Seminars & Workshop Descriptions

(see Schedule for time & location)

Steve Rajeff

Tournament Casting Presentation - In this program Steve will show us what makes him the world champion!

Rajeff’s Tips for Improving your Casting - A casting demo in which Steve directs attendees to specific steps to improving your casting skills.

Rajeff’s Casting Clinic - This is a hands-on casting clinic limited to 8 lucky people. (90 minute clinic, $50 fee)

Jon Cave

Cave’s Knot Clinic - Learn the knots and tackle assembly techniques for saltwater and freshwater angling.

How to Strike, Fight and Land Both Fresh and Saltwater Fish - Learn how to stick, fight and land salt-water fish.

Cave's Casting Clinic - This 2-hour clinic provides individual instruction with a focus on the common mistakes casters make.(2-hr clinic,l $50 fee)

Casting Programs

Carl Warmouth   Curves Catch Fish - Curve casts are one of the most useful yet under-utilized casts that a fly fisher can use. In this program master instructor Carl Warmouth demonstrates and teaches various ways to make both left and right curve casts.

  Kent  Edmonds  - More Secrets from the Inner Circle; What They Never Told You About Casting The Fly Rod - Learning basic casting  isn’t hard, but getting past the basic rating can be. If you are a decent caster who wants to be better or a whole lot better, learn the secret.  What  they never told you can immediately increase you control, accuracy, and distance.  It’s why  the great casters make it look so easy. The secret can be yours. (90 minutes +/-, bring your rod, leave your muscles).

Jason Stacy  - Tarpon in the Crosshairs -  Sightcasting for tarpon requires planning and confidence, not luck.    After  the workshop  you will  understand the fish, the  tackle,   the casting,  and how to  visualize where your fly has to land so that the tarpon will take it.    Everbody gets hands on training while  standing on an actual casting platform. Bring your fast action 10-12 weight outfit,  sunglasses and a hat.  

 Allen Crise     Rotation: Hidden Power Source for Casting - The  good casters never seem to  strain.  Their secret?   They are all technique not brutal torque. In this class you will learn to control  rotation, the hidden casting  resource.  Upgrading your rotation technique improves smoothness, line appearance, and performance while it decreases effort.  The biggest bargain in fly casting.

 Mack Martin:   Teach Yourself the Double Haul - Acquiring  a good haul is the best investment  in fly casting.   Imperative for                       the wind, distance, and other difficult conditions,  hauling is leverage that reduces effort, tightens the loop, improves turnover and accuracy for every cast. You can haul if you can tie your shoelace, a very long  shoelace. 

 David Diaz      Single- Handed Spey:  Comfortable, Habituating and Forbidden* - Spey casting is so comfortable and  habit forming,  it ought to be illegal.   This on-the- water workshop teaches  the Switch, Double-, and  Single-Spey, the  Snap,  the Snake Roll and what water conditions are right  for each cast.  Please come equipped with rod and wading gear.   You won’t be able to stop. *Residents of Utah and Alabama must show written approval from pastor.

 Tom Travis      Practical Fly Fishing for Catching Fish - Sometimes breaking the rules so that the fly winds up where the fish will eat it is just what’s needed.   Tom’s seminar presents solutions for the casting problems anglers encounter when actually fishing, not stylish lawn casting.  Casting instructors are barred from this course.  

Fly Tying Programs

Beth Tuttle - So, You want to start tying flies? This is an Introduction to beginner fly   tying. Beth’s three hour Tying Workshop will be offered at a cost of   $5 for materials on Friday afternoon. Please register in advance, as the class size is limited to eight. All materials and equipment will be   provided. What better chance to try tying, maybe you will get hooked!

Tom Travis - Tying Tricks - Something for Everyone In this seminar Tom will be covering patterns for Trout, Saltwater and Warm water, he will tie with several different and new materials. Materials that are not found in your local fly shop. The Seminar will include a pattern booklet, a pattern DVD with all the fly tying methods and a raw DVD of the seminar for each student. There will be a $5.00 material charge that is payable to the instructor at the start of the seminar. Some the patterns will be tied on hooks, others will be tied on various tube. Instead of bringing your fly tying tools, Tom suggests a notebook and pen. He will cover a lot of material and with the two DVD's you will be able to master the patterns and method in an easier setting at your fly tying table!

