Paul Weamer

Paul Weamer was born and raised in central Pennsylvania. He learned the basics of fly tying and fishing from his father along the many rivers and creeks of the Juniata River System, particularly the Little Juniata River and its tributaries. In his mid-twenties, after spending a few years as a counselor working in public schools, Paul accepted a position managing a fly shop and fishing lodge along the Upper Delaware River in New York’s Catskill Mountains. This decision would impact the rest of his life. Paul credits fly fishing and tying legends, Charlie Meck and Mary Dette Clark, for mentoring him during his early years in the fly fishing industry. While living in the Catskills, Paul became a fly fishing guide and production fly tyer. He created new fly patterns and designed his signature hook, the Daiichi model #1230, Weamer’s Truform Mayfly Hook. Paul also wrote his first book, The Fly Fishing Guide to the Upper Delaware River. He would write or co-write six more fly fishing books over the next fifteen years: Tying Dry Flies (with Jay Nichols, Charlie Craven, and Mike Heck), The Pocketguide to Pennsylvania Hatches (with Charlie Meck), The Pocketguide to New York Hatches, The Bug Book, Dry Fly Strategies, and Favorite Flies for Yellowstone National Park. Paul has contributed many articles and photographs to Fly Fisherman magazine, holding various masthead titles throughout his career: Mid-Atlantic Field Editor, Northeast Field Editor, and currently, Contributing Editor.

While writing his books and articles, Paul became one of the most respected aquatic insect photographers and amateur, fly fishing-based aquatic entomologists in the United States. Through his writing, photography, guiding, fly tying, seminars, and fly shop roles, Paul has shared his knowledge and skills with an untold number of fly anglers. He has co-owned or managed five fly shops and/or guide services in New York, Pennsylvania, Montana, and Yellowstone National Park.

Fly fishing has been Paul’s life’s work, and he has always strongly believed in giving something back to the fish, rivers, and creeks that have given so much to him. He was one of the founders of the conservation organization The Friends of the Upper Delaware River (FUDR). And today he is employed by Montana State University in his role as the Coordinator of the Yellowstone Fly Fishing Volunteer Program (YFFVP). In this position, directed by Yellowstone’s fisheries biologists, Paul leads teams of volunteers from around the country into the waterways of Yellowstone National Park’s backcountry to gather vital fisheries data through fly fishing. Helping to preserve Yellowstone’s iconic native fish has become one of the most satisfying roles of his long, varied, and celebrated fly fishing career.