returned home from Vietnam and was discharged from the US Marine Corps. With all the disturbing problems of Vietnam on the home front, I needed a little R&R. I packed my Chevy van and drove to the Teton Mountains of Wyoming and Idaho. My physical condition was excellent so I backpacked high into the Tetons in search of beaver ponds. The beaver ponds of the Tetons are where I caught my first trout on a dry fly. The fly I used was a Royal Coachman. When I would remove this fly from the trout I caught, the question why would enter my mind. The Royal Coachman does not look like any insect on or in the water, but the trout would take it readily.
Sitting by the campfire by night, in the Teton wilderness, reminiscing the trout caught that day, is when the passion for knowledge of trout and flies became a large part of my life. This experience started a journey of a life time. I have written numerous articles for the, " Mid Atlantic Fly Fishing Guide" and my local Trout Unlimited Chapter. I am a custom fly tyer, free lance writer, and photographer. To view my articles go to www.flyfishingpoint.net and to view my flies go to www.MyFlies.com.


Capt. Ray Stachelek :  Rhode Island guide and renowned saltwater fly tier.  A licensed U.S.C.G captain, he operates Cast a Fly Charters full time since retiring from teaching.  With almost fifty years on the Southern New England waterways, Ray has gained a wealth of knowledge about our fishery and ecosystem. He has put clients of all abilities on larger stripers never thought attainable on a fly.
With thirty three years as an educator, Ray has honed his teaching skills effectively to convey fishing education in a systematic and logical approach that anyone can understand.  Ray will hold your attention with captivating photography using the latest multi-media presentations.
 Capt. Ray is an innovative fly designer. His nationally known “Angel Hair Series” pioneered the use of Angel Hair in saltwater some thirteen years ago. Many of his saltwater patterns are listed in shop catalogs and are sold thru out the country. Glitter flies have become a main staple in blue water fishing. Capt. Ray’s newest pattern, the Squid-Sicle is now available in most fly shops. He is a member of the Umpqua Feather Merchants Signature Fly Designer Team. 
Ray’s articles and photography have frequently appeared in such national magazines as Saltwater Fly Fishing, Fly Fishing Saltwater, and Fly Tier Magazine. He contributes to local newspapers and web sites. Ray demonstrates his tying techniques at national fly shows during the winter months. He does winter seminars for area fishing clubs. He is active in such local affiliates as Rhody Fly Rodders and United Fly Tyer’s RI and has served on the boards of both.



Harrison R. Steeves III :  I come from a long line of fly fishermen and tiers. My great-grandfather, my grandfather and my father were all avid anglers and tied their own flies.My love of tying came from my father’s efforts at the bench, where he excelled. I learned a great deal watching the intricacies of tying through observation and pretty soon I was catching fish on my own flies.

Now, years later, I look back on that time and realize that it was these experiences that taught me the true intricacies and "art" of tying. Having no formal instruction was the best “teacher” that I could have had, requiring me to become innovative and imaginative, to be creative and to listen to what the materials were trying to tell me.

Whatever success I have had as an author and a fly designer is still a surprise and a mystery to me and I hope it will always remain that way. The real satisfaction is to know that others enjoy fishing with patterns that I have created, have success with these patterns, and end the day with that incredible feeling that taking a few good fish engenders. That is more than enough satisfaction for anyone.



Mike Stewart :  I started fishing on the Canadian border in Vermont about 50 years ago.  Currently, I am a freshwater and saltwater fly tyer / fisherman who has had the opportunity to fish in many of the most beautiful places in and outside the US.  I have been tying for over 27 years.  I taught myself to tie.  Through the opportunities made available by the Connecticut Fly Fishermen’s Association, I further refined my techniques such that I was confident to be a demonstration tyer, sell my flies, and ultimately teach fly tying.  My bit to pass on the art to the next generation.
I am also very active with the Federation of Fly Fishermen where I am a member of the FFF board and the Fly Tying Board of Governors.  Other memberships include the United Fly Tyers, Catskill Fly Tyers Guild, and Catskill Fly Fishing Center and Museum.  I have tied at the FFF Conclaves, CFFA Expos, Fly Tyers’ Rendezvous, Theodore Gordon’s Catskill Classic, and at the CFTG booth at various fly fishing shows.  I am also on the Nymph Head Pro Team.
While I tie all types of flies, I especially enjoy classic wet flies.  Not only are they a joy to behold, they harken back to our mutual fly fishing heritage, and, “Boy!” do they catch fish.