Tom Travis   Tying Tricks: Finding  Materials Outside the Tackle Shop [Fee of $5.00 paid to Tom Travis for materials and tying DVD] Tom’s class points tyers to the huge resource for materials not in little bags at the local fly tackle shop.  Wal-Mart, craft stores, and toy stores are a few.   There will be flies for trout, saltwater, bass and other warm water species.   

PLUS Fly Tying Demos all day

 Friday and Saturday in the ballroom

Rod Building Programs

Bill Conine- Rod Building 101 In this seminar Bill presents a no-nonsense approach to rod building that beginners will appreciate.

Mike Popick – Rod Building: Beginner and Beyond (2 hrs) Building  a fly rod from beginning to end, including custom wraps, reel seats, custom handles, and general questions.  Interested visitor's will be able to sit down and wrap a guide.

Bill Oyster –  "FAQ's About Bamboo Fly Rods"  Bill Oyster gives a brief history of bamboo fly rods and answers the most commonly asked questions concerning the craft and use of these soul poles.

General Programs

Tom Travis  Breakfast with Tom: What’s Funny about Fly Fishing

 When you  breakfast with  Tom Travis, the stories are as thick as the gravy on the biscuits.    Tom’s amusing just to talk to, but with an audience and an ample food the laughs stack up bigger than the servings.   [Fee for this Program is $25.00 and it includes unlimited trips to the waffle service.] 

Cornell of CJ Flyfishing  - Fishing Dukes Creek in Smithgall Woods Conservation in Helen, GA Learn the Do’s and Don’ts of fishing Dukes Creek.  Learn Dukes Creek entomology, how to read runs, good approaches and techniques of fishing in tight spaces with lots of foliage. Cornell believes that every fly fisherman should know how to “read” the waters that are in front of them at that moment, whether it’s large waters or tight waters. Tight waters require a different technique because of surrounding foliage. Cornell would like to share how to approach these tight waters and the type of casting required to catch trout.  She will also introduce the types of bugs living in these small creeks and how to approach a small area with stealth. 

Misako Ishimura: International Federation of Sport Fly Fishing World Fly Fishing Championship; Is there Fly Fishing in Olympics? This program is about the FIPS World Fly Fishing Championship and Conservation Symposium (WFFCCS). Misako presents the Senior WFFCCS and Youth WFFCCS both to the audience and how much these events are constructed under the Olympic game concept and the organizations are trying to contribute for the international conservation activities.

 Duane Stalnaker -Stealth Tactics and Reading Trout Water Learn how to best approach and prepare for  different fishing situations that might be encountered on the stream.

Rusty Wright - How Freshwater Fishes of the Southeast Feed: Information Anglers Can Use This is an extremely interesting program describing how freshwater fishes fill every type of feeding guild from those that feed on the tiniest of plants and animals in the water, to those that feed on the bottom, to those that feed almost entirely on fish.  We even have one species (although introduced) that feeds on aquatic weeds.  Rusty describes these different feeding strategies highlighting some of the fishes that are most important to anglers, giving folks a better understanding of how these fish make a living and how fishing can be tailored to each group.

Ken Griffin - Fly Fishing for Vets The program provides the Veteran and his family to opportunity to enjoy the healing effects that being in a peaceful setting among friends and family whose care provides a welcome relief from the stress of recovery and the return from war. Fly Fishing for Vets is a non-profit foundation dedicated to the Veteran and his family.  While the veteran is fly fishing we provide the spouse with time to herself, as an example, time alone at a local Spa.  To do this we also provide basic services that are age based.  Services for the children can range from simple babysitting to horseback riding for the older children. Older children are always welcome to fish with their parent.

Norm Crisp – Fly Fishing Strategies. In this presentation Norm challenges fly fishers with this question: Why, as fly fishers, do we tend to use the same technique all year round and on every stream when a different approach may work better?  This presentation explains how to adapt your fishing to stream flow characteristics, differences in feeding behavior among species, habitat needs and the time of the year to improve your success on the stream.

Janet and George Piskurich – A Guide to Guides. .  In their book and in this program, the Piskurichs’ share their insights on how to successfully set up a guided fishing trip. A must-see program for anyone contemplating hiring a guide.

Chris Scalley - Fly fishing the Chattahoochee and Cumberland Rivers Attendees of this program will learn hatches and respective fly patterns for both the Chattahoochee and Cumberland  rivers as well as fly fishing tactics.

