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Many fly fisherman make the mistake of investing in the finest rods and reels while taking the shortcut of using flies with ineffective patterns and shoddy materials. Not our customers. They would put a twig and a Rob's Realistic fly against a 9 foot 5 weight and regular fly anyday. And those who match our Realistic flies and the 9 foot 5 are in heaven.

Rob's Realistic flies are original creations by Rob Lewis and are the most effective fly patterns available anywhere. If you are highbrow you could say Rob's fly patterns are works of art. If you are an enemologist you might note that his patterns are anatomically correct. If you are a fly fisherman you will say "Man these bugs are effective!". Trout simply call them dinner.

Our flies are tied using the finest materials and are virtually indestructible. Trout cannot tell the flies in his Realistic Series from the insects they naturally feed on and those in the Attractor Series have been river tested to ensure aggressive strikes. His Bullet Streamers have lured big browns from New York to char in the Arctic.

If you want to simply enjoy the scenery on the water you should leave your rod at home. If you want to catch fish while you are there might as well use the flies that stack the odds in your favor. Rob's Realistic flies simply catch more fish.


WHO IS ROB LEWIS (and why you should care)

Rob is a professional fly tier, river guide, lecturer and fly tying instructor. He is one of the foremost fly pattern designers in the country and his Realistic Series has been touted as the future of fly design. He has been featured in magazines such as Fish & Fly, Fly Fishing New England and Fly Tyer.

While Rob describes himself as "a pair of pants away from a caveman", the best description was written by one of the hundreds of clients Rob has guided on rivers for trout in Montana and New York:

June 5th, 2003

To Whom It May Concern:

For many, fly fishing is a Zen-like pursuit, the river a place to unplug and reflect. Dry casting in the fading light of a canyon is poetry itself, and standing knee-deep in the currents of a slow-moving river the very posture of prayer. The Tao says "It is not the destination, but the journey." It might just as well have said, "It is no the fish, but the fishing."

You may be one of these people. Fine -- just find another guide. (Better yet, go rent A River Runs Through It again and leave the stream to those of us who'd like to catch some friggin' trout without having to watch you backcast a size-12 hare's ear into the trees.)

If, on the other hand, you love nothing more than the sight of a bent rod, the sound of ripping drag, and the feel of a full and squirming net, Rob Lewis may well be your man.

I recently spent a day with Rob on the Willowemoc Creek. I imagine this is a little like spending a day in Vegas with Hunter Thompson. Nothing Zen about it, but look: the guy flat out knows the river, and the fish, and the closest place to get a cold 12-pack of Heineken. His flies are beautifully tied and perfectly selected. You'll think they look like artwork; the trout think they look like dinner.

You get the feeling that not everyone in Beaverkill Country loves Rob Lewis. Probably that's because he's a better fisherman than most, and thinks it's important to remind them. You can see where it might piss you off - unless, of course, you're the guy who's been out on the river with him all day.

Here's the thing: fishing is supposed to be fun. If you're wound so tight that standing in the river smoking a cigar and waving your $700 fly rod is a close as you get to cutting loose, why bother with a guide?

If you want to catch fish - and have a hell of a time doing it -- hire Rob Lewis.

Good fishing,
Jim Knutsen
President
Boatz Knutsen Inc.

 

  
 



Rob’s Realistics | Mt Kisco, NY, | gimmethoseflies@robsrealistics.com
Photos: Charles Betz photography, Chase Jarvis photography, R. Horatio Nailknot, S. Bean Nymphem