Edmund Everett Garrison was born in Yonkers, New York, in 1893.  He had a long rodmaking career, beginning in the early 1930s and continuing until his death in 1975.  Garrison was responsible for launching the most disciplined, methodical approach to rodmaking in the history of split bamboo. His background and education in engineering led to a uniquely scientific approach in the development of his now famous rod tapers. He also developed his own tools, precision planing forms, binder and other equipment. His process and method for building rods provided both absolute control and predictable results. Garrison built almost every part of each rod himself, including fittings, reel seats, rod cases, and even the poplin bags to hold finished rods safe in the case. His legacy is captured in Hoagy B. Carmichael’s monumental work, “A Master’s Guide to Building A Bamboo Fly Rod” a work that documents Garrison’s fastidious approach to the craft of rodmaking. It was Garrison’s great love for rodmaking and his willingness to share his hard-won knowledge that encourages many hundreds of amateur craftsmen to follow in his footsteps.

Daughter of one of the pre-eminent Catskill fly tying families, Mary Dette is the last of the original Catskill fly tyers. Although her first contribution to the family’s fly shop was to sell earthworms by the dozen, Mary learned fly tying from her father and mother, Walt and Winnie Dette, and soon tied with the exquisite ability that marked her as a Dette. With attention to detail and exacting methods, Mary creates flies that never vary within a pattern. She ties patterns from the large Coffin Fly, designed by her father, to the tiny Spotter Midge, designed by Mary herself. In addition to the perpetuation of a local craft, Mary has contributed to the Catskill region throughout the years with her gift ofknowledge, teaching her skill at formal fly tying seminars and providing tying wisdom to any supplicant who knocks at her door. Her evening ritual of recording insects at a local filling station provides anglers with the daily Roscoe fishing report. Mary’s reach extends far beyond her local waters: Her fly shop is a touchstone for anglers traveling to the Catskills from all over the world . In addition to the Fly Fishing Hall of Fame, Mary and her family have been honored by many angling communities, including Theodore Gordon Flyfishers and The Eastern Council of The Federation of Fly Fishers with the prestigious Lifetime Achievement Award, which named the Dettes the First Family of Catskill Fly Tying.

Carrie Stevens established a style of fly tying that is now fundamental to the sport. A Maine milliner by trade, Carrie G. Stevens turned her hat making skills to fly tying and so developed flies that revolutionized the sport of fly fishing. On July 1, 1924, Carrie tied her first fly, a Rangeley Favorite, cast it into Upper Dam Pool in Rangeley, Maine, and caught a 6 lb. 13 oz brook trout. The fish brought her second prize in Field & Stream magazine’s annual fishing contest and the fly made her a professional fly tyer. Her clients ranged from commercial fishing stores to anglers such as President Herbert Hoover and author Zane Grey. Her first fly tied to resemble a smelt; Mrs. Stevens modified her design and eventually produced more than 120 different patterns of flies, including the still popular Gray Ghost. She developed the use of shoulders on trout flies to imitate the gill covers of baitfish and is responsible for the widespread success of the streamer silhouette.

With the energy of an army, there wasn’t anything that could hold Joan Stoliar back.  She was an accomplished fly fisher and fly tyer.  Joan was an activist within the fly fishing community, promoting and protecting clean and healthy trout water.  Joan dedicated her life to making fly fishing better for everyone.  She founded two important programs, Project Access and Trout in the Classroom that continue to grow.  She contributed to the design of several fly fishing titles including Jorgensen’s and the historical book The Dettes. Her efforts touch everyone from the prospective fly fisher to the most experienced.  Finally, her business, Fly Tyers Carry All, was designed to make innovative products that would aid the fly fisher. Most recognized is the Folstaf, a product that many flyfishers rely on day in and day out. Joan’s contributions of the past will continue to ensure fly fishing futures while touching many individuals along the way.

