Wikipedia

Drew Chicone

Andrew "Drew" Chicone (born 1979) is an American author, saltwater fly designer, fly fisherman and fly casting instructor.[1] He writes books and magazine articles demonstrating how to tie saltwater fly patterns, primarily focused on warm-water fish and fly fishing from standup paddleboards.[2]

Andrew "Drew" Chicone
Born
Andrew D. Chicone

1979
Elmira, New York
NationalityAmerican
Occupation(s)Saltwater fly designer, fly fisherman and author

Biography edit

Early life edit

Chicone grew up in upstate New York, where he learned how to tie flies at the age of six from his parents.; the first fish he caught with a fly he tied was a Landlocked Salmon.[3][4] He graduated with a Bachelor of Science degree in business from Hartrwick College in 2001.

Writing career edit

 
Sanibel Cannibal saltwater fly pattern from Feather Brain

Chicone started his fly tying business in 2008, followed by publishing a monthly email newsletter in 2012 with the desire to "spread the word about new or unique materials, techniques and patterns."

He is a contributing writer for Patagonia, and is a member of the Outdoor Writers Association of America.[5] A number of his articles with his patterns and fly tying instructions have appeared in fishing and fly tying magazines including USA Today Hunt & Fish,[6] Fly Tyer,[7] Fly Life Magazine[8] and Salt Water Sportsman[9] as well as smaller fly fishing and fly tying magazines. He has appeared on ESPN 99.3 Reel Talk Radio[10] and was profiled in Fly Tyer Magazine, which called him ed the "reigning king of fly tying methodology" .[8][11]

In 2013, Stackpole Books published his first book, Feather Brain: Developing, Testing, and Improving Saltwater Fly Patterns, which provides step-by-step instructions and photos for tying 14 flies that he designed. The book received endorsements from industry peers Jonny King and the late Eric Leiser.

Chicone's largest book, Top Saltwater Flies (Wild River Press),consists of a species-specific book for each of bonefish, permit and tarpon. The work is nearly 900 pages, reportedly the largest book written on the topic of fly tying.[12]

Most of his later books are self-published species-specific guides with instructions and photographs for tying fly designs created by Chicone and other designers or professional fly fishermen, sometimes combined with interviews with the original creator.[2]

Fly tying edit

Chicone's theory for creating effective fly designs revolves around his study of baitfish habits and movements through the water, that he attempts to replicate in his designs. Some peers regard his approach to fly design and tying methods as unique.[1][13] Some of his designs have been regarded as effective by peers, won industry awards[14][15][16] and included in books by other authors.[17][18][19]

Chicone is or has been on many pro teams including Dyna-King, Nautilus, Hardy, Whiting Farms, Daiichi, Mustad, and Loon.[5] He's sponsored by Patagonia, CTS Fishing, Dyna-King, and Airflo.[citation needed]

Other professional endeavors edit

Chicone is an ambassador for the American Museum of Fly Fishing, a member of the Tarpon and Bonefish Trust, and plays an active role in the preservation of local fisheries.[20][21]

He has also invented materials and tools for fly tying which are sold by Hareline Dubbin. Some of Chicone's fly patterns which have been commercially tied and sold by Orvis & Umpqua Feather Merchants.[citation needed] He works as a fly casting instructor and has been credited with a casting method called the misdirection cast.[22]

Family edit

Chicone lives in Fort Myers, Florida with his wife and daughter.

Published works edit

Books edit

 
The cover from Chicone's 2013 book, Feather Brain: Developing, Testing, and Improving Saltwater Fly Patterns
  • 2013: Navigating the Foodservice Channel: A Guide to Understanding the Foodservice Business, ISBN 978-1481943529
  • 2013: Snook Flies: 8 Proven Patterns For Catching Snook From The Beach, ISBN 978-1493614189
  • 2013: Feather Brain: Developing, Testing, & Improving Saltwater Fly Patterns, ISBN 978-0811711968
  • 2013: Essential Permit Patterns, ISBN 978-1491075753
  • 2013: Essential Bonefish Flies, ISBN 978-1484014844
  • 2014: Redfish Flies: Eight Effective Patterns for Catching Redfish, ISBN 978-1500481889
  • 2017: Baby Tarpon Flies: Six Effective Patterns for Catching Juvenile Tarpon, ISBN 978-1537703220
  • 2017: Top Saltwater Flies - Bonefish, ISBN 978-0989523684
  • 2017: Top Saltwater Flies - Tarpon, ISBN 978-0989523691
  • 2017: Top Saltwater Flies - Permit, ISBN 978-0999309308
  • 2018: Largemouth Bass Flies: Seven Effective Patterns For Catching Largemouth Bass, ISBN 978-1724572417
  • 2019: Redfish Flies 2: Advanced Techniques for Tying Eight Winning Redfish Patterns, ISBN 978-1795267021
  • 2019: Snook Flies 2: Eight Effective Patterns for Catching Backcountry Snook, ISBN 978-1705494608
  • 2020: Paddle Board Fly Fishing - A Beginner's Guide to SUP, ISBN 979-8640443271

