Flyfisher is the official publication of Fly Fishers International, published two times a year and distributed by mail and online free to members. Send membership inquiries, fees and change of address notices to the FFI Headquarters at the address listed above. Flyfisher is produced for FFI by Bird Marketing Group Inc.
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Letters to the Editor
Send your comments about any aspect of Flyfisher to the Editor at editor@flyfishersinternational.org. We will endeavor to reply to each letter. We reserve the right to edit all submissions. Letters published in Flyfisher become the property of Fly Fishers International.
FlyFisher
FlyFisher is published for FFI by Bird Marketing Group Inc.
PO Box 227A Eastport, ID 83826
Executive Publisher
Jennifer Bird
jbird@birdmarketinggroup.com
Editor Chris Bird
editor@flyfishersinternational.com
Group Art Direction
Terry Paulhus
Office Administrator
Kim Carruthers
Department Contributors:
Conservation
Kathleen Bergeron
Casting
Jeff Wagner
Fly Tying
Jack Gillis
Feature Contributors
Jerry Coviello
Emily Craig
Kirk Deeter
Fly Lords Curtis Fry
Grant Houx
Tye Krueger
Mike Lawson
Jim McLennan
Patrick Pendegast
Terry Ring
Rick Williams
6 Leadership Message
A comment on the important role that fly shops play in elevating our sport and how they help each of us to grow and improve as fly fishers.
8 A Slice of Americana
Respected fly-fishing voice, Kirk Deeter, comments on the world of fly sales, the impacts of manufacturers selling direct and prioritizing the fly shop.
10 Hittin’ the Road
Shining a spotlight, through a fly shop tour, on the reality that fly shops are the caretakers of local fly-fishing community.
12 State of the Industry
Seven prominent fly shops tell their story and comment on the state of the fly-fishing union.
18 Guides & Businesses
20 Shop Talk
The safe houses of fly fishing; why fly shops are important to fly fishers when they can’t be on the water.
22 Tips for Aging Anglers
Tips and ideas for anglers looking to fish their way through the golden years.
26 All Fish, All Waters Angler Profile
A fly-fishing conversation with Emily Craig, one of the foremost forensic anthropologists in the United States.
32 Conservation
Good news about fish habitat in the world
38 Casting
Fly casting is beautiful, striking, and poetry in motion. It is the thing that makes fly fishing so appealing and is what defines and separates our sport.
40 Fly Tying
Spring is one of the most exciting fly-fishing seasons as it is when aquatic life is at its zenith, making it ideal for anglers of all types and skill levels to tie up and fish with these recommended nymphs and dries.
44 FFI Forum 58 Donations
This issue of Fly Fisher shines a light on the role that fly shops play in elevating our sport as well as helping each of us to grow and improve as fly fishers.
My love of fly fishing can be traced to a Saturday morning visit to Fly and Field in the 1980’s. Life-long bait and spin anglers, my fishing buddies and I had sparked an interest in fly fishing so our first stop was Fly and Field a local fly shop founded by Marcos Vergara in Glen Ellyn, IL.
Marcos sold me a copy of Dave Whitlock’s Fly Fishing for Bass. Shortly thereafter I added an inexpensive rod and reel, then a little better one, which, over time evolved into a vast collection of gear including a vice which led to Saturday morning tying and coffee sessions at the shop.
Marcos’ shop sponsored many events on behalf of our local club, one of which afforded me and my daughter the once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to learn from Lefty Kreh. Others included bass expert Tim Holschlag, and luminaries like Davy Wotton and Jim Teeny.
Fly fishing has taken me to some of the most beautiful natural landscapes in the world. From my home river in northern Michigan across the country and to the far reaches of New Zealand and the Turks and Caicos Islands. My love of fly fishing has been inspired and fueled by the experiences at my local fly shop. I will always be grateful for the role that little fly shop in Glen Ellyn has played in my fly fishing life.
While big box stores and online retailers are now playing a significant
role in supplying fly fishing products, I encourage you to patronize the fly shops where you live and fish. These shops have always been woven into the fabric of fly fishing. They teach, impart important local knowledge and, like Fly Fishers International, connect us with other fly fishers. I hope you’ll stop by your local shop, say thanks, and buy some flies or maybe a new set of waders. It’s a sound investment in the future of our sport!
Dave Peterson Chairman of the Board
Some people may question why a woman who doesn’t fly fish is at the helm of Fly Fishers International (FFI) right now. In my 12 years serving FFI, I have come to realize that managing the organization is really about people. FFI, through its many programs and volunteers, is serving people on their journey through fly fishing.
I grew up in the people business standing at a cash register in my familyowned convenience store located near Keystone Lake in Oklahoma. I was the one standing behind the counter giving the fishing report, selling minnows and worms to the local lake-goers so they could take their kids to the lake to catch a crappie or catfish. They were grateful for any nugget of information about where to catch the next big one. Young and old, just itching to get out on the water and cast a line.
Admitting to my background may be considered heresy in the fly-fishing world, but when you talk to many folks
in our organization, they too share memories of going to a lake for the first time, casting a line, and hoping for a nibble. While the subject of our conversations may be fly fishing, we are in the people business, pure and simple.
My experience in that mom-and-pop shop carried me through a 31-year career in the people business with AT&T. Trained in customer service and government/community relations at the highest levels, and ultimately working with numerous non-profit boards and organizations. I frequently tell those who ask that I have used every skill learned throughout my career to manage the business of FFI.
FFI is unique because of the thousands of people who work on our behalf through fly tying, fly casting, women programs, conservation, or education. If you attended the NW Fly Tying and Fly Fishing Expo held in March you know what I’m talking about. People, young and old, wandering the aisles to get the latest fly-tying tips, check their casting skills, or simply connect with fellow fly fishers. A shout out to Sherry Steele and the Oregon Council for producing that opportunity for people to get together.
In this issue, we are focusing on fly shops that are also in the people business with the staff imparting information to the customers to help them through their fly-fishing journey. We hope these stories take you back to your experiences. Enjoy the trip down memory lane.
Rhonda Sellers Executive Director
David
Peterson
Dave is currently Chairman of the Board of Fly Fishers International. He is a semi-retired school superintendent who fly fishes as often as he can. The Pere Marquette River in Michigan is his home water and he also fishes regularly in Montana, Maine, Florida and the Turks and Caicos Islands. He has served as Chairman of the FFI Conservation Committee and is a Life Member of FFI. He is also Conservation Vice President for the Great Lakes Council of FFI and a dedicated member of the West Michigan Hacklers, his local FFI charter club.
A Slice of Americana Productive Patterns
Kirk Deeter
Agood friend of mine owns a shop that does several hundred thousand dollars a year in total sales. How much of that do you think fly rods account for?
About 10 percent. And premium rods that cost $500 or more account for about one third of that. Think copy machines. The money isn’t in the machine itself. It’s in the ink cartridges you use to keep the thing going over time. Same is true with flies. Some shops do a third of their total business (or more) out of the fly bin. And the more you and I hang them in the trees, the happier they are.
Which leads us to a pretty interesting discussion. I think the next big issue in the fly-fishing business is going to be a boom in online sales of flies. And that’s going to be a big challenge for some shops that have already felt the pressure in recent years. Sure, you can already buy flies through a number of websites. In my experience, those often come with mixed results. Sometimes the quality is not quite there. It can be hit or miss. But more reliable options are coming down the pike, and soon.
Now a fly shop that sits next to the river is probably bullet proof, because anglers like me are always going to pop in and buy specific patterns for specific waters and situations. But do you really need to pay the retailer markup to load
Kirk Deeter
your box with standard patterns like Parachute Adams, or black Woolly Buggers, or pink San Juan Worms? If you can
Kirk Deeter is the Editorial Director and Vice President of Angling for Trout Unlimited. He’s also the Editor of Angling Trade, and a former Editor-at-Large for Field & Stream. He has authored several books, most notably The Little Red Book of Fly Fishing. He’s chased fishing stories in 28 countries throughout the world and now lives in Colorado. This article was originally published on fieldandstream.com in 2015, and has been reprinted with permission from the author.
get quality bugs for half the price from an online distributor that cuts out the middle men like sales reps and shop owners, would you give that a whirl? (And I’m sorry, but nobody should buy patterns like San Juan worms that take about a nickel in materials and 30 seconds to tie, but I’m as lazy/guilty as anyone.)
I think people will continue to walk into fly shops to wiggle rods, try on waders, and mess with reels. I think it’s important to be your own critic of products like these, and it’s hard to shop until you actually give them the once over in person. But how carefully do you scrutinize beadhead Prince nymphs when you’re dropping them into a plastic cup?
There are pros and cons in all of this for anglers. I think you’ll see more competitive pricing. I think fly innovation will continue to boom. Shops are going to want to carry special patterns that aren’t easy to knock off. I think manufacturers of other products like rods and reels (and
wiggling 5-weights. I think the strong fly companies will continue to make the best, longest lasting, fish enticing patterns they possibly can.
On the other hand, I worry for my fly designer friends who depend on royalties as income. I don’t want to see their patterns knocked off and sold as commodities. I worry for retailers, and anyone who reads my stuff knows I wear my affinity for fly shops right on my sleeve. I think shops are a slice of Americana, and there’s nothing that can replace the smells, sights, and feels of visiting the great ones. I’ll go down swinging on behalf of the fly shop.
But I might also want to spend $30 or $40 for flies that would otherwise cost me $50 or more, and I can’t fault anyone else who feels the same way. I’m sure that in this Internet age, it’s going to be pretty easy to find out which fly suppliers are selling junk and which ones aren’t. It is all going to come out in the wash.
Trust me, it isn’t a matter of “if,” or “how.” It’s now about
surely the reps) will value the role of the fly shop even more, and realize that more people buying flies online will diminish the number of folks walking into shops and
“how much” and “who.” And if the big fly manufacturers feel the squeeze to the point that they decide to sell direct, that Pandora’s Box will never get shut.
Hittin’ the Road
Two Seasons & Twenty-Five Shops
Fly Lords
Fly shops are the pinnacle of what makes flyfishing such a unique endeavor and is the very reason we refer to the group of people who make up our sport as, “community”. Before A River Runs Through It, and before the Internet, there were fly shops. A place owned and occupied by people with a single thread connecting the very nature of being – a love for being outdoors, on their local trout stream or salt flat. In the spring of 2022, the idea formed, “Let’s hit the road, take our cameras, and go visit local fly shops across the Rockies to tell their stories; oh! Let’s do it in the Sage van”. Little did we know that idea would spark one of Flylords’ favorite projects we have ever worked on. So far, we have visited over twenty-five fly shops across the country, hosted ten in-person events, raised tens of thousands of dollars for local non-profits, and released two seasons of the original YouTube series.
What is the goal of the Fly Shop Tour? This series is a celebration of fly shops. A homage to all the shop rats slinging
flies looking for beer money. A thanks to those who turned away dental plans for a drift boat and a commemoration of the backbone of our industry: fly shops.
Throughout our travels to fly shops near and far, one theme has risen above them all, community. Whether you are in a small mountain town in the Rockies or on the coast in South Carolina, all of the shops are finding ways to engage their local community of anglers and be more than a place to get your tackle. Whether hosting tying nights, speaker series, or partnering with local conservation groups, these shops care deeply about the communities they serve, the people who pass through their doors, and most importantly, the conservation of their home waters.
We had a front-row seat to all of these incredible communities while being lucky enough to fish some bucketlist fisheries along the way. While filming season one, we found ourselves in a window of time when “low impact” filming was allowed in National Parks. While this felt too good to be true, we made some phone calls, with the help
Photo Fly Lords
of our friend Mike Dawkins at World Cast Anglers, and confirmed we were allowed to film in Teton National Park.
That day had to be one of my most memorable ever. I was joined by Mike Dawkins, who used to work with my first fly shop mentor Leigh Gardner, Beverly Smith from Trout Unlimited, and Maggie Heuman from Trout Unlimited. A good crew, and to cap it all off, incredible dry fly fishing for native cutthroats. You will see in the episode from season one me skating a dry all the way back to the boat and a fish eating about 6 inches off the oar! To cap it all off, the next day, we were able to raise a significant amount of money for Jackson Hole Trout Unlimited to continue to work on protecting the same cold water we had an amazing day on.
Season two focused on how shops in and around major metropolitan areas such as Nashville, Atlanta, Asheville, Charleson, and South Florida can promote urban fishing. Whether it was catching smallmouth bass under the shadow of the Nashville skyline, catching a wild brown trout under a highway overpass in Atlanta, searching for tailing reds off of Charleston or catching peacock bass and bonefish in Miami, the knowledge fly shops possess is something you can’t find without spending the amount of time on the water that they do.
Luke Panzerella from Rivers and Glen is the perfect example of this. He grew up fishing the waters surrounding Charleston, honing in his spots, his craft, and especially his flies. Luke is the youngest shop manager we have encountered so far, but he has the accomplishments of a lifetime in his early 20s. He became a Umpqua signature tyer in his teens and now manages one of the coolest shops in the country. The knowledge is something he does not keep to himself. He loves talking to people in the shop about ways they can be successful on the water, and with our time with him, we learned how dialed he was. He had an A, B, C, and D spot for each phase of the tide and wind direction and did a great job explaining the purpose to us, as anglers not familiar with the area, why he would pick one spot over another. This resulted in putting us on Joseph’s first flood tide redfish at the very last chance of the tide.
Ultimately, the knowledge of each of the people we fished with from the shops translates to how they advocate for their local fishery. We let the shops that hosted the events pick the local non-profit organization they wanted the raffle to support. The money raised from the raffles, with prizes from sponsors, would all stay local to support projects their community would benefit from. This opened up an
opportunity for the local non-profits to come to the event and talk to the local community about where the money raised would go and how it would affect their fishery. Specifically in Georgia, we go to the location of the conservation project for which we were raising money. A project one of our team members was involved with during his time with the University of Georgia TU Costa 5 Rivers.
In all the locations we visited, fishing with local guides or staff from each fly shop provided an inside look at why each fishery, no matter how unique or overlooked by the general public, is so special.
“Some people think it’s strange to find a fly shop in Nashville, but we have so much fly fishing to do in our area and a rich fly fishing history. Having Flylords share the Fly South story and fly fishing in our area was huge for us. I’ve been lucky to travel to so many places and visit a ton of shops. There’s always a common feeling in fly shops from here in Nashville, to a place like Craig, MT, and all the way to Paris, France. Fly shops and the folks who work there do it for a love of the game, and are the best bet for great info, gear, and advice. Stop by your local shop or look for one where you’ll be on your next trip. You’ll be surprised to find a great one that you might not expect.” ~ Blake Parsons, FFI Communications Director and Fly South guide.
“ Our region of Georgia is heavily dependent upon outdoor recreation as an economic engine. Unicoi Outfitters’ success is an important cog in the local economy. With the overwhelming majority of our clients coming from the major metropolitan areas in Georgia, Florida, Alabama, and South Carolina, we’re providing a strong economic boost to this largely rural region. We don’t have the advertising budget to compete with the larger shops, and the big box stores, in those cities so the exposure we get with Flylords is invaluable.” ~ Jimmy Harris, Unicoi Outfitters.
“The Fly Shop Tour is one of the coolest things I’ve been part of. I cannot begin to thank the team of professionals at Flylords and all the manufacturers for their support with this incredible adventure. All the speciality fly shops that were included in the tour have benefited greatly from the exposure to the masses. It has brought awareness to the wonderful rivers that we fish and guide on and highlighted some of the best professional guides in the country. I cannot begin to thank everyone for their kindness and support; it was truly a magnificent experience.” ~ Pat Dorsey, Blue Quill Angler
State of the Industry
Fly Shop Feedback
Silver Creek Outfitters
Ketchum, ID
Terry Ring
FFI: What does your fly shop mean to you, to your community, and to fly fishing?
