Dan started fishing when he was 2, encouraged by his Dad, who owned and operated sporting goods stores in upstate New York. He grew up fishing in and around the Adirondack Mountains, and his passion for Trout and Steelhead fly fishing eventually led him far from New York –to Montana, Idaho, Wyoming, Washington, Oregon and British Columbia. At 22, he moved to West Yellowstone, Montana.
Dan began tying flies when he was 10. He has since designed more than 1,000 patterns that are the trademark Delektable™ collection, and his passion for fly tying and design remains as strong as ever. He is constantly thinking about, designing, tying and field testing new designs on the legendary Madison River, just outside his door and other rivers he fishes and the ocean. His innovative patterns use both traditional and new age materials. Dan’s creativity is also the catalyst for his rod building, which he started in 1975. He is now a master builder of custom graphite, fiberglass and bamboo rods, which make up his exclusive line of Beartooth Fly Rods. He started Beartooth Flyfishing in 1982, which also offers his Made in Montana braided leaders, hand-tied leaders, and other leader and tippet products.
Dan has guided on Montana’s trophy rivers for over 40 years. He built the Beartooth Flyfishing Lodge in 1989, with the help of friends. He greatly values the friendships he has built over the years. His love of the mountains, the solitude and the peace of the Madison Valley is exceeded only by his love and appreciation of all the people he has embraced as his friends and extended family. Dan’s passion for fly fishing remains strong by all the challenges and rewards it offers. He looks forward to continuing to create and innovate, to being in touch with nature, and to continue bringing the joys and deeper knowledge of fly fishing to more fellow lovers of the sport.
Dan can be reached by email: dan@beartoothflyfishing.com.