Lisa Weiner

Growing up in a small New England town some of my earliest memories are fishing with my Dad. He would take me with him to local Trout streams . At that point I was only allowed to sit on the bank and watch. I loved to look through his fly boxes at all the different patterns. I was admiring the size of the bugs, the delicate hackles on the dry flies and the colors of the streamers. My dad didn’t tie his own flies and of course I never asked where they came from, or how the bugs were made. As a kid, I never thought to ask the questions, I would love to ask him now. I got my love and passion for the outdoors from chasing my dad to the river. I am so grateful for those experiences and cherish those memories.

Over the passing years I fished on and off. My husband Stark and I would take our five kids on adventures to the family pond as they were growing up. For our own adventures my husband and I would go out in the kayaks with a spinning reels and rods. We would paddle down the ponds in search of largemouth bass. He would always out fish me using rubber bait, while bombing the lillie pads for those explosive takes. I managed to do okay using a hula-popper. It was always so enjoyable to spend the summer evening together floating and dreaming.

Fast forward a few years, with the kids leaving the nest I had a little more time on my hands. My husband had gone on a fly fishing trip with his brothers. He had a great time and thought this was something he definitely wanted to do more of. I thought it was a great idea and wanted to give it a try myself in the spring. In the mean-time I wanted to learn more and start tying my own flies. I thought wouldn’t it be cool if I could tie the flies for him to fish with. That Christmas I was surprised with my first fly tying kit. I still have some of those first flies. They were big and ugly but I was doing it! They could only get better …..

That following spring we found an intro to fly fishing class, it was for ladies only. I signed up immediately. What a fun experience that was. I even landed my first brown trout on a fly rod. I still remember that fly. It was a Red Quill and it was during the Hendricks hatch. Talk about a life changing moment.

In 2011 I was introduced to Jerry Jahn  of Spey Casting North East. The rest as they say is history. I jumped in with both feet. Coming back weekend after weekend or whenever he had spare time.  Oh and did I mention this was at the end of November? We were out almost every weekend that first winter. It took a while as I was still new to fly fishing and had so much to learn. I love that I learn something each time I work with someone. It may be about casting, fishing, and a place they have fished that I have only dreamt about or places in common.

Since 2014 Jerry and I have been teaching two handed casting together. On weekends, when we are not teaching you can find us testing rods, fishing or even tying flies. We travel to do clinics from Long Island to Boston. I’m also a licensed Connecticut fishing guide and a member of the Sage Pro staff.

I have been truly blessed, by the great people that I have met on this beautiful journey. Some are no longer with us and will never be forgotten. I am thankful for my very patient and supporting husband Stark. He truly gets it and understands my passion and drive. I am also thankful for my partner and best bud Jerry. I don’t know what I did to get so lucky.