Awards edit

  • 2017: Winner of the 2017 IFTD (International Fly Tackle Dealer Show) New Product Showcase Award, Saltwater Fly Pattern, "Chicone’s Tuscan Bunny".[23]
  • 2016: Winner of the 2016 AFFTA (American Fly Fishing Trade Association) New Product Showcase Award, Saltwater Fly Pattern, "Contraband Crab".[24]
  • 2014: Winner of the 2014 IFTD (International Fly Tackle Dealer Show) Iron Fly competition.[25]

See also edit

References edit

  1. ^ a b Craven, Charlie (January 8, 2015). "McFly Crab Fly Tying Pattern". Fly Fisherman. Retrieved July 18, 2016.
  2. ^ a b "Book Review: "Redfish Flies" by Drew Chicone". Fly Life Magazine. November 10, 2014. Retrieved July 25, 2016.
  3. ^ Zazworsky, Dan (2019-04-17). "Featured Fly Tyer: Drew Chicone". Flylords Mag. Retrieved 2020-05-14.
  4. ^ Roberts, Don (March–April 2016). "Masters at the Bench". Eastern Fly Fishing. Retrieved July 18, 2016.
  5. ^ a b "Fly Tying's Newest Young Gun". Fly Tyer. 15 August 2016. Retrieved 2020-05-13.
  6. ^ "Brains and Beauty". USA Today Hunt & Fish Summer/Fall 2018. 2018-08-13. Retrieved 2020-05-12.
  7. ^ "Drew Chicone". Fly Tyer. Retrieved 2020-05-11.
  8. ^ a b Skip (2015-04-10). "Fly Tying with Drew Chicone: Cocaine Crustacean". Fly Life Magazine. Retrieved 2020-05-11.
  9. ^ "Spoon Fed". Salt Water Sportsman. 3 September 2013. Retrieved 2020-05-11.
  10. ^ Chicone, Drew (December 6, 2014). "An Interview with Drew Chicone". ESPN 99.3 Reel Talk Radio (Interview). Interviewed by Rob Modys. Florida: ESPN.
  11. ^ Profile, Tyer (2016-12-27). "Drew Chicone: Banging on All Cylinders". Fly Tyer. Retrieved 2020-05-12.
  12. ^ "Top Saltwater Flies". globalflyfisher.com. Retrieved 2020-05-11.
  13. ^ "Feather Brain". globalflyfisher.com. Retrieved 2020-05-11.
  14. ^ "IFTD 2017 New Product Showcase Winners". American Angler. 2017-07-15. Retrieved 2020-05-11.
  15. ^ "IFTD 2016 New Product Showcase Winners Announced". 2019-11-02. Archived from the original on 2019-11-02. Retrieved 2020-05-11.
  16. ^ "Fly Tying's Newest Young Gun". Fly Tyer. 2016-08-15. Retrieved 2020-05-11.
  17. ^ Peluso, Angelo (March 2012). Saltwater Flies of the Southeast & Gulf Coast. Frank Amato Publications. ISBN 978-1-57188-478-7.
  18. ^ Klausmeyer, David (2020-04-07). Favorite Flies: A Comprehensive Guide to Tying and Fishing the Best Flies Available. Simon and Schuster. ISBN 978-1-5107-4304-5.
  19. ^ Klausmeyer, David (2015-07-21). 101 Favorite Saltwater Flies: History, Tying Tips, and Fishing Strategies. Simon and Schuster. ISBN 978-1-63220-951-1.
  20. ^ "The American Museum of Fly Fishing welcomes Drew Chicone as an Ambassador". The American Museum of Fly Fishing. 2017-10-05. Retrieved 2020-05-13.
  21. ^ "Sanibel Fly Fishers Contribute to local Juvenile Tarpon Project". Bonefish & Tarpon Trust. 2012-05-03. Retrieved 2020-05-13.
  22. ^ "Different Types of Fly Fishing Casts". Salt Water Sportsman. 4 January 2013. Retrieved 2020-05-11.
  23. ^ McGlothlin, Jess (July 13, 2017). "IFTD 2017 New Product Showcase Winners". Retrieved July 14, 2017.
  24. ^ McGlothlin, Jess (July 15, 2016). "IFTD 2016 New Product Showcase Winners Announced". Retrieved July 25, 2016.
  25. ^ Carty, Cynthia (August 21, 2014). "Drew Chicone Wins 2014 IFTD Iron Fly Competition". Retrieved July 25, 2016.

External links edit

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