Pete Elkins -  "Fly Fishing for Freshwater Stripers in the South."  Pete’s program will explore the various seasonal approaches to stripers on flies, including tackle, tactics, weather conditions, and general observations on the most overlooked of great fly rod targets

John Berry "When, Where, and How to Fish the Norfork River".  This program is loaded with tips and techniques on how to fish the Norfork River, Arkansas’ premier blue ribbon trout stream.

Bill Boyd, Jr- . aka “Nick” of The Dubbing Teasers- Haul-Shank Redemption: Fly Fishing Adventures in Montana and Alberta, Canada -This is an interesting and colorful powerpoint presentation that will lead the attendees through a variety of fly fishing experiences in waters found in Montana and Alberta, Canada.  Montana rivers to be presented include the Lower Madison, Missouri Tail Waters, West Yellowstone River, and Upper Madison.  Also presented will be rivers from Alberta, Canada including sections from the Upper, Middle, and Lower Bow River, and the Livingstone and Highwood Rivers, which are located in the “High Country” of the Canadian Rocky Mountains.  A wide variety of strategies for luring, catching, losing, landing and releasing trout will be addressed.  Other areas to be discussed include Reading Various Water Conditions, Stalking Trout, Fly Selection, Casting Techniques, and Tandem Rigging Options.  The tandem rigging options to be showcased will include using various two-fly combinations to achieve faster and more satisfying results, as well as successfully implementing a very effective multi-color dual-strike-indicator system.   Beautiful photographs of Rainbow, Browns, and Cutthroat Trout will be featured along with alluring landscape scenes from where these prized fish reside.

Sally Bethea- Protecting and Restoring the Chattahoochee River, its Tributaries and Watershed.  Learn how the work of the Upper Chattahoochee Riverkeeper affects anglers.

John Bolton -Atlantic Salmon Fly Fishing on a budget. In this program John will discuss fishing world class rod catch Salmon rivers at affordable prices.  Where to go, what to use, the time of year, what you need to know.

Zach Matthews –.Improve Your Streamside Photography This two-hour seminar will focus on improving your streamside camera techniques.  All discussion will be aimed at helping anglers using pocket digital cameras get the most out of their equipment.  Learn such techniques as how to (safely) manage and shoot a magazine-style "grip and grin," how to take advantage of early morning light to photograph casting, and how to apply fill flash to bring out the colors in your trophy trout.  No prior experience or training necessary!  On-the-water hands-on demonstration and Q & A on the Callaway Gardens grounds will follow presentation.  For advance queries about materials or equipment, contact Zach through www.itinerantangler.com

Len Codella – The Antique Tackle Road Show. Here's your chance to find out whatever you wanted to know about that old fly fishing tackle, reel or bamboo rod that's been handed down in your family. Find out if you should preserve it, fish it or donate it and what it is really worth! All that at no expense to visitors to the SEC-FFF 2008 Conclave and Fly Fishing Show. Simply bring your "goodies" to the show, ask him your questions and get a free appraisal of what you have. If you are inclined to sell your things, he can help with that, as well. Professional Tackle Appraisals often cost $50 to $100 apiece, so this is an excellent opportunity to save some money and find out what you need to know.

Robert Prytula - The Sunfish. In his program, “The Sunfish, Robert provides an overview of the mighty bream and sunfish species.  Topics to include species information, habitat, fly patterns, tactics/tips and resources.  A how-to-guide for any dedicated bream or beginning fly fisher.

Nes Levotch- Browns,Bows,Brookies,and Bronzebacks, it  doesn't get any better than East Tennessee". The program covers the various rivers and streams available for floating and wading and the techniques needed to fish them. 

Tom Travis - Fishing on the Wrong Side of the Road: UK Versus the US,  Flies and Methods  In this class,  Tom contrasts the patterns, conditions, and methods for fly fishing in the UK with those in the US.  Amazing how the same fish here and there respond to such different patterns. 

OTHER programs

Fly Casting Instruction & Coaching: Callaway Gardens' own FFF Certified Casting Instructors will be offering free casting clinics at 2:30-3:30 PM each day (Friday and Saturday). And they may have some special friends helping out - stop by and say hello.

FFF Casting Instructor Testing -  for CI Level - contact the national FFF office to register.

One-day  FFF Casting Instructor Continuing Education Seminar - May 29 - This full-day program is limited  to FFF-certified instructors.