Helen Shaw learned fly fishing from her father when she was a child in Wisconsin.  During her senior year of high school, she was supporting herself as a fly tyer and by age 20, opened a fly tying business in Sheboygan.  Requests to mass produce flies were turned down because Helen was never willing to sacrifice quality for quantity.  Her flies satisfied the needs of some of the most discriminating fly fishers, including President Herbert Hoover, and she came to be known as a most meticulous fly tyer. In 1953 she closed her Wisconsin store and moved to New York to marry Field and Stream art director, Herman Kessler.  In 1963 they collaborated on Helen’s first book Fly Tying, and set a new standard in fly tying self-study.  Helen did the writing and Herman, the photography.  As a result of this single title, Helen taught thousands to tie flies.  Two more books followed, Flies for Fish and Fishermen, and Fly Tying: Materials, Tools, and Techniques. A true pioneer in fly fishing, Helen  perfected her craft. She first tied flies for the fish, and then for the fisherman..

Until his death in 1951, James was the towering figure in American wet-fly fishing. “The Skues of America”. An expert toolmaker from Allentown, PA, he fished the Brodheads and the Little Lehigh extensively. Research in color, shape, and movement of natural insects provided him with the knowledge to develop deadly fly patterns and specific techniques in their imitative construction. According to Sparse Grey Hackle, “his flies were not outclassed in either pattern or workmanship by the Fly Fishers best”. His techniques on how to fish them remain unique, spawning a culture in the art of wet fly fishing.  His one book,  The Art of Tying the Wet Fly, (1941) and the revised and enlarged edition byVernon S. Hidyin 1973 The Art of Tying the Wet Fly and Fishing the Flymph, continues to be the benchmark in wet fly fishing and tying world wide.

Gary LaFontaine; author, angler and entomologist published in excess of 100 articles on fly fishing and fly tying in more than a dozen different regional and national publications. He authored five books, best known of which was Caddisflies and coauthored many others.  A pioneer in using SCUBA gear for underwater research, he spent many bone-chilling hours observing trout and their insect prey species in their environment.  He observed light patterns which reflected from the organisms and discovered that a trilobal polymer filament would, when blended with other materials in small amounts, reproduce these light patterns.  Thus, his “Deep Sparkle” and “Sparkle” patterns came in to general usage with stunning results.  When he died at age 56, Gary was working on another book on the incredibly complex group of Blue Wing Olives.  Steve Qualline, of Bob Marriott’s Fly Fishing Store, has probably said it best: “Gary’s greatest legacy was the way he touched, and taught countless lovers of fly fishing!”

In 1969, Fly Fisherman magazine was founded by Don Zahner. The concept for the publication was first introduced to an elite faction of  fly fishermen (including Phil Wright, Ernie Schwiebert and Andy Puyans) in the back of a van on the banks of Montana’s Madison River. With the support of this group, Fly Fisherman magazine became a reality.  It provided, for the first time, an exclusive forum and exchange of information for the dedicated fly fisherman. The word “purist” was used to describe the flock.  Their close-knit world became closer through the publication of articles about far-off places along with articles by noted fly fishermen on how to, where to, when to, and why. Don’s contribution was more than simply the creation of a magazine: He built a society that was once hidden from the general outdoors population. He was not just an editor because his column, Anglish Spoken Here, provided us with history, laughter, reflection and advice. It was Don’s forum and he made great use of it. And now, Anglish is spoken not only here, but everywhere.

Bob grew up fishing for native brook trout in the headwaters of New Jersey’s northern streams. He migrated west to Montana in the mid 60’s and became a full time guide in West Yellowstone. Bob is a world recognized fly fishing educator, tackle industry consultant and advisor to fish and game departments. Additionally, he was a principal instructor for nearly ten years with the landmark Fenwick Fly Fishing Schools. Bob taught thousands of students the arts of fly tying, fly casting, and fly fishing. He has contributed to many books including Fly Fishing the Yellowstone in the Park, coauthored with the late Gary LaFontaine, He has made a DVD entitled Introduction to Fly Tying with Bob Jacklin.several and several instructional videos, including one for the Japanese market. In addition, you may have seen him in the TV series Fishing the West and In Search of Fly Water. His many awards, including The Buz Buszek Memorial Award, West Yellowstone’s Legacy of Gold, and the 2004 Federation of Fly Fisherman’s Man of the Year, make him a contemporary treasure.

