In 1978 I was first introduced to stream fishing while backpacking in California’s southern Sierra mountains. Can’t say how inspiring it was to watch Rainbows making their way upstream, pool to pool, navigating brook-like waterfalls etc. Crystal clear and cold water it was. I spent quite few years discovering the fisheries before being introduced to a fly-fishing rig.

In 1982, I was introduced to an antique cane rod and click-pawl reel. The engineering of this reel and simple concept of throwing a weighted line to get a super-light artificial fly out into the middle of a stream made its lasting impression. I suppose it’s my intrigue for activities and sports combining outdoor elements, strategy and a fair amount of physics that seemed to grip me. After quite a few years snow skiing, golfing, skeet shooting, yacht racing, and of course fly-fishing, I can now see how much physics plays a part in all of them.

In my early years of fly-fishing, I discovered I could tie my own flies. If a fly needed more of one color than another, I could simply tie one to work more effectively. The endless number of materials and colors opened the door for design and creativity. The structuring and layering of materials added many more options. Combinations of size, texture, style, and functionality were endless. Needless to say, I was hooked.

My experience with fly-fishing continued with discovering fisheries up and down the west coast, from Hawaii to the Arctic Circle. In the early 1990s, I spent some time floating the Green and Teton river for Browns and Rainbows. In the mid 1990s, I was fortunate enough to fish Alaska, BC and NWT for Cutthroat, Rainbow and Lake Trout – the occasional Grayling was nice too. Moving to Hawaii in 2012 offered me a look at some sizable Bonefish and another amazing fishery. In 2014, I relocated to southern Florida and was knocked over by such an expansive fishery. Florida is truly the capital of sport fishing. Miles and miles of untapped fisheries are waiting for the next fly-fishing enthusiast…well, that and some really big fish.  My last few years have been spent discovering the fresh water trout streams on the east coast, from South Carolina up through Maine – eastern Tennessee was a highlight.

I currently hold a USCG Master Inland and Mate Near Coastal 50 Ton Captain’s License and a NAUI Openwater certification in SCUBA.

Professionally, I have over 35 years in leading technical teams in Service Delivery within IS, IT, Application Development, and high-tech construction. A majority of this experience was acquired within the aerospace, telecom, networking, engineering, and healthcare fields. I hold a Bachelor of Science degree in Engineering, Master of Science degree in Organizational Leadership, and professional certifications in project, service, and quality management.

My fly-fishing journey has been amazing thus far – its discoveries are never ending and all inspiring to say the least. Let’s keep it this way for all to come. Please take care of the fish you catch/ release and let’s continue to work diligently minimizing our back-country footprint.

Capt JD, Editor