ED ENGLE: Fly anglers worldwide recognize Ed as an accomplished author, angler, photographer, fly tyer and all-round outdoorsman. Through the years Ed's home water, the South Platte River in Colorado, has provided him with extensive experience as a fly-fishing guide, as well as a set of unique insights into new fly patterns and fishing techniques. Successful fishing on tailwaters like the South Platte River typically requires small flies, and Ed has been fishing, tying, and designing them since the 1970s. (To learn more, check out Ed's excellent books, Fishing Small Flies and Tying Small Flies.) Of his passion for tying and fishing tiny flies, Ed notes he's motivated by the pursuit of simplicity. "My goal is to have as little between myself and the trout as possible," he says. In fact, many of his fly designs (such as his Micro Soft Hackle) seem magical.

—Todd Hosman
Guide, Writer, Musician and Author