An early all consuming interest in nature guided the young Bill Kelly to his life career in Fisheries Management.  He began fishing when in kindergarten – tying his own flies and reading all he could about fish and fishing.  Bill worked for the New York State Conservation Department doing fisheries research.  He came to the Catskills in 1958 to set up and work in the DeBruce Fisheries Laboratory, and moved on to Fisheries Management at the New York State DEC Region 3 at New Paltz. Under his leadership, programs were developed to reclaim and restock Crystal Lake in northern Sullivan County with native brook trout, and to introduce landlocked Atlantic Salmon into the Neversink Reservoir, providing NYS fishermen with new and improved fishing opportunities.  His research paper “A Fish Planting Formula for Hatcheries” became the basis for trout management in New York State.  The recipient of many honors, Bill was most proud of being honored by the Sullivan County Federation of Sportsmen’s Clubs, “For having the courage to try something different.”

Ray Bergman was America’s fisherman. His first book, Trout, was in continuous publication for over 50 years from the first release in 1938, making it one of the ten best selling sporting books ever written. It provided an education to many generations of trout fishermen and continues to be a benchmark in fly fishing history. Traveling over a quarter of a million miles in the United States and Canada, Ray regularly reported of his experiences and shared new found knowledge in Outdoor Life Magazine where he was the angling editor from 1933 to his retirement in 1960. Ray’s book Trout, first published in 1938, became his defining work.  It is one of the ten best selling sporting books ever written and is the only sporting book to be in continuous print for over 50 years.  Ray wrote other books including, Fresh Water Bass in 1942 and With Fly Plug and Bait in 1947.  Ray lived his entire life in Nyack, New York and was a frequent fisherman in all the Catskill rivers and streams.  Ray traveled over 250,000 miles throughout the United States and Canada gathering information on angling.  As a fly tyer, Ray has few peers.  Bythe time Trout was published in 1938, he professed to have tied over 100,000 flies.  In 1952, when the revised edition of Trout was printed, the number had risen to 200,000.  Within this extensive number came creations such as the Squirrel Series Streamers, R.B. Translucent Series, and the Iron Blue Variant.  Many of Ray’s flies are displayed in color plates by Dr. Edgar Burke in his book Trout. Ray will always be remembered as the angling editor of Outdoor Life magazine, a position he held from 1933 until he retired in 1960.

Stan, the son of a machinist, followed in his fathers footsteps, to become the most recognized reel maker in the past half century.  In 1953 Stan introduced the two-spring floating drag system for salmon reels, and the rest is history.  Conviction to the principles of high quality and reliability has been the hallmark of Bogdan Reels.  Building each reel by hand, including the screws, makes a Bogdan reel not only a functional fishing instrument, but truly a work of art.  The discerning angler has always appreciated such qualities.  Today Stan is an ambassador of salmon fishing and works arduously for the Atlantic Salmon Federation in keeping the rivers of the North American east coast viable fisheries.  With reel production in the capable hands of his son Steve, Stan has now found the time to pursue his second passion to reel making, salmon fishing.

As Executive Editor of Crown Publications, Nick began the Sportsman’s Classics series which published or republished the backbone of angling authors including Art Flick, Vince Marinaro, and Poul Jorgensen. Later at Lyons Press, he published more than one hundred fly fishing titles, including old and new books by Lee and Joan Wulff, Ed Van Put, Mac Francis, Lefty Kreh, and a host of other great angling authors.  Nick is also the author of twenty books, most of them on fly fishing.  Appearing for twenty five years in the Seasonable Angler column for “Fly Fisherman” magazine, Nick brought his unique perspective to the angling community.

