News from Sportsman's Elite

Authors: Rick Takahashi and Jerry Hubka
As They Present Their Latest Book

Modern Midges
Tying and Fishing the World's Most Effective Pattern..

This book covers some of the best patterns tied by top tiers from around the world. So make sure you come early to get your seat!....

Rick Takahashi
Rick loves to design and tie fly patterns for the waters he fishes. Rick Takahashi has been tying flies since the age of eight. "After taking apart my first fly (Royal Coachman) and seeing the hackle unwind, I knew that I wanted to learn how to tie flies," reports Takahashi. He didn't have the slightest idea what a fly was but knew it was for fishing because of the hook. A couple of years later, Rick's uncle bought him his first fly tying kit and he has been tying ever since.

"I remember seeing my first fly fisherman on the South Platte River near the town of Decker's Colorado. I followed him around for a couple of hours and eventually got up the nerves to ask him what he was doing...he told him he was fly fishing," says Takahashi. The fly he was using was a Gray hackle Yellow. This connected the flies he so admired with the actual act of fly fishing.

Rick has used his talents to bring others into the realm of fly tying. He is a demonstration fly tier and often displays his skills at local and regional venues such as the Denver Fly Show, West Denver Trout Unlimited Fly Tying Clinic, International Sportsmen Exhibition, Federation of Fly Fisherman Conclave and at various regional fly shops near Denver. He is an illustrator and contributor to Fly Fisherman Magazine and his art has been used for the Federation of Fly Fisherman Conclave. He is working on a presentation of Midge Fly fishing for his local Trout Unlimited Chapter. Rick has written his first book "Modern Midges, Tying and Fishing the World's Most Effective Pattern" with his fly fishing partner and co-author Jerry Hubka. Rick is a fly designer for Umpqua Feather Merchants and has done some consulting for C & F Design Co.

Rick's goal is to share with others the various aspects of fly fishing and fly tying he's learned. "It's the teacher in me that wants to share knowledge about an activity that has meant so much to me," says Takahashi.

Rick is a retired art educator and former Art Department Chairman at Rocky Mountain High School. He teaches a fly tying course for Angler's Roost and makes his home in Fort Collins, Colorado with his wife Susan, daughter Haley and son Josh.

Jerry Hubka
Jerry Hubka began fly fishing on the Frying Pan River in 1966. He attended Colorado State University and majored in Art Education and earned a Masters Degree in Ceramic Chemistry from the University of Northern Colorado. His 32-year career as an Art Educator and Art Department Chairman at Poudre High School in Fort Collins, Colorado and his avocation as a studio potter only allowed for brief episodes of fly fishing on Colorado Rivers. When he met Rick Takahashi, he began tying, designing and fishing midges and traveling to tail waters all over the Rocky Mountain West. Jerry lives in Fort Collins, Colorado with his wife Joyce where he continues to work in the visual arts as a
Logo designer and Commercial Artist through his company, Tailwater Media Productions. Since his retirement from Education, he also enjoys playing golf, pickleball, driving Porsches and traveling to US National Parks and to Italy with his wife Joyce.

Jerry has written his first book "Modern Midges, Tying and Fishing the World's Most Effective Pattern" with his fly fishing partner and co-author Rick Takahashi. Jerry's goal when writing Modern Midges was to share his knowledge of midge fishing with other fly fishermen. Jerry is affiliated with St. Peter's Fly Shop in Fort Collins, Colorado and participates in the Fly Fishing industry through Stackpole Books, SAGE, RIO, Redington, C&F Design, Outcast Boats and SIMMS.

Thank you again for your continued support,

Sportsman's Elite 915-587-4867