Speakers For The Virginia Fly Fishing Festival

Beau Beasley (www.beaubeasley.com) is a Captain with Fairfax County Fire and Rescue and serves as the director for the festival . When not on duty at the fire station, Beau works as a contributing editor for Fly Fish America and is the mid-Atlantic field editor for Eastern Fly Fishing. His first book, Fly Fishing Virginia: A Guide to Top Waters will be available at this year’s festival. This book has over 25 color maps and highlights several local fly patterns created in the Old Dominion.

Tom Brtalik is the owner of Tom’s Fly Fishing Guide Service (www.tomsflyfishing.com) and has over 30 years of fly fishing experience. Tom, a FFF-certified casting instructor, will be demonstrating small stream casting tactics as well as the meat-and-potatoes casting tips from which anyone may benefit. Tom will also be available at his booth to discuss fishing opportunities in Pennsylvania’s best trout water.

Walt Cary is a household name to popping bug enthusiasts. Walt’s Poppers are the best popping bugs money can buy (when you can find them). Recently Walt signed an exclusive contract with Brookside Flies (www.brooksideflies.com) to make his poppers under his strict supervision. This way, Walt’s fans can get their hands on more of his bugs faster—and Walt can enjoy a well-earned semi-retirement….Walt will be on hand tying his famous popping bugs all weekend.

Bob Clouser is one of the most familiar faces in fly fishing. On staff with St. Croix Rods, Bob is probably best known as the creator of the Clouser Minnow and has a reputation as the “go-to” guy for smallmouth bass. Bob will be sharing some of his knowledge in lectures and will be giving casting classes as well. Held on both days, casting classes are $75, which includes a day’s admission to the festival. Casting classes are 8:30 am-11 am.

Captain Gary DuBiel is the owner of Spec Fever Guide Service (www.specfever.com ). You’ll find him chasing everything from 40-pound drum and tarpon to stripers, flounder, and of course speckled trout. He is recognized as a Master Fly Tyer by the Federation of Fly Fishers. If you want to know how to take your saltwater fly fishing to the next level, Gary is the guy to see.

Dan Genest is the current president of the Fly Fishers of Virginia. He is a well-known outdoor writer and can be found on local trout streams when not working as a public relations officer for Dominion. Dan’s class on quick fixes for common casting problems should not be missed.

Bryan Kelly (www.theanglersinn.com) is perhaps the best-known fishing guide in West Virginia today and spends nearly 200 days a year on the Potomac and Shenandoah Rivers chasing smallmouth bass. As a full-time guide and owner of The Anglers Inn, Bryan and his wife Debbie know what anglers are looking for both on and off the water. If you’re considering combining fishing with a tour through historic Harpers Ferry, West Virginia, then Bryan’s lecture is not to be missed.

Tommy Lawhorne is the current president of the Shenandoah Valley Chapter of Trout Unlimited. He is a longtime member of the Virginia Fly Fishing Festival Committee and serves as the Operations Manager for this event. His knowledge of the South River makes his class on this river a must. This is your chance to learn what you’ve always wanted to know about the South River, from a real local.

Captain Tommy Mattioli (www.matty-J.com) of Matty-J Charter Service spends nearly every week on the Chesapeake Bay. Although quite frequently booked months in advance for one of his spinning or fly charters, Tommy has gained quite a following for his fly patterns as well. His Tommy's Torpedoes (as well as other popular patterns) have earned him a spot as a royalty tyer for Brookside Flies.

King Montgomery is an award-winning outdoor writer and the current president of the Mason-Dixon Outdoor Writers Association. Having begun his fly fishing career as a guide on the Potomac River, he soon found writing and photographing fish almost as much fun as catching them. He is the warmwater columnist for Fly Fish America and was the 2005 recipient of the festival’s first Virginia Fly Angler of the Year Award.

Cory Routh (www.ruthlessfishing.com) is hands-down the best-known fly angling kayaker in the Old Dominion. Recently named the Mid-Atlantic Angler of the Year by Extreme Edge Sports, Cory is a columnist for Chesapeake Angler and a pro staffer for St. Croix. His classes on how to fish from your kayak have become so popular that we’ve had to move them outside. Meet Cory in person and learn what it takes to mix fishing with kayaking in our On the Water Instructional Tent.

Tom Sadler is the owner of Two Dogs Trading Company and also serves on the Board of Directors for the Federation of Fly Fishers. Tom will be speaking on why you should be involved with the FFF and will explain how you can become involved with programs like Healing Waters and the Mangrove Recovery Initiative.

Susquehanna River guide Captain Brian Shumaker (www.susqriverguides.com) is nearly as comfortable with an oar in his hand as he is a fly rod. His class is a must if you want to know how to find smallmouth bass. Brian is on the St. Croix pro staff and often teaches casting classes with his mentor and good friend, Bob Clouser.

Harry Steeves, author of Tying with Krenik Materials, is known throughout the East Coast and beyond for his innovative patterns like the “Cow Killer Ant” and “UFO.” Harry loves to share his knowledge of the sport fly fishing and the art of fly tying. He is a royalty Tyer with Umpqua Feather Merchants and is about to release a new book on fly tying. He was chosen last season as the 2006 Virginia Fly Tyer of the Year.

Dusty Wissmath (www.dwflyfishingschool.com) is the lead instructor for the Dusty Wissmath’s Fly Fishing School and Guide Service and is also a fly casting instructor at Whitetail Mountain Resort. When he’s not teaching a fly casting class to eager new students, you’re most likely to find him on the water. Dusty guides in the mid-Atlantic as well as Montana and finds the time to create interesting new fly patterns like Dusty’s Deviant, a pattern recently picked up for commercial production by Brookside Flies.

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