Best Fly Fisherman you know or have met

Who is the one guy that you would most want to be like as far as fly fishing skills go?
For me it's easy! Bill McMillan is without a doubt the finest steelhead fly fisher I have had the priveledge to meet and watch.
Bill revolutionized fly fishing for steelhead by employing the greased line method made famous in the book by Jock Scott.
I met Bill one the banks of the Washougal many years ago and the guy is a true master at what he does. He cared deeply for that river fought hard to see that it's wild steelhead were protected from the poor hatchery practices of the Skamania hatchery. The introduction of those hatchery fish spelled disaster for the wild steelhead of the Washougal and now the wild run is just a shadow of it's former self.
It was on the Washougal river that I hooked my very first steelhead on a fly using the method that Bill suggested to me.
Bill moved away from his beloved Washougal and now lives up near Seattle I believe. He is still a strong voice in wild steelhead conservation and has done some research work for the wild steelhead runs in Russia.

[ 12-20-2003, 04:18 PM: Message edited by: Stew ]

[Mojo]

Either Dave Whitlock or Mike Fong. Both guys epitomize gentleman fisherman. Dave is my hero. I want to be him when I grow up. Artist, fly tier, nice guy, and fisherman extrordinaire. Mike was one of the nicest guys I ever met He could also catch fish in a rain puddle. He was a true conservationist as well. He is truly missed.

[TheCamel]

For me, it's an easy answer - Denny Rickards! I have had the opportuntity to fish with him and there is nothing pretentious about the man. He is without peer(IMHO) when it comes to catching trophy-trout.

Mel

[alwayslookin]

Camel,

Never met Denny, but he is coming to our Church in February to teach a clinic on lake fishing for Trout. I'll be sure to go now.

As for the best flyfisher that I've met / known: that would have to be John Hazel who used to run the Kaufmann's school in Maupin. I've watched him lay down a cast from the TOP of a 40' rip rap bank and tease a fish into hitting a hookless fly.

Originally posted by alwayslookin:
Camel,

Never met Denny, but he is coming to our Church in February to teach a clinic on lake fishing for Trout. I'll be sure to go now.

<font size="2" face="verdana,arial,helv">What church is that? Is it in Hillsboro?

[wade]

I met Denny at last year's Flytying Expo in Eugene, I also read his first book. He is a salesman and quite intolerant of other methods, both of which kinda irritate me. I've learned a lot from him though, from the book. His pompousnous turned me off at the expo.

Now getting more down to earth my fishing hero is Rob Allen. He looks at this board sometimes so some of you may have crossed paths with him. His dedication to the obsession has made him a true expert at fishing for all types of fish, mainly steelhead and big trout in streams on a fly. If you wanna hear from him try posting a technical question about rods, speyrodding or big trout in a stream. Also he works at a high-end custom rodbuilder and is learned at all the rods out there, especially speyrods. He'll be happy to tell you if your stick is OK or a piece of garbage. :tongue:

Kevin

[TheCamel]

Kevin:
Sorry to hear that your experience with Denny was less than positive, but it appears you have taken from his book what works for you. I have done the same with his techniques. One of my favorite nymphs is a variation of his stillwater nymph, which has been very effective on multiple lakes. I don't tie it like he does, but it works for me. Since I am primarily into "trophy-trout" fishing, he is a mentor to me. When I had the opportunity to fish with Denny on Upper Klamath Lake, I told him that my personal best was 28" and my goal for the day was to catch one over 30". He cautioned me that fish in excess of 30" are rare, and not to build up my expectations. While I did not catch the big one that day, I was pleased to show him photos of both fish that were caught in subsequent years that did make the 30" range. Here is a tip on a variation of one of Denny's flies; I tie a white stillwater nymph that is a killer on Hosmer Lake for Atlantics. In fall, they will attack it on almost every cast. A 30+ fish day is not uncommon on an October/November day with that fly.

Mel

[BrokeItOff]

Chris Mihulka (you guys probably don't know him), second is my brother.


Shane

[gstrand]

Otis Swisher.

There is a little story about him about 2/3 down my web page.