TR: The shop has been a fixture in our area since 1963 and we value relationships and the local community. With some Mustad hooks, fur, feather, and thread, Bobby and Dick Alfs tied flies to sell to local anglers who gathered at Sun Valley’s Ram Bar, where Dick was a bartender. The money they earned became the capital to open Dick Alfs’ Fly Shop in 1963. They sold the store in 1979 and retired. The name was changed to Silver Creek Outfitters. So much has changed over the last sixty plus years. Commercial flies were tied domestically and hard to find. Mustad owned the hook market, fly rods were made of bamboo or fiberglass, waders were rubber or canvas. The biggest change in my fifty years working in fly shops is the evolution of tackle and clothing. The number of brands has exploded.
customer whips their phone out and buys something direct that is sold-out at wholesale. Digital native brands like Poncho make great products and are taking market share from companies like Simms and Patagonia. There is a homogenization of experience where fly shops all start to look alike with the same selection. Social media has become an echo chamber.
FFI: Provide a brief history of your shop, your perspective on the industry and where it is going.
TR: The first destination ski resort in the country was Sun Valley. We are home to the first chairlift and work, live, and play in the original mountain town of Ketchum, Idaho. Fly shops, like Silver Creek Outdoors, play an important role in our community by being a place to purchase a license, pick up an access map, get a recommendation on where to fish and what to use. We’re not simply looking for a sale. We are looking to build long-lasting relationships. We want customers for life and employees that never want to leave.
FFI: What do you love about opening your doors every day, seeing new folks and old friends, and spreading the good word about fly fishing to anyone who wants to know?
TR: I’m a merchant at heart. I enjoy meeting with manufacturers to curate a selection of products for our customers. At the same time, we are not beholding them. Our focus is on what’s best for our customers. We’re happy but never satisfied. My favorite part of the day is opening the store in the morning and saying hello to our talented staff. Greeting and serving our guests never gets old.
FFI: How can the industry better serve you?
TR: Operating a small independent retail store is not easy. The high cost of housing is a challenge. Direct to consumer sales and promotions hurt. It doesn’t feel good when a
The Fly Shop
Redding, CA
Patrick Pendegast
FFI: What does your fly shop mean to you, to your community, and to fly fishing?
PP: I moved to Redding, California from Alaska to help the owners of The Fly Shop, Mike and Bertha Michalak, expand their travel program back in 1996. I am proud to be part of one of the most talented teams of fly-fishing professionals ever assembled under one roof. I am privileged to work with pros like Mike Mercer, Justin Miller, Eric Ersch, Chris King and others. The Fly Shop does more guide days on its local
Fly Fish Food
Orem, UT and Idaho Falls, ID
Curtis Fry
FFI: What does your fly shop mean to you, to your community, and to fly fishing?
CF: We built our shop from the ground up and did things in a relatively unorthodox way. For us, the shop and the business is our baby and we try to be a destination style shop but really oriented to our local angling community.
FFI: What do you love about opening your doors every day, seeing new folks and old friends, and spreading the good word about fly fishing to anyone who wants to know?
CF: At the end of the day, we realize fly fishing is all about relationships. We love what we do because we’re passionate about the sport and love to share our experiences and knowledge with others. These relationships make coming to work a lot more enjoyable.
FFI: How can the industry better serve you?
CF: We’d love to see a better industry collaboration between dealers and vendors at a strategic business level but also at an education level. Our sport involves a lot of technical products from some really great product designers. The products often come with a compelling technical design story that would help the consumer appreciate and better use the product. However, there is a fairly large knowledge gap between the story or function of those products and the people who end up
waters than any shop in the world and brings in hundreds of thousands of dollars in the local community each year –jobs! The Fly Shop is a friendly, safe haven for anyone that enjoys the outdoors, fly fishing, fun, clean waters, family, and community.
FFI: What do you love about opening your doors every day, seeing new folks and old friends, and spreading the good word about fly fishing to anyone who wants to know?
PP: When the doors open each morning, friends new and old convene for a common purpose – joy of the outdoors.
It’s a space where fly fishers can gather and share not only their love of the sport, but also exchange new ideas, learn new tactics, and create meaningful bonds and friendships.
It’s the friendliest place on earth.
FFI: How can the industry better serve you?
PP: I feel the industry needs to better support brick and mortar fly shops. These shops are the heart and soul of fly
using them. With our social media efforts, we try to entertain people while at the same time educating the customer on how best to use a given piece of equipment.
FFI: Provide a brief history of your shop, your perspective on the industry and where it is going.
CF: Our shop started in my basement over ten years ago. We began selling a small selection of fly-tying materials from a small online storefront. As demand grew and our flytying tutorials became more and more popular, we ended up moving into my garage, while still selling online only, and then into a small retail/warehouse location after that. Within a year, we began the search for an even bigger space. We now have two retail stores and a 6,000 square foot warehouse making us one of the bigger fly shops out there. For the future, we look to continue our tradition of educating anglers with our content and delivering the best fly-fishing and fly-tying products to the widest audience we can garner.
fishing on the front line servicing and promoting a nonconsumptive outdoor recreational activity that is good for the community and environment. Support your local fly shop.
FFI: Provide a brief history of your shop, your perspective on the industry and where it is going.
PP: The Fly Shop opened its doors in Redding, CA in 1978. What started as a small two man operation has blossomed into one of the largest and most comprehensive brick and mortar fly shops in the world. Forty-six years later, we continue to service all facets of fly fishing including a retail store, internet sales platform, international and domestic fly-fishing travel, fly-fishing schools and our award winning FishCamp™, a youth fly-fishing camp. The Fly Shop is America’s Fly Fishing Outfitter.
Idaho Angler Boise, ID
Rick Williams
FFI: What does your fly shop mean to you, to your community, and to fly fishing?
RW: The Idaho Angler has served southwest Idaho for more than thirty years as a premium specialty flyfishing shop focused on providing exceptional customer service, an extensive inventory, and fly-fishing expertise to local and regional anglers. The shop opened in 1993, came from Don and Joy Knickrehm’s vision to provide
Henry’s Fork Anglers
Island Park, ID
Mike Lawson
FFI: What does your fly shop mean to you, to your community, and to fly fishing?
ML: Our shop is very important to our community. We are not an urban business. We are a destination, located on one of the great rivers of the world. Anglers come from all over the country, as well as the world, to fish here. We not only carry inventory suited for the visiting angler but provide valuable and up-to-date information about fishing conditions, which is very important.
FFI: What do you love about opening your doors every day, seeing new folks and old friends, and spreading the good word about fly fishing to anyone who wants to know?
ML: Our retail business is only open during our fishing
southwest Idaho with a great fly shop. Rick and Shauna Williams joined the shop in 1997, and in 2006, Tim Mansell joined as manager and then partner.
FFI: What do you love about opening your doors every day, seeing new folks and old friends, and spreading the good word about fly fishing to anyone who wants to know?
RW: Involvement in Idaho Angler has been an enriching experience for all of us – making new friends, traveling all over the West and the world to fish with friends (new and old), fishing great destinations, and having lifetime experiences. All of us are FFI certified casting instructors, so we spend a lot of time teaching everything from newcomers in our Fly Fishing 101 classes, to saltwater fly casting, as well as all things Spey – trout, salmon, and steelhead casting with two-handed rods.
FFI: Provide a brief history of your shop, your perspective on the industry and where it is going.
RW: We believe independent fly shops, especially those with expertise similar to our own, are a critical part of the fly-fishing community. We offer a level of inventory and fly fishing, guiding, and instructional expertise that the larger chain stores can’t. Similarly, we are concerned about the consolidation we’ve observed in the retail market and believe it important that independent reps continue to be a vital part of the fly-fishing retail ecosystem. They provide invaluable service, support, and staff training to independent shops.
season (April - November). We started our business in 1976. Since that time we have developed life-long relationships, not only with our customers, but also our employees. Four of our guides have been with us for at least thirty-five years. We are always excited to open our doors for the season, to share our time with old and current customers as well as our guides and seasonal employees.
FFI: How can the industry better serve you?
ML: I think the industry does an adequate job. We’re not affected as much as urban shops but big-box stores and online outlets make it much more difficult to compete. On top of that, almost all of our suppliers now sell direct, online, competing with their dealers.
FFI: Provide a brief history of your shop, your perspective on the industry and where it is going.
ML: Started in 1976 we’ve experienced all the ups and downs. In our early years we didn’t think we could survive
St. Peter’s Fly Shop
Fort Collins, CO
Grant Houx
FFI: What does your fly shop mean to you, to your community, and to fly fishing?
GH: St. Peter’s Fly Shop is a welcoming place that opens its doors to everyone. It is a hub of fly-fishing information that collects and shares knowledge about everything fly fishing. Our community is our backbone and a big part of the reason why we open our doors each day. We love seeing our customers and friends come through the door in pursuit of what they love doing, fly fishing. Connecting with individuals, companies, and organizations and sharing the bank of fly-fishing knowledge is what we thrive on. Our community is everything
financially. There weren’t enough anglers around to support our business. That changed when our river received a tremendous amount of publicity. Shortly thereafter, A River Runs Through It came out. Honestly, I don’t know if all of the interest in fly fishing was a result of the movie, or if the movie was a result of all of the interest in fly fishing. Certainly, the movie brought a lot of interest in this area. One of our guides, who moved to Sage, was an instructor on the set. Over forty-eight years we’ve gone from not enough anglers to support our business to anglers everywhere. Now one of the biggest issues is fishing pressure and social relationships. In recent years, our industry has experienced some growing pains, but I think the outlook is strong. The effects of “climate change” on our resources is a major concern.
to us and we couldn’t be more thankful for their support.
FFI: What do you love about opening your doors every day, seeing new folks and old friends, and spreading the good word about fly fishing to anyone who wants to know?
GH: We strive for the best customer service out there, as our customers are the most important thing to our business. Fly fishing is a passion sport and there is nothing better than sharing those emotions and experiences with our fellow anglers.
FFI: How can the industry better serve you?
GH: Helping with the pursuit of keeping anglers in the sport, while trying to find new ones. Teaching people about our resources and how to protect them for future generations.
FFI: Provide a brief history of your shop, your perspective on the industry and where it is going.
GH: St. Peter’s Fly Shop has been honored to serve the flyfishing community for thirty-two years. We strive to be a source of information for fellow anglers in the never ending pursuit of fly fishing. Our goal is to help anglers with their flyfishing explorations, providing friendly helpful knowledge and the goods needed to succeed. We believe that if we strive for amazing customer service and connecting with the community we can continue to be a part of the fly-fishing community and stay in business for at least another thirty years.
Confluence Fly Shop
Bend, OR Tye Krueger
FFI: What does your fly shop mean to you, to your community, and to fly fishing?
TK: Confluence Fly Shop has been a physical extension of my personal passion for angling and all things fly fishing. Creating a place where young, old, novice, and skilled anglers can mingle, easily track down fly-fishing tackle and always depart enriched by their visit, has been the main goal of Confluence since the day I opened the doors. It’s nice to have a well-stocked fly shop, but I’ve always felt that accomplishing the aforementioned goal fell squarely on my shoulders and those of the knowledgeable and enthusiastic fly-shop employees under my charge.
Brick-and-mortar fly shops have an opportunity to find success by remembering their roots and employing knowledgeable staff, eager to educate newcomers to the sport, but also available and helpful to more skilled customers when needed. Anglers of all types and skill levels may prefer to fish in solitude or purposefully schedule outings to the water in small groups of their choosing, but a local fly shop is the common ground upon which all fly fishers descend and cross paths. Whether replacing terminal tackle, gathering timely fishing intel, or in Confluence’s case, simply because they’re thirsty for a chilled pint of craft beer from the shop’s ninetap draft beer bar, the fly shop environment is critical. Cold beverages seem to find their way into a lot of our recreational activities. Whether seated on the tailgate at the end of a rewarding day of fishing or amongst friends sharing pictures, stories (and maybe a lie or two) from the fly shop’s comfortable bar stools, neither seems quite as complete as when shared over a refreshing libation.
FFI: What do you love about opening your doors every day, seeing new folks and old friends, and spreading the good word about fly fishing to anyone who wants to know?
TK: Located in Bend, Oregon on the banks of the Deschutes River, Confluence Fly Shop is fortunate to have both the strength of a fixed local angling community and proximity to great fishing water, seasonally drawing additional
traffic in the form of destination anglers. Fly fishing in this paradise-like blend of mountains, forests, lakes, and rivers, seems destined to remain as interwoven into my region’s cultural landscape as mountain-biking, kayaking, and drinking craft beer. Additionally, Bend’s art-friendly community makes Confluence Fly Shop and its location in the eclectic shops, galleries, and restaurants of Bend’s Old Mill District, a wonderful place for angling inspired artists to display their work. As an angling illustrator myself, gracing the shop’s walls with the work of a variety of artists adds significant cosmetic appeal and is of particular importance to me.
FFI: How can the industry better serve you?
TK: Fly fishing has never been more popular and will only continue to grow. Likewise, the importance of the local fly shop ought to be considered similarly important. Sporting goods can be easily obtained from large online platforms, however, these transactions are equally sterile and devoid of the personal attention promised by the human-to-human interaction on the sales floor of a quality fly shop.
FFI: Provide a brief history of your shop, your perspective on the industry and where it is going.
TK: Casting a floating dry fly to trout feeding on the water’s surface, once the sole bastion of fly fishing, has now and continues to broaden to include creative subsurface presentations and artificial flies imitating much larger prey. The popularity of fly fishing in saltwater and targeting the bounty of species that comfortably inhabit the ever-warming freshwaters of the globe are also gaining significant attention from fly anglers. It’s my opinion that the growth of the sport is still on an upward trajectory.
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FFI GUIDES & OUTFITTERS AND BUSINESS LISTINGS
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Edward Tamson, Guide etamson@pdisurvey.com
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MoJoBella Fly Fishing, Guide steve@mojobella.com
His & Her Flyfishing Shop, Business and Guide hisher1666@aol.com
Dayle Mazzarella, Guide emailmazz@yahoo.com
Mark Traugott, Guide traugott@ucsc.edu
Clay Hash, Guide
The President’s Club at Fly Fishers International represents the highest level of financial commitment to the organization and comes with exclusive benefits and opportunities as a way of thanking donors for this level of generosity. Over the course of FFI’s history, the President’s Club has been instrumental in our ability to ensure the legacy of fly fishing for all fish in all waters. Members of the exclusive giving circle can support any program or project at FFI that most inspires them, and at a level that recognizes their level of giving, including Platinum, Gold, Silver, or Bronze.
Gary E Carlson, Guide gary@rivergap.com
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MICHIGAN
John R Kluesing, Guide jtkluesing@gmail.com
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The President’s Club at Fly Fishers International represents the highest level of financial commitment to the organization and comes with exclusive benefits and opportunities as a way of thanking donors for this level of generosity. Over the course of FFI’s history, the President’s Club has been instrumental in our ability to ensure the legacy of fly fishing for all fish in all waters. Members of the exclusive giving circle can support any program or project at FFI that most inspires them, and at a level that recognizes their level of giving, including Platinum, Gold, Silver, or Bronze.
Brian Pendergrass, Guide brianapex1@gmail.com
The President’s Club at Fly Fishers International represents the highest level of financial commitment to the organization and comes with exclusive benefits and opportunities as a way of thanking donors for this level of generosity. Over the course of FFI’s history, the President’s Club has been instrumental in our ability to ensure the legacy of fly fishing for all fish in all waters. Members of the exclusive giving circle can support any program or project at FFI that most inspires them, and at a level that recognizes their level of giving, including Platinum, Gold, Silver, or Bronze.
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TEXAS
Mark M Marmon, Guide
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Patrick & Donna P Smith, Guide dsmithflygirl@gmail.com
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Rob Holmes, Guide Middlesbrough robholmes@hotmail.co.uk
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Shop Talk
Fly shops are the one of the main cogs in our sport, and it’s hard to imagine fly fishing being possible without them. There’s the small Mom and Pop (or maybe just Mom or just Pop) operation that’s in a tiny town with some good fishing nearby. The store dispenses sound riverknowledge and has great local flies, but is a little light on high-ticket items like premium rods and fancy reels. Most of the shop’s customers arrive pretty-well “tackled up” and mostly need to augment or restock their flies,
leaders, floatant, and any gadgets they lose, or maybe get some new waders if their old ones give up during the trip.
These kinds of shops usually offer a guide service but may also provide shuttles for people floating the river without guides, and might make you a lunch to take on the water, seeing’s how they’re making them for their guides anyway. Some have a few rooms for rent in the back of the store. Sometimes they’re seasonal operations, open only during fishing season, or morphing into ski shops in winter.