R. L. “Stew” Stewart :  R. L. “Stew” Stewart has been fly fishing and tying for over 40 years.  He was a founding member of the Shasta Fly Fishers and was a Director with the Northern California Federation of Fly Fishers (NCCFFF) for 25 years.  He received the NCCFFF “Man of the Year” award in 1990 and 1999.   In 2004 Stew received the Federation of Fly Fishers “Charles Brooks Memorial Life Award”

Stew lives in Shingletown, CA  “The Gateway to Lassen Volcanic National Park” He is retired from the US Air Force and is currently a Real Estate Broker with Majka Real Estate in Shingletown.  His specialty is tying trout lake flies.



Scott Stisser :  I began fly fishing and fly tying in 1972. I grew up in Pleasanton California where I was fortunate to have a famous fly shop, Creative Sports Enterprises, only a few miles away in San Ramon.  The fly shop was owned by non other than Andre Puyans and Dave Inks. I was mentored in my fly tying by Andre who was quite demanding of noting less than perfection.  Andre’s teaching methods were methodic and focused on techniques, problem solving and understand material characteristics.  I was very fortunate to have Andre as a mentor and hope to carry on in his tradition.





Rich Strolis :  Rich Strolis is an independent guide on the Farmington river in the state of Connecticut.  A transplant of sorts of over a decade ago, he grew up just north of the line in the foothills of the Berkshires in Western Massachusetts.  Learning to fish at an early age, Rich converted to fly fishing at the age of 11 and hit the ground running.  Shortly after he learned how to tie flies and a lifelong passion ensued.  Always wanting an edge, Rich spends a great deal of time on the water refining techniques, designing new patterns and helping others refine their skills.  Rich after years of prodding from several of his fishing friends and loyal customers has just entered his first year as a commercial tier so his unique patterns are now available for purchase.  When not guiding or fishing he’s not working in his primary career of law enforcement, he can be found tending to his two little girls, Tessa and Nora, spending time with his wife Megan, or updating his website with information about the rivers he guides on as well as several monthly fly tying videos showcasing some of his personal patterns and those of others. 


Eric Stroup :  Eric Stroup is one of the most successful fly fishing guides in the country. As one of the few who make their entire living in the guiding industry, he has solidified his reputation with years of satisfied customers. Eric founded the Spruce Creek Fly Co. in central Pennsylvania and soon after began guiding in Montana on the Ruby, Madison and Beaverhead rivers. With the addition of his wife Tracey, the company transformed into Stroup Outfitting Company and now includes Holistic Wellness principles interweaved with the same great guiding service that the company has always provided.
Eric has promoted the sport of fly fishing thru his many articles in the Mid Atlantic Fly Fishing Guide, Eastern Fly Fishing Magazine, Fly-Fisherman Magazine and Kype Magazine. In 2006, he teamed up with angling legend Charles Meck, and produced a two volume DVD set entitled Practical Fly Patterns That Catch Trout. This series was one of the best selling fly tying DVD’s of its time.
Eric’s latest work is a new book entitled, Common Sense Fly Fishing: 7 Simple Lessons To Catch More Trout. In this book, Eric relays the same principles that he teaches on the stream every day to countless numbers of anglers.
Eric Stroup has had a diversified back ground in the Fly Fishing Industry. He has been a commercial fly tyer, a fly shop owner, a writer and a guide. His efforts toward the promotion and conservation of the sport of fly fishing have been his life’s mission, and with the addition of their first child Jon, Eric and Tracey will undoubtedly be passing along the passion they both share of the great outdoors.