-G

[greenbuttskunk]

considering my wife gave you good marks on your chinook pale ale, I better be the best fly guy you
know! :grin: She liked the brew, and wrote up a scorecard for you to look at. You'll enjoy reading the remarks.
Take care,
Brad

[Steelheader69]

You know, this is sad. I know a man, fished along side him for years, but never got his name. Was an older gentlemen back then. I always seemed to run into him on the rivers I fish (the Hoh, Duc, Sop, etc). He was by far one of the best I'd ever seen. In fact, he gave me quite a few flies to a then young boy who was flyfishing steelhead/salmon (while my Dad was gear fishing). Got my chum bug from him. But this guy could cast beautifully, and could work that flyline perfect. Few mends, and fish on. Always said "Hi", bs'd a little. Last time I saw him was around age 19. Think he may have passed away, never saw him again after that. Would've been in his late 70's then (I'm 34 now). Weird we never exchanged names, but we always talked like old friends. Think that's what kept me flyfishing, even when I got flustered. He always was kind, and would tell me to keep at it. But seen some hogs pulled out by him.

Now, I've met quite a few guys. But never had a chance to fish with them.

[blacktail]

TillamookChinook,

The other guy you are talking about is Rick Haefle (pronounced Hay-flea).

They know their bugs. I have that book around here somewhere. Good stuff!

Mike

[BillK]

Bing Lempke. His dedication to fly fishing was written up in Time magazine. There is also a memorial to Bing on the Henry Forks at Last Chance. He was one of a kind who readily shared his vast knowledge of fly fishing, fly tying and aquatic knowledge with any fly fisher.

[TillamookChinook]

I have not fished with enough great flyfishers (yet) to have a favorite. GreenButtSkunk would be up there if I had landed that world record Bull Trout a week ago, but it didn't happen. Maybe next time.

I guess the most influential famous fisher for me is Dave Hughes. I went to a presentation he gave (along with Rick ___?) about aquatic insects before they published their epic tome about Western Hatches. This must have been over 20 years ago. That opened up a whole new branch of applied science for me, which I have tried to apply ever since.

TC

[greenbuttskunk]

well, I have not had the priviledge of fishing with any real masters. I did learn alot from my dad though, although he'll tell you I passed him up years ago, not that it matters in the slightest. I just flyfish so much more, but he will always have the grace that comes with a good caster. I'd have to say the bunch I fished with on the metolius last weekend. You all are very accomplished casters, seem to know the craft, and possess the understanding that the real enjoyment is being on a river with some other great people.
The trout is a bonus. To me, those things make for a great flyfisherman. I'll fish with a guy who can chuckle along with me anytime. I hope I have the pleasure to beat the water with you guys again soon, we did not have nearly enough time out there.
Cheers,
GBS

[garyk]

Skilled angler, artist, illustrator, fly tier and pattern originator, conservationist and teacher.
That sums up Richard Bunse, a native Oregonian who, last I knew, was living around Monmouth.

You’ll see Richard’s illustration credits in most of the books done by Hughes and Hafele, as well as those by Skip Morris and Jim Schollmeyer.

Bunse is one of Oregon’s pioneering wild trout advocates, one of the original founders of Oregon Trout I believe, and, was in the nucleus of those who in the late 1970's initiated the wild trout management revolution on the Metolius, that has lead to this river’s recovery.

Richard has never sought the limelight, but in terms of importance and influence on Northwest flyfishing, he’s in the top ranks.

[rpnsteelheadlps]

Tim Rajeff is by far the best caster I've ever met.

[ 12-24-2003, 05:32 PM: Message edited by: rpnsteelheadlps ]

[Pete]

Bing Lempke tied the smallest flies I've ever seen ... extended body, Iwamasa winged mayflies on size 32 Mustad 540K hooks ... and he did it without using a vice! He's certainly in the top echelon of tyers, but I never witnessed him fishing, so I can't opine on him as a fisherman. I've seen both Tim and Steve Rajeff cast and they are truly unbelievable at putting out long lines, but again, I've never witnessed them on the river. I've hunted bugs with Rick Hafele and have never met a better entomologist, and I have seen him fish, so I know he's a better entomologist than he is a fisher. For bringing it all together with the heart of a teacher, I'd have to vote for a relatively unknown man, Randy Stetzer, who learned from people like Frank Amato and Bill McMillan and numerous others. Randy combines incredible fly tying skills with remarkably sensitive casting talent and a love of sharing what he knows to make others better tempered with a humility that makes him a joy to fish with.

[float2ber]

John Hazel. Teacher, fly tier, and guide on the Deschutes. One of the best casters I've had the pleasure of knowing. I've seen him cast to fish laying along the rock ledges from the road. He's also an incredible cook and a heck of a nice guy.

[Darth Wader]

Joe Humphries taught me flyfishing and flytying back at the other PSU, Penn State, in the late 70's. He'd cast a whole fly line w/ the tip section of a 7 ft glass rod. His tying was fast, easy and practical.

