I've wanted to hit the Long Island Fly Fishing Expo for a few years. This year we made the trip out and not only hit the show but stayed at Theresa's friend house which was nice. The girls did their thing, thankfully, and me and think-he's-gonna-like-it soon-to-be fly fisherman Neil. The show was held at the Radison in Hauppauge Long Island. Not a place you'd pick for a romantic weekend get-a-way, but more the hide your boyfriend or girlfriend kinda place or a place you need to crash after a bender of a night.
When I got their the show was underway and the early presentations were underway. I popped in to see John McMurray talking about the state of striped bass and Bob Lindquist tying up some Catskill Upper Delaware flies. I saw Anita Coulton had a Upper Delaware talk later in the day but I was heading out and didn't catch her. There was a big draw in speaker unknown talking about Long Island striper fishing.
The show room was nice, fit all the booth owners and attendees, but it was tight, and I can see this show growing in the future. There was a mix of fresh and saltwater tyers, a lot of vendors selling specific things, but no large fly tying shops or big name vendors there, and that may be good. Rise fishing, Steve Bechard's company, is a locally Long Island fly rod company, was there and always had people at his booth. During one of my walk arounds I found a tyer that was using Peak Vices, and
I'm a Peak guy now, and he had the Jurassic Series LIRS vice. He uses it for tying bucktails, spin fishing bucktails, and I can see how this vice is needed as they are tying on 8/0 and + up. The thing is a tank and the base must weigh 10 pounds. Of course I stopped by my boy Brad Buzzi, aka Buzfly, and
picked up some bucktail, some hackles, hooks, popper heads and eyes. If you're in the need of bucktail, Brad is THE source, all of the arrived or up and coming hot-shot tyers get their tails from him, and that goes from USA and international tyers. He's also the guy I send new fly fishers to because he ties all you need to get going, and reps for most of the fly tying materials manufacturers. Then I stopped by and
found Michael Perechinsky. His booth looks like it belonged at some Tiki bar down in the Bahamas but he hails from Scranton and supplies flies to the big outfitters and guides down in the south and tropics. If you're looking for those small sight fishing flies like crabs, shrimp, Crazy Charlies and Gotchas then
So you may say to yourself, 'I'll just tie my own". Okay, good luck with that. If I'm going for a DIY bonefish, permit, tarpon or snook trip I'd just as well call Mike up and tell him to give your the Grand Slam assortment, he doesn't call it that, I did. It'll be money worth spent. And then, there's the striped bass sight fishing, these I am sure will serve you well. Very cool niche tyer.
Then I went outside and met casting extraordinaire Mark Sedotti. You know that guy, big flies, like the Sedotti Slammer and big casts, like 100 + foot without effort. Well, this day was a little chilly, stiff wind, and he bought what looked like his first 5 weight rod. He pulled off just about all the line, made some backcasts, and it was all leader, fly line and backing making it's way to the road. Effortless. If you tie flies, and want to learn about proper balance between fly rod, fly line, and flies, weighing and keeling them, to maximize distance, then check out Sedotti's presentations. Afterwards I made my way over to introduce myself and say hello. Gentle, soft spoken, engaged, real approachable guy.
There were some clubs there and I bumped into Michael Gallart who has fished with me in the past on the Upper Delaware. He's the president of the Salty Fly Rodder's of New York. One thing that caught
was the info on their Salty Flyrodders of New York Conclave LIV. Basically it's a weekend in late October that includes food, talks, room and fishing for $550 per angler for a double occupancy. It's held in Greenpoint , NY on the North Shore. Know that Montauk is on the South Shore. There's talks and demos and casting and prizes, lots of them. Check it out,
HERE. Remember, there's that October lull in the action in New Jersey in October so it might be a good go to.
I hit the one booth that was fund raising and it looked like members had donated lots of stuff to pick through. I went past it a few times but got sucked in on the way out. This is like 130ish, so the good picking was done I thought. What I pulled out of that booth was an impressive haul. I got a Rodmount SUV/truck fly rod mounting system....for $10. Then they had several bags of marabou. All sealed. I wasn't sure what to think. So I took a shot. When I got home I opened it up and they are gorgeous. A fly wallet finished that off...until I saw the books. Now truth be told, who reads books anymore. I have more than I can count. All of my Upper Delaware/Catskill books will soon be up for sale. But striped bass fishing and tying books I'm still reading and collecting. So when I saw a few of Jack Gartside's books I took interest. 'A dollar a piece", the older gentlemen said, "Everything has to go". I looked
inside and it was signed, Jack Gartside, #1. Very, very cool.
So as we headed out I saw a familiar face. A fine older gentlemen sitting alone eating his lunch in front of his photographs. It was none other than Jim Levison. Ex NYC cop, Montauk guide, photographer. Now I look over to Neil and say "Oh I have to say hello to that guy". So I go over like were buds and say "Hey Jimmy", and he looks at me, like, um, "Who are you". But then I introduced myself and we were on track. Jim had taken super blitz fishing pics below the lighthouse in Montauk and they are well known and have been in a lot of publications. As we talked he stated he's closing in on retirement, again, and will be concentrating on landscape photography. For years, everytime I would see him, with these same old photos, I would jokingly say, "Not these again Jim, can't you take a new photograph". But these are timeless. Beautiful, and the framing is so complimentary. The one in the upper left hand corner is called "Five Horsemen". I have always loved that image. You can see Jim's work and order prints, HERE. They come in a variety of sizes with frames or not.
As time and people move on we are left to create new impressions, or rely on our memories to keep the fire about this thing of ours burning. I can say that that image would be one of the embers that fueled my continued fascination about striped bass. So, I think I'm going to pull the trigger on that. It's that good and I want it, so Theresa if you're reading, and Jim if you are also, a payment plan needs to be established.
And that's my take on the expo. I think it's going to grow. I think it needs to grow as far as as fly tying vendors, and picky vendors, is concerned. Folks have been less than enthused about what The (big) Fly Fishing Show has become, and this one could be just want the average angler's out there need and want. Local, smallish, affordable, and the kind of show where you can go home with something. I'll be back nex t year as long as our room is available at Theresa's friends house just 10 minutes away.