Jim McLennan has been fly fishing and writing about it since sometime in the last century. He continues to indulge his passions for fly fishing, bird hunting, writing and music from his home in Southern Alberta.
latest book is Trout Tracks, Essays on Fly Fishing
Jim McLennan
Jim McLennan
His
Another type of shop is the one near a major “flyfishing destination.” It’s a sizable store either in a small town very close to the fishing, or in a larger city not far away. The high traffic drawn by the famous fishery allows it to carry extensive inventory with plenty of high-ticket items, including gifts, clothing, and art.
There are also “urban” fly shops, which are in major cities that may or may not be near great fishing. These are larger, year-round operations, and the fancier ones are sometimes called “boutique fly shops.” Those near good fishing have two types of customers. They have visitors who come to the area to fish, but they also have a large base of local customers who live in the city. These are the people who come by on their lunch breaks and keep the shop going in the off-season. The shop has strong Christmas sales, offers winter in-store events and fly-tying courses, hosts trips to exotic destinations, and perhaps brings in fly-fishing celebrities to give presentations in the off-season. While these shops do more dollar-volume business than the smaller ones, you can be sure that their space is both larger and more expensive, and they need to do more business to pay for it.
Fly shops are safe-houses for fly fishers when they can’t be on the water. Think about it; you’re supposed to be going to the mall to pick up some mundane household stuff, but for no apparent reason you find yourself in the fly-fishing store that’s adjacent to - or at least not more than a few miles out of the way of - the store you’re supposed to be going to.
There’s a reason they draw us in like they do. Fly shops exude fly fishing, and if you can’t be doing it, the next best thing is probably talking about it with other people who have the same interest. Those people might be other customers or the staff in the shop. So fly shops play a valuable role beyond simply providing equipment to the sport’s participants.
I’m reluctant to spill the beans here, but because I have some familiarity with fly shops from the inside I can tell you that there’s also a “dark side” that the general fly-fishing public knows nothing
about. Here it is: Fly shops are businesses. They have to pay rent; they have to order product. They have to pay for that product (and pay for it on time, if they want to continue carrying that brand). They have to put up with pesky and pushy sales reps. They have to make the shop look good. They have to keep the shop clean. They sometimes have staff problems. Yet, when you walk into Joe’s Fly and Tackle, you’ll see no evidence of any of this, for it’s imperative that the shop project a constant vibe of fish, flies and fun. Owner Joe will appear to have not a care in the world and will be ready to answer every fishy question you can muster and will pretend to believe every ridiculous and exaggerated fish-story you deliver. A fly shop, perhaps more than most other businesses, is expected to dispense and promote optimism and pleasure at all times, because one of its responsibilities is to provide you with a break from the stresses of your job.
But after the customers have left and the store is empty, the manager returns to the office and resumes the squabble with the landlord who wants to raise his rent 25%, or with the supplier who has just informed him that the 250 dozen flies he was assured he’d have in June will be delivered in October if there aren’t any more production problems.
Running a fly shop is never easy. And it might be more difficult today than ever, thanks to a number of things including and especially, the Internet. On-line shopping has taken and is taking its toll on real “brick-and-mortar” fly-fishing stores throughout North America. So consider some of the things fly shops provide you with beyond just equipment, and do what you can to support them. I think we’d all prefer that the shop be there the next time we stop by.
“Trout Tracks is pure McLennan. Peppered with fly fishing knowledge acquired through lifelong experience, this book displays an honesty not often seen in stories about oneself. Jim has blessed his writing with an angler’s philosophy and worldview. Reading it calls us to the wild places and the fish we love so much.” —Gary Borger, author, fly fishing blogger and video instructor
Tips for Aging Anglers Challenges of the Golden Years
AEmily Craig
nyone who enjoys fly fishing understands the joy and sense of peace and accomplishment it can bring. Nevertheless, challenges facing the aging angler are very real. Hopefully the following tips and ideas will increase the level of confidence and comfort for anglers of a certain age who may be feeling a great love of their life start to slip away.
BEFORE YOU GO
Improve your balance: Aging anglers sometimes find their balance isn’t as good as it once was. This is not unusual. Your skin, muscles and joints react to motion and pressure to let your body know where it is in relation to
Practice balance exercises while wearing your waders and your loaded tackle pack.
space, and these connections sometimes diminish over time. Your balance can also be affected by many other things such as medications and inner ear problems. If this is a recurring problem and affects your daily life, your healthcare provider is the best resource for information and treatment.
Emily Craig
If you tend to lose your balance only while wade fishing, standing in a drift boat, or hiking to your favorite spot on the water, balance exercises and increased awareness might be the answer. The Internet is filled with exercises for seniors, and using that resource combined with advice from a healthcare specialist, you can work to improve your balance. The one factor that these resources are likely to overlook is fly fishing, which has its own set of issues. Do you wade where the bottom is slippery or rocky? Do you wear a heavy backpack? Are your wading boots a size larger than the shoes you normally wear? If in doubt, always ask your doctor, but you might try doing the “routine” balance exercises while wearing the things you wear while wading. That extra 5 pounds in a sling pack hanging at your side just might change how you balance your entire body. Learn to use a wading staff: First, choose the right staff. There are numerous styles of wading staff available on the market, and the list of features is long. Be sure the handle fits your hand and make sure the length gives you adequate support in a variety of conditions.
Second, adjust the length (when possible) to accommodate your height while wearing wading boots.
Third, practice first on dry land by taking small steps while using the staff as a “third leg”. You can usually figure out a pattern of step-plant staff-and step again that suits your gait and mobility level. Gradually increase your stride until it becomes comfortable and natural for your walking and wading style.
Emily Craig worked as a medical illustrator and adjunct professor of human anatomy and physiology before earning her Ph.D. in forensic physical anthropology. She started fly fishing in West Central Michigan around 1955. After retirement, she returned to these home waters where she now lives the idyllic life of a self-proclaimed trout bum along the headwaters of the Pere Marquette River.
I mentioned that you should practice using the wading staff to adjust to your walking stride, not just your wading stride. That’s because the use of a wading staff is not limited to use in the water. You’re likely to find it is also a useful tool to help you get to and from your fishing spot.
Fourth, don’t forget to take your staff along even when you’re planning to spend the day in a drift boat or other watercraft. Steeply sloping launch sites can be slippery and if you decide to get out and wade sometime during the day, you’ll be glad you have it.
Your casting arm: Every bony joint in your body is susceptible to age-related changes. Some of these you’ll never notice, like the sutures in your skull or where your pelvis comes together in the front. But sooner or later, the hand, wrist, elbow, or shoulder of the angler’s dominant arm seem to ache a little more than they used to. As with any activity-related problem or pain, the first thing you need to do is consult a healthcare specialist. They might recommend exercises for flexibility and strength. They may also recommend bracing for specific fishing-related issues and actions. Ask them about over-thecounter braces for thumbs, wrists, and elbows. These might offer some additional support, and many of the hand/wrist braces have removable metal stays that can be bent to fit the contour of your favorite rod.
You might also consider light sanding or otherwise customizing the cork handle of your rod to help stabilize your grip and perhaps accommodate arthritic changes.
Another thing you should review is your casting technique. When you were younger and stronger, you could probably power through some actions that relied more on strength than leverage, but as the years go by, you need to be more willing to let the power and flexibility in your fly rod carry the load.
Back and shoulder support: Remember when you could fish all day, and nothing hurt? As the years go by, something happens, and muscles more quickly get tired and then those areas of your body start to hurt. Posterior shoulders and backs seem to be particularly susceptible to fatigue when you’re fly fishing, so it’s natural to look to something to ease the ache. Exercise and strengthening are important, and you’re always encouraged to consult a professional for advice and counseling with this. If you’re simply looking for basic physical support, there are some off-the-shelf sports garments and undergarments (including posture bras for women) that have support panels that crisscross the back and shoulders and add some external support. You might want to give these a try.
Sun protection: Protective clothing should be the first line of defense against the harmful rays of the sun, and anglers of any age should also wear sunscreen with a substantial SPF. Aging skin can become even more vulnerable to the harmful effects of the sun’s rays, because it often becomes thinner with the loss of water and fat. It is also important to know that damage from the sun comes from years and years of exposure, as well as sunburns. Don’t let your guard down just because you’ve not had any problems so far. Be very aware that certain medications and cosmetics can cause increased sensitivity to sunlight, so as I’ve emphasized before, check with your healthcare provider.
Establish good communications: The importance of clear and timely communication includes those with your guide, your fishing partner(s) and the outside world.
Guides: Most guides won’t come right out and ask your age, but they might. And they should always ask if you have any mobility issues or physical limitations. Be honest with them and volunteer this information even if they don’t ask. You shouldn’t hesitate to admit you don’t feel confident wading across slick shoals or big boulders anymore. You may not be able to stand and strip heavy streamers for 8 hours, but that doesn’t mean you and your guide can’t find a fishing location and method that suits your physical ability. Even if you have fished with the same guide in the past, things can change over time, so don’t wait until you meet up in the morning to discuss any possible physical limitations.
Emergency Contacts: It’s a good idea to create a pocket list of your emergency contact(s) and information about any of your critical medications or chronic health issues. It doesn’t have to be elaborate, but it does need to be waterproofed in a plastic bag or laminated.
Location devices: Everyone has a cell phone, right? These are fine for communicating with the outside world if you are within a service area, if it’s not dropped in the water, and if you can reach it in an emergency. With modern technology and a little bit of foresight, you should be able to set up a medical alert, GPS satellite location device, or other emergency signal system that does not rely exclusively on the nearest cell tower. The simplest of all communication devices is a very loud marine whistle tethered to always be within easy reach of your mouth as well as your hand.
GEARING UP
Knee pads: Everybody falls. Slick rocks, steep banks, and swift currents increase the likelihood that an angler is going
to experience a serious fall sometime while fishing, and when that angler has age-related knee problems or artificial knee components, the results can be devastating. Earlier comments about the wading staff also apply here, but another way to safeguard aging knees is to wear knee pads. While wet wading, any quick drying and secure knee pads will work, but when wearing knee pads under waders, there are a few more considerations. Look for knee pads that won’t slip down. It’s extremely difficult to adjust these once your waders are in place. And look for knee pads that don’t have any sharp edges, rivets, or buckles. There are many different styles and sizes available, but it’s likely you will find the most suitable ones where sporting goods are sold. Since athletes sweat a lot, most of these are easily washable. For those aging anglers whose knees suffer from the cold, there are even self-heating knee pads, but make certain that the ones you choose can tolerate the water. Always remember that waders can leak, and an unexpected fall can allow water to fill your waders. There is another advantage to wearing knee pads. When exiting a trout stream, you may need to get on your knees to crawl out. It is then that you will really appreciate the extra padding.
Life Jacket: The idea of needing a life jacket (or life vest) to stay safe in deep water is a common topic among outdoorsmen, and when fly fishing from a boat, wearing one should be standard operating procedure. But what if you’re wading in moderate or shallow water and simply trip and fall? This can happen to anyone, but an aging angler who falls while wading can find themselves in a predicament where they just can’t get up. These falls, and broken bones that may accompany them, can become a life-threatening problem when they happen in an open body of water. A life jacket can keep your head out of the water until you can right yourself, or until help arrives.
Wearing a personal flotation device (PFD) while wadefishing may require some adjustments to the way you’ve always positioned your fishing gear, but one of the least disruptive styles is a Type III PFD - or inshore buoyant vest. They can be (1) inherently buoyant (2) inflatable, or (3) hybrids. A style that works well for wade-fishing fits over the shoulders and across both sides of the chest like a horseshoe. To allow space for possible inflation as well as access to flies and other equipment, consider using a small chest or waist pack that fits neatly between the front panels. Lumbar packs don’t obstruct inflation, but the front panels of the PFD tend to get in the way and hinder access to the pack. Some PFDs have pockets for storing a
small amount of gear, but I don’t know any fly-fisher that can spend the day with only a few flies and a single spool of tippet!
Eyewear and Eyesight: Eye safety is important for anglers of any age, and details can be found in the FFI Safety Policy. Unfortunately, aging anglers can face additional challenges, such as multi-focal prescription lenses that make it a little more difficult to have underwater surfaces and topwater objects simultaneously focused. This, as well as balance and mobility issues can increase the chance of trips and falls. Cataracts, which allow less light to reach the retina should be considered when choosing sunglasses. That ultra-dark pair of Polaroids that worked for you in the past may not be the right choice,
1. Push the threader through the eye of the hook.
2. Insert the tippet through the loop of the threader.
3. Pull the threader back out through the eye and it will pull the tippet with it.
now. Experiment with different lenses in different lighting conditions until you find the ones that work best in your usual fishing conditions. And if you expect to be fishing in low-light situations, be sure to share any concerns with companions, and don’t assume that everyone has equal vision. (“Almost dark” may mean something different to a 20-year-old than a 70- year-old.) Headlamps or other auxiliary light sources can often help if they are used correctly, but cataracts may also produce halos and glare that you didn’t notice when you were younger. Blurred or dim vision may also lead to frustration when an aging angler is tying knots or trying to thread tippet through the eye of a small fly. This is where magnifying lenses and/or fine-wire eye threaders can come in handy. Don’t forget to put these in with the rest of your fishing equipment. Leak proofing: We’re not discussing your waders, here. This type of leak-proofing is a little more intimate, and it is for anglers of any age, especially women. How many times have you been standing in the stream or in a drift boat and felt the overwhelming urge to urinate? If you are unprepared, the only thing to do is head for the bank (or the edge of the boat) and try to discreetly empty your bladder. When the weather is
bad, you are in mixed company, or you are covered in waders, a life preserver and a coat, this whole process can prove to be a chore. Putting on a pair of absorbent adult briefs before you set out for the water can help in such a dilemma. I prefer not to refer to these as diapers. “Outdoor-Sport Skivvies” somehow seems more appropriate for fishing. If you don’t need them, or if you find a suitable time and place for a necessary bio-break, that’s great. But if you do need them, it’s nice to have that bit of insurance to avoid embarrassment and inconvenience. If fighter pilots can wear them, so can you!
Boot hook: Western-wear aficionados have long known the value of using a pair of boot hooks to pull on cowboy boots. Holding one handle in each hand, the hooks are slipped into the loops stitched into either side of the shank and a good tug will help slide the boot over the foot.
Fishers can use a similar technique to pull on wading boots without having to bend quite so far and struggle with getting your boot to slip over a neoprene stocking. Slip a boot hook through the single loop located in the back of your wading boot and then pull up.
ON AND IN THE WATER
Adverse weather: Guidelines for fishing in bad weather are simple. Stop if you’re too cold, too hot, or too wet.
Hypothermia: Although hypothermia is most often associated with extremely cold temperatures, it can occur even in cool temperatures (above 40 degrees) if you become chilled. Older adults can lose body heat faster than when they were young and the subtle changes in skin sensation may cause us to be less aware of the changes in body temperature. Some medications, even those bought over the counter, can also affect how your body loses heat, so don’t hesitate to discuss this with your healthcare provider and be aware of possible complications before your next fishing trip.
Tip: If you are showing signs of hypothermia (clumsiness, confusion and drowsiness similar to alcohol intoxication) when you get back to your vehicle, give yourself a few minutes to warm up before you start driving home.
Hyperthermia: Aging anglers often have a tough time dealing with the heat. Our bodies cannot adjust to changing temperatures as quickly as they once could. Age-related loss of sweat glands is part of it, as well as some of the medications that we need in our golden years. Existing health conditions may already be stressing the body, and intense heat can add to the stress. You must always remember to stay hydrated and keep water or other liquids with you. There are some bright
sides to this dilemma. Often the best times to be outdoors in the summer are also the best times for fishing, so take advantage of more temperate mornings and evenings to spend time on the water and avoid the heat of the day. Wading: Always use a wading staff, and before you use it in the water for the first time, experiment with the best way to carry it. It shouldn’t be tucked in your pack or folded up against your back if you’re moving. It should be ready to open and within easy reach so that you can use it with every step if necessary. You may decide to keep it open and attached to an elastic lanyard. Is that going to make it a trip hazard? If you haven’t thought it through, it might. If you choose to keep it open and constantly available at your side, stand there a moment and see how it acts in the current. Does it float? Does the tip rest on the bottom at your feet or does it swing downstream? Take the time to adapt to its constant presence at your side or choose to use it when you’re moving from one spot to another and only fold it away when you’re standing still. Always keep it handy and be certain you know when and where to plant it for maximum stability.
