Mike Arnold - Burlington, Kentucky

Started fly-fishing journey in 1981 by joining Buckeye United Fly Fishers in Cincinnati, OH. Helped BUFF outgrow it’s meeting place and talked them into helping me start Northern Kentucky Fly Fishers, Inc in 1987. I’m still with NKFF and currently acting as their Treasurer and Education Director.
Started tying flies in 1982, started teaching others to tie in 1984. Turned over all fly-tying instruction to a 16-year old Aaron McDaniel in 2004 and now assist Aaron with our annual free fly-tying classes in February & March of each year.  In 1991, Fred Stevenson asked if I would be his Membership-VP for the newly founded SouthEastern Council of the FFF. I served eleven years in that position, another four years in the Communication-VP position and another seven years in the Education-VP position before I retired from FFFSEC Board of Directors in 2013. 
I am not nor have I ever been a purist fly fisher … some say I am the devil’s advocate when it comes to conventional fly- fishing. I fly-fish for any and every species of fish in the water from bluegill to bass to carp, trout to salmon to char, redfish to snook to tarpon and anything in between or on the outside edges. My fly-tying reflects this unabashedly free-lance position … so I tie flies for persnickety trout to harder-to-catch carp to muskie and pike and many salt-water fish. And if anyone doesn’t like it … I don’t really care.

Robert Ayres - Jacksonville, Illinois

I started fly tying because my son was interested. I have only been tying for a short period, but find myself tying almost every evening as it has brought me a great deal of serenity.

Walter Babb - Sweetwater, Tennessee

Walter Babb has been fly fishing the Southern Appalachian mountains for over 60 years.  He began his journey fishing with his father mostly in the Tellico River drainage.  Walter became a commercial fly tyer at a young age and still ties flies to sell.  He loves fly fishing for trout but has ventured into some warmwater fishing and Atlantic Salmon fishing as well.  He has traveled to the west and the northeast United States to fish.

Walter enjoys tying and fishing Southern Appalachian and Catskills flies.  He is known as a master nymph and wet fly fisherman.  And, we consider him a walking fly fishing encyclopedia.  He remembers even the most miniscule details about cane rod builders and fly tyers.

Walter began making bamboo rods about 10 years ago.  He makes his beautiful rods to sell and always has a waiting list of anxious customers.  Additionally, Walter has taught and still teaches beginner fly fishing classes as well as beginner, intermediate and advanced fly tying classes at Little River Outfitters.  He has been teaching here for over 15 years.

Byron

Bill Boyd Jr. - Dayton, Tennessee

Bill Boyd, Jr. a.k.a. “Nick” is a member of the Dubbing Teasers Fly Tying Team.  Nick has written product review articles for Fly Fish America Magazine and is a member of Trout Unlimited Appalachian Chapter.  He is also a member of the Federation of Fly Fishers. 

He ties a variety of Nymphs, Streamers, and Dry Fly patterns for Trout as well as assorted warm water species. 

His signature fly, the Tennessee Stonefly Nymph, has been showcased in Fly Tyer and Fly Fish America Magazines.  He also enjoys demonstrating the creation of a realistic spider pattern.  His diversity in tying flies is particularly popular with spectators at his demonstrations, and some have remarked;  “There is never a dull moment watching Bill demonstrate his skills.”  

Bill Boyd Sr. - Dayton, Tennessee

Bill Boyd, Sr., a.k.a. “Knack”, is the elder member of the Dubbing Teasers Fly Tying Team.  Knack is a Member of Trout Unlimited Appalachian Chapter.  His signature fly, the “Hiwassee Streamer” has been showcased in Fly Fish America Magazine. 

He is also known for tying the “Toilet Tank Floater” , “Knack’s Mudbug” (Crawfish Pattern) and Striking Dragonfly Patterns.  He is interested in combining natural and synthetic materials to produce strike- triggering elements in his flies.  In addition to being known for his inventive fly tying techniques, Knack’s mechanical inventions are often conversation pieces. 

His “Natural Light Simulator,” that demonstrates how changing light actually produces color changes in nymphs under water, has been received with great interest and enthusiasm. 

Sindy Boyles - Clinton, Tennessee

I was diagnosed with breast cancer in July of 2014. My "celebration" of my last chemo treatment was a beginner fly tying class. I had always thought of flies as an art form and thought it might help the neuropathy the chemo caused in my hands. Through that class with Melissa and Dave Harrell's help, I became a participant and now staff member of Casting for Recovery East Tennessee. I love to fish, but my passion is tying flies.. 

Jim Brady - Greensboro, NC

Jim Brady is a life-long fly fisherman, fly tyer and rod builder.  He has fished throughout New England, Pennsylvania, Montana, Wyoming and Alaska since 1964.  He managed to complete his graduate work at Penn State University in spite of locally excellent spring creek fishing.

He moved to North Carolina in 1988 and added largemouth bass, striped bass, false albacore, American shad and hickory shad to his resume.  If it will eat a fly, he’ll chase it.

