Bear's Den Holiday Expo (Saturday November 22nd)
When: Saturday, November 22nd from 12:00-5:00pm
Join us on Saturday, November 22nd from 12-5pm for Bear’s Den’s very first Holiday Expo! In our indoor casting lane, we will be hosting a diverse lineup of artists, fly tiers, authors and company representatives all showcasing their exciting new products and works for all those in attendance. Alongside the exhibitors, we will also be offering an expanded selection of materials and tackle. Holiday crafts and tying projects will be available throughout the day along with various raffle giveaways sponsored by Revive Adventures. Some highlights of the raffles include a hand-painted Andrea Larko Yeti, a signed hat and a brand new T&T rod! And of course, no Bears Den event would be complete without some of Anthony’s hand-made pizza, accompanied by plenty of snacks and holiday themed warm beverages. We are also hosting Fly Fusion's newest film tour, and tickets will be available for sale prior to the event online and at the door. It’s going to be a fun, relaxed, and festive environment, and we can’t wait to see you there. List of current attendees below:
Flick Ford (Artist) - Born in 1954 in Atlanta, Flick Ford was raised in Westchester County, New York. He fell in love with fishing at age five. His father, an accomplished fly-fisherman and talented commercial artist/copywriter, instilled in him a deep respect for nature and nurtured his early creativity. Through-out the 1960s and 1970s Flick fished the Adirondacks, New England, Long Island Sound, Chesapeake Bay, Virginia, and the woodland lakes of Quebec, while pursuing two other passions: music (as lead singer in a garage rock band) and art. He took formal watercolor classes in the 1960s; figure drawing and graphic design classes at SUNY Purchase and then studied art and film at Evergreen State College in Washington between 1973 and 1976. Flick moved to New York City in 1978 and dove into the audio/visual scene of indie film, video, underground publishing, cartooning, illustration, and he reconnected with music. He performed in the East Village with several bands. He left New York in 1993, heading for the Hudson Highlands where he quickly became obsessed with fishing the New York City watershed. The effects of over twenty years of pollution, over-development and acid rain became painfully apparent as he branched out to many of the Adirondack and Vermont brook trout places where he had previously fished. Today, Ford makes his home in Rensselaer County, New York. He fishes as much as possible and ties his own flies.
Valerie Lamphere (Artist) - Val Lamphere’s art has been inspired by fly fishing since she took up the hobby 2011. She does commissioned work in many media, including graphite, oil ,and acrylic paint, and also has her own paint and sip business in southeastern Massachusetts . She kayak fishes, and ties flies when not at work, or in the studio.
Lauren Scowcroft (Artist)
Steve Woit (Author, Vintage Tackle Expert) - Steve Woit, the author of Mary Orvis Marbury: A Life in Flies, is also the author of Fly Fishing Treasures, the bestselling book covering the world of fly fishers and the collection of antique fly fishing tackle.
Steve writes a regular column for Classic Angling, the world’s leading journal devoted to the history of antique tackle and collecting, where he serves as North American book reviewer. He has also contributed articles on fly fishing history and antique fly tackle collecting to the Yale Anglers’ Journal, AntiqueWeek and Maine Boats and Harbor Magazine as well as to leading online fly fishing publications such as Hatch and MidCurrent.
He completed his undergraduate studies at Yale with a degree in Combined Literature in English and French Literature. He was Publisher of the Yale Daily News Magazine and served as President of the Yale Fishing Club and Captain of the Yale Fishing Team.
He is a member of the Flyfishers’ Club in London and the Anglers’ Club of New York.
Capt. Dave Steeves (Farbank [Sage, Redington, Rio]) - Captain Dave Steeves has a diverse work experience in the fishing industry. Captain Dave started their career in 1996 as an independent business owner, running a fly fishing guide business called Cape Cod Angler. He continued in this role until 2006.
In 2004, Save joined The Global Flyfisher, Inc (Fishing The Cape) as a General Manager and worked there until 2015.
From 2015 to 2022, Captain Steeves worked at The Goose Hummock Shop as an E-Commerce Manager.
Currently, he is employed at Far Bank Enterprises as the Territory Sales Manager for the Northeast region.
Michael Brucato (Fly Tier) - While my family and I currently reside in Massachusetts, I grew up fly-fishing for trout with my father and our immediate family across the Northeast region. During our many fishing adventures together, I have learned from experience just how productive and enjoyable soft-hackle wet flies are when trout fishing.
I am a proud member of Trout Unlimited and I currently tie soft-hackle wet flies commercially for the Bear’s Den located in Taunton, MA. I always look forward to tying, presenting and conducting workshops as I make new friends at various regional fly-fishing shows as well as at the many fly-fishing organizations that invite me to do so. I must admit, that I never get tired of hearing the stories of how one of my hand tied soft-hackle flies helped a fisherman to fool a trout. Fish my soft-hackled wet flies with confidence and hold on as the strike is often vicious…
Fly Fishers International (Brian Mccardl and Ray Ramos) - The mission of Fly Fishers International is to foster the legacy of fly fishing for all fish in all waters through conservation, education, and inspiring a growing community of fly fishers. Fly Fishers International will play a meaningful role in the global fly fishing community by collaborating with individuals, organizations, and industry leaders to have a positive influence on the evolution of the sport. FFI will accomplish this vision by building partnerships, increasing its membership, building financial support, and enhancing the impact of its programs.
** Free Casting Lessons (weather permitting) and a raffle!
Korkers (Representative John Murphy)
Joe Jackson (Fly Tier, Deer Hair Expert) Joe Jackson is a professional fly tyer most known for his artistic patterns spun with deer hair, creating real masterpieces like Baby Yoda, Hummingbirds, and T-rex’s. Joe is a veteran and a retired Sergeant in the U.S. Army. Joe spends most of his time tying flies, and volunteering as an ambassador for Project Healing Waters Fly Fishing. Joe has devoted his life to his passions on the water, chasing fish and sharing his passion with those around him.
Revive Adventure - Revive Adventures is a nonprofit that believes in the many benefits of fly fishing — from the calm of being in nature, to the focus that gives your mind a break, to the friendships formed on the water. We make these experiences more accessible by creating welcoming spaces and keeping our events free or low-cost. Proceeds from this raffle will help us bring more people into fly fishing and all it has to offer.
