I’ve lived in the south all my life. I was born in Baton Rouge, La but later moved to Texas and Georgia. As a kid I grew up tossing gold spoons from a spinning rod to redfish in the Louisiana marsh. My summers were always spent vacationing on the beaches of the Florida panhandle. My start in fly fishing began in middle school slinging dry flies to wild trout in the north Georgia mountains. My college days as a student at LSU is where my love for the sport transitioned to saltwater. 

My saltwater fly fishing days began in a kayak with whatever store bought flies I could get my hands on. I realized the pre-made fly selection they had to offer did not suit my fly fishing needs for the Louisiana marsh. When I finally bit the bullet and bought my first vise, I realized the potential of perfecting each fly for specific situations. I was able to manipulate colors and patterns to my liking. When my family moved from Georgia to Destin, Fl my fly fishing knowledge was tested. What I found to work in my home waters of Louisiana did not always translate to the Emerald waters of the Florida panhandle. The exposure to so many different bodies of water has helped my passion for fly tying grow. The opportunity to develop relevant fly patterns is what keeps the challenge alive.