Show Notes
Drew Chicone is a renowned fly designer, author, and educator based in Fort Myers, Florida. Widely respected throughout the fly-fishing community, he is best known for his innovative saltwater fly patterns, hands-on teaching style, and deep knowledge of the species and ecosystems on the west coast of Florida & the Bahamas.
A lifelong angler, Drew has devoted his career to studying fish behavior, refining fly-tying techniques, and creating patterns that solve real-world challenges on the water. His work has been featured in numerous national publications, and his patterns are fished by guides and anglers across the country.
Drew is the founder of Salty Fly Tying, a platform through which he teaches classes, produces instructional materials, and shares the research and experimentation behind his designs. He has authored 17 fly-tying books, many of which have become staples for saltwater anglers and tiers seeking to improve their craft. He also collaborates with leading brands, guides, and conservation groups to support responsible fisheries and help anglers elevate their skills.
When he’s not writing or teaching, Drew can usually be found on the flats or in the backcountry around Southwest Florida—testing new materials, observing local fish, and refining the patterns that have made him one of the most recognizable names in modern fly tying.
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Mike Dawes has spent more than three decades chasing fish across the globe, building a life around the places, people, and experiences that make fly fishing far more than a sport. Raised in a family steeped in the tradition, Mike caught his first trout on a fly at just five years old. His grandfather helped establish the legendary Deep Water Cay Bonefishing Club in the Bahamas, introducing Mike early to the world of saltwater fly fishing and planting the seeds for a lifetime of exploration.
Mike Lawson is a legend of the Henry’s Fork—and one of the men who helped shape modern fly fishing in the American West. A fourth-generation Idahoan, Lawson grew up fishing the Henry’s Fork and began his professional fly-fishing career in the early 1970s while working as a schoolteacher and tying flies commercially with his wife, Sheralee. He later guided in West Yellowstone before the two founded Henry’s Fork Anglers in 1976, building what would become one of the most respected fly-fishing operations in the country.
Boots Allen is a third-generation fly-fishing guide, tournament angler, writer, fly designer, and one of the longtime stewards of the rivers around Jackson Hole, Wyoming. Born and raised in the valley, Boots grew up immersed in a family whose name is woven into the history of fly fishing in the region. His grandfather, Leonard “Boots” Allen, was one of the early guides and outfitters in Jackson Hole, securing permits to guide the waters of the Greater Yellowstone area in the 1940s. His father, Joe Allen, continued that tradition and became known for his innovative fly patterns, including the famous Double Humpy.
Baker Bishop is an avid fly fisherman, surfer, husband, father, and mentor whose life has been shaped by a lifelong connection to the water. He picked up a fly rod at just ten years old, taught by his mother, who passed down the skills, traditions, and passion she had learned from her grandfather—a bamboo-rod builder and lifelong angler.
Rudy Babikian is an accomplished fly fisherman, adventurer, and co-founder of Los Locos, a premier fly-fishing destination in Magdalena Bay, Mexico. Originally from Maine, Rudy cut his teeth in the Northeast chasing giant striped bass from shore—often putting himself in precarious situations in pursuit of the biggest fish. Those early experiences helped shape the adventurous, risk-taking approach that would define his fishing life.