Who are the top fly fishers today?

[zimrx17]

1. My grandfather, is my fishing hero, no one would know his name, but to me he is what fishing is all about. I think if he really wanted to concentrate on making himself a public figure he could have, he had a great personality, and could always catch fish, and still does. He personifies what a sportsman is "thought" of, a great fisherman, and hunter that will never make the front page of any magazine, but to me will always be the best.
2. I haven't seen Chris Chin's name on this list, from his amazing writing and his teaching ability I would have to put him up with anyone, hopefully I will get to fish with him sometime.
Drew

[DShock]

Fly Goddess,
The MUSHINESS comes from all the yrs of buying Flowers, Candy, Earrings, CUTE STUFF! (Honey can I buy that, it's SO CUTE!) Vacations! CLOTHES!
I promise we can afford it! Where's that NEW credit card? At least I had a nice boat in the garage with 12 rods in it AND I worked so many hrs that the boat stayed SAFE in the garage 11.5 months a yr.
Thanks now I feel MUSHIER!
Doug P.S. I think I was on the ROD a MONTH program.

[Ray]

Hard to pick only 10, but's here's my list (not in any order):
Mel Krieger
Gary Borger
Doug Swisher
Lefty Kreh
Stu Apte
Dave Whitlock
Randall Kaufmann
Bob Clouser
Bob Popovics
Dave Hughes

[Bill V]

I will only pitch out one name to the list and one I have not seen posted. Given that all our endeavors as related to fly fishing, such as casting, tying, fly development, and etc., is to ultimately catch fish. How about Denny Rickards.

Denny claims to ANUALLY to catch between 500-700 rainbows, browns and cutthroat that weigh between 4 and 15 pounds. He also claims to have caught and released rainbows over 15 pounds, cutthroats to 13 pounds and browns to 23 pounds. I have fished with him and the man can catch fish and large ones at that.

I can't think of another flyfisher that claims to exceed that. If those stats are true, he MUST be on someone's top ten list. JMHO.

Bill V

[clarkman23]

Such a list would just be a popularity contest showing the biases of those participating.

No one of us knows enough about enough fly fishermen to even come close to 'judging'.

Objective critieria for such a thing is functionally impossible to formulate.

I second this...just a big popularity contest...

besides, what do you mean by "best?"

my favorite flyfisherperson would have to be whoever I'm currently fishing with...

or, in my case, my beautiful fiance who willingly goes with me to the river and reads her book while I go fish...

~Randy

[ohiotuber]

I don't have years behind me, but I haven't yet seen Larry Dahlberg's name mentioned. What say you folks...would he be deserving?
Mike

[Fly Goddess]

[mantis]

I'd have to guess that most are picking names simply because they 'are' names, and they've seen these 'name's' cleverly edited videos or read their equally creative articles and not because they have actually fished with or even watched them fish or do anything more than perhaps cast at a show. A bit lemming-ish. Kind of like picking your lawyer because you believe their TV ads.

Many have pooh-pooh this post, but it did what it was meant to do`... just look at the "hits" number.

[Aftershaft]

>or, in my case, my beautiful fiance who willingly goes with me to the river and reads her book while I go fish... <

I married mine 13+ years ago and taught her how to flyfish years before that. Alas, still guiding her when we fish together In fact, I guided her on Depuy's spring creek on her birthday on last 12/7. That was one of the birthday presents she wanted!

Yeah, the beer and bourbon drinking while fishing sure goes down when she tags along

[Bill V]

Flygoddess,

Regarding Denny Rickards only fishing private ponds. Not true. Read his book "Flyfishing the Wests Best Trophy Lakes" Not one of the 50 or so listed are private. As far as not fishing chironomids, that is true. A man after my own heart!

Bill V