Ed Engle
Author & Former Guide
Ed’s Bio
Ed Engle has been an avid fly fisherman for more than 40 years. He has fly fished throughout the continental United States, Alaska, Mexico, Chile, Argentina, Mongolia and in Europe for a variety of game fish species with a special emphasis on trout.
As a fly fisherman Ed is especially interested in small fly tactics and techniques. His small fly fishing research has taken him to a many of the West’s famous tailwaters and to spring creeks across the country. He is also dedicated to fly fishing small streams and high country lakes for wild trout. Ed balances out his interest in the “small side of fly fishing” with the avid pursuit of king salmon on the fly.
Ed lives in Manitou Springs, Colorado within 40 miles of the South Platte River, one of Colorado’s premier tailwaters where he guided fly fishers for more than 20 years before he retired in 2010.
CURRENT PUBLICATION HISTORY
- Outdoor Writer for the BOULDER DAILY CAMERA
- Originator of the LONE ANGLER JOURNAL blog
FREELANCE MAGAZINE articles and photographs have appeared in: Fly Fisherman Magazine, Fly Rod & Reel, American Angler, Trout, Warmwater Fly Fishing, Fly Tyer, Saltwater Fly Fishing, Angler’s Journal, Sports Afield, Fly Fishing Magazine, and Gray’s Sporting Journal.
BOOKS: FLY FISHING THE TAILWATERS (Stackpole, 1991) is a how-to book about fly fishing for trout in the regulated waters that occur below dams. SEASONAL: A LIFE OUTSIDE (Pruett Publishing, 1989) is a collection of essays about the 12 years Ed spent as a seasonal employee in the U.S. Forest Service SPLITTING CANE: CONVERSATIONS WITH BAMBOO ROD MAKERS (Stackpole, 2002) is a collection of interviews Ed Engle conducted with bamboo fly rod makers over a period of five years. The appendix includes additional information of interest to bamboo fly rod aficionados. TYING SMALL FLIES (Stackpole, 2004) is a compilation of the “Small Flies” columns that Ed wrote for FLY TYER magazine over a period of eight years. All of the columns have been updated with additional information for this volume. FISHING SMALL FLIES (Stackpole, 2005) is the companion volume to “Tying Small Flies”. It details tactics and techniques for fishing small flies. Ed’s most recent book, TROUT LESSONS (Stackpole, 2010), provides alternative techniques for those days on the river when your usual tactics and most dependable fly patterns don’t work. FISHING and TYING SMALL FLIES (second edition) (Stackpole 2019) A combined and updated volume of Ed’s two classic small flies books.
PREVIOUS PUBLICATION HISTORY HIGHLIGHTS
Southwest Field Editor Fly Fisherman Magazine, Outdoor Editor Colorado Springs Sun, Columnist Fly Tyer Magazine, Columnist Warmwater Fly Fishing Magazine, Contributing Writer American Angler.
Pat Cohen
Superfly Custom Flies
Pat’s Bio
My name is Pat Cohen. I live in upstate New York where there is an abundance of warm water streams, lakes, and farm ponds to fish; although most anything with gills is fair game. I was always a terrible fisherman with spin and casting gear, but I began fly fishing in 2008 and since then I have caught more fish than I can count. I have been tying flies since January of 2009. Fly fishing and tying have become an essential part of my life. Since 2012 I have been a full time commercial fly tyer and designer. I have created materials, dubbing and tools for fly tyers. One of the most well known is the Fugly Packer..which is a packing tool for the making of bass bugs.
I specialize in warm water predatory flies, although I am best known for my deer hair bass bugs. The artistic freedom that fly tying offers is what drew me to it. All of my flies are meant to be fished with the exception of the display offerings. I enjoy the blending of natural with synthetic materials to create flies that maximize the triggers that make predators eat. I have blended my knowledge and passion for art with my knowledge and passion for fly tying to create a very unique approach to fly making. I have been accused of being a lure maker from time to time…but honestly I find no offense in that at all, as all flies are lures.
My passion for all things fly began with both Smallmouth and Largemouth Bass. I am to this day still passionate about these wonderful fish. I have designed numerous flies around the pursuit of them. I have an obsession with the custom tackle industry and figuring out ways to bring that technology into bass flies. One of my latest creations for doing just that is the Cohen’s Creature Ultra Suede series. It was a perfect way for me to bring the movement and success of soft plastics into fly tying.