Hopefully getting into the stream wasn’t much of a problem, but what about getting out? Thanks to gravity, most anglers can get into a stream, even when the bank is steep and a little slippery. Advancing arthritis, maybe some loss of muscle mass, or even joint replacement(s) may have altered your ability to climb out. That beautiful mountain stream that you slid into and climbed out of two years ago probably hasn’t changed much. But it’s possible that you have. Rule of thumb: Never get into a stream unless or until you know you can get out.
Getting your waders off: Once you’re out of the stream or the boat, and you’re ready to bask in the afterglow of your flyfishing experience, you still must face the challenge of getting out of your waders. Boot foot waders are easy to slip off. Stocking foot waders are a different matter. If your waders have attached gravel guards, here is a clever trick to slip them off.
Unhook the gravel guards and moderately loosen the laces or straps on your boots.
Reattach the gravel guards at the hook (or at the lowermost lace crossing) and push or pull the gravel guard back into place, especially in the back.
Place the toe of your opposite foot at the base of the gravel guard and slowly start to push the boot off your foot. The boot should now slide off, pulling the “stocking” with it and the rest of the wader leg will follow. Note: before pushing the “first” boot completely off your foot, toe-off the boot on the opposite foot. Otherwise, you’ll get your sock wet.
FF: During your career, you were one of the foremost forensic anthropologists in the United States, helping to solve hundreds of cold cases. What is a forensic anthropologist?
EC: I hold a PhD in forensic anthropology and worked for the Commonwealth of Kentucky, covering the whole state. I was charged with handling decomposed bodies, skeletal remains, charred and fragmented remains that were found anywhere in the Commonwealth.
FF: In 2001, following the horrific attacks that changed the skyline in New York City you found yourself at Ground Zero. How did that come about?
EC: I was a member of the Disaster Mortuary Operational Response Team, which is a federal agency that has all kinds of forensic experts on call. So, when something happens, we put aside our normal jobs, put on a federal hat, and all go together to work these particular scenes.
FF: Reviewing your biography, we’re seeing shows like America’s Most Wanted , Cold Case Files and Unsolved Mysteries , to name a few. Describe your path to these opportunities and the experience of lending your skills to television.
EC: At the time I started forensic anthropology, the CSI craze was at its peak, and everyone was interested because for so many years, everything was basically hidden. When it became public knowledge people were just fascinated with what had gone on behind the scenes. The cases I worked were usually unusual just by their very nature. They would be on the local news, which is where these syndicated television operations would hear about it. They’d ask to cover the story and the medical
examiner, at the time, was very cooperative and said, sure, you know, you can do it if the case has already been adjudicated.
FF: You’ve observed scenes and situations that would be hard to forget. Fly fishing requires a clear-minded focus,
which can be a tool for discarding, even if temporarily, other thoughts. Was that part of what drew you to fly fishing? I grew up fly fishing and my very first memories are of fishing. A lot of times people ask me, how do I decompress from the job when I was doing it? Because it was just mentally exhausting. There is a country song by Merle Haggard and Janie Fricke called, A Place to Fall Apart, that I always kept coming back to.
Looking for a place to fall apart
Trying to find a place that I can leave my heart
I need to be somewhere hidin’
When I feel the teardrops start
Looking for a place to fall apart
Fly fishing got me out of that space and into another world. Having that in my soul from the very beginning of my memories helped me get back to it. I would shut one door and open another. This was a huge part of being able to cope with all the things I coped with.
FF: Thank you for sharing. Who introduced you to fly fishing?
EC: I started fishing when I was about four or five and learned from my Grandfather, and my Father. My Grandfather was probably the most patient and, just put this in a little perspective, he was born in 1892. When I learned fly fishing at his hip, I learned old school techniques, because he was a purist. He only fished with bamboo and even fished with gut leaders. My father learned from him as well and everything we learned was old technology. I migrated to fly fishing when I was eight. And back then, a little girl learning to fly fish, I mean, that was just unheard of. You know, fly fishing has just been a part of my life since I can remember.
FF: What was one of the tips or techniques that your Grandfather taught you?
EC: He taught me to cast with a comic book under my arm, placed between my elbow and ribs. That technique is rarely taught today, but it works! Using that technique, even today, I can fish all day without getting tired. It’s an incredibly energy-conserving technique that also provides pinpoint accuracy. The object was to cast without dropping the comic. If I did drop it, the comic either went in the water or I had to start over. The reward, after twenty real casts, was that I could read the comic book!
EC: The discussion about fly casting reminds me that somewhere out there is a Paul Young Driggs bamboo rod with my name on it – serial number 4181. My parents had
it made for me as a high-school graduation gift. I fished that little rod for thirty years. Shortly after I received my PhD, I sold it to help pay off student debt. If the current owner of the rod reads this, I want them to know that I am happy it is in the hands of someone who appreciates it, but they’ll never love it like I did.
FF: Does the experience in forensics give you any advantages on the water?
Between the professions of forensics and medical illustration, I feel like I became a trained observer. And so, when I’m on the water, I do a lot of observing before I ever get started. While I’m fishing, if I’m doing well, you know it, but when you’re not, it’s like, okay, what, what’s, what’s going on that I’m missing? I’m quite content to stand there for a long time and just watch what’s going on.
I can usually figure it out.
FF: Where are your home waters and what do you love most about fishing there?
EC: My home waters are at the headwaters of the Pere Marquette watershed in West Central Michigan. I prefer the smaller waters. There are three streams that come into that, the Baldwin, the Middle Branch, and the Little South. These are all small technical streams. I just like being in the water and seeing the fish at my feet. I like hearing and almost feeling the birds in the trees. The bugs will stop and rest on the brim of my hat when they’re going through their life cycles. And I just feel like I’m part of it.
FF: Are there any parallels between what you just described and some of those early experiences of being in those places with your Dad and your Grandfather, learning to fish?
EC: What I just described was part of the formative years because it was quiet and gentle. My Dad had three rules for fly fishing. Number one was keep outta sight. Number two was keep outta sight and number three was keep outta sight. We’d get to really good pools, and he would just stand there, and I would stand there with him. I’d get a little impatient and he’d say, “just watch and listen”. I could learn so much about what was going on and then just quietly start moving, usually upstream, sometimes down. As I started fishing around the country in different waters, in different places, I learned that big, long casts and covering a lot of water was not necessary, but it was commonplace. But to go back to the small waters, the quiet stillness, that’s where my soul is.
FF: Love that, let’s end it there. Thank you.
Photo Russell Husted
Mastering Dubbing and Weight Techniques
Jerry Coviello
Using dubbing on a fly can be one of the hardest techniques to master. How much do you use? How long should the dubbing noodle be? How much dubbing should you put on your thread? Should you use wax? What is dubbing?
I will be using the Yellow Stonefly Nymph to show many of the techniques for this article. Materials needed are as follows:
Hook: 3xl Nymph Hook (such as Daiichi Size 6)
Thread: Brown 6/0
Tail: Brown Goose Biots
Abdomen: Yellow Dubbing
Overbody: Turkey Tail
Jerry Coviello
Thorax: Yellow Dubbing (dubbing loop)
Double Wingcase: Turkey Tail
Weight: Lead Free Wire (diameter to match the hook wire thickness)
Dubbing
In nature, the color of insects, plants, and animals are not just one color. Why dub a fly using one color, when we have so many options to imitate, more precisely, the natural food source? I regularly use three colors of Arctic Fox fur, yellow, tan, and black. On its own, the yellow is too bright for use with this yellow stonefly nymph, so I recommend mixing the colors with some of the darker colors to achieve a nice array of color. Trim the fur from the hides, in proportion to the desired color. The majority, in this case, is yellow, followed by a smaller amount of brown, black, and tan.
Use Arctic Fox for the guard hairs that will be needed for the legs when using a dubbing loop. Place all the cut fur in a coffee blender and blend for a few seconds. As an aside, I recommend not using the blender in the kitchen once it has been used to mix the fur. Feel free to adjust the color further, by adding more color to darken or lighten the dubbing fur.
Adding Weight to the Fly
The hook is the skeleton of the fly. By adding materials to the
Jerry Coviello, a FFI Buz Buszek Fly Tying Award Recipient, is past Chairperson of the Fishers International Fly Tying Group Chairperson. He is a columnist for Fly Tyer Magazine and the President and newsletter editor for Delaware Valley Fly Fishers. He is also an ambassador for Norvise.
hook, we create a pattern that will look just like the insect being imitated. Stonefly Nymphs, which live in fast, moving water, are flat so they can better cling to rocks. This shape assists their effort in not being pushed off by the water current. When we add weight to the hook, using round leadfree wire, add the wire to the sides of the shank of the hook.
Step 1. add in a layer of thread around the shank of the hook. This step will add traction so materials will better hold in place and not slip around the hook shank.
Step 2. tie one strip to the far side of the hook shank, leaving room at the bend of the hook and the eye of the hook. Thickness of the lead-free wire should be close to the wire thickness of the hook.
Step 3. repeating step two, do the same on the near side of the hook shank, and cover with wraps of thread.
Step 4. coat the thread wraps and lead-free wire with head cement. This will protect the lead from oxidation and help to keep it in place.
Step 5. tie two brown goose biots at the bend of the hook. The biots should be a gap length long. Curving outward.
Step 6. tie the copper wire for the rib at the bend of the hook, under the hook shank.
Step 7. cut a section of turkey tail that has been sprayed with a clear coat. The section should be as wide as the abdomen. Tie the turkey-tail section on top at the bend of the hook with the shiny side of the feather facing down. This is an overbody to cover the top of the abdomen. Most stonefly
nymphs have a dark top with a different color underneath the body.
Tight Dubbing Noodle
Step 8. apply a very small amount of dubbing fur on the thread. To apply, twist in one direction onto the thread. If we use very little dubbing fur on the thread, there will be no need for wax.
Step 9. make the dubbing noodle by adding small amounts of dubbing fur and twisting in the same direction. Twist on in a counter-clockwise direction.
Step 10. do not make long, dubbing noodles. Keep control of your thread length as we are not trying to dub the whole abdomen in one sitting. Wrap the noodle onto the hook, touching wraps and building the body up. This body should be slightly tapered as you get to the mid-shank of the hook.
Step 11. the abdomen, when fully created, should be at least half the length of the hook shank with a slight taper towards the eye of the hook.
Step 12. fold the turkey-tail section over the top of the abdomen. Then, secure the section at the end of the abdomen and trim the excess.
Step 13. rib the fly with the copper wire. Remember, the ribbing goes in the opposite direction of how you dubbed the body. Apply under the shank of the hook then over the top. When finished, do not cut the wire with your scissors. Instead, use a wire cutter or “helicopter” the wire by twisting it back and forth until it breaks off. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13
Dubbing Loop
Step 14. stonefly nymphs usually have a double wing-case with a thorax that is larger than the abdomen. Cut a thicker section of the treated turkey tail to create a double wingcase. Place the shiny side down as this will be pulled over the thorax.
Step 15. with the thread, cross over the top of the loop to close it. This is like closing a Ziploc bag to hold the fur in place.
Step 16. hold the loop open and bring the tying-thread towards the eye of the hook. We are almost ready to fill the loop with fur.
Step 17. remember, use small amounts of fur. When applying, make sure the guard hairs are perpendicular to the thread in the loop.
Step 18. spin the dubbing-loop tool to twist the loop. The guard hairs will be sticking out of the loop.
Step 19. start wrapping the fur onto the hook shank, but make sure your first two or three turns are over the wing-
case material. This ensures no gaps between the thorax and the abdomen. The first section of the wingcase has only a few wraps. As you are wrapping the fur, make sure you stroke the fibers rearward towards the bend of the hook.
Step 20. fold the first wing-case over the fur and stroke the dubbing fur towards the bend of the hook.
Step 21. fold back the turkey-tail section to get ready for the second wing-case. Tie the section in place.
Step 22. repeat the previous step of making the dubbing loop and wrapping the dubbing loop fur. In this step, the section is larger and more full. Work the dubbing fibers rearward towards the bend of the hook.
Step 23. fold the turkey-tail section over the final thorax section. Whip finish and cut your thread. Do not cut the excess turkey-tail yet.
Step 24. using your bodkin, make antennas and then cut the excess turkey-tail off. 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24
Adding Weight
Next, working with the Red Fox Squirrel Nymph, following are a couple different ways to add weight to a fly. Materials needed for the Red Fox Squirrel Nymph are as follows:
nymph abdomen (belly hair)
Thorax: SLF Dave Whitlock Red
Tail
Squirrel guard hairs
Rib: Oval Gold Tinsel
Abdomen: Dave Whitlock’s blends. SLF Red Fox Squirrel
Squirrel Nymph Thorax
Bead: Gold
Legs: Partridge Feather
With the stonefly nymph, we add the weight to the sides of the hook to give a flattening appearance. With other nymphs, such as mayflies or caddis larvae, we can use a lighter diameter to wrap around the shank of the hook. We can also add weighted beads, made from tungsten, to help the fly sink faster.
Step 1. place the hook in the vise, with the point up. Prepare a bead in a bodkin with the small hole facing the point of the hook. Apply as shown and the bead will slide onto the hook
with ease. Once the bead slides over the barb of the hook, take the hook out of the vise, and slide the bead to the eye of the hook, then reposition the hook in the vise.
Step 2. wrap lead-free wire around the hook shank. A thinner diameter lead-free wire can be used here.
Step 3. apply eight to ten wraps behind the bead, then slide all the wraps behind the bead.
Step 4. attach the tying thread, covering the lead-free wire wraps and bring the thread to the bend of the hook.
Step 5. from the back of the Red Fox Squirrel, cut the fur with the guard hairs and a little of the under fur at the base of the hide. Measure the length of the guard hairs. They should be half the shank of the hook length.
Step 6. secure the fur at the bend of the hook.
Step 7. tie in the oval, gold tinsel at the bend of the hook and underneath the shank of the hook.
Step 8. for the abdomen, the dubbing blend is SLF Red Squirrel Nymph, which is one of Dave Whitlock’s blends. This blend contains synthetic fibers along with natural squirrel fur. The synthetic fibers can add a level of difficulty to dubbing, but if you continue to use very small amounts of the blend, dubbing the thread noodle will be easier.
Weight: Lead-free Wire 1 5 9 2 6 10 3 7 11 4 8 12
Step 9. for the thorax, we will use a dubbing loop. The dubbing blend is the SLF Dave Whitlock Red Squirrel Nymph Thorax.
Step 10. wrap the thorax dubbing loop behind the bead.
Step 11. tie in a partridge feather by the tip behind the gold bead. Make two or three wraps and tie off behind the bead.
From time to time, a radio or television announcer will utter those words, and we turn our ear a little closer to make sure we hear it. If that good news comes under the heading of conservation, we’ll give it our complete attention. If it’s good news about fish habitat, we’re ready to pop a cork and throw a party! Recently, we had reason to send up a rousing cheer because several good-news items about fish habitat, have indeed, been a long time coming.
Ain’t That Good News?
First on our list is the largest dam removal project in history. Let’s repeat that for emphasis:
The Largest Dam Removal Project in History!
For more than a century, four dams on the Klamath River have blocked the path of salmon and steelhead from being able to reach historic spawning grounds. The Klamath’s 257-mile-
long course runs through Northern California and Oregon and empties into the Pacific Ocean. Those four dams had not only impacted fish migration, they also degraded water quality.
But now, after more than twenty years of effort, those dams are coming down. Copco No. 2, the smallest of the four, was removed last October. In January, deconstruction of Copco No. 1 began, and all three will be out of the river by November. Think of it, for the first time in more than a hundred years, salmon and steelhead in the Klamath will be able to reestablish their natural spawning process by moving from source to sea and back again without barriers!
This effort, like so many others, was the result of a joint effort of several Native American tribes, government agencies, and conservation groups, including members of the Northern California Council of Fly Fishers International.