Vincent Su :  Vincent Su, an outdoor enthusiast who lives in the Denver area, was introduced to fly fishing by his father-in-law in 1997.  He quickly grew to love both fly fishing and fly tying.  After catching the first fish with a fly he tied himself, the excitement got him hooked and gave him ideas for some innovations.  Vincent ended up designing his own fly tying vise, the 720 VISE.  He also enjoys photography and by studying aquatic insects with macro photos, he has developed some of his own tying styles and techniques.  He prefers dry flies, nymphs, and emerging fly patterns when it comes to fishing and tying.  Vincent enjoys sharing knowledge and learning more about fly fishing and fly tying techniques.



Andy Sutton


Frank G. Swarner III

Rick Takahashi :  I had $.25 in my pocket when I entered that hardware store that stocked a few items of fishing tackle.  I spent a long time looking at the various pieces of equipment, much as I do today, when I spotted a hook covered with feathers; my first fly.  I purchased that beautiful fly but had no idea what so ever what you were supposed to do with it.  I learned that the name of the fly was a Royal Coachman.  I took that fly home and looked at it for several days.  I finally decided that I needed to cut the thread at the head of the fly…out popped the hackle and from that very moment I knew I had to learn how to tie flies.

I have been tying flies for over 56 years.  I am a fly designer for Umpqua Feather Merchants, I write and illustrate for Fly Fisherman Magazine, am a demonstration fly tier and I just finished my first book titled “Modern Midges, Tying and Fishing The World’s Most Effective Patterns.”   My name is Rick Takahashi and I am a retired High School Art educator who hails from Fort Collins, Colorado. 


Frank Thompson: 


Richie Tillman


Manuel Torrecillas :  Manny is from a small town called Valdoviño, close to shore in the North West of Spain. He recalls fishing with Spanish wet fly patterns when he was 7 years old by trying to use a local method called ''buldo.'' Buldo is a method of attaching three or even up to six wet flies as a droppers to a nylon line, with a kind of plastic bable ball at the end of the line, by casting up stream with a spining rod/reel set up. In 1987, he went to work to London for two years, and he bought his first vise and tying material at an antique shop in the town of North Finchley, London. Manny soon started to play on the vise and realized that fly tying is a learning process, so he went to the local libraries looking for some tying books, his first book was ''Famous Flies And Their Originators'' by T. Donald (1972), also, following flies recepies from the UK flyfishing magazines. When he returned to Spain, he jumped into his favorite patterns, the traditional Spanish wet flies using the Gallo de Leon feathers. These feathers was his passion and as it is today, we can see that on his wet flies patterns the ''spanglish'' influence on many of his wet fly patterns. If you like to work with the original Gallo de Leon (not Coq de Leon) feathers from the Curueño Valley in north west of Spain, just stop by his booth to say hi and he will be more than happy to show you his own way to use the GDL feathers on wet, dry, and few other flie patterns. Manny is married to his lovely wife Mary and they have a 4 year old son Santiago and a 7 year old daughter Chloe, his family moved to Toms River, NJ, five years ago. Manny recently joined the ASWF, and he loves to tie the local saltwater patterns and fly fishing the surf with the Fly Rods anywhere along the NJ Shore.



Will Travis :  Will is a seventeen-year-old high school senior from Dana Point, California.  Born in Dallas, TX, Will moved to Dana Point three years ago, but he has been fly fishing and tying for over nine years.  Living in Southern California, Will does the majority of his fishing on the coast and in the Sierra Nevada Mountain Range. 
Will is a member of the United States Youth Fly Fishing Team where he had the opportunity to travel to the Czech Republic over the summer of 2009 and compete in the World Youth Fly Fishing Championships.  Will also competed in the 2009 National Fly Fishing Championships held in State College, PA where the youth team finished an impressive 5th against adult competition.
Will is also an avid fly tyer and has demonstrated his talent at fly fishing shows all over the country.  In 2005 will was awarded Jr. Fly Tyer of Year for the Southern Council of the Federation of Fly Fishers.
Will would like to thank his grandfather, uncle, and great friends in the fly fishing community who have mentored him and helped him to achieve all of his accomplishments.