I have a deeply ingrained passion for chasing golden bones; carp on the fly is a challenge that more and more fly anglers are only beginning to appreciate. Carp are by far one of the most difficult fresh water species to hook with a fly, and I’ve created a wide variety of nymph patterns to target these misunderstood and often maligned game fish. I created a very unique dubbing called Cohen’s Carp Dub to help create more convincing carp flies.
I have an obsession with Pike on the fly as well. I have designed a selection of streamers and materials to aid in the pursuit of the water wolf. The power and explosion of these incredible game fish is second to none. There is nothing in the world like hooking a big pike on a glass rod while standing in a kayak if you ask me.
I have three instructional DVDs on the market teaching my deer hair techniques. I also have a youtube channel offering free videos. My flies have been featured in multiple magazines and books over the past several years. You can follow me at facebook.com/theinkedfisherman or visit my website rusuperfly.com for my products.
I am a member of the pro team for Epic Fly Rods, 3Tand Reels, Peak Vises, Loon Outdoors, EP Flies, Dr. Slick, Under Armour, Jackson Kayak, Werner Paddles, Carp Pro Magazine and Partridge of Redditch Hooks. Hareline Dubbin distributes some of the products that I have created. I regularly demonstrate and teach fly tying. I also do presentations on these great warm water species at various events and fly shops on the east coast.
Captain Josh Laferty
South Valley Anglers
Josh’s Bio
Captain Josh Laferty was born and raised in the heart of the Blue Ridge Mountains and is currently located just outside of Roanoke, Virginia. He has been fishing and guiding on the major Southwest, Virginia resources since the early 80s. Over three decades of fishing and hunting on a near-regular basis led Josh to a full-time career as a professional fly fishing guide. Josh has fished and guided from Nova Scotia to South Florida, and all the way north to Alaska. However, his passion lies in chasing musky, the top freshwater predator of the region, on two of the finest rivers in the Southeast US.
Laferty’s passion influenced the formation of South Valley Anglers, a fully operational “musky on the fly” guide service that offers one-on-one instruction, day trips, and all-inclusive multi-day adventures. South Valley Anglers runs trips and Musky Meetups from October through June, while taking April and May off to chase other species, both in and out of Virginia. From booking the trip to getting the boat on the trailer at the end of a long day on the water, Josh’s customers can expect a professional hospitable experience.
Captain Matt Miles
Matt Miles Fly Fishing
Matt’s Bio
Capt. Matt Miles’ presentation titled “Virginia Fly Fishing” will provide insight into fishing some of Virginia’s best public waters, covering when, where, and how to fish for smallmouth bass, trout, striped bass, and muskie. Virginia has a lot to offer the fly fisherman, from native brook trout to muskie.
Matt is the owner of Matt Miles Fly Fishing, LLC. Matt grew up in Lynchburg, Virginia and started fly fishing in 1993. After graduating from high school in 1996, he moved to Colorado to live out his dream of becoming a fly fishing guide. In 1997, Matt began guiding at the Blue Quill Angler in Evergreen, Colorado. In 2003, he decided to move back to Lynchburg to guide his home waters where he now runs his own Orvis Endorsed guide service, fishing for muskies, smallmouth bass, trout, and striped bass. Matt’s guided trips are run on the James, New, Jackson, Smith, and the Roanoke rivers, to name a few. Matt loves guiding, teaching, being on the water, and tying his own flies. He is also a Fly Designer for Umpqua Feather Merchants.
Wesley Hodges
Wesley Hodges Fly Fishing
Wesley’s Bio
Wesley operates Wesley Hodges Fly Fishing out of Blacksburg Virginia, his passion is chasing Trophy Smallmouth and Musky on the New River along with offering some incredible destination trips for trout in western Virginia. Wesley will be joining the South River Fly Fishing Expo crew for the first time this year and will be presenting on Trophy New River Smallmouth.
Reed Cranford
South River Fly Shop
Reed’s Bio
Reed began pursuing trout with a fly rod during his days at Appalachian State University and has been a regular on the South River since moving to the Waynesboro area. Reed joined the guide staff at South River Fly Shop in 2014 and has been a favorite of clients ever since. Reed’s presentation will be an on the water nymphing lesson including flies, rigging, reading water, and fly presentation.