Fly Tying Demos - Maybe the best part of any conclave, fly tying demos will be going on all day Friday and Saturday in the exhibit hall. Not only is this a chance to watch some of the finest fly tiers in the country work, but you're welcome to pull up a chair and chat. You can learn some tying techniques, pick up some fishing techniques, or just share some fish stories with the tier and others who've stopped to watch. Take a look at the tier biographies below and you'll have some idea of what a great opportunity this is.

BIOGRAPHIES

John Berry is the owner/operator of Berry Brothers Guide Service located in historic Cotter, Arkansas, Trout Capital USA.  He provides wade and float trips on the White, Norfork, Spring, and Little Red Rivers for trout and Crooked Creek for Smallmouth Bass.....read more...

Bill Boyd, Jr. aka “Nick” is a member of the Dubbing Teasers Fly Tying Team and he also writes product review articles for Fly Fish America Magazine.  He is an active Board Member and Current Vice President of the Chattanooga-based Trout Unlimited Appalachian Chapter.  He was the 2006 fly casting champion of the Appalachian TU Casting Contest.  He is also a member of the Federation of Fly Fishers......read more...

Sally Bethea is the founding director of Upper Chattahoochee Riverkeeper (UCR), a 4,600 member nonprofit environmental advocacy organization established in 1994 whose mission is to protect and restore the Chattahoochee River, its tributaries and watershed.

She has a masters degree in city planning from Georgia Tech and thirty years of experience in environmental issues, working for the Georgia Conservancy, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, National Park Service, and others.  Sally has served on the boards of Waterkeeper Alliance, River Network and the Georgia Board of Natural Resources (1999-2007). Currently, she is a member of the board of Earth Share of Georgia. Recognition of Sally’s work includes the 1989 Water Conservationist of the Year Award from the Georgia Wildlife Federation, 1990 Special Achievement Award from the Georgia Environmental Council, 1998 Southern Environmental Leadership Award from Southern Environmental Law Center, and the 2001-02 Certificate of Merit from the Garden Club of Georgia.  In 2001 and 2002, she was named one of the 100 Most Influential Atlantans by the Atlanta Business Chronicle and, in 2003, 2005, and 2006, one of the 100 Most Influential Georgians by Georgia Trend Magazine.

She is also the proud mother of two sons, Charles and Robert.

 John Bolton - withdrawn

Cornell Feldesman of CJ Flyfishing – Cornell began her fly fishing career on North Georgia Waters many years ago.  She is a guide on Dukes Creek and teaches fellow fisherman how to handle the challenges of Dukes. She has been referred by Bass Pro and Fly Box Outfitters and makes her own leaders and ties her own flies for Dukes Creek. Her love of fly fishing began in her earlier years in Northern California, Idaho and Nevada.  She has extensively fished the Yuba River, Feather River, American River and the Sacramento River and the Snake River.  The crystal clear waters and stealthy approaches necessary on these rivers taught her the techniques she needed to be successful on Dukes Creek. Years later, she returned to Georgia and her priority was to find challenging trout waters. The clearest, closest waters were Smiths Creek and Dukes Creek. She has found that the trout on Dukes Creek are extremely educated and difficult to convince that the bug being presented is real.

Len Codella No doubt, some of you already know the name Len Codella, from his over 40 years of full-time business dealings in this fascinating fishing & collecting hobby. But, since new people discover the sport all the time, we'll talk a bit about his background, so those of you seeing this for the first time can all be on the same page

Len began buying, selling and trading in fine fishing tackle and collectible sporting items way back in the mid 1960's .....read more....

Bill Conine has built many hundreds of rods over the span of the past 50 years. His “Preacher Rods” have become a favorite of anglers all throughout the south.

Norm Crisp of Prairie Village, Kansas is Owner and Head   Guide of STREAM SIDE ADVENTURES.   Norm is an internationally known fly fisherman, author, teacher/lecturer and water resources scientist.  Norm began fly fishing over thirty years ago as a boy growing up in New Hampshire. Since leaving there he has continued fly fishing throughout North America and many parts of the world including Russia, Nepal, Scotland, England, Spain, Italy, New Zealand, Slovenia, Chile and even the Atlas Mountains of Morocco in North Africa. Norm has been awarded both the Wyoming CUTSLAM and the California Heritage Trout Challenge certificates.  Norm has written several articles about fly fishing for trout and his travels in search of trout.