Michael Tucker :  Flytying for 50 years. Designed and developed Liquid filled flies with a Video out entitled Mike Tucker Liquid Filled flies. I have been written about in numerous books. The newest book is Colorado Flytyers written by Todd Hosman. The fly tyers that worked for me when I own custom aquatics 1985 was Charlie Craven, Marty Bartholemew and Shane Stalcup only to name a few tiers.  Famous for The Tucker Scud. My dearest friend is George Grant and I tie his flies with computer backs and Tuckers Crawfish. New developments is flies designed with Sarah's Twist which my daughter showed me one day with lace. This is the first of its kind using Lace and Dubbing tied as one! You can go to Flytyingclips.com to see some of my work. I will be tying Tuckers scud,Crystal twist woolybugger, George Grants flies and weaving hackles to name only a few. I speacialize in the world of optics and functions of flies.



Ben Turpin :  I’ve fly fished the Mid-Atlantic Region for over 20 years, spending thousands of hours on the water, teaching hundreds of people of all skill levels how to fly fish through both formal fly fishing schools and personal lessons.  It all started in 1996 when someone asked me to guide them on the Limestone Spring Creeks of Central, PA.  I had a blast and realized that I could earn money doing what I loved, teaching people how to fly fish.  In 2001 I became an Orvis Endorsed Guide. 
My obsession naturally developed into graphite and bamboo rod building and my business, Ben Turpin Custom Rod Building and Guide Service, was born.  I’m an avid outdoorsman and enjoy hunting as well as year-round fishing in the Poconos, so my business expanded to include guided upland bird hunts for woodcock, pheasant and grouse with my Brittany’s on local hunting grounds and preserves.  I also offer Turkey hunts in Wayne County, PA. 
Currently, I guide over 20 streams, rivers and lakes in PA and NJ and light tackle bass fishing on the Delaware and Lehigh Rivers.  When I’m not on the stream or in the field I can often be found tying and designing flies, writing articles for local magazines and stream reports for my website: www.BenTurpin.com, or giving lectures about local streams and fly fishing techniques at one of the many TU chapters or Sportsmen’s shows.  My goal is to help my clients succeed, creating enjoyable memories on the water and in the field.


Kenneth Tutato



Glenn and Andrea Van Benschoten :  Glenn and Andrea Van Benschoten have been fly fishing the lakes and ponds of northern New Jersey as husband and wife for close to two decades. With a professional background in education, the couple has focused much of their time instructing newbies through magazine articles, demonstrations and lectures throughout the northeast on a sport that can seem overwhelming to a new angler. The Van’s have also authored a book “Ten Ties, Simple Flies,” which gives the newbie ten basic flies that can be used on a variety of species while utilizing and reinforcing a few fundamental techniques to tie them. They have also been featured in the television show “Garden State Adventures” demonstrating casting, fishing and fly tying techniques. As residents of North Jersey, Glenn and Andrea take advantage of the many lakes and ponds in the area to fish for bass, muskie, pickerel and more on fly while still getting on smaller streams for trout. Glenn is a certified 24-year New Jersey educator and Andrea has been a casting instructor with Casting for Recovery since 2003. More information can be found at http://www.reelsimpleflyfishing.com. They also manage a discussion group focusing on lake and pond fishing, which can be found at http://www.thebluegilljournal.com.