The dams date back to a time when hydropower was seen as a key to progress in the West. But people living in the Klamath watershed, especially those of the Hoopa, Karuk, Klamath, Modoc, and Yurok Tribes, could foresee the bad side effects of the dams. In 2002, a fish kill. of more than 70,000 salmon – the largest in history - brought the situation to the attention of others. The amount of energy generated by the dams had never been great, and now with a very real indicator of the poor health of the river, a campaign for the removal of the dams began.
Bad publicity and decreasing profitability led the owner – Pacificorp - to question the dams’ value as a business enterprise. By transferring ownership to the Klamath River Renewal Corporation, those companies were able to rid themselves of a problem, and the way was open for dam removal. Now, we are seeing the result of more than twenty years of effort.
Kathleen Bergeron
Kathleen Bergeron is a North Carolina-based communications professional in marketing, public relations, and advertising. She has managed award-winning campaigns aimed at reducing water, wastewater, and solid waste pollution, promotion of alternative transportation fuels and Earth-friendly practices in general. Her writing has been published in more than two-dozen national and international magazines. Kathleen currently serves on the Fly Fishers International Board of Directors and is Chair of the Board Conservation Committee.
Deconstruction of Iron Gate dam, the lowest of the four dams along the Oregon-California border has begun.
Photo Michael Wier / CalTrout
Roll On, Columbia
Just north of the Klamath is a river basin that’s the size of France, has the greatest flow of any river entering the Pacific Ocean, outside of Asia, and whose river extends some 1,243 miles (2,000 km). The Columbia River Basin, like the Klamath, hosts a wide variety of fish, including steelhead and salmon. Also, like the Klamath, it is dotted with hydroelectric dams. These, however, produce more than 40 percent of total U.S. hydroelectric power generation. But again, like the Klamath, those dams have had a negative impact on fish populations, and on the overall health of the river and its tributaries. Earlier this year, after many years of litigation, an agreement was reached by a group known as “the Six Sovereigns,” four Tribal Nations and the States of Oregon and Washington.
Known as the Columbia Basin Restoration Initiative, or CBRI, the plan calls for investments of more than a billion dollars of federal funds for wild fish recovery and clean-energy projects in the region. First steps in getting the CBRI accomplished, began in a White House ceremony in February. There, representatives of the Six Sovereigns as well as the federal government, signed a series of preliminary commitments known as the Columbia River Agreement. While the federal government has not yet signed on to the full CBRI, this initial agreement is quite significant. For example, the Lower Snake River has a series of dams that have prevented steelhead and salmon from returning to spawning and rearing habitats in central Idaho and eastern Oregon. The document signed in Washington, DC, could lead to removal of those dams
within approximately eight years.
As with the Klamath story, several organizations played a role in this effort over many years. But the work is not over. The Lower Snake River restoration and dam removal, for example, must get Congressional approval.
A Midwest Success Story
Near Michigan’s western coast, fly fishers have long treasured the pristine waters of the Pere Marquette River for its salmon, steelhead, and resident trout. Locally referred to as the P.M., the river runs more than sixty miles, from the central part of the state’s lower peninsula, westward into Pere Marquette Lake, before emptying into Lake Michigan. It has been designated as both a Blue Ribbon Trout Stream and a Wild and Scenic River. Quite naturally, the location has long been a favorite for fly fishers, so popular, in fact, that, for one section of the river, flies-only and catch-andrelease regulations are in effect.
But while the swiftly flowing waters of the P.M. might be appealing to the eye, the river’s natural channel had been eroding a curved area of the waterway, very near a railroad bridge embankment. Over the years, as the current ate into more and more of the embankment soil, the situation became a slowly ticking time-bomb. Especially so, given that rail cars often carry chemicals from nearby industrial plants.
Without an effort to stabilize the site, a whole series of disasters might occur: Once the soils have sufficiently loosened, the weight of a train could collapse the 390-foot-long slope, causing it to tumble into the river. That result may be the loss of lives as well as pollution of the waterway
and killing everything in it. Jim Bos, president of the Pere Marquette Watershed Council (PMWC), noted to a local newspaper reporter that, “These banks don’t always go in small increments, sometimes (they fall) in a big whoosh.”
Enter the Pere Marquette River Restoration Committee, a volunteer partnership of federal, tribal, state, local, profit and non-profit entities that had been collaborating on efforts throughout the river’s watershed for more than three decades. Stream bank stabilization, habitat enhancement, and floodplain restoration were undertaken to correct the situation. Some 600 cubic yards of fieldstone were placed along 350 linear feet of the river’s outer base, and seedling shrubs and trees are being planted in the site this spring.
Overall cost of the project was $520,000, but contributions to pay for it came from a dozen sources, with the Little River Band of Ottawa Indians providing the largest amount, $200,000. Two grants from Fly Fishers International totaled $7,000. The list of partners included eighteen entities, including the tribe, federal and state agencies, rail companies, non-profits, and the engineering design and construction companies.
The Critical Role of Partnering
In each of these good-news items, the critical element has been partnerships. Getting something done – whether it’s convincing a government agency to act, or physically protecting a watershed –is difficult, and sometimes impossible to accomplish without them.
Over the years, this publication has addressed conservation partnerships
on numerous occasions. In a 2018 article, for example, Tom Logan, FFI’s Chairman and Senior Conservation Advisor at the time, reflected on how far conservation organizations have come since the 50s and 60s, when so many of them were either established or became increasingly engaged. He noted that, “Private outdoor organizations traditionally have been very competitive with each other in what they do, their membership base,
and sources of funding. They now are collaborating on conservation matters to speak with one, much more powerful voice on conservation matters, while still representing the respective recreational interests of their members. “
A couple of years later, Whit Fosburgh, then,president and CEO of the Theodore Roosevelt Conservation Partnership, wrote an article on partnerships in which he stated,
“Going it alone is great for being on a river or in the woods, but it is a recipe for failure in policy, and our challenge is only going to grow.”
A year after that, Rick Williams, another of Fly Fishers International’s senior scientists, and, incidentally, a key volunteer in the Columbia River Agreement, wrote a piece entitled, “Strategic Partnerships & Critical Issues.”
The simple truth is partnerships
Progress from the Pere Marquette River Restoration
Photo
After the Pere Marquette River Restoration
Before the Pere Marquette River Restoration
work. Those examples prove it. On the other hand, as Fosburg put it, going it alone is a recipe for failure.
And the effort continues...
Finally, there is this: Fly Fishers International received word last year of a proposal for developing an open pit mine, within three miles of the pristine Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge in Georgia. After getting more information on the plan, FFI’s president sent a letter to the Georgia Department of Natural Resources (DNR), opposing the mine. But this January, the DNR announced that it had granted temporary permits to the mining company. It also announced a period for public comment.
In the meantime, FFI met with representatives of the Theodore Roosevelt Conservation Partnership about the situation. They then
sent a message to its 63 partner organizations, urging them to cosign a letter protesting the mine. FFI also established a Conservation Partnership with the Okefenokee Protection Alliance (OPA).
Bill Sapp, chair of the executive committee of the OPA said, “When I first called the environmental groups together to fight the proposed mine, I never dreamed that the coalition would end up being so effective. Together, the OPA can reach over five million people throughout the world. These individuals have answered our call by submitting over a quarter of a million comments over the life of our campaign. These comments have arrived from all fifty states and close to fifty countries.”
At this writing, the Georgia legislature ended its Spring 2024 session without acting on the Okefenokee. The Atlanta Journal-
Constitution’s April 2, 2024, issue included an item with the headline, “Georgia Speaker Burns, hopes to see action to protect Okefenokee in 2025 session.” Beneath a photo of Mr. Burns, the caption read, “Georgia House Speaker Jon Burns said Tuesday, on the ‘Politically Georgia’ podcast, that protection of the Okefenokee Swamp will continue to be a concern in the General Assembly. ‘There is no more important issue to any of us in Georgia and certainly to me,’ Burns said.”
We do not yet know if the Okefenokee situation will be another good news item for fish and natural habitat. If it is, one of the reasons will no doubt be that more than five million people from a diversity of groups, came together in partnership to fight for it.
Partnerships work.
Signing of the Columbia Basin Restoration Initiative In photo left to right: Corrine Sams, Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation, Jonathan W. Smith, Sr., Chairman, Confederated Tribes of the Warm Springs Reservation, Governor Jay Inslee, Washington, Chair Gerry Lewis of the Yakima Nation, John Podesta, Senior Adviser to the President for International Climate Policy, Governor Tina Kotrek, Oregon, Brenda Mallory, Chair, White House Council on Environmental Quality, Shannon Wheeler, Nez Perce Tribe
Photo Nic Nelson, Executive Director, Idaho Rivers United
The Essence of Fly Fishing Getting Back to our Roots
Essence is defined as the “inherent nature of the thing”.
Meaning that the thing cannot exist without its essence. To many this extends to fly fishing, that it cannot exist without fly casting.
“Fly casting is the essence of fly fishing”, Mel Krieger claimed in his still relevant video, Essence of Fly Casting, produced almost 40 years ago in 1985. Over and over he made reference to this point and claimed it as truth. Many, including myself, have adopted this as central to fly fishing and, historically, fly fishing has been defined by this belief. Not by some consensus from a governing body, or only by Mel, but by default from weighted lines and dry and wet flies being the mainstay.
As Paul Schullery stated in A History of American Fly Fishing, “Thanks to the arrival of heavier silk lines in the 1870’s and 1880’s, the fly fisher of a century ago had a reasonable array of techniques in his casting repertoire.” The weighted fly-line moving the weighted fly, culminating in fly casting with the use of a fly rod is what gives fly fishing its rhythmic
Jeff
Wagner
Jeff Wagner
poetry, entomological proximity, and contemplative solitude.
In fly fishing, the recent surge of nymphing techniques has blurred this line in the opposite direction, toward conventional fishing techniques. In many of these techniques, lead or tungsten weighted flies are used with a “Euro Nymph” style of line. These lines are essentially level lines with minimal weight. If we were to rate them on the AFTMA scale, we would be closer to a zero weight and no taper. This draws the fly to line weight ratio closer to equal. No longer are we casting the weight of the fly line but generally a hybrid approach of lobbing the weighted flies and slinging the line. There is not enough weight to overcome the energy of the flies and so the fly line becomes mostly irrelevant.
When we think about fly casting and the simple physics of it, by definition, casting a weightless fly (the lure) with a weighted fly line makes sense. Of course, weightless is not literal but in comparison, to the fly line. The fly, usually weighing only a few grains in most trout applications is one
hundredth the weight of a standard fly-line in the first thirty feet and depending on the head length of the line cast, and the distance, a fly could be as little as one to two hundredths the weight of sixty to ninety feet of fly line. This is underscored by the line-rating system. We are all aware of this system as it is what provides the definition of line weights. A 5-weight line is not some random characterization but a standard. For example, a 5-weight is 140 grains (+/- 6 grains). There are 7,000 grains to a pound which puts into context how light even our weighted lines are. While the system is not perfect and many desire to change it, no viable replacement has been brought forward. This system underscores the need for a line to be weighted to bend the rod and cast the fly. Contrary to the belief of many, the weight of the rod and the corresponding line, should be chosen, principally, by the weight and wind resistance of the fly being cast. The lighter the fly the lighter the line and the heavier the fly (or line when needing a sinking line) the heavier the line. The goal is to counter the weight
When he’s not fishing or casting you’ll find Jeff hiking or biking the back country with his family. They also volunteer their time to conservation efforts with groups such as Fly Fishers International. Oh, and during business hours Jeff does business stuff.
(or resistance) of the thing(s) being cast with the weight (energy) of the line. Of course, conditions, distance, and fish fighting are also extremely relevant. But this does not change the inseparable nature of the weight of the fly line, the fly, and the physics to present the fly to the fish. This is the definition of fly fishing.
By contrast, in conventional fishing a weighted lure, with a seemingly weightless line, is used to cast. For example, a lure might be ¼ to ½ ounce. This is roughly 110 to 220 grains, while the monofilament line would weigh only a few grains in the same distance of thirty to ninety feet as the fly line. It is, literally, the opposite scenario. This presents the inverse of the flyfishing ratio where the line is one to two hundredths the weight of the lure.
Of course, there are always shades of gray. One can cast lighter and lighter lures in conventional fishing. However, the line does not get heavier, it would get lighter. And, in fly fishing, we can cast heavier and heavier flies, but we generally need a correspondingly heavier and heavier fly-line to maintain
a similar ratio of fly to line weight and maintain the cast.
The casting between the two types of fishing is also different. Whereas in conventional fishing the cast is unidirectional, meaning the power application is only on the forward stroke, (generally speaking), the fly cast is bi-directional and requires energy transfer on both the forward and back cast (save for the roll cast). This is due to the weighted line and needing to extend in both directions. To be blunt and get to the heart of the matter, if I can’t cast a nymph-rig on a conventional outfit (spinning reel on an ultra-light rod with four-pound monofilament for example) it ceases to be purely fly fishing. While it can be done with a fly rod it is not isolated to it.
Not one to erode the tradition of fly fishing or contradict the words of Mel, I believe in evolving without alienating. It would seem, that rather than fly casting being the essence of fly fishing, it is the quintessence. Quintessence is being the purest form of something, not an inseparable characteristic. In its purest form,
fly fishing involves fly casting and this requires a weighted line that minimizes the impact of the fly.
As we see the surge in fly fishing wane, post pandemic, we are left with our little segment of reality in conflict with itself. Do we erode the lines and attempt to retain new fly fishers at the expense of the definition of fly fishing? Do we believe that having more people doing this, and learning a technique that requires less skill, with more fish to hand, is the pathway toward success?
Rather, maybe, we should emphasize the quintessence of fly fishing, its purest form, while not minimizing a proven fishing technique. Nymphing techniques are, obviously, exceedingly successful. There is no question about that. But is catching fish the only goal? Are we gaining by minimizing the thing that defines our past time? Can both exist simultaneously?
It is important to grow and adapt. And, contrary to some beliefs, it is ok to nymph with weighted flies and mostly unweighted lines. However, let’s be sure to emphasize our quintessence. Let’s not hide behind the thing that is hard or challenging. Fly casting is beautiful, striking, and poetry in motion. The thing that makes fly fishing so appealing to so many and evokes daydreaming and movie highlights is our anchor, it is what defines and separates our sport.
Let’s embrace and grow fly fishing AND fly casting. Let’s get back to our roots. Even to the extent of flycasting education and fly-casting competitions. Let’s get back to showing that the epitome of fly fishing is floating lines and dry flies cast with perfect presentations. Let’s get back to fly casting as the quintessence of fly fishing.
Photo Arian Stevens
Prolific Seasons
SPRING FISHING
Spring is one of the most exciting seasons for fly fishing since it is the time when aquatic life is at its zenith and fish are more active than at any other time of the year, making it ideal for anglers of all types and skill levels. Not all of us realize just how vital the spring season is. Not only are the fish more active, but more importantly, aquatic life is at its peak. Spring is the ideal time to fish with insect patterns. During spring, insects are the essential food for early trout. Aquatic life is probably 90% insects, and 10% minnows. The following patterns are perfect for fly fishing in spring when the water temperature is more relaxed, and the fish feed more actively. To fool the fish, use flies that closely resemble insects that are hatching at that time. Remember, at this fun-time of year, many species of fish are migrating to spawn as the water is warming. You can expect the water temperature to range in the 40s to 50s Fahrenheit (4C-10C). For the angler, it is excellent to inhale crisp, cool air while fishing during the spring months. As soon as trout see insect life and feel the warmth, they start moving. During the spring, everything comes alive in the aquatic world.
Jack Gillis
Jack Gillis Chair, FFI Fly Tying Group
Warmer water temperatures increase a fish’s metabolism, causing them to feed more aggressively. Also, this time of year brings on a feeding frenzy in the insect world. Springtime is when most aquatic insects are hatching, making it the ideal time to fish with nymphs and dry flies.
Nymphs are an excellent choice for spring fly-patterns. Nymphs are designed to imitate the immature form of aquatic insects. They are fished below the surface year-round. Spring is one of the best times to fish them because they closely imitate the springtime prey of fish. Some springtime nymphs might include patterns such as the Pheasant Tail nymph, Bead Head nymph, or Prince Nymph. In the spring, all sorts of things hatch from the water, and as you can imagine, trout love them. Blue Winged Olives, March Browns, and Elk Hair Caddis are among the most effective patterns.