Pete Elkins has been an avid fly rodder since building a Herter's "Model Perfect" rod in high school many fishing seasons ago.  He is an outdoor writer and photographer with articles in all major outdoor magazines.  He authored the book Catching Freshwater Striped Bass.  After decades of fly fishing, he still cannot sleep night before a trip.  Pete has fly fished extensively in both salt and freshwater throughout the world. 

Kent Edmonds has been a full-time guide in central Georgia for over 10 years, specializing in Flint River shoal bass, Chattahoochee stripers and Callaway bass & bream. Recently, he began work as the southeastern rep for tackle companies including Temple Fork, Fly H2O, and Jim Teeny. Kent continues to guide on a regular basis also - see his local fishing reports at www.flyfishga.com . Kent is a certified FFF instructor and a lead instructor at the Callaway Fly Fishing Schools. He is a member of theGeorgia Outdoor Writers Association and his articles have appeared in regional and national fly fishing and outdoor magazines.

Ken Griffin is the founder of the Fly Fishing for Vets program.

Misako Ishimura is the chair of World Fly Fly Fishing of Japan, captain of World Fly Fishing Team Japan., Goodwill Ambassador of Club Liaison Committee – International Women Fly Fishers, FlyTying Demonstrator, Nature Painter, and FFF Certified Casting Instructor.

Nes Levotch has over 40 years of experience.  He has fished an array of rivers, extensively in the West and has also honed his skills by traveling overseas to experience European fly fishing in the Austrian Alps.  However, his focus has become ..............read more

Zach Matthews' feature articles on techniques, fly fishing equipment, and destinations regularly appear in American Angler magazine, where he also edits the Headwaters section.  He and his wife Lauren provide articles and/or photography to American Angler, Fly Fisherman, The Drake, Backpacker, Fish and Fly, and to commercial catalogs such as Nautilus Reels'.  Zach is the host of The Itinerant Angler, www.itinerantangler.com, and The Itinerant Angler Podcast. 

Bill Oyster - The art of bamboo fly rod making is William "Bill" Oyster's full-time career and passion.  Bill is the sole artesian involved on each and every Oyster Fine Bamboo Fly Rod,  including the intricate hand engraving.   The action and aesthetic of each Oyster rod  is of the highest possible quality.   

Bill has been featured on ESPN2 Fly Fishing America, American Angler, Garden and Gun (written by George Black),  The Atlanta Journal and Constitution, The Gainesville Times, The Forsyth County News, The Clinch County News and  the Small Business Journal.  

Our rods have
also been featured on O'Neil Outdoors, the Huntley Way (on VS channel) and several other feature stories in a variety of newspapers and magazines.

Bill was recently commissioned to create a rod for President Jimmy Carter.   

Janet and George Piskurich recently published their newest book “A Guide to Guides.” In the past few years they have been on nearly 100 guided trips, encompassing over 150 days of fishing with at least 35 different guides. To say that they know a thing or two about how to choose the right guide, travel agency, or outfitter who will help you make the most of your experience would be an understatement.

Mike Popick has been fishing the fly for forty plus years, and built his first rod in 1998. Since then he's built over 100 rods, taught several rod building classes including building out bamboo blanks. His specialty is making signature birch bark handles and turned burl wood reel seats. He also refinishes bamboo rods. A "Hall of Fame" member of North Georgia Trout Online, his ideal future plan is to  be a guide in training.  Recently Mike has has articles on "Building Birch Bark Grips"  and "Turning your own reel seats" published in POWERFIBER's online magazine.

Robert Prytula is a native Texan but grew up in Middle Tennessee.  He was introduced to fly fishing by his father and spent many years chasing trout, bass and bream on a fly rod.  In college, Robert fished the waters of Appalachia in Kentucky and Tennessee.  Robert spent many years fishing the fabled waters of Arkansas including the White, Norfork and Little Red Rivers for big trout and smallmouth. In 2005, Robert moved to Chattanooga and took a faculty position as an Assistant Professor of Fire Science Technology at Chattanooga State.  He also teaches fly tying classes and is a fly fishing guide for Feather and Fly Orvis.  Robert began tying flies in 1990.  He has demonstrated fly tying at Sowbug Round-up, Southern Council Conclave, Southeastern Council Conclave, Houston Fly Tying Festival and the Mid-South Fly Fishers Expo. Robert has taught fly fishing, casting and fly tying at both Southwest Tennessee Community College and Chattanooga State Technical Community College.  He is a member of both Trout Unlimited and the Federation of Fly Fishers.  Robert is a past board member of the Mid-South Fly Fishers and current President of the Appalachian Chapter of Trout Unlimited. Robert has been awarded Fly Tyer of the Year and Man of the Year by the Mid-South Fly Fishers. 