Ken Walrath :  I have been tying flies for over 30 years.  I was born in Pennsylvania into a career military family so I have had the opportunity to travel and fly fish all over the US, including both east and west coast waters, and some overseas. I started tying flies when I was about 9 years old. The thrill of catching a fish with something that I had created was what kept me tying. I enjoy the challenge of fly fishing and sharing my passion with young and old alike.  I have been contributing to Casting for Recovery for about 5 years and also contribute to Project Healing Waters. I tie in the Fly-fishing Show and have for a number of years. I also belong to the Federation of Fly Fishers.
I use all the patterns that I tie.  So I can actually say that all my patterns are “tried and true”!  While living in Colorado I fished all the waters there and every year made a trip to the San Juan River in New Mexico.  I have recently relocated to the East Coast. I fish for Stripers and blues in the waters of Rhode Island and fish for bass, rainbows and browns in the lakes, river and streams of Massachusetts.  I have fished for King Salmon in Lake Ontario and Steelhead in Washington State. If it swims, I like casting a fly to it. I tie several woven body flies and enjoy coming up with a different twist to common patterns. I enjoy the challenge, the art and the finesse of tying and fly-fishing. Fly-fishing is my peace in a busy world.
For a look at some of my other flies, check out kenscustomflies.com.

Steven C. Wascher


Frank Whispell :  Frank Whispell has been fly fishing since the 1980s and tying flies for the past 20+ years.  I am an avid fly fisherman and outdoorsman since early childhood.  I have developed a passion for everything fly fishing and fly tying related and love to teach all that I know to anyone that is willing to learn.  I tie every year at the Fly Fishing Show, the West Denver TU Fly Tying Clinic, the Western Colorado Fly Fishing Expo as well as at the Angler's Roost in Fort Collins.  I hold classes for fly tying, casting and
fly fishing.   You can find all sorts of information regarding fly fishing trips, fly tying and fly fishing in general on my web site at: http://www.fffadventures.com   Please stop by my tying station/booth and say hello and always feel free to visit my web site and drop me a line via
email.

I am always looking for new and improved ways to tie flies as well as fly fishing techniques and methods.  My latest foray has been in the arena of Spey casting and Spey fly tying.   I also love the new "Switch" rods that are in-between a spey and standard rod.  I will fish for all creatures that live in the water.  I enjoy the smallest Brooke Trout to the largest Tarpon to tuna and tie my own flies for all of them.

What I love most is looking for methods of fly tying that add durability, reduce time, lesson the materials needed and to teach these to others to enhance their tying and fishing experience.  

Teaching our next generation of fly fisher-people, both young and old, and fly tyers is something that I love to do.  To see a new person trying to learn and to finally "get-it" and then watch them grow into this sport is one of life's simple pleasures.   We all need to bring our next generations to the rivers and lakes that we all love and to, hopefully, teach them to protect these precious resources for the future.


Vincent Wilcox :  I started Wiley's Flies in 2003, shortly after my second open heart surgery.  I was born with a hole in between the chambers of my heart, which was repaired in 1977 with a Tetrology of Fallot repair. Almost 25 years lapsed without me having any major difficulties, in fact I was able to far exceed any doctors expectations, not really having any physical limitations. I was able to race Adirondack Guide Boats, run track, play football, baseball, basketball, and hockey growing up. I also tagged along with my father, an Adirondack Guide and fly tier, just about any time he left the house to fish and hunt. (I would cry hysterically if he didn't take me...works every time!) Having five generations of our family born and raised in the Adirondack Mountain town of Saranac Lake dating back to the founders had its advantages. Knowing when and where to find the best hunting and fishing, and how to go about it when we got there. Growing up we traveled the vast water routes available and I spent the majority of my time hunting and fishing with my father and his friends; whether it was spin fishing, ice fishing, or fly fishing right up until about the time I was entering my sophomore year in high school. Even though I still tagged along with dad occasionally, I found there where other things to chase then just fish & Pheasant tails. I found myself distracted by those other things right through college. I moved to Colorado in 1995 and soon realized how much I missed hiking and being on the water and shortly after became obsessed with doing just that. I was able to hike four of Colorado's 14ers, which are peaks over 14,000' in elevation, and back packed from Colorado all the way to the southern edge of the Yukon territory exploring national parks like Rocky Mountain, Glacier, and Yellowstone in the United States and Canadian national parks like Banff and Jasper in British Columbia and Alberta. Just as a side note Glacier International Peace Park is my absolute favorite, spanning from the NW corner of Montana into the Canadian Providence of Alberta, absolutely amazing park! After my second open heart surgery in December of 2001 things for me where never quite the same and I was unable to continue working a regular schedule with any consistency. I found that most days I just couldn't function on the level necessary to go about a normal day and my doctor and I decided it was time for a change. By this time I was completely obsessed with tying flies and fly fishing so it seemed like a logical step to take. I followed my heart (no pun intended) and began Wiley's Flies. Since that time I have written for Fly Fisherman and American Angler Magazine as well as becoming a contributing writer for Fly Tyer Magazine and have been working on putting a second book together.  I became a Signature Tier for Idylwilde Flies in December of 2004 and I am extremely excited about working with them to develop more patterns and make these flies available to people around the world.  I now have 28 patterns available through Idylwilde Flies www.idylwilde.com . Although a lot of things have changed for me in the way I live my life, in many ways I am living out a dream and  truly blessed. I have also returned to the Adirondacks as of February 2007 and opened up the new fly shop in Rainbow Lake.