SUMMER FISHING
The bugs keep coming in the summertime! Terrestrial’s, like grasshoppers, ants, and beetles are abundant, and the water bugs are still hatching. Besides, it doesn’t get any better than a hot, summer day! You get
to stay up a little later since the days are longer, the temperatures are warmer, and life seems easy. The selection of flies increases dramatically in the summertime. Fish have started hitting hoppers and ants that now fall into the water. This becomes very important in the summertime. The name of the game is fishing a dry fly. You will do this most of the time – even when you can’t see the rise. This is because fish will still be taking flies on the surface. It’s just that you won’t be able to see them do it. It is fun to guess where the fish is and cast to it. When fishing this way, you will use attractors such as the Foam Hopper, Parachute Ant, and Foam Beetle. When you get very comfortable casting these, you can give the PaleYellow Humpy a try.
Another significant fly is the streamer. Streamers imitate more oversized prey such as baitfish, leeches, and other predators. The summertime also means an abundance of more oversized prey items where predatory fish can get that meal almost for nothing. Some streamers, such as the Woolly Bugger, Muddler Minnow, Zonker, Green Drake, etc., can be deadly, especially in deeper water and targeting bigger fish.
Jack R. Gillis stands out as a passionate devotee of fly tying, boasting a lifelong membership with the Fly Fishers International (FFI) and its esteemed Fly Tying Group. He presently chairs the Fly Tying Group Board of Governors, marking a significant leadership role within the organization. His involvement in the fly fishing community extends further as a member of the Northwest Atlantic Salmon Fly Guild and the Roadkill Roundtable, a venerable group of fly tiers with origins dating back to 1972. Jack’s contributions to fly tying have been recognized with the FFI Gold Fly Tying Achievement Award.
Knowing how the fish and insects act in these seasons will help you choose the kind of fly and the technique you should perform. In spring, you should mainly focus on nymphing techniques because the water temperatures have yet to reach their high points. The water is warming up, and the fish are waiting for their primary food source, nymphs, to hatch. As the spring continues, you need to take advantage of fish rising to the surface to eat. There is a bit of surface activity by the fish starting to happen, and it will only increase as spring proceeds so that you will be mainly dry-fly fishing during this time. Pay attention to the hatches and try to replicate the natural insect as closely as possible. During the summer, versatility is the key to catching fish. I would use dries and terrestrials in the early mornings and late evenings because the fish will swim to the water’s surface to eat what is on top of the water. During the heat of the day, there is less surface activity by the fish, so this is the best time to bring out your nymphs or streamers, because most fish move down to cooler, deeper sections of water. Success is found in understanding the life cycles of the aquatic and terrestrial insects in the rivers you fish and selecting flies that mimic those insects as closely as possible. The fish will not have to use much energy chasing food this time of year because a lot of food will pass right over their heads, so the more closely your fly imitates what is being eaten, the better off you will be. Whether drifting a nymph in early spring or casting a hopper pattern on a scorching summer afternoon, one factor is vital: observation, observation, observation.
Parachute Adams – Dry Fly
Hook: Standard Dry Fly Hook - Size 12
Thread: Gray, Danville 6/0 (70 Denier), UNI 8/0, UTC (70 Denier)
Tail: Mixed Grizzly & Brown Hackle Fibers
Wing Post: White Calf Tail Hair Fibers
Body: Natural Gray Muskrat Dubbing
Hackle: Grizzly & Brown Rooster Hackles
Head: Thread
Bead Head Prince Nymph
Hook: Nymph Hook, 1XL - Size 12
Thread: Black 6/0 or 8/0
Bead: Gold Bead Sized for Hook (for size 12, 2.8 to 3 mm or 7/64”)
Tail: Brown biots
Rib: Fine Gold Oval or Small Gold Flat
Tinsel
Body: Peacock herl
Hackle: Fairly Rigid Brown Hen or Softer
Rooster Hackle
Wing: White biots
The Green Drake
Hook:Partridge CS15, #2 9XL
Thread:140 Denier White, 6/0 Black, 6/0
Red
Tag:Tinsel-flat, silver
Body:4-strand floss, orange
Rib:Tinsel-flat, silver
Underbelly:Bucktail, white
Throat:Schlappen, white
Underwing:Four to six strands
Black Parachute Ant
Hook:Daiichi 1180, or standard dry fly
hook, sizes #10-#18
Thread:Black 8/0
Shell:Black Foam
Abdomen:Black Dubbing
Post:White Macrame Yarn or Para Post Wing
Hackle:Black Rooster Hackle. 3-10 wraps (varied for buoyancy)
Head:Black Foam
Muddler Minnow
Hook: Standard Streamer Fly Hook; TMC 100, Mustad 9672 or suitable substitute. Size: 2 to 12
Thread: Black Uni 6/0, Danville 6/0 or 3/0, UTC 70 or 140 Denier or suitable substitute
Tail: Mottled brown turkey quill slips, paired
Body: Flat gold tinsel
Rib: Oval gold tinsel
Under wing: Squirrel tail fibers (gray or fox)
Wings: Mottled brown turkey quill slips
Collar: Stacked and spun deer or elk hair fibers
Head: Spun and trimmed deer or elk hair fibers
Step 1 Tie the thread in just behind the eye as a thread base for the lead eyes
Step 5. Then splay the brown rooster hackles at the bend of the hook, making sure they point out from each other and up at about a 30 degree angle, like the Krystal Flash. These feathers mimic the claws of the crab. The feathers should be 1½ times the length of the hook.
Step 2. Then tie the dumbbell eyes right behind the eye of the hook on the top of the hook. This will make the hook point ride up.
Merkin Crab –Saltwater Fly
RECIPE
Hook: Saltwater hook - Size 4
Eyes: Medium Dumbbell EyesSilver or Grey
Thread: Danville 3/0 thread (or equivalent) - Fluorescent Green
Tail: Pearl Krystal Flash and 2 Brown Rooster Hackle Feathers
Body: EP Fibers Light Brown and Tan or Yarn – the color of the yarn can vary depending on the species of crab but should be muted earth tones of brown, tan, gold, green or gray
Legs: White medium round rubber legs marked with a red marker
Step 3. Wrap the thread from the dumbbell eyes to just a little past the bend of the hook.
Step 4. Tie in four to six strands of pearl Krystal Flash at the bend of the hook so they point up at about a 30 degree angle when the fly is riding hook point up.
6. Top view of the fly after the tail is tied in.
Step
Step 7. Cut five lengths of EP Fibers or yarn about 11/2 inches long. Tie in the fibers on the top of the hook using X wraps, starting at the bend of the hook, finishing just behind the dumbbell eyes.
Step 8. The yarn should be evenly spaced and exactly perpendicular to the hook shank. If you are using multiple colored yarn, vary the colors to give the fly a mottled look.
Step 11. Trim the rubber legs so they are approximately the width of the yarn body. With the red marker, color the last 1/8” of each of the legs.
Step 9. Trim the yarn to give the crab a teardrop shape, with the narrowest part near the dumbbell eyes. Wrap the thread forward to the eye of the hook and whip finish the thread.
Step 10. Tie in four pieces of round white rubber legs. The legs should be evenly spaced between the dumbbell eyes and the bend of the hook – put one rubber leg between each of the pieces of yarn. Turn the fly upside down. Use a square knot to tie the rubber legs, like an overhand knot. The old scout knot is right over left then left tag over the right tag.
12
Step
Add UV resin, super glue, or head cement to the knots.
Fly Fisher People Tie One On
There is nothing quite like sitting across the table from a fly fisher. There is genuine happiness in their eyes, laughter, and pats on the back. Their faces light up like a warm campfire when they start spinning yarns with hands outstretched (“It was that big!”). We eavesdropped as the older guys shared the location of their favorite fishing holes. Some kids from a middle school fly-tying club sparkled with anticipation and awe as they took in every word. Best of all, there was the shared love of fly fishing and the art of fly tying with all its glorious gear.
I was honored to join this enclave of dedicated men and women at the
2024 Northwest Fly Tyer and Fly Fishing Expo in Albany, Oregon. March 8 and 9, 2024. They invited me to tie a commemorative fly I’d created to celebrate Pearl Harbor’s anniversary. I named it “Pearl Harbor Remembrance.”
I crafted several variations of “Remembrance” and finally settled on an adaptation of a classic salmon-fly pattern. Like my book, Pearl Harbor’s Final Warning, it took me years to perfect since I’m an intermediate tyer who leans more to the beginner’s side of tying.
Before the show, I’d set up a card table in the family room and practiced and practiced, making sure my thread was flat like Jerry Criss taught me, watching my proportions as Sherry Steele had explained, and guiding my wraps John Kreft style, so they didn’t overlap. Expert tiers, all. Wonderfully patient people who teach and share their knowledge with anyone who asks, so long as it doesn’t interfere with their fishing time.
As I sat tying my fly at the Expo, the guy beside me did a finish knot and parachute loop I’d never seen before. I stopped tying when my
audience left to watch him. He’d gone back to some old tyers’ books to learn his “new” methods. It’s always nice to hear that some people still use books. And, he had some great tools. Really great.
Fly fishing and tying is the ultimate sport for gearheads. There is not just one type of hackle plier: there are dozens. His hackle pliers were engineering perfection: flexible, precise, small, and handy. I grabbed my notepad and noted the South Dakota Fly shop that carried them. By the time my shift ended, I was sure the new tools I coveted were well over a hundred bucks.
Someone interrupted my lustful reverie about new pliers and a magnetic material holder and asked, “Are you the lady that’s tying the mouse pattern that catches trout?”
“No, but let me know when you can find her,” I said.
A trout eating a mouse—how fabulous is that? It’d have to be a big one, for sure.
And so the day went. People stopped and chatted, asked questions, and shared stories. Some had their dogs with them, others had their children or partner in tow. My
Chesapeake (WV-VA-MD-DE)
Eastern Rocky Mtn (WY-CO-NM-AZ)
Eastern Waters (NY-NJ-PA)
Florida
Great Lakes(MI-IN)
Gulf Coast (LA-MS-AL)
Northern California (CA-NV-HI)
North Eastern (VT-NH-ME-MA-RI-CT)
Ohio
Oregon
South Eastern (KY-TN-NC-SC-GA-AL)
Southern (NE-IA-KS-MO-IL-OK-AR)
Southwest (CA-NV)
Texas
Upper Midwest (MN-WI-IL)
Washington (WA-AK)
Western Rocky Mtn (UT-ID-MT-ND-SD)
favorite encounter was with a sevenand-a-half-year-old girl and her dad. She was enthralled with fly fishing and tying. She told me, “I make pink flies that sparkle.” And her dad’s eyes smiled.
At the banquet and live auction that evening, I sat next to Jeff Perin, our local fly-shop owner and resident fly fisherman extraordinaire. I gulped down his words like a trout during a salmon-fly hatch. He was leading a trip to Belize soon. If only I had the money! He’d just gotten back from Argentina. Holy Cow, Argentina! And yes, the fly tyers in his shop still use my long-deceased father-in-law’s table. I felt like I was in the presence of the water master himself.
I am so fortunate. The richness of fly tying and fishing came into my life after I retired, thanks to one magnificent woman, Sherry Steele. I would never have met Jerry, John, or Jeff without her. She has done more to keep fly-fishing alive than anyone I know. She organizes Expos, holds Zoom tying-meetings, founded our fly-tying guild, and teaches fly-tying whenever possible. The MC at the dinner announced her name at least four times.
Sherry has been my mentor and guide. She has never charged me a dime and is always there when I need a helping hand. She is a rare gift to Sisters Country. Like our fabulous sunrises, she brightens the flyfishing community with her light and generosity, for which I will always be grateful.
Thanks to Sherry, I’ve started two of my grandkids fly-tying. Iden is learning the art of taking a break as
we progress to ever-smaller hooks. His eight-year-old sister, Harley, loves to tie pink sparkle flies, too. They eagerly await summer and dream of tight lines and “fish that big” slurping up their flies on the crystal clear waters of the Metolius River. So do I!
Valarie J. Anderson is an award winning author and a member of the FFI since 2009. She is also a founding member of the Central Oregon Fly Tyers Guild in Sisters, Oregon.
North Eastern
Jon Larrabee jon@larrabeereels.com
Northern California Clay Hash clayhash.fft@gmail.com
Ohio Jeff McElravy jmcelravysr@hotmail.com
Oregon Sherry Steele orcffi@gmail.com
Southeastern Debra Pauli president@secffi.org
Southern Chris Allen callenshooter@aol.com
Southwest Earl Arnold president@swcffi.org
Texas
Rick Haness president@texascouncilffi.com
Upper Midwest
Lyth Hartz president.umc.ffi@gmail.com
Washington State Steve Jones president@wscffi.org
Western Rocky Mountain Dave Londeree dlonderee@roadrunner.com
The New FFI Fly Casting Education Program
Jonathan
Walter, Chair Fly Casting Education
Program
FFI has a new, exciting program called the Fly Casting Education Program (FCEP). We thank the Casting Instructor Certification Program (CICP) and its Casting Board of Governors, for creating and maintaining what is now a foundation. Mid-way through 2023, we began work to find the best way for the casting program to grow and prosper as a valued and respected member of the fly-fishing community. To accomplish this, we must build from our foundation and expand fly-casting education toward all fly anglers. Many thanks to the hard-working design team and transition team, facilitator Willy George, and the leadership team, that got us to this point.
The new FCEP is organized into two “streams” that are interactive and interdependent. These are Angler Casting Educationand Casting Instructor Education. Our leadership team consists of these people and I, Jonathan Walter, Chair, and Willy George, Vice-Chair.
The Angler Casting Education (ACE) stream will engage with all flyanglers, including those outside FFI,
primarily through Fly Casting Skills Development—a signature method of developing casting skills for fly fishing. Global implementation of the program has already begun. This program will give our instructors a broader audience and more students to work with. It will create greater awareness of FFI and greater awareness of the value of casting skills taught by our certified instructors. New instructor candidates will arise from this. The Learning Center will be updated and expanded with new content. We are building more, robust relations with US Councils, clubs, casting directors, and international representatives. Exam and event coordinators for Europe, Asia Pacific, and the Americas are actively planning events.
The Casting Instructor Education (CIE) stream includes the established Casting Instructor Certification and Examiner Development programs. We will continue to improve our certification exams for clarity and relevance. We want the number of Certified Instructors to grow. To support this goal, we are creating a Casting Instructor Development Pipeline to provide a more accessible and structured approach to assist candidates in becoming Certified Instructors (at all levels). We are reinvigorating our Mentor program. The Teacher
Development Team will place increased emphasis on developing teaching skills for all instructors. By welcoming those that teach but are not yet certified, we show a willingness to share knowledge and expertise in teaching fly-casting. This may create a desire to become certified by the organization that is the source of this knowledge. As awareness of the value of a Certified Instructor grows, there will be more demand for them in the industry.
Support functions for the Fly Casting Education Program include Continuing Education, Marketing and Communication Coordination, and more detailed Finance tracking. All these functions are supported by teams working to create content and communications plans for you, our members. This communication will help keep members engaged and informed. Marketing efforts are being formulated and implemented. Eventually, communication and marketing must reach the entire industry and community.
Sustaining this, relies on our volunteers: Certified Instructors, Certification Candidates, and FFI members worldwide. About 100 Certified Instructors at all levels of certification, as well as candidates and FFI members who responded to a “Raise Your Hand” campaign. These individuals are participating in over 280 different roles in the Fly Casting Education Program. We thank everyone who has stepped forward so far, and welcome others who may wish to contribute. We are specifically searching for Marketing and Communications volunteers and Exam Event Coordinators. Should you have questions or suggestions, please contact the Casting Coordinator at casting@flyfishersinternational.org.
Buz Buszek Memorial Fly Tying Award Library
Tom H. Logan Dutch Baughman
Wayne “Buz” Buszek was one of fly fishing’s most eminent fly-tying personalities and instructors, and now a special Fly Tying Library honors his life-long contributions.
By making available some of the highest quality fly-tying instructional and informational materials, Fly Fishers International (FFI) is preserving the legacy of fly fishing, which is part of the organization’s mission.