He has taught fly tying for many years and is an active member of the Nat Greene Flyfishers in Greensboro, NC.

Glen "Catch" Coemier - Boyce, Louisiana

Catch resides in his native Louisiana with his lovely wife and their two dogs. He loves chasing fresh and saltwater species on nearby waters, and venturing  for trout, snook, tarpon,  and smallmouth.   When not on the water,  he enjoys hiking, cooking, organic gardening,  and LSU sports.

Some 32 years ago, Catch made the conversion from bass angler to hard-core flyfisher.  A few years later, he discovered kayak fishing and has been mostly paddling for fish ever since. For 18 years he's been the fly fishing columnist for Louisiana Sportsman magazine, and for several years was kayak fishing reporter for "Outdoors With Don Dubuc" weekly radio show. He maintains the only website dedicated to Louisiana fly fishing (laflyfish.com).  He’s an FFI Certified Casting Instructor, and has taught leisure classes on fly fishing and fly tying at LSU.  He's currently president of Kisatchie Fly Fishers, and has served as president or officer for CCA-Louisiana, FFI Gulf Coast Council and many others.

Catch will be tying a few of his favorite flies, some his own creation that have been featured in books and magazines.

Ted Crona - Scottsboro, Alabama

Ted is a retired metallurgical engineer from Scottsboro, Alabama.  He has recently published a book entitled “Ted’s Flies” and had a feature article in the 40th anniversary issue of “Fly Tyer” as well as several articles in the “Tying Times”.

He is a member of Fly Fishers International, Tennessee Valley Fly Fishers and Trout Unlimited. Although he specializes in old 1800’s classic flies, he also has created many other flies.

He also supports Casting for Recovery and Project Healing Waters.

Clayton Gist - Knoxville, Tennessee

Clayton has been tying flies for several decades and has taught fly tying classes in multiple locations in the Denver, CO area as well as in Logan, UT.

Locally he has participated as an instructor in several Clinch River Chapter of Trout Unlimited (TU) Fly Tying courses, TU Trout Summer Camp at Tremont in Smoky Mountain National Park, Wounded Warriors. Clayton has tied flies most of his 77 yrs. and has either lead or instructed in multiple programs such as; the Wounded Warriors fly tying, Project Healing Waters, Trout Unlimited Beginning Fly Tying, Introductory Fly Tying Class at Utah State University, as well as multiple fly tying classes in the Denver, CO area. .

He grew up in the intermountain west, knows and loves many western rivers. Presently he spends about 4 months a year on the San Juan River in Northern New Mexico.

Steve Gregg - Talbott, Tennessee

Being a born and raised East Tennessean I am a self-taught tyer.  Learning largely through trial and error.  Though my passion is the Smoky mountains and the old trout patterns, I began my tying hobby learning to spin deerhair bass bugs for smallmouth bass.  Now I tie whatever suits by fancy.  I also am lead tying instructor at the Orvis Sevierville Store.

I am married and have a daughter and 2 granddaughters that I one day hope to be able to teach to tie and fly fish.  Their mother has gone fly fishing with me for years and I cherish those father/daughter fishing trips.

Jack Gregory – Walland, Tennessee

Jack Gregory’s grandfather moved his family from Cades Cove to Walland, Tennessee when Great Smoky Mountains National Park was formed.  His wife’s family lived in Cades Cove as well.  Jack held on to his ancestors love of the mountains and Jack became an accomplished hunter and fly fisherman at an early age.  He fly fished in the Smokies whenever he got the chance which was often throughout his younger days and he continues today.

He spent his vacations for years in Yellowstone National Park, for a month at a time, learning to fish the rivers there.  He has a keen sense of trout behavior and he can see fish better than anyone I know.  His primary targets here are large Smokies brown trout and smallmouth bass in the lowland rivers and lakes.  His saltwater adventures take him to Florida where he fly fishes for tarpon and redfish.  Other than wade fishing for trout in streams, his second love is catching permit in Belize. 

Jack is an excellent fly tyer.  He is the best fly fisherman I have ever fished with.  You will enjoy your time with Jack.

Byron       

Paul Gruver - Wake Forest, North Carolina

An avid fisherman since childhood, Paul began tying flies when he was about 10, but he didn't start fishing with them until many years later.  Today, he ties flies from a size 24 midge pupa for the tailwaters, to a size 2 Alaskabou for Alaskan salmon, and everything in between. 

Raised on the tradtional patterns espoused by Ray Bergman, though, his passion is for the traditional Catskill dries, classic wets, and the feather wing streamers that graced the fly boxes of fishermen in the 1950's and '60's.  Whatever he happens to be tying, though, Paul will always be happy to digress into his favorite Appalachian or Southern tailwater patterns.

Paul is a member of the IFFF Fly Tying Group.  He gives frequent fly tying demonstrations for various local organizations, and is often seen at regional fly fishing shows promoting youth fly tying, and membership in the IFFF.

Photo by Bob Clouser