Drift Outfitters
Fly Tying Ambassadors
It is hard to know where to look when it come to local fly tyers, where to find inspiration, and quality tying. Our fly tying ambassador program started in 2020 to get your eyes on our local talent, and local anglers are producing off their vises.
Mike Craparotta
Having grown up in southern Ontario, Mike has been fishing for as long as he can remember. Mike’s fishing history is rooted in Lake Simcoe. From a young age, having grown up on Snake Island, the cottage dock for bass and perch was his stomping ground. Nowadays it’s all over the map. After picking up fly fishing in his early twenties, the mix of craft and skill in fly fishing is what got him hooked. When Mike isn’t fishing, you can find him fully immersed at the vise, tying up anything from classic dry flies to modern day streamers. Now a fly tying ambassador at Drift Outfitters he is always open to giving tying tips and advice alike.
Check Mike out on Instagram - @mikecrap
Matt Martin
Matt Martin has been an avid fly angler and "river resident" for over 20 years. He grew up in central Ontario where he had access to countless lakes, and many amazing trout and Steelhead rivers. Over the years he has been fortunate enough to put in some serious time to perfect his angling, and more importantly, his teaching skills.
Matt starts his guiding season in March chasing steelhead on the open sections of some of our larger river systems. You will spend the day learning everything from local history, how to read a river, casting and fishing techniques, as well as what to do once you hook up! Matt strongly focuses on the education component. He is happy to instruct all types of fly fishing for these silver rockets. From nymphing to swinging, Matt will take you through all the steps needed to help you become a more skilled angler, and more importantly, the reasons why.
Once May rolls around, and our resident trout streams open back up, Matt will be found chasing Ontario's beautiful brown, brook and resident rainbows. Want to learn all about european nymphing? This is the time of year to do it! You will spend the day walking up some of Southern Ontario's most beautiful cold water streams, chasing some of our most beautiful fish. While you nymph your way upstream, Matt will carry another rod rigged up and ready to go with a dry fly, this makes for an easy transition for when the bugs start hatching and the trout are looking up! On the way back down to the cars, we will rig up a streamer and hit all the log jams and deep dark pools, this is a good way to see, and hook some absolute monster fish!
