by Anna Minicucci©2001

The last time Butch Colvin and Capt. Mike Corblies visited Rhode Island as fly tying performers was 1996, at a fishing show held at the RI Convention Ctr. Colvin was discovered reminiscing, about early fly fishing along the Jersey coast, with Doyt Ladd, a Rhode Island fly tying impresario and angler.

Rhode Island fly tiers may thank United Fly Tyers of Rhode Island (UFTRI) for bringing Butch and Capt. Mike to Rhode Island, as guest presenters, for the UFTRI meeting Wednesday, February 7th, at Aspray Boat House, Pawtuxet Village.

Colvin and Corblies have solid reputations within saltwater fly fishing circles internationally, and bring with them a wealth of historic information about saltwater fly casting’s early beginnings. Their presentation at UFTRI will include fly tying, and video presentations featuring kayaking for reaching hidden places where fish lurk, and a segment on fly fishing for weakfish, said Colvin in a phone interview. Colvin’s a modest guy and quickly jumped to high praise for his protégé Bob Popovich’s new book, co-authored with Ed Jarowski (Approach to Saltwater Fly Design).

Colvin’s saltwater fly ties are exquisitely artistic and legendary, they spin from his vise and fingers naturally from the depth of his experiences which are grounded in an historic and familial extension. Colvin’s dad, Capt. Elwood Colvin operated a tackle shop in Seaside, NJ. The Capt. is recognized as a founder of “Saltwater Fly Rodders of America,” in 1950’s which allowed Butch to have the best of fly casting mentors( Joe Brooks, Lefty Kreh, Leon Chandler). Capt. Colvin also published Double Haul, the club newsletter. That club spawned 37 Saltwater Fly Rodder clubs nationally and in Australia. The Rhody Fly Rodders is an offspring of the original New Jersey group, according to legend.)

Nelson Bryant, New York Times fishing and hunting writer had written about the early, New Jersey saltwater fly rodding club and Capt. Colvin’s striped bass fly fishing record. Bryant noted Edlwood Colvin established the record as a foundation for club members to break it, and more important, to encourage saltwater fly rodding.

Butch Colvin’s uniquely designed, custom sculptures include Mad Gail’s Mullet, Spunk Bunks, Sand Crab” and others which may take a day or longer to create. Colvin insists his saltwater flies are tied to be cast, and not framed (in 1996,we framed ours, sorry Butch).

Colvin’s fly casting began as teenage guide working out of his dad’s tackle shop, and Corblies’ fly rodding began at age 14 when he became influenced greatly by television shows featuring Joe Brooks and Curt Gowdy. Among Corblies recent innovation is an electric powered kayak which enables anglers to reach and fish back bays, another innovation is bringing the first Florida style flats boats to Jersey waters. He has caught world record fish, and has captured fly fishing wins in tournament fly casting.

Since then, Colvin and Corblies have pioneered successfully within saltwater fly fishing for more than 40 years, and the pair specialize in club seminars and fishing shows with casting demonstrations, tips for fly fishing surf, jetties, night casting, and wading back bay flats and estuaries and a video presentation of their unique “Simulcasting” offering. The pair operate “Coastal Guides Fly Fishing School” and are widely known as the “Coastal Guys.” Cortland Line, Diamondback Rods, STH Reels, and Old Town Kayaks are among their sponsors.

Colvin and Corblies personify the term “Fishing Buddies,” and after meeting them one learns that their fast and long term friendship and fly rodding partnership is a perfect blend, and a rare occurrence today except among a few.

Rhode Island fly tiers are offered a good opportunity to see and hear Butch Colvin and Capt. Mike Corblies at the UFT-RI meeting, Wednesday, February 7th, at 7:30 pm, at Aspray Boat House, Pawtuxet Village. A small fee is charged to defray costs, for more info and directions to the Boat House, call Angelo Mangili at 401-739-5994, or e-mail him at: fly rod@amangilirodcomany.com.

Success breeds success and this fly tying event proves it with an array of local fly tiers for a day long event on Saturday, February 10th to include fly tying demonstrations, educational seminars, book signings, and raffle prizes. Featured expert tiers and book authors include: Kenny Abrames, Mark Archambault, Ray Bondorew, Alan Caolo, Armand Courchaine, Stu Dickens, J. Edson Leonard,  Jack Gartside, Capt. Gil Berk, David Skok, and Capt. Eric Thomas. The Fly Tying Fair will be held from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., at The Newport Harbor Hotel, Newport. For additional details log on to:www.saltwateredge.com..

West Bay Anglers March 7th meeting will feature Charley Soares’ all new show, “ Hidden Treasure: New England Bottom Fishing When, Where and How.” Soares is well known locally and throughout the Northeast for his writings in The Fisherman magazine, a weekly outdoor newspaper columns, and his saltwater plug, lure, and bait fishing expertise. Soares is always been a popular figure at club and fishing shows throughout New England. Soares appearance at WBA, will be at 7: 00 p.m., FOP Lounge, 95 Tanner Ave. Warwick, RI. Call early for reservations and information at 401-463-7532,  e-mail: wbapamtam@home.com., or visit their web site at: www.westbayanglers.org.

West Bay Anglers popular  “Lobster Raffle” continues every Saturday, through March 17th. Doors open at 1:00 p.m. at the FOP Club (address and other info above.) WBA’s “Lobster Raffle” helps to benefit “Take A Kid Fishing,” “MDA”, and “Impossible Dreams”.

WBA’s annual top angling awards honored the following: Claudia Anthony won top honor in lst place, striped bass and bonito. Other trophy winners were: Bill Beaudry Sr, lst and 2nd place, fluke; Frank Tameo, lst, 2nd places for squeteague and tautog; Steve Dorsi, 3rd place, tautog, striped bass; Keith Percival, lst place, tuna; Olga Ortiz, lst place, bluefish; Ed Voisinet, lst place, tautog; Bo Widergren, lst place, black sea bass; Tim Hawes, lst place, codfish; Jeff Barker Jr., lst place, scup; Dan Pedro, 2nd place, striped bass; Paul Randall, 2nd place, fluke; Jerry English, 2nd place fluke; Don Hawes, 3rd place, bluefish, and junior member, Louis Cirello, lst, 2nd, 3rd places, bluefish, fluke, and scup. Honors for weekly and monthly winners were all of the above, and Ben Nadrowki for 1st place, bluefish; Jr. member, Jeremy Arruda and Alyssa Nadrowski.

Final standings for the 2000 annual tournament are: Jack Linton, Charlie Akmajian, Joe Filipkowski, John Kennedy, Bob Andrade, Chet Chladenski, in the Boat Division for striped bass and bluefish. Bill Nolan, Joe Filipkowski, Tom Maguire, Andy Lemar, and Nelson Valles, won in the Surf Division for striped bass and bluefish with Filipkowski taking honors for the largest bass at the surf at Block Island. Charles Akmajian, Joe Filipkowski, and Jack Linton scored again for honors in the fluke division, and Al Jacobs, Roger Lema, Al Jacobs, and Mike Lanni took honors in the Offshore Division for bigeye tuna, false albacore, codfish, pollack and tatoug. Marty Winchek walked away with freshwater honors for a 13.6 lb. brown trout.