John Willaims :  An art Major in college, after my first fly fishing trip I was hooked and began tying, mostly self taught I have many great influences by famous tiers.
I teach fly tying and write a monthly article on a fly of the month.
Most of my paintings are fly fishing related.
I belong to The Red Wine Fly Tiers of Orange County; I also belong to the Fly Fishers Club of Orange County which gave me inspiration and appreciation.
I am a FFF certified casting instructor.
I guided for fifteen years and enjoy helping those with a desire to learn all aspects of the sport.



Michael T Williams :  Fly Fishing Teacher-Coach-Artist-Entertainer, Michael T Williams, launched his career at age 10, when in 1955 he was introduced to fly tying by his father, Tom Williams.

     Michael T is a member of the Fly Fishing Federation of America, the Cascade Family Flyfishers (Eugene, OR) and member of the Northwest Outdoor Writers Association.

     Today, Michael T is available for hire as Program/Workshop/Seminar presenter and as a Fly Fishing Guide. Michael T’s photo illustrated presentations are among the best in North America. Michael T is an excellent resource for guiding upon Oregon’s little known “pocket waters” east of Eugene, OR. Urged by many to publish his numerous photo illustrated stories & how-to-do-it articles into book form, Michael T is presently engaged in this endeavor.

     Michael T accepts invitations to demonstrate & teach fly tying & fly fishing at major events in the Western United States & Canada. Michael T is the originator of the famous, “Michael T’s Percolator” & the recently developing, “Michael T’s Animator”.



Marc G. Williamson :  I got my start in the fly fishing industry in 1983 at Stewart’s Custom Tackle.  In that time I taught fly tying classes from beginning to advanced.   I instructed fly fishing seminars.  In those seminars I did in-store demonstrations on knot tying, entomology, reading streams.  I co-taught the on-the-river portion which covered instruction on casting and general fishing techniques.
 
I am currently the Director Masters of Arts in Teaching and Professor at Warner Pacific College.  As an educator I recognize the importance of teaching and learning.  As a Fly Fishing Instructor I present the substance and styles of fly fishing to all of my students.  It is also of the utmost importance that they enjoy, have fun and want to come back to the sport.
 
I have presented fly tying and fly fishing at clubs, and shows throughout the Pacific Northwest and Montana.  Just to mention a few, I have presented at the National Conclave, Oregon Council show in Eugene and now Albany Oregon, Northwest Fly Tying Rendezvous, Troutdale Oregon, Fly Fishing Show, Washington Council Fly Show.
 
I have PowerPoint presentations; Fly Fishing the Cascades…from Mt. Hood to Mt Bachelor, Fly Fishing the Crooked River, Fly Fishing Fall River, Chasing Rainbow Trout in Still Waters.  I have completed three children’s literature books directly related to fly fishing.
 