The Buz Buszek Memorial Fly Tying Library will include educational and instructional materials created by many of the 54 decorated fly-tiers who have already been recognized by FFI with a Buz Buszek Memorial Fly Tying Award. Since 1970 this honor has been bestowed on tiers who have demonstrated excellence in innovation and teaching at the vise, and now many of those tiers, through their donations to the library, will continue to give back to fly fishing.
It is the intent of FFI that the Buszek Library’s contents represent the essence of fly- tying knowledge and instruction.
The Buszek Library will feature sections in the library dedicated to Buszek Award recipients; the information displayed may include written articles, instructional videos, examples of techniques and patterns, or simply stories which pertain to these tiers’ personal experiences. Families and friends of Buszek Award recipients who have passed, are invited to donate to the Buszek Library, as well.
The Buszek Library Planning Committee, which includes Tom Logan, Jack Gillis, Fred DuPre’, Sherry Steele, Barry Webster, Dutch Baughman and Rhonda Sellers, is proud to feature Wayne Luallen as the Library’s inaugural donor.
Wayne Luallen received the Buszek Award in 1991 and is widely respected as a premiere fly-tier, instructor, mentor, author and fly-tying demonstrator. His donation to the Buszek Library includes 49 instructional videos and 24 written articles. Wayne described the opportunity to contribute, as a way of leaving behind a legacy.
“I see the Buz Buszek Memorial Fly Tying Library as a way to leave behind a portion of our tying knowledge for others to benefit from”, he said.
A particularly special video in the Buszek Library, which Luallen recorded, features centenarian Don Lieb tying a Western Coachman, perhaps Buz’s most well-known creation. At age 102, Don, who was a fly fishing and fly-tying companion of Buz Buszek, still teaches a regular fly-tying instruction class.
“I learned to tie flies looking over his shoulder,” Don said, noting original Buszek patterns such as the Kings River Caddis, Old Gray Mare, Flot-n-Fools and Buz’s Shad Fly, among others.
Buz Buszek was born and raised in the Sierra Nevada foothills town of Lindsay, California. Buz discovered fishing as a teenager spending his summers at Laguna Beach with his parents. He surf-fished in the Pacific during summer months and spent the other 10 months of the year at his home in Lindsay. It was in the high country of the Sierras above Lindsay where he discovered fly-fishing for wild trout, an activity which quickly became his
obsession. He explored the Sierra lakes and streams, headwaters and heavy waters, and every nook and cranny from South to North many times over. Buz approached fly-tying with the same fervor that drove his pursuit of wild trout.
As a young man Buz attended Woodbury Business College in Los Angeles, but the Great Depression forced him to leave before graduation. He worked in many odd jobs throughout California. In 1933, he married Virginia Compton, and in 1936, began work at the Visalia post office.
When Buz was not working at the post office he tied flies and fished. Oftentimes other anglers joined him on his trips, enjoying the opportunity to use Buz’s custom-made flies. Buz took great care in making his flies, using nothing but the best feathers, furs, hairs, threads, and hooks. His craftsmanship became well-known.
Soon his flies became so popular he started selling them out of his rented house in Visalia. The extra income helped support his and Virginia’s family, which by then included their daughters Rosalie and Judy.
In 1947, Buz and Virginia decided the tackle business could be profitable, so he left the post office and opened Buz’s Fly and Tackle Shop. He used the back bedroom of the family’s home as his workspace. The entire family got involved in the fly shop business with Virginia tying leaders, Rosalie tying woolly worms and Judy packaging the flies.
The business struggled for the first few years until, eventually, a mail order catalog was created and distributed. Then the business took off. In the 1950s, the company expanded its product line, offering bulk fly-tying materials. The
sales of these materials at one time amounted to over 50 percent of gross company sales. In 1955, the couple built a house, complete with office, fly tying room and oversized garage that served as a warehouse.
As Buz was building his reputation as an expert fly-tier and businessman, he continued to fish, guide and even found time to serve on the board of directors for the Visalia Sportsman’s Association, rising to the position of president in 1954. In addition, Buz wrote articles about fishing for the local newspaper and was featured in books and magazines. Despite business challenges from time to time, Buz’s shop prospered.
Buz was also nationally known for being a resource for fly-tying materials and the catalog he produced for his fly shop reached a mailing list of over 20,000 people. Demand for his flies soared, so Buz began to train others to tie for him, in his style. The employees’ flies were sold exclusively at the wholesale level to sporting goods stores, resorts, and marinas throughout California. Out-of-state customers included Rangely Region Sports in Maine and Norm Thompson in Portland, Oregon. Abercrombie & Fitch of San Francisco carried Buz’s flies for many years.
This team of fly-tiers included Don Lieb, Darwin Atkin, and Clarence Butzbach. To keep up with demand, the team of fly-tiers expanded to include Wayne Luallen, Steve Fernandez, Bud Heintz, Doug McKinsey, Bob Scheidt, Kenny Stout, and others. While the fly-production flourished, the Buszek family continued the fly shop operation and in fact, when Fly Fishers International originally formed as the Federation of Fly Fishers in
1965, the fledgling organization used the Buz’s Fly Shop mailing list of more than 20,000 people to serve as the first database for the new fly-fishing organization.
Now a new database is helping FFI preserve fly-fishing into the future. Content of the Buszek Library epitomizes the excellence in fly-tying that is represented by the Buszek Award and its 54 recipients. It provides library-quality access to the best informational materials for fly-tiers who strive to improve their skills. Most importantly, the Buszek Library provides a way for those who make use of its content to join Fly Fishers International and play a personal role in the preservation of the art form of fly-tying.
Names of the 54 Buz Buszek Memorial Fly Tying Award recipients may be found at www.flyfishersinternational.org.
Basscatch
Local Angler, Jonathan Craft, Received two Fly Fishers International Basscatch Awards for Recognizing Species Diversity and Ecological Values of Native Black Bass by Catching and Releasing 1-4 and 5-8 Black Bass Species
Livingston, MT. February 21, 2024 – A leading conservation group has recognized a local angler, Jonathan Craft of Huntsville, LA, with his accomplishments and appreciation of trout diversity. Fly Fishers International (FFI) has presented him with two Basscatch Awards. Jonathan caught 1-4 & 5-8 subspecies of bass: Smallmouth, Spotted, Largemouth & Coosa Redeye bass as well as Alabama, Warrior, Cahaba & Tallapoosa bass. Each fish was caught while fly fishing
with an artificial fly and released back into its native waters.
The Basscatch Project is part of an effort by Fly Fishers International (FFI) to express the value of species diversity in fisheries and the importance of conserving their individual habitats. The project is designed to help fly fishers appreciate native species diversity and conservation in general, and in this case, value the many species of black bass and to understand the sometimes unique differences in their habitat preferences.
Presently, 12 species of the genus Micropterus exist in some portion of their historic native range. Learning to value these bass in their native range helps ensure a healthy and lasting fishery. The Basscatch Project is intended to aid in the conservation of black bass by encouraging fly fishers to collect memories of the different black bass they catch and release using proper handling.
Fly Fishers International (FFI) has been an organized voice for fly fishers around the world since 1964, representing all aspects of fly fishing –from the art of fly tying and casting, to protection of the natural systems that support healthy fisheries and their habitats so essential to our sport. Today, FFI’s mission is to ensure the legacy of fly fishing for all fish in all waters continues by focusing on conservation, education and a sense of community. More information about Project Basscatch and the Basscatch Award can be found on FFI’s website (www. flyfishersinternational.org).
PATAGONIA
Jorge Trucco
As February fades into the rearview mirror, March descends upon us with a swift, almost frantic pace. Its fleeting nature, filled with dynamic and enjoyable moments, barely grants us a chance to pause and reflect on our recent fishing escapades. Throughout this whirlwind of a month, the days unfolded with a pleasant demeanor, while the rivers beckoned invitingly. We were fortunate to be shielded from the relentless gusts of wind, basking instead in the consistent, albeit occasional, glow of the sun.
This past February could easily be labeled as one of the most remarkable in recent memory, as our fishing endeavors yielded consistently
rewarding experiences, surpassing even our January fishing. Along the Aluminé, Collon Cura, and Chimehuin, the trout moved with particular vivacity, especially during the descent of the emerald gusano worms from the overhanging willows. Surface action abounded, leaving no room for boredom; rather, every moment was infused with exhilaration. The Traful river distinguished itself with its bountiful and steady fishing, offering up substantial browns, rainbows, and salmon. Similarly, the Limay river contributed its share of migratory browns, tantalizingly caught on dry flies and streamers. And let’s not forget the Malleo, where unforgettable morning hatches of blue duns and caddis mesmerized us, alongside a plethora of other enticing dry flies.
Throughout the month, we encountered sporadic hot weather
spells, yet the rivers remained resilient, maintaining stable water levels and optimal temperatures. The scorching Patagonian sun not only bestowed upon us picturesque summer days but also triggered a proliferation of grasshoppers on a grand scale. Consequently, patterns mimicking these insects, such as hopper patterns and foam flies like Fat Alberts or Chubby Chernobyl, proved to be exceptionally effective across all waterways.
As we transition into the onset of colder nights, soon to be tinged with frost, the days will gradually shorten, and the winds will abate. However, our confidence remains unwavering as we anticipate a memorable late season, culminating in a triumphant finale. Indeed, this is the opportune moment to be here, amidst the splendor of nature’s ever-changing tapestry.
Flyfishing in Shangri-La:
Bhutan Opens Her Rivers to the World
Bryant Dunn
The morning sunlight had not yet touched the calm and cool surface of the river currents flowing around my legs nor the ancient footbridge which perched precipitously a few feet above me, leading to a hilltop temple some 2000 vertical feet higher up the ridge. The warm golden fingers of the new day were progressively descending the valley walls as I lifted my fly-fishing line from the water and propelled another delicately delivered flycast in the shadows of the towering Himalayas.
Although fishing that morning nearly 20 years ago was productive, what is far more memorable was the scene that lay before me. I was wading in a pristine freestone river at the foot of the world’s tallest mountain range in the Royal
Kingdom of Bhutan, a petite and remote country that was largely unknown across the greater globe.
It felt like I was exploring a secret fishery nestled in the clouds high above the modern world with all of its chaos and frenetics forgotten far below. The temples, stupas, chortens and distant Dzong, along with the opaque fog of incense smoke that hovered above the valley floor, accentuated the landscape for an unforgettable and magical fishing experience.
The
History of Fishing in Bhutan
Trout fishing was hardly new to the kingdom, in fact a permitted trout fishing season was first established in 1974 for introduced brown trout and native snow trout as anglers were welcome to fish during the nonspawning season in many parts of the country. Certain reaches were off limits due to cultural considerations and fishing in the late fall was closed during the brown trout reproductive period.
The British began exploring Bhutan in the late 1700s, both as invited and uninvited guests. Soon after, the British penchant for fishing led to anglers casting fly spoons on horse hair or silk lines for whatever fish might lie in wait, submerged in Bhutan’s magnificent free-flowing rivers. Eventually, as in many river systems across the globe, brown trout (Salmo trutta) were introduced and competed with indigenous snow trout (Schitzothorax richardsonii, which are not true trout but members of the Cypranidae family). These two “trout” have coexisted ever since with each reproducing naturally across the northern half of the kingdom. River Legend of the Southern Kingdom
However, in the opinions of most knowledgeable anglers, especially those with significant experience fishing across the Himalayan Range, the real attraction of Bhutan’s fishery lies to the south in the larger, warmer waters that flow into India and
eventually into the Mother River, the Brahmaputra. Within those southern rivers lives a fish of spiritual and religious significance within Bhutanese culture and one that is known to grow to the size of a man and is famed as one of the hardest fighting freshwater fish on earth, the mythical Golden Mahseer.
The Golden Mahseer’s original range spanned from Afghanistan in the west across Pakistan, into north-central India and Nepal, next through Bhutan, traversing India’s eastern Arunachal Pradesh reaches and eventually populating in Myanmar to the east. The Golden Mahseer (Tor putitora) is the Himalayan’s alpha piscine predator, an ambush specialist who is capable of attacking other fish at lightning-fast speeds while also feeding omnivoriously on fruit, leaves, insects and detritus.
The physical appearance of Golden Mahseer reflects a marriage of tarpon and snook perhaps, gleaming golden flanks with silver and celadon-tinted scales near its backline and a blood orange, tequila sunrise hue to its anal fin and lower half of the tail. The Golden Mahseer’s lengthy gill plates shine mercurially and encompass a snow-white interior mouth that expands to inhale baitfish and other food sources, including other T. putitora and its smaller but feisty cousin, the Chocolate Mahseer (Neolissochilus hexagonolepis). Barbels add to its ability to sense vibrations in the water column and miniscule variations in water temperature, all contributors to the fish’s ability to position itself in likely ambush locations, often near confluences where small streams enter larger river systems.
However, Golden Mahseer, also referred to as Sernya among other
names, are one of the eight holy symbols of Mahayana Buddhism, the predominant form of Buddhism in the kingdom. In part, because of the cultural aspect of the Golden Mahseer’s place in local religious culture, fishing for these golden ghosts was not allowed. In short, mahseer fishing in the southern rivers was off limits
Science, Conservation and Angling Tourism
Some of the sensitivity surrounding mahseer fishing also existed because up until 2015, no meaningful scientific study had taken place regarding mahseer in Bhutan and therefore population levels were unknown, migratory patterns, if any, were unclear and spawning behavior was undocumented. The mythical fish of the southern kingdom truly was a mystery. However, in 2014, a radio telemetry study was approved which would result in the electronic tagging of at least 100 adult mahseer, both Golden and Chocolate, in the Manas River system of southern Bhutan. The study, initiated in 2015 and completed in 2019 by Dr. David Philipp and Julie Claussen of the Fisheries Conservation Foundation, would lead to capturing data on mahseer including their seasonal migration patterns and spawning locations. This groundbreaking study led to a wealth of data which finally told an accurate story of mahseer within the kingdom’s southern reaches.
With a deeper understanding of mahseer habits, movements and spawning behavior, the wheels were set in motion toward what might ultimately evolve into angling opportunities. However, mahseer conservation was of the highest priority and mandatory protections for mahseer were included in policies fueled by the Bhutan For
Life project and other kingdom-wide initiatives. Additionally, there was no policy in place to oversee the legal implementation of mahseer fishing seasons, restricted river segments, usage allowances or infrastructure for a new recreational angling industry. There was still much to address before mahseer fishing might become allowed.
Then came COVID and the world shut down to everything but the most basic daily operations. Lockdown was as common a term in Bhutan as it was everywhere else and the effects of the pandemic hit the Dragon Kingdom hard. This disastrous chapter in human history triggered a need to supplement a shaken economy and tourism, one of Bhutan’s primary economic drivers, was a crucial consideration in helping the kingdom get back on its feet once the crisis passed and the borders reopened.
With this combination of factors in play: a deeper understanding of Bhutanese mahseer, a growing acceptance of recreational fishing as tolerable within a Buddhist culture and the need to create new tourism-based revenue streams, Bhutan decided to open mahseer fishing to the world. But there were issues that needed to be addressed before a mahseer fishing program could be implemented.
Fortunately, Bhutan had the unique benefit of being able to look to the strengths and weaknesses of other national recreational fishing programs and select what would work best for the kingdom’s mahseer-specific fisheries and be most acceptable within its culture. Ultimately, several policies were developed with conservation, minimal impact and local community involvement at the heart of the
burgeoning national policy. Toward this end, a small group of international advisors and consultants were chosen, in addition to fisheries biologists and specialists within Bhutan’s government, to share the goal of designing the most modern conservation-based recreational angling policy on the planet.
Regulations included in the new policy were based on best handling and releasing practices such as minimal fish contact, catch and immediate release of landed fish, the mandated use of single barbless hooks and the need to be licensed through the new online fishing permit system. In addition, it was agreed upon that all international anglers would be required to hire a certified Bhutanese fishing guide and that no independent unguided fishing would be allowed for internationals at any time.
