Michael Johnson grew up fishing in Utah and the greater Rocky Mountain region and learned how to tie his first fly at age 16 (it was an olive wooley bugger size 6). With this fly Michael ended up catching a huge rainbow trout on the Green River, which motivated him to continue to learn the craft. Later in 2001, after moving to New York City to teach fitness, he discovered saltwater fly fishing in the shores of Long Island, Cape Cod, and Florida and the fly tying patterns that went with it. In 2008 Michael discovered the Catskills, the birthplace of fly fishing and fly tying in America, which prompted him to take his tying to another level. Fly tying is a form of self-expression and creativity for Michael and a means to inspire others. For more info and great images check him out on instagram @theflywarrior.
Lisa Weiner and Jerry Jahn from Spey Casting Northeast are both very accomplished Spey and Switch anglers. They will be cooking up some tube and intruder style flies that cater to that style of fly fishing. These patterns will be salmonid oriented and most effective on salmon, steelhead, and trout. On their home water of the Farmington River in upstate Connecticut, Lisa and Jerry do a lot of trout spey fishing and some of these patterns will be oriented toward that style of fishing. Jerry will also be showing us some of his woven nymph bodies, an uncommon technique due to its difficulty. When executed properly, however, it will yield a fly that can not be replicated any other way (and they catch a lot of fish). If you fish for trout, steelhead, or salmon you will not want to miss this one.
Fly tyer, guide, and world-class fly fisherman Pogo Pike will be tying at the Compleat Angler again this year. Back by popular demand, this is the demo if you like big flies and big fish - if you target toothy critters such as pike, musky, and bass on the fly, you want to make this demo! He’ll be showing us some of his most productive patterns for targeting the big boys. Pogo Pike currently holds a world record Walleye on the fly and is also the current Champion of the 2017 Musky Fly Fishing Championship hosted by Treeland Resorts in Hayward, WI. Pogo and his partner won first place in a two day tournament and also garnered the top spot for the biggest fish of the weekend among 57 anglers. He is a die-hard pike and musky angler who many of our customers have fished with and the results have been phenomenal. He has these fish dialed in so if you are interested in this type of fishing, come in and see Pogo. It will be well worth your time. He is a wealth of information, an incredible tier, and all around great guy. For more info on Pogo Pike, check out his website – https://www.pogopike.com and on instagram @pogo_pike.
Mike Motyl has been tying flies commercially for over 30 years and that's reflected in the quality and innovation of his flies. When it comes to a guy who ties flies that catch fish, Mike is among the best. He has been tying our custom flies here at the Compleat Angler for over ten years and has a reputation for cooking up some of the most effective patterns for anglers that frequent our shop. His saltwater patterns are incredible and are hard to keep in stock. However, Moytl is perhaps best known for his freshwater flies which are some of the most effective patterns that we carry. Our customers consistently tell us that when it comes to spooky, pressured, or selective trout, Mike's flies are the best. With trout season around the corner this is the perfect demo for anyone who will be chasing trout in the coming months. Mike will be doing two demos for us. His first will be tube flies tailored for trout, salmon, and steelhead. His second will be Farmington/Housatonic and Catskills dries.