Chris Scalley grew up fishing the Chattahoochee river in Roswell, GA on the outskirts of Atlanta. Many anglers overlook this blue ribbon trout stream that flows cold and clean from the base of Buford dam for human consumption with 48 miles of designated trout water. Chris started River Through Atlanta; an Orvis endorsed guide service in 1994 where him and his guide staff  conduct Western style drift boat and wade adventures within the 10,000 acre Chattahoochee National Recreation Area under a National Park Service special use permit and on the Cumberland river in Jamestown, Kentucky under a KY commercial guides license since 1999.  In 1998 Chris formed a 501c3 non profit group that conducts bio monitoring studies by sampling benthic macro invertebrates quarterly since 1998. This is the largest aquatic invert collection in the National Park Service system! Just this year Chris and his fellow board members received the prestigious George B Hartzog, Jr. award for Outstanding Volunteer Service for helping to protect the aquatic resources of the Chattahoochee River National Recreation Area. Chris’s group was also recognized as one of five finalist of the Field and Stream Heroes of Conservation for there efforts to protect fish and wildlife habitat. Please attend Chris’s presentation on these two overlooked trout streams below the dams in the Deep South.

Duane Stalnaker grew up hunting , fishing and trapping in West Virginia, but really enjoyed trout fishing mostly for the beautiful scenery . He took up fly fishing in 1997 and immediately became an addict. He especially enjoys saltwater flyfishing,  particularly bonefish and Tarpon in the Keys and Puerto Rico.

Duane has worked as a part time guide in Wyoming on the Upper Green River over the last 5 years and serves as the guide for the annual Georgia Council of Trout Unlimited`s “Dream Flyfishing Vacation “ in Wyoming for the last 3 years.

Becky Strain is a Certified Casting Instructor with FFF and a member of Georgia Women Flyfishers. She has over 20 years experience fly fishing in both fresh and salt water and works with Unicoi Outfitters in Blue Ridge, Georgia, as a guide and instructor for Unicoi's monthly fly fishing classes.  In addition Becky has won three Women's World Invitational Bonefish Tournaments and holds a world record for bonefish on fly.

Tom Travis has been teaching fly tying for over 30 year and has taught seminars and performed fly tying demo’s at the SE FFF Conclave for a number of years.  Tom has also tied at the British International Fly Fair, and countless other shows.  Tom is a fly designer & contract tyer for the Orvis Company.  Tom has also written for several of the fly fishing publications as well as doing a booklet for the National FFF.

He likes to blend in strong doses of humor into his fly tying and is willing to help you anyway he can.  Tom has traveled to the Southeast Conclave to assist us from his home in Livingston, Montana where he operates Montana's Master Angler Fly Fishing Guide Service and Custom Flies.

Beth Tuttle did not seriously  start fly fishing until she joined the Georgia Women Flyfishers in  1998, and she has been hooked ever since! She began tying flies as  soon as she started fly fishing. As a teacher and mentor, Beth has  taught "Beginner Fly Tying" at the FFF Southeastern Council  Conclaves, at Unicoi Parks "Woodsy Women", at TUs "Youth Fly Fishing   and Fly Tying Clinics", at NGTO seasonal Flings, and at Georgia   Women Flyfishers "Casting for Confidence" events. She fishes the  streams around her home in Atlanta and North Georgia, Southern  Mississippi/Louisiana and the Bahamas and Colorado. She is a member and  past-president of the Georgia Women Flyfishers, a member of the  Tailwater Chapter of Trout Unlimited and past-director of North  Georgia Trout Online. She was awarded the FFF Southeastern Council's   Woman of the Year in 2007.

Carl Warmouth is the  Fishing Operations Manager at Callaway Gardens. Carl’s history in fly fishing dates back to 1979, and before coming to Callaway in 1999 was an Orvis Endorsed Guide on the small trout streams and big tailwater rivers of Tennessee.

