Why do you love fly fishing?

Fly fishing provides an endless outlet for creativity — I enjoy tying flies, naming new patterns (e.g., nymphs “Kitch’n Sink” and “Gold Digger”), and building rods (including “Guinea Pig”— a 4wt bamboo beauty made from scratch). I also try to bring something different to teaching techniques and running an outfitter. Above all, fly fishing takes me to beautiful places I would never see otherwise —places I wish everyone could see.

How did you get started in the sport?

Despite growing up near Connecticut's Farmington River, I did not discover fly fishing until later in life. At 45, “one cast - one fish” became “one cast - one cheek” as my fly-fishing debut at a corporate outing led to an epidermal extraction and a bunch of embarrassing pictures. My wife and I bought property in the Catskills five years later, and the draw of the Esopus Creek, as well as the chance to watch a local tyer at the general store, ignited a passion that has burned out of control ever since.

I’ve learned from some incredible teachers / mentors and credit the first chapter of the legendary Joe Humphreys' book Trout Tactics, "Finding Trout," for my desire to teach. Over these 30 pages, my approach to the water changed from "catcher" to "hunter," a label that is more enjoyably shared with others.

Where is your favorite place to fish and why?

My favorite place to fish is any place I haven’t fished before. I am a sponge for learning with an urgency to make up for lost time. Targeting carp in New York’s Central Park has been my most unique experience to date. Where else do you use an 8wt to throw bow and arrow casts through tree branches to hook and (hopefully) land a 30” fish in front of an audience of shocked and cheering tourists?

What is your dream destination to fish?

My list of dream destinations includes New Zealand for trout, Patagonia for golden dorado, and anywhere for GTs. But as an older guy who is relatively new to the sport, my dream is to stay healthy and wet a line in new water, wherever that might be.

Why is the Atollas brand special to you?

I am primarily a wade angler and self-proclaimed gear junky, guilty of carrying way too much stuff on the water. Some of my best days, however, are ones where I leave the house with a tenkara rod, one spool of tippet, and a few flies. Atollas’ fresh look at conventional fly storage systems offers modularity and flexibility I have yet to find in other brands. I can finally have my cake and eat it too.

What Atollas product(s) are in your everyday carry? 

While I have yet to divorce my sling pack, the Atollas 1GO Box and Micro Boxes w/ Fly Caddies attached have made a separation possible. I made an adjustable/ detachable neck strap from paracord for each and tuck them just inside the top of my waders when fishing. During a recent week-long trip to Alberta and British Columbia, I fished from the 1GO exclusively. My pack stayed zipped.

Which one is your favorite and why?

I’ve tried almost every chest box on the market, and the Atollas 1GO Box and Micro Box share the favorite spot. My Micro is currently configured for small stream guiding — a few dry fly confidence patterns, an equal number of nymphs, and a couple of small buggers is all I need. My 1GO is set up for larger stream guiding and exploring new waters, where my “fly pattern FOMO” is stronger. The combination of the magnetic pads and various sized multi-slit foam enables me to carry everything from midges to articulated streamers in one compact package. Show me another box that can do that!