With the policy approved by the necessary government agencies, a fishing guide training program was developed and executed by an international team of certified guides, outfitters and scientists with mahseer conservation as its guiding light and a new era in global recreational fishing became visible on the Himalayan horizon. Bhutan opens her rivers to the world
Finally on March 13th, 2023 the first officially recognized recreational mahseer fly-fishing expedition under the kingdom’s new angling policy launched on the Punatsang Chhu river in southwest Bhutan. A group of three American anglers outfitted by Himalayan Flyfishing Adventures based in Thimphu, a support team of 13 fishing guides, whitewater
specialists, transportation officers, cooks and camp assistants loaded into four sixteen-foot whitewater rafts equipped with fishing frames and casting platforms and descended approximately 56 kilometers en route toward the Indian border. This sixday and five-night adventure was the culmination of years of diligence on behalf of fisheries biologists, scientists, recreational advocates and explorers.
By all accounts, the expedition was a success and many mahseer, both Golden and Chocolate, were landed and immediately released by the international fly fishers. Bhutan had officially entered the international angling market with a unique and exciting recreational offering many years in the making.
Looking forward, the fisheries of Bhutan face many risks, including illegal fishing practices, hydroelectric projects, pollution, sand, boulder and coal mining and other economic and conservation challenges. However, based on the thoughtful, intelligent and conservation-based philosophy reflected in the kingdom’s initial recreational fishing program, there is every reason to hope that days spent knee-deep in Bhutan’s pristine rivers casting to the kingdom’s remarkable fish species will not only attract international anglers but encourage the Bhutanese themselves to embrace this riverine recreation as they share their invaluable natural resources with the angling world.
Connect with FFI Programs, Councils, and Clubs through various events that are held online and inperson. You can get information at flyfishersinternational.org/events
International Ambassadors
Pietro Brunelli
Italy
Kastine Coleman
Canada
Bryant Dunn
Bhutan
Chris Hauge
United Kingdom
Masao Sakaguchi
Japan
Lado Sakvarelidze
Georgia
Katka Savgrova
Czech Republic
Jorge Trucco
Argentina
Fly Casting Education Program
FFI Programs, Councils, and Clubs host many events throughout the year. Events can change or be added frequently, so please check the events calendar for most current information.
flyfishersinternational.org/events
FFI Certified Casting Instructors throughout the FFI community support events by providing fly casting instruction and offer the Fly Casting Skills Development program. You’ll find our instructors at The Fly Fishing Shows and many events produced by FFI Councils or Clubs. The team is in the midst of the global rollout of the Fly Casting Skills Development program, already reaching over 1,000 participants in various events around the world.
Fly Tying Group
September 27th & 28th, 2024
Second Annual FFI Fly Tying Group Rendezvous
Springlake Event Center, Farmers Branch, Texas
flyfishersinternational.org/FTGRendezvous
The 2024 Rendezvous will feature demonstration tiers from across the FTG membership showcasing their skills on both Friday and Saturday. Additional
features include classes and workshops focused on fly tying, FTG Fly Tiers fly box exchange (a fun filled event from past FFI Expo’s), banquet and fundraising event, and the chance to meet Fly Tiers from across the FFI Fly Tying Group.
November 2024 through May 2025
The FTG will offer a new fly tying demonstration series with sessions held every two weeks. Various tiers will teach the technical aspects of fly tying. Watch for details on the FFI website.
FFI Women Connect
June 2024
Celebrate Women Fly Fishers
All Month Long
Several events planned throughout the month. Please visit flyfishersinternational.org/events for most current listing.
Fall 2024
FFiWC Online – Tuesday Talk
Tuesday Talk held via Zoom on the 4th Tuesday of every month in the fall and winter. Visit the FFI events calendar for more information.
Fall 2024
FFiWC Online – Fly Tying
New online tying series for women will be offered. Watch the FFI events
calendar for details.
- Under Great Lakes Council, change first event date to June 7-9, 2024
Great Lakes Council
June 7-9, 2024
Great Lakes Council
Fly Fishing Weekend
Grayling Fish Hatchery, Grayling, Michigan
ffiglc.org/
GLC will offer open fishing Friday afternoon and evening, Fly Casting Skills Development Program on Saturday, and membership and Board meeting on Sunday.Come join the fun!
Eastern Waters Council
June 8 and June 15, 2024
Fly Casting Skills Development presented by Keystone Fly Fishers
Cranberry High School
Venago County, PA
keystoneflyfishers1@gamil.com or 814-673-5478
Offering the Foundation, Bronze, and Silver levels of The Fly Casting Skills Development program.
Northern California Council
September 28 & 29, 2024
Yuba Fest presented by Northern California Council
Sycamore Ranch County Park, Browns Valley, CA
nccffi.org/yubafest
All things fly fishing and conservation of our natural resources.
November 9, 2024
Northern California Fly Fishing Hall of Fame
Lafayette Veterans Memorial Center, Lafayette, CA 94549 nccffi.org
Only 200 tickets available. They are expected to sell quickly.
To attend contact Mark Rockwell: mrockwell1945@gmail.com
Ohio Council
June 15, 2024
Fly Casting Skills Development Program presented by Ohio and Great Lakes Councils
Merickel-Farley Trout Club, 2319 S Berkley Southern Rd., Swanton OH 9:00-11:00 AM Facilitator Training, 1:00-3:30 PM FCSD workshop for public (to be facilitated by the morning trainees). FFI Fly Casting Education Program is presenting facilitator training for this event. The newlytrained facilitators will conduct the FCSD workshops public with varying size, levels of casting experience, and ages including their local clubs, councils, and workshops offered to the public.
Oregon Council
June 17 - June 23, 2024
Oregon Council Annual Woman Connect 6-day Campout
Metolius River Oregon Organizer: Candace Bell sebcan3@ gmail.com
We will offer Daily Get Togethers by the fire: flies to use, tying flies, how to fish the Metolius, conservation and women challenges in fly fishing, plus BBQ dinner and dining our together.
July 8 – 14, 2024
Oregon Council First Annual Lake Fishing Campout
East Lake Oregon
Hosted by Sherry & Eric Steele
steelefly@msn.com
Programs offered daily, including how to’s on Lake fishing, flies to use, tying Lake flies, conservation presentations, fishing safety ( boats and pontoon boats), equipment suggestions and BBQ gatherings.
August 10, 17, 24, and 31, 2024
Central Oregon Fly Tyers Guild
steelefly@msn.com or 541-420-5532
This FFI Charter Club is hosting a fly tying hybrid (face-to-face and zoom)
tying sessions. We will email notices and fly recipe for each meeting. Sign up to receive the notices.
March 7 - 8, 2025
Northwest Fly Tier & Fly Fishing Expo presented by Oregon Council of FFI
Linn County Expo Center, Albany OR nwexpo.com
Bob Elliott - Expo Chair expochair@ nwexpo.com
Southwest Council
May 25 – June 21, 2024
Surf Fishing contest
At a beach near you, so Fish Where You Are! swcffi.org
The month-long Surf Fishing contest worked so well we are doing it again. Catch and release and open to both fly and conventional gear and this time, we are hosting a gathering two weeks before for people to meet each other, share info and have a lot of fun.
Southern Council
Fly Tying every Friday
Dally’s Fly Shop in Cotter, AR northarkansasflyfishers.org
Noon – 3:00 PM
June 15
Full Day Intermediate
Fly Tying Class
Food Bank, Mountain Home, Arkansas northarkansasflyfishers.org
March 27 – 29, 2024
Sowbug Roundup presented by North Arkansas Fly Fishers
Baxter County Fairgrounds, Mountain Home, AR northarkansasflyfishers.org
Premier fly tying show with upwards of 150 expert fly tiers from all around the world.
Southeastern Council
June 1, 2024
Fly Casting Clinic
Lake Norman Park, NC
The SEC is proud to offer a casting
clinic hosted by the Carolina Fly Fishing Club. Hone your accuracy, distance, and other skills for fresh and salt species. Instructors will be on-site to provide one-on-one assistance.
September 28, 2024
Fly Casting Clinic
Paces Mill Park, Atlanta, GA
The SEC is proud to offer a casting clinic hosted by Georgia Women Fly Fishing. Hone your accuracy, distance, and other skills for fresh and salt species. Instructors will be on-site to provide one-on-one assistance. Casting Skills Award exams will be offered.
October 26, 2024
Kingfisher Classic
Lee University, Cleveland, TN (near Chattanooga) https://secffi.org/the-kingfisherclassic
Skilled fly tiers and designers will be demonstrating their artistry with hooks, tubes, feathers, hair, fur and synthetics. Learn from the masters and tie some flies of your own. Bring your friends and family for fly tying,
casting demonstrations, and a silent auction of guide trips, fly fishing gear, tying tools and art.
November 8 – 10, 2024
Fishing the Waters of the Southeastern Council
Trip to Morehead City, NC secffi.org/events
We will be fishing for bluefish, false albacore, and speckled trout on the coast either guided or in the surf near Morehead City, NC. There will be a virtual fly tying event beforehand to fill our boxes for the trip. Visit to view accommodations, a detailed itinerary and sign-up.
November 17, 2024
Fly Casting Clinic
Birmingham, AL secffi.org/events
The SEC is proud to offer a casting clinic hosted by the Carolina Fly Fishing Club. Hone your accuracy, distance, and other skills for fresh and salt species. Instructors will be on-site to provide one-on-one assistance. Casting Skills Award exams will be offered.
Upper Midwest Council
Non-holiday Saturdays in May, June, and July 2024
Fly Casting Instruction
Fox River at Batavia Overseas VFW Post 1197, Batavia, IL driftorg.com
DuPage Rivers Fly Tyers (DRiFT) will provide free fly casting instruction. The location is the east side of the Fox River at Batavia Overseas VFW Post 1197. Casting is done on grass and on the river.
Washington State Council
June 22 – 29, 2024
Northwest Youth Conservation and Fly Fishing Academy Shelton, Washington wscffi.org
The Washington Council will host the 22nd Annual Northwest Youth Conservation and Fly Fishing Academy June 22-29 in Shelton WA. The week-long camp offers teens a range of training from fly tying to casting, boating, water safety and fishing skills. The Council works in cooperation with Washington Trout Unlimited to put on the camp aimed at helping students become
confident fly fishers and future environmental stewards.
Sept. 21, 2024
Fly Casting Fair
Clark College, Vancouver WA wscffi.org
The day-long event will offer Beginning, Intermediate, Advanced, Women Casting and Spey Classes. There will be a free Walk-in Casting clinic and Casting Skills Development Course led by FFI certified instructors. In addition, FFI will host a rotating roster of notable Northwest fly tiers at work inside the Gaiser Student Union building along with displays by rod and line manufacturers, fly shops and FFI’s conservation partners from around the Pacific Northwest.
Western Rocky Mountain Council
January 31 – February 1, 2025
Western Idaho Fly Fishing presented by Boise Valley Fly Fishers
Expo Idaho, Garden City, Idaho bvff.com
The event includes two indoor casting ponds, demonstration fly tying, and a fly tying theater that will showcase
the art and skills of creating handtied flies. Educational presentations on fly fishing and destination fly fishing by local and regional experts. This year the Expo will highlight fly fishing education, with experts covering topics of how to fish, where to fish, casting, entomology, and tackle setups for both new and experienced anglers.
International
July 26 – 28, 2024
Game Fair at Blenheim Palace
Woodstock, Oxfordshire, England blenheimpalace.com/whats-on/ events/game-fair/
An exhilarating celebration of outdoor activity and country life, taking place against the stunning backdrop of Blenheim Palace. The iconic event promises to be a paradise for outdoor enthusiasts, offering a diverse range of activities, from world-class shooting and fishing demonstrations to thrilling falconry displays, visitors can immerse themselves in the traditions and skills that define the British countryside. For the first time FFI Certified Casting Instructors have been invited to demonstrate casting skills at this iconic event.
Celebrating Women Fly Fishers!
June Women’s Fly Fishing Month 2024 Events
For more information and details, go to https://www.flyfishersinternational.org/events
FFiWC Photo Contest
June 1 through August 30, 2024
Western Rocky Mountain Council
June 1 and/or 2nd, June 14-16, June 20-23
FFiWC Online
June 4
Casting for Recovery
Ohio Council
June 8
Southwest Council
June 15
Florida Council
June 15
Oregon Council
June 17-22
FFiWC Online
June 18
Fly Casting Skills
Southern Council
June 21
Ohio Council
June 27
Eastern Waters Council
June 29
THANK YOU TO OUR GENEROUS SUPPORTERS
FLY FISHERS INTERNATIONAL DONORS
We are proud to recognize donors who have donated $2500 or more. These funds help FFI continue our important work in conservation, education and as the voice of all fly fishers. These gifts may be dedicated by the donor to a cause they are passionate about.
PRESIDENT’S CLUB
The President’s Club at Fly Fishers International represents the highest level of financial commitment to the organization. Over the course of FFI’s history, the President’s Club has been instrumental in our ability to ensure the legacy of fly fishing for all fish in all waters.
PLATINUM $25,000+
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Howe Foundation
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James Wallner YOT Full Circle Foundation
FFI 1,000 STEWARDS
Join the Fly Fishers International
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Scientific Anglers
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M. V. Williams Foundation Inc.
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You give back to the sport that has given so much to you when you become one of FFI’s 1000 Stewards. By donating $500 per year over 5 years, you join the ranks of supporters dedicated to the legacy and future of fly fishing, and can enjoy exclusive benefits and opportunities as a show of our gratitude. Reflect your passion for fisheries conservation, your commitment to providing learning opportunities for all skills levels, and your support to inspire and engage the growing fly fishing community by becoming one of FFI’s 1000 Stewards.
Alpine Fly Fishers Club
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A S Cargill
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FFI Eastern Waters Council
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The Forrest Family Charitable Fund
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Family Foundation
Overlake Fly Fishing Club
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Reed Family Foundation
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Fund
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The President’s Club at Fly Fishers International represents the highest level of financial commitment to the organization and comes with exclusive benefits and opportunities as a way of thanking donors for this level of generosity. Over the course of FFI’s history, the President’s Club has been instrumental in our ability to ensure the legacy of fly fishing for all fish in all waters. Members of the exclusive giving circle can support any program or project at FFI that most inspires them, and at a level that recognizes their level of giving, including Platinum, Gold, Silver, or Bronze.
The President’s Club at Fly Fishers International represents the highest level of financial commitment to the organization and comes with exclusive benefits and opportunities as a way of thanking donors for this level of generosity. Over the course of FFI’s history, the President’s Club has been instrumental in our ability to ensure the legacy of fly fishing for all fish in all waters. Members of the exclusive giving circle can support any program or project at FFI that most inspires them, and at a level that recognizes their level of giving, including Platinum, Gold, Silver, or Bronze.
Donor support has been key to our accomplishments – your generosity is making a difference. We’ve already started building on some of the accomplishments over the last couple years, a record of achievements worthy of reflection. So, what exactly have we done? We’ve created...
· a more diverse leadership
· a dynamic brand refresh
· comprehensive fly tying and casting skills programs
· a thriving women connect program
· a commitment to conservation
· an enhanced membership experience
Thanks to everyone whose hard work made this possible. Looking toward the future—we are excited about the direction we are heading at FFI.
Give back the sport you love!
EVERY MEMBER COUNTS AT FFI
FFI members are the cornerstone of our organization, enabling us to achieve our mission. When you join FFI you add your voice to the community of fly fishers working to welcome new people with educational materials, and expanding FFI’s impact with our Conservation Partners. Join today and make a difference with FFI.
If you are a member, we thank you for your support! If you aren’t yet a member, please JOIN us TODAY at flyfishersinternational.org/join
EVERY DOLLAR COUNTS AT FFI
We are asking you to step up and make an additional contribution to support our ongoing efforts. You might wonder, what are we doing?
• P Protecting the Places We Love to Fish: We collaborate with our partners to make sure the voices of fly fishers are heard on critical issues. Such as Bristol Bay, Okefenokee Swamp, and dam removals on the Columbia and Snake Rivers.
• D Developing Educational Materials: We create resources to help YOU enhance your skills, including the Fly Casting Skills Development and the Fly Tying Awards Programs.
• I Introducing New Fly Fishers to the Sport: We provide essential information for beginners. Watch for our series coming out in the Summer of 2024 featuring Kayla Lockhart.
We simply cannot do it without Y YOU. Please donate today at flyfishersinternational.org/donate