Carl is a Federation of Flyfishers Certified Master instructor. He serves on the board of the FFF Southeastern Council and has been serving on various chair positions in that organization for several years. He is a freelance writer whose articles have appeared in numerous national and local fishing, outdoor, and travel magazines. He is also on the editorial staff of Fly Fish America magazine. Carl has been given the President’s Award for Excellence in Service for his work in the Federation of Fly Fishers at the both the regional and national conclaves. In the 1990s he was involved in the Appalachian brook trout restoration project in East Tennessee; a program which received national attention. He is a boat builder, fly tyer, and rod builder. Carl routinely gives presentations on various aspects of fly fishing and fly casting throughout the Southeast. Through the years he has been featured on several television fishing shows with some of fishing’s biggest name celebrities, but what he enjoys most is sharing his experience and love for the sport with others.

 Rusty Wright  received anundergraduate degree from University of North Carolina – Asheville, Masters from NC State. Rusty worked on fish interactions in the estuaries for his thesis research.  For his PhD he attended the University of Wisconsin - Madison where he worked on largemouth bass growth and recruitment.  After finishing the PhD, he spent some time in a post-doctoral research position at Ohio State until he joined the faculty in the Fisheries Department at Auburn University in 1997.  His position is split 3 ways among extension, teaching, and research.  As an Extension Specialist he provides information to the public about a variety of areas including fishing, recreational fish pond management, and aquatic natural resources in general.  He teaches 2 courses and his research program involves projects in ponds, reservoirs, and the Mobile-Tensaw Delta.

continued.......

John Berry ....continued....

            John, a retired CPA, has worked for such diverse organizations as Price Waterhouse And Company, and Ducks Unlimited. He has been a professional fly fishing guide in the Arkansas Ozarks for the past fifteen years. He is the past president of the Mid South Fly Fishers (two terms). John served as the Conservation Director for the Southern Council of the Federation of Fly Fishers. He is a life member of the Federation of Fly Fishers and the Mid South Fly Fishers. He is also a member of the North Arkansas Fly Fishers, Federation of Fly Fishers Guide Association, and the Arkansas Outfitters and Guides Association.

            He is actively involved in teaching. He has taught fly fishing and fly casting for Shelby State Community College, Mississippi County Community College, the Arkansas Game and Fish Commission, the Mid South Fly Fishers, Casting for Recovery, and Becoming an Outdoors Woman. He is a member of The Federation of Fly Fishers Speakers Bureau and has been a seminar presenter and fly tier at the Federation of Fly Fishers National Conclave, the Federation of Fly Fishers Southern Conclave, the Federation of Fly Fishers South East Council Conclave, the Sow Bug Round Up, the Ducks Unlimited Great Outdoors Festival, and the Home Waters Expo. Most recently he was chosen as a pro staff for the Dime Store Fishing Show, a popular Canadian Television program.  John served as a volunteer guide for Hooked On A Cure, the fly fishing tournament to benefit St Jude Children’s Research Hospital for three years.

            John writes a fly fishing column for the Baxter Bulletin of Mountain Home Arkansas and has written two chapters of the highly successful fishing guide, Home Waters. He writes for several sporting journals and is also a photographer whose work has been published in several periodicals.

            John has been awarded a Lifetime Achievement Award by the Mid South Fly Fishers. In 1996, when he was president of the Mid South Fly Fishers, the club received the McKenzie Cup from the Federation of Fly Fishers as club of the year. In 2004 he received the prestigious Tall Tale Tellers Award form the Southern Council of the Federation of Fly Fishers. Most recently John was awarded the Charles E. Brooks Memorial Lifetime Award by the Federation of Fly Fishers.

Bill Boyd, Jr. ....continued....

Bill is an avid fly fishing angler and has fly fished and tied flies for the past forty-four years.  His signature fly, the “Tennessee Stonefly Nymph”, has been showcased in both Fly Tyer and Fly Fish America Magazines.  Bill enjoys fishing a wide variety of waters, including small mountain streams, large tail waters, lakes, ponds, and salt water flats.  Freestone streams continue to be his overall favorite, as this is what he cut his teeth on as a boy growing up in eastern Pennsylvania.  He enjoys utilizing drift boats, one person pontoons, and float tubes, but wading continues to be his favorite approach, because he can “get down and dirty” right there with the fish.   

He is a powerfully dynamic and charismatic presenter and incorporates interesting multi-media aides, in addition to “on the spot” demonstrations.  As a professional story teller, his presentations are laden with many interesting and sometimes outrageous tall-tales, most of which he claims are actually true, …  at least in part.  He is a popular presenter and attendees have often remarked that: “There is rarely a dull moment watching Bill-in-action.”  His enthusiasm for this wonderful pastime is contagious and captivating. 