I am a co- founders and Director of the Northwest Christian Fly Flyfishing Inc.  We put on a complete fly fishing camp every year in May.  The camp, Christian Fly Fishing Roundup, has been attended by upwards of ninety men yearly from all over the Pacific Northwest and as far away as the east coast.  This is a complete fly-fishing event with casting, fishing, fly tying, knot tying and discussion groups. You can view more about the camp at www.cffr.info. I am currently building a website at fallriverflyfishing.weebly.com
 
I am on the Professional Staff for the following companies:
Daiichi Hooks
Peak Vice
Whiting Farms
Temple Fork Rods
Teeny Lines

Sharon E. Wright :  Sharon E. Wright lives in Lisbon, Maine, between the Sabattus and Androscoggin Rivers. Her inherited interest in Maine tradition and history is evident in her original fly designs which have become her signature in the fly-tying community. She loves to share her passion for tying classic patterns and their histories which has evolved into presentations, shows, and classes. Her work has been presented at the L.L. Bean Fishing Expo, the University of Maine Folklife Center at the American Folk Festival, and at major East Coast fly-fishing shows. She has been recognized for several of her original designs including the L.L.Bean 100th Anniversary Streamer, the State of Maine Streamer, and the Blueback Trout. Her great, great, great grandfather was Joshua Gross Rich, one of Maine’s earliest and most prominent outdoor sporting pioneers of the famed Rangeley Lakes region.  Many of her original designs are reflective of her heritage, the region, and her family history. Her concentration is on Maine streamers and classic wet flies. She is a regular contributor to Fly Tyer magazine.


Leslie Wrixon :  Leslie Wrixon, a life-long New Englander, grew up fishing for striped bass and blue fish on the shores of Connecticut and on Long Island Sound.  She spent summer vacations in the Catskill Mountains where she watched her grandfather fly fish.  She marveled at the delicate flies, equipment and techniques of fishing with the fly.  It was that time spent in the Catskills and on the Connecticut shores that left an enduring impression on her.
Years later she purchased a fly tying kit to satisfy her long-dormant fascination with tying flies and fly fishing.  Largely self-taught, Leslie has evolved into an active member of the fly tying community.
Leslie is the current president of United Fly Tyers.  She is actively involved in the Federation of Fly Fishers, serving as a member of the Fly Tying Group Board of Governors and is the Director of Fly Tying for the Northeast Council of the FFF.  She serves on the board of World Fly Fishing Japan as an advisor and Treasurer.  In 2006 Leslie was selected as the official fly tyer for Fly Fishing Team USA and traveled to the Fly Fishing World Championships in Portugal with the team.
Leslie is known as a designer of innovative flies.  She has professional affiliations with Mustad, Umpqua, Hareline, Spirit River, Whiting Farms and Angler's Sport Group.  She writes for several newsletters and maintains a running commentary of tying and angling at www.ityeflies.blogspot.com and is the proprietor of www.ityeflies.com.
Leslie's flies have appeared at fishing hot spots from Ungava to Chile and Cape Cod to Cape Town. She travels the US, Canada, Europe and South America seeking trout and searching out the mysteries of their feeding habits.  The fruits of her research and understanding of trout are evident at her vise.



Steve Yates :  Steve is a North Carolina native who grew with a love for all things out doors. He has been an avid camper, hiker, backpacker, rock climber, bird watcher, and is a self taught lover of the identification of the local flora and fauna. Steve specializes in trout fishing and tying flies for catching trout in the Southern Appalachians. He can often be found camping and fishing on one of his favorite streams in the Great Smoky Mountain National park, or on one of the regions freestone or tail waters. He enjoys tying and fishing old historic patterns of the region and is well versed in their history, and the rich history of the Southern Appalachian region that he has fished for almost 40 years. Steve enjoys working with and teaching new fly fishermen and tiers the craft through numerous programs sponsored by the North Carolina Wildlife Commission and his local parks and recreation. Steve writes for several regional news letters and enjoys doing numerous fly tying demonstrations for local events and charities such as Troutfest, WNC Expo, Easter Seals, Wounded Warriors, TU, FFF, and casting for Recovery. See him at the show about any events you might like to have him do a quest appearance.