His response to all his accolades can be summed up in this typical Nick Lyons quote “Despite all of the fishing in print I have read and edited, my fly fishing skills are best suited to bluegills”.

Few people, if any, have put forward to the angling community the accomplishments of Ernest Schwiebert.  Over the past fifty years, the information shared from his world travels and research, have opened the door encouraging fly fishermen to explore new waters, assess the conditions, identify the situation, and develop a strategy necessary to meet the challenge and entice a fish. Three of his published works are deemed classics in the world of fly fishing literature: Trout;  Matching the Hatch; and Nymphs, earning him the undisputed title as Dean of American Trout Fishing Writers. A leader in the fields of ecology and conservation of cold water fisheries, Ernie provided commitment and unselfish dedication.  Ultimately, one of the greatest fly fishermen ever.

Eric authored eight books on fly tying, the use and procurement of fly tying materials, and development of specific insect artificials. Eric also served fly tyers nationwide with complete instructions on preparation and care of natural materials, photo dying, and as a source of high, standardized quality of fly tying materials.  His Complete Book of Fly Tying (1977) is in its 23rd printing and has exceeded sales of 100,000 copies.

Frank Smoot was a born conservationist working on the Migratory Game Bird Act in 1928 at the age of 22 and in 1930 became the Youth Conservation Director of the Maryland State Game & Fish Protective Association.  This position was the beginning of his long commitment to conservation and his devotion to educating the youth in fly fishing.  An early member of the Brotherhood of the Jungle Cock, he was also one of the original organizers of the Maryland Wildlife Federation working with many youth groups including The 4H and Boy Scouts of America.  An accomplished nature artist, Frank, up until his death in May 2006 just weeks shy of his 100th birthday, would provide sketches to all of the children attending Brotherhood of the Jungle Cock gatherings.  His long term commitment to the youth of our country in the education of conservation and cold water fisheries was unparalleled.

Born in 1811, Norris devoted his life to fly fishing.  As a young man, he explored American Waters and pursue the sport of American fly fishing in its infancy.  Well-educated and well read in angling literature, he discovered Old World flies, tackle and fishing techniques were not suitable for American waters.  Making modifications, Norris developed the first true American procedures for fly fishing and was an early pioneer in the development of the fly rod, andselling tackle and flies.  He communicated these discoveries through many articles in sporting periodicals and his book, The American Angler’s Book in 1864.    This book became every angler’s bible and Thaddeus became the recognized Father of American Fly Fishing.  It should be noted that Theodore Gordon learned to tie flies from The American Angler’s Book.

A prolific writer for numerous publications, author of many books, fly tying innovator, world traveler, industry consultant , fly fishing pro, club and organization advisor, outdoor photographer, public speaker, educator, saltwater fly fishing pioneer, expert fly caster, and simply too many more to list, can only be summarized in one word, “Lefty”. This man is the most recognized fly fisherman alive. His induction into the Fly Fishing Hall of Fame was a direct result of the wisdom, guidance, and humor that he willingly shares with everyone he meets; the qualities found in a true legend.

Poul Jorgensen is considered the greatest fly tyer of all time. Born and raised in Denmark, he came to the United States in the 1960’s and developed a keen interest in fly tying, through his mentor, William Blades. Abandoning his career as an engineer, he devoted his life to the art of fly tying.  Through his many books and videos, Poul generously shared his talents and techniques with the world, making every tyer, a better tyer.

Acknowledged as the “Dean of American Fly Fishermen”, Sparse wove his magic amongst those who fished the Catskill rivers as well as anglers from afar who could only dream of the experiences he created with his unique ability to put pen on paper. Fishless Days, Angling Nights, published in 1971 brought together many of his life experiences and has become a hallmark ofwhat the sport of fly fishing is all about.  Sparse brought life to the gentle art of angling and his spirit created the common denominator by which all fly fishermen are measured.  His wit, factual and fictional embellishments, and historical knowledge would always play into a tale; both short and tall.