Len Codella....continued.... Len began buying, selling and trading in fine fishing tackle and collectible sporting items way back in the mid 1960's when collecting fishing tackle was actually regarded as a rather weird pastime. Since there were no other recognized legitimate tackle dealers active in the marketplace at that time, someone actually having a business involved in these endeavors truly raised some eyebrows!  How times have changed.

Codella tied his first trout fly in 1948, at the tender age of 8...built his first glass fly rod from a blank in 1955 and hand-planed his first bamboo fly rod in 1966.

He owned Len Codella's Anglers Den, a fly fishing catalog house and fly shop he and his wife Carol operated out of world famous Linden, NJ, in the late 1960's and early 70's. Following the demise of William Mills in the early 1970's, they became the largest single dealer in H. L. Leonard bamboo fly rods in the world; selling nearly 60 per cent of the Leonard Company's total rod production each year, in 1972, 1973 and 1974.  Len's advertisements purveying Used and Collector Tackle appeared in the very first issues of Fly Fisherman Magazine, all those many years ago, in 1969.  Some of his personal collection of fine bamboo fly rods was used to illustrate the subject chapters in Ernest Schwiebert's two volume masterpiece, Trout.

Len is often remembered by many folks for his role as Partner, President, Treasurer, Buyer, Catalog Publisher, Rod Designer, Sales Manager and often, Head Janitor, at Thomas & Thomas Rod Makers in Turners Falls, MA from 1975 until 1991. During those years, he also published the Hearthside News, (T&T’s Used Tackle business) and ran the world spanning Fly Fishing Travel business that helped grow T&T and make it world famous. He sold the Thomas & Thomas Rod Making Company in 1991 and took his true second love, (Yummy, High Quality, Collectible Stuff), and enthusiastically returned to those earlier Angler's Den roots. (Carol and family are first!)  Sporting Collectibles is the company now owned and operated by Len Codella and his soul-mate, Carol.  Sporting Collectibles trades in antique and collectible sporting classics, specializing in bamboo fly rods, fly reels, fly tackle, fishing accessories and accouterments, and high grade shotguns and shooting accessories, from antique to contemporary. 

Len has authored numerous pieces on fly fishing, rod building,  owning and collecting Classic Tackle published in books, magazines, international newspapers and the like.There's lots more, but that's enough for now. If you've been around fly fishing for any length of time, or appreciate the best quality fishing tackle, chances are good you've done business together and are still friends.

Nes Levotch..... continued............However, his focus has become mastering the rivers of East Tennessee and Western North.  Nes moved to the East Tennessee region in 1966 and fell in love with the natural beauty and abundant fishing.  Over the years, he has specialized in trout and bass fishing, becoming a Professional Guide over 10 years ago.  He is especially knowledgeable in the area of trout and small mouth bass.  When it comes to knowing the “hot spots” of the many rivers in the region, there is no one better.  Due to his astounding breadth of knowledge of the area and streams, Nes is able to identify with the environment and determine the bait that his “catch” demands.  Whether floating or wading down the Watauga or South Holston Rivers, or fishing the “trophy” sections for trout, he knows where the fish “hang-out” and what it takes to draw them.  He is a true fishing expert. 

Various articles have been written about him in regional newspapers.  In 2003, Bass Master Magazine correspondent Bruce Ingram wrote an in depth article on “Fishing Tennessee’s River of Death”.  This article feature Nes’ knowledge of fishing on the Nolichucky River in Tennessee.

Nes is also a Pro-Staff member for Frog Hair, Loone, Fish Pond, Scientific Anglers, as well as a member of the Federation of Fly Fishers and Guide Association.  To further expand the knowledge, tradition, and true enjoyment of fishing he conducts fly-tying workshops at various trade shows and outdoor stories, like Bass Pro Shops.

However, Nes’ talents do not end at guide fishing.  He is a master craftsman and creates much of his own specialty fishing equipment, to include breathtaking “one of a kind” dip nets, wade staffs, and, more recently, hand crafted drift boats.  All of these works of art are made in his own workshop located just behind his home in historic Jonesborough, TN.  And, of course, he built the custom workshop from the ground up himself too.

For more information about Tennessee Mountain Rivers Guide Service and Nes Levotch visit his website at http://www.troutandbassfishing.com or if you really want to talk fishing, just give him a call at, (423) 753-9190.