L.E. Rhodes
Hatchmaker Guide Service
L.E.’s Bio
L.E.Rhodes has been fishing the James, its tributaries and the Shenandoah for over 45 years and guiding on them since 1999.
L.E. is also an accomplished fly tier providing anglers and shops with local and time honored favorites. As an instructor L.E. loves to introduce fly fishing to beginners as well as those who want to tune up their casting or knowledge.
L.E. ‘s easy going attitude and desire to put anglers on fish makes him one of the most sought after smallmouth guides in Central Virginia . Get him talking about smallmouth and you’ll see a true passion of love and knowledge of the fish and its resource.
Chris Siess
Knot the Reel World Fly Fishing
Chris’ Bio
Two decades ago, Chris picked up a fly rod at age twelve to throw poppers for bass and sunfish in Virginia farm ponds. The addiction was immediate and he would be forever bound to the allure of fly fishing. “Fly tying disease” followed shortly thereafter and the family Border Collies provided tying materials for his first hand tied flies as a kid.
Post college, Chris cut his guiding teeth as a trout bum in Aspen, Colorado and found that he loved teaching the sport. Returning east a few years later, he continued guiding and tying professionally and started his own business, Knot the Reel World Fly Fishing, in his new home of Richmond, Virginia.
These days, he’s often on the road guiding in Virginia, North Carolina and Colorado and fly fishing everywhere in between. When he is not traveling or fishing he can be found in his tying den concocting new flies for all varieties of fish. His clients use his patterns to fish all over the country and world including Patagonia, Mexico, the American West, and of course the East Coast. He loves to teach fishing and tying tactics for various species in unique locations.
His favorite quarries are redfish and smallmouth bass and he will be tying unique patterns for these species and many others. He also still ties flies for clients with their family dog hair, upon request. You can find his work at www.knotthereelworld.com.
Tommy Lawhorne
South River Fly Shop
Tommy’s Bio
Tommy Lawhorne is the co-owner of South River Fly Shop in Waynesboro. Tommy has spent the last 30 years fly fishing and guiding for Trout and Smallmouth Bass in western Virginia. Tommy is an ardent native Brook Trout fan and has worked with Shenandoah Valley Trout Unlimited and the Virginia Council of Trout Unlimited to restore, protect and conserve native Brook Trout habitat and build better fisheries on our valley spring creeks. Tommy is the current President of the Shenandoah Valley Chapter of Trout Unlimited and is a board member of Destination Downtown Waynesboro.
Kevin A. Whitfield
Old Dominion Outfitter and Guide Service
Kevin’s Bio
Kevin resides in McGaheysville, Virginia which is located in eastern Rockingham County where he owns and operates Old Dominion Outfitter and Guide Service LLC. As a lifelong resident of Rockingham County, Kevin spends most of his time fly fishing the small mountain streams of the George Washington National Forest and Shenandoah National Park for native brook trout. When Kevin isn’t fishing for brook trout he can be found on the Shenandoah River fly fishing for smallmouth and largemouth bass, carp, or musky. Kevin started sharing his 30 plus years of experience and knowledge of local waters in 2013 as a full time fly fishing guide and outfitter.
Herschel Finch
Jackson Kayak Pro Staff
Herschel’s Bio
Herschel Finch, bought his first Fly Rod when he saw it hanging from the dusty ceiling joists in Hill’s Bait and Hardware in Raleigh North Carolina back in 1969. He still has that rod, Herschel fished from a kayak for the first time in 1998 and never looked back. He serves as pro staff for Jackson Kayak, along with Orion Coolers, YakAttack Kayak Accessories and Bending Branches paddles. He lives right here in the Shenandoah Valley in Front Royal, Virginia where he’s also Conservation Chairman for the local Izaak Walton League Chapter as well as for the Potomac River Smallmouth Club.
Eric Harvey
The Virginia Trout Junkies
Eric and Hunter’s Bio
Eric and Hunter are the founders of the very popular Virginia Trout Junkies Facebook Page and have fished all over Virginia and West Virginia for Native, Wild and trophy trout. Their page promotes a strong Catch and Release ethic and encourages the viewers to engage in conservation of trout and trout waters. Eric and Hunter grew up in Waynesboro, Virginia and have an impressive knowledge of the South River and are ardent supporters of this incredible fishery.