Deward Yocum :  was born and raised in New Mexico where my father taught me how to fish but it was only 17 years ago that I fell in love with fly fishing. The sound of rushing water, birds overhead and 20 inch jumping trout of the San Juan River. I knew that I was hooked for life when I hooked up with a 20 inch jumping Brown in the tail waters of the San Juan Texas hole. It’s only been recently that I thought to give fly tying a try in fact it has been just about 7 years ago since I tied my first fly. It started when my brother gave me a fly tying kit about 9 years ago as a birthday gift. As I looked over the small booklet I thought this looks too hard to do. So I threw it in with my fly fishing books and forgot all about it. Well, a few years passed as I was going through my fly fishing books I came across the old fly tying kit and thought maybe I should give this a try. So I pulled it out and tried to tie my first fly. It looked as if someone shoved a whole bunch of yarn and feathers on a hook. It didn’t look anything like the picture in the booklet but I kept tying the same pattern over and over for two hours and after several attempts I finally got something that looked like the picture in the booklet.
Well after tying for 2 months I wanted to push my limits a little higher, something more realistic so I tried to tie a realistic mosquito and again I said, “What was I thinking? This looks hard”. Well after trying to tie this thing for two days and no luck I thought to ask a friend Bob Mead how to tie a realistic mosquito. So Bob sent me all the supplies and instructions needed to tie one of these little blood suckers, he also sent me one of his awesome mosquitoes. I took a whole day to work through this pattern and after the day ended I had an extremely realistic mosquito that looked almost exactly like Bob’s. Bob Mead has a lot to do with my fly tying success. After tying for 3 months I was asked to tie for a number of fly tying shows throughout the southwest like The Fly Fishing Show in Denver, Southwestern Trout Unlimited Organizations, New Mexico Trout Organization, and many others just to name a few. It all came through the efforts of Bob Mead, hats off to the master tier. We all learn from each other, building on what the last person has done, inspired by the little crawling flying machines God created, we all call bugs. I now tie 3 realistic flies the beetle, spider and that little blood sucker mosquito. I also tie over 50 patterns that can be fished throughout the Southwest’s rivers and streams but I specialize in tying midge patterns for the San Juan River in Northern New Mexico.
Deward has served as New Mexico Trout's Vice President and occasionally guides on the San Juan River with his partner Andy Perez under the name San Juan Vally Anglers and has been featured in many publications like fly Tyer magazine, modern midges, Fly Fishing and Fly Tying UK, FlyFisher Magazine Japan, 101 guide flies, News articles and videos.  Deward is also a part of  Hatchmasters Fly Tying and iflytie.net. Deward is a proud Pro Team member of: Whiting Farms, Sportsman's Elite, Nymph Head Beads, Galvan Reels, Loop Fly Rods and Reels, Dave Scadden Pontoons, Daiichi Hooks, Angler Sport Group, Hatchmasters Fly Tying, iflytie.net

Tom Ziegler :  Tom, beginning at age 10, cut his fly fishing teeth on the crystal-clear spring fed streams of the Missouri Ozarks fishing for both wild trout and, in the warmer streams, the wild and native smallmouth bass.  Several years ago, the appeal of the Rockies proved too great and he and his family moved to the Colorado Front Range where he fishes for, and takes images of, the large diversity of species available, from Cutthroat to Carp.  His photos have been featured in The Fly Fish Journal, Southwest Fly Fishing and MidCurrent.  In addition to fly fishing photography, Tom has demonstrated fly tying at several national and regional shows as well as local fly shops along the Front Range, managed a fly shop, and is a FFF Certified Casting Instructor.  Check out his website at http://tomzieglerflyfishing.photoshelter.com/index