[Mr. BrownTrout]

The only famous ones I know are Jim & Donna Tenny and Dave Hughes

[rob allen]

hmm the best flyfisher i know is not famous at all In fact he is just a local guy who fishes ever chance he gets. His name is Brad Barnes.

Originally posted by rob allen:
hmm the best flyfisher i know is not famous at all In fact he is just a local guy who fishes ever chance he gets. His name is Brad Barnes.

<font size="2" face="verdana,arial,helv">Met him once on the Washougal. Nice guy gave me a steelhead muddler.

[BillK]

One name that belongs on this list is Scott Richmond. Probably one reason no one has mention Scott is his modesty. Not only does Scott give us the best Northwest web site on fly fishing, Westfly, but he has delighted us for years with his books and magazine articles on fly fishing. Scott is joy to fish with, he is a wealth of knowledge, a great writer and welcome at my campfire anytime.

[santiamflyguy]

watching john judy fish the metolius when i was about ten made me realize exactly how much of an art flyfishing can be.

[monoman]

I thought of those already listed, Hazel and McMillan, Pete makes a great case for Randy. There's O'Keffe, who I think is the best caster, and I've watched Tim and Steve and the Golden Gate boys for years. He is also the most traveled of all.
Montana has some trout boys that would blow your socks off. My favorite there would be Bob Jacklin, maybe the best casting teacher I've ever been around.
But my hero of the flyrod has got to be Mike Kennedy. He had the touch to catch steelhead. His flies were working art, and now the style we all fish. He was the man.
Haig-Brown would be the one guy I never met in the fly world that I wish I had.

[Drakeblake]

Mike Gorman is the man! I took two fishing classes from him at OSU. He started the Scarlet Ibis fly shop in Corvallis and invented the Caballero "recently renamed the Veiled Assasin" He now guides on the Rogue and many other rivers for Steelhead and trout.

-blake

[TheCamel]

Mike Gorman is a "hit" with me! Last time I ran into him was at Mann Lake. Think there might be a story behind this?

Mel

[halomidge]

Gary LaFontaine scientifically (scuba diving) tested a lot of ideas and shared them with thousands. Thus the moniker "halomidge". It's to bad the fly fishing community lost him at his prime.

[Muddler]

I met a man some 14 years ago who took pity on me while I was attempting to catch coho. His name was Bill Gallaher and he became my friend. We shared flies and stories, created memories and caught fish. He lost his life to the river which he loved to be so close to. Doing fish counts, restoring habitat for our steelhead and salmon and trout, he loved it! Every morning with his coffee he would tie at least 2 flies before work, while others read the paper. Some of you may have known him or saw him on the water. I have met others, but none like Bill Gallaher. We still fish together. [img]graemlins/applause.gif[/img]

[GutshotApe]

I've met and/or known quite a few accomplished flyfishermen over the years...what constitutes "best" is subjective...

I think one of the best still living is Frank Moore who lives on the North Umpqua. Frank served on the old Oregon Game Commission and has worked for many years promoting and protecting the fish and fishing of his beloved North Umpqua River. He can cast a long line as well as anyone I've ever seen...he isn't a young man anymore...but he can outcast and outfish people 1/3 his age.

My posthumous choice would go to Joe Pierce, late of Longview, WA. Joe came to Longview in the early 1920s and worked in the mills there. He was not an "educated" man, per se...but he was way ahead of his time in many ways. He caught his first steelhead, on a fly, from the Kalama River about 1924...and never looked back. Joe flyfished many other northwest rivers but his favorite was always the Kalama...and over the decades he introduced many others to the sport of steelhead flyfishing and the conservation ethic. I last fished with Joe at HiHiume Lake in BC in 1980...he passed away not too long after that. He was a charter member of the Lower Columbia Flyfishers and in his honor, the LCF created the Joe Pierce award which is given periodically to club members or others who demonstrate outstanding dedication to the sport of flyfishing and fish conservation.

[marko]

Alan McCartney who I miss a lot.

[wannacatchem]

best flyfisher I've ever known was a guy named Kenneth O'conner. He made his own split cane fly rods and while the flies he tied weren't all that pretty, they caught fish. He and I fished the upper and little Deschutes alot when I was knee high to a grasshopper. He died in 1982 and he was my grandad

[ 01-03-2004, 11:08 PM: Message edited by: wannacatchem ]

[No Wishin Just Fishin]

Perte Tronkay(sp)

door salesman in Seattle and His buddy Dan Marsten from Hillsboro

[Rauly]

Lefty Crey