Rich Strolis started as a guide on the ever popular Farmington and Housatonic Rivers in Connecticut. He later transitioned his work to commercial tying, speaking engagements, and teaching many facets of both fly fishing and fly tying across the Northeast and Eastern seaboard. His fly patterns, though Northeastern in origin, have a strong following and relevancy across the globe and have been tied and fished by many as a result of his great library of online videos. He is a signature fly designer for the Montana Fly Company, which currently produces twenty two of his patterns, and his patterns have appeared in several national magazines and books, including Flyfisherman, Eastern Fly Fishing and many more. Rich is also a Thomas & Thomas advisor and a member of their pro-staff. Rich is a very well rounded trout fisherman, but his passion lies in chasing trophy trout and various other apex predators on streamers. He is the author of Catching Shadows: Tying Flies For The Toughest Fish and Strategies for Fishing Them. He will be tying some of his now famous streamers for trout as well as other patterns for a wide range of species. For more info on Rich – check out http://catchingshadows.com/
David started fly-fishing at age 26, and complete and total immersion into the sport was rapid. He has focused on it ever since. Now in his 40's, he can claim 20 years on the water with a fly rod. David’s flies have not been dreamed up and created from a void. They have grown from experience and from the influence of many talented fly-tyers, whom he holds in great reverence. Bob Popovics for took Davis under his wing so to speak, which has greatly influenced his patterns over the years. David also owns and operates Squimpish Flies. His unique material blends are some of the best out there. Suited for a wide range of saltwater and freshwater patterns, Squimpish blends have become a highly sought-after material for those in the know. David will be tying up some his signature patterns with his custom-made blends. This will a great and unique demo so don’t miss out! Check him out at https://squimpishflies.com/
Eric Peterson is an accomplished tier who is well known for his exceptional saltwater patterns for both cold and warm water species. Eric has had multiple patterns picked up by major vendors such as Fulling Mills and he is well known for tying some seriously deadly flies. He will be tying Bonefish and Albie Flies at the Compleat Angler this weekend. False Albacore can be a very finicky fish when they want to be. Especially when the sun is high, those fish can be very hard to fool. Eric will show you some patterns that will get the job done when the fish are refusing everything else. I’m sure we will also see his now famous Peterson’s Spawning Shrimp. If you have ever been bonefishing, then you probably have this fly in your box (if you don’t then you have at least heard of it!). This is one of those cornerstone flies in any bonefish anglers box and you may be surprised to see how Eric ties it. This is one you won't want to miss if you fish the flats or chase Albies! For more info on Eric check out http://southbensonoutfitters.com.
Mike Motyl has been tying flies commercially for over 30 years and that's reflected in the quality and innovation of his flies. When it comes to a guy who ties flies that catch fish, Mike is among the best. He has been tying our custom flies here at the Compleat Angler for over ten years and has a reputation for cooking up some of the most effective patterns for anglers that frequent our shop. His saltwater patterns are incredible and are hard to keep in stock. However, Moytl is perhaps best known for his freshwater flies which are some of the most effective patterns that we carry. Our customers consistently tell us that when it comes to spooky, pressured, or selective trout, Mike's flies are the best. With trout season around the corner this is the perfect demo for anyone who will be chasing trout in the coming months. Mike will be doing two demos for us. His first will be tube flies tailored for trout, salmon, and steelhead. His second will be Farmington/Housatonic and Catskills dries.
Mina specializes in tight-line style flies as well as soft hackles. We are excited to have her showcase some extremely effective patterns for Czech and Euro nymphing applications. Mina is an extremely accomplished angler who constantly catches seriously big trout and fishes all over the East Coast. Her patterns are highly sought after here at the shop, and Mina will be showing us some of her favorite patterns for local rivers such as the Farmington, Housatonic and Catskill rivers. Mina will also be going over where to place these flies on the rig, when to fish them, and how they should be presented. In addition to her tight-line patterns we may also see some of her deadly soft hackles. We rarely get tiers who specialize in this style of tying so this will be one you do not want to miss. If nymphing is your thing then this demo is for you.
Captain Ian Devlin owns and operates Devlin Charters. Based out of Norwalk, Ian has been guiding light tackle and fly anglers for over 20 years and is a World Record Holder for Bluefish on the fly. He has tied at numerous events across the Northeast and is well known for his material, Devin Blends. This synthetic material was created by Captain Devlin and is incorporated into many of his saltwater baitfish patterns. If that weren't enough, Captain Devlin worked closely with G Loomis three years ago to produce his brainchild, the G Loomis Short Stix series. This rod is a dramatic departure from stereotypical rod design and has become very popular among saltwater anglers. Captain Devlin ties some incredible flies. His patterns are extremely effective for Stripers and Blues. They have accounted for huge fish and can be fished year round. These flies are also deadly in the tropics, especially for Tarpon. Weather you are chasing big Stripers, or headed down South, Captain Ian Devlin's flies are a must-have in your fly box. You do not want to miss this one! You can find great shots of his flies and catches on Instagram @ian_devlin.