I was born and raised as the only son of an avid fisherman in the mountains of central Pennsylvania, during a time when fishing and hunting were considered as important to a young man’s education as any school or church. Penn State University was only a short drive from my home.
In 1947, George Harvey developed and taught the first accredited, university-level fly fishing course in the United States. It was only natural that I, too, became a fly fisherman. Joe Humphreys, later known as the Grand Ambassador of Fly Fishing, was a student at Penn State and took Harvey’s class in 1954. Little did he know at the time that he was being groomed as Harvey’s successor. Joe officially took the reins in 1972, with the recommendation of Mr. George Harvey himself.
I walked the banks of Penns Creek and waded the legendary waters of Spring Creek and Spruce Creek, where several Presidents of the United States wet their flies in search of monster brown trout. To say that the decades spent fishing the famous waters of this region were a learning experience would be an understatement. It was life-changing.
The 1970s brought some exciting changes for me as a fisherman. My family, along with several others, began an annual pilgrimage to fish the tributaries of Lake Ontario for salmon, steelhead, and trout. Even after nearly fifty years, a group of us still spends as much time there each fall as possible.
I have been fortunate to travel and fish throughout this region, as well as embark on many adventures to neighboring Mexico and Belize. Along the way, I have forged lasting friendships with the lodges and guides of these remarkable fisheries and gained intimate knowledge of the most productive waters and the best local accommodations. I consider southern Mexico and Belize to be the finest fisheries on the planet for pursuing the elusive fly-fishing “Grand Slam.”
I opened WorldWide FlyWorks with a simple mission. I have no desire to ever be the biggest. I simply want to provide high-quality fishing equipment and outdoor products at reasonable prices, supported by customer service that is truly unmatched. I want every customer who walks through our doors or calls the shop to know they will receive honest service and trustworthy information, drawn from more than half a century of experience in the industry. Most importantly, I want to give something back to the lifestyle that has given me so much.
I have been fortunate to travel and fish throughout much of this region, along with many adventures to neighboring Mexico and Belize. Over the years, I have forged lasting friendships with the lodges and guides of these exceptional fisheries and gained intimate knowledge of the most productive locations and the best local accommodations. I consider southern Mexico and Belize to be the finest fisheries on the planet for pursuing the elusive fly-fishing “Grand Slam.”
I opened WorldWide FlyWorks with a simple mission. I have no desire to ever be the biggest. I simply want to provide high-quality fishing equipment and outdoor products at reasonable prices, paired with customer service that is truly unmatched. I want every customer who walks through our doors or calls the shop to know they will receive honest service and reliable information, drawn from more than half a century of experience in the industry. Above all, I want to give something back to the lifestyle that has given me so much.
