Aaron Caldwell, a long-time customer, joined team Fish Tales in 2005.
Aaron grew up in Cape Breton. He’s been fly fishing since age 12 and has lived and fished in Nova Scotia, Lake Louise, Whistler, and Southern Ontario. Aaron enjoys fishing the Bow River year round and frequenting mountain streams during the summer months.
More recently, excursions to Cayo Coco, Cuba have kindled a love for saltwater angling. Summer 2008 saw Aaron spending his days guiding on the Bow.
His easy-going nature and passion for fishing combined with his skills as an oarsman and teacher make him a perfect fit for anglers of all experience levels. Aaron’s an inspired fly-tyer who especially enjoys tying steelhead and Atlantic Salmon patterns. He’s knowledgeable about traditional and synthetic materials and is a wonderful resource for tyers of all skill sets.
More about Aaron…
How long have you been fishing? 30 years
How long have you been fly fishing? 21 years
How did you get started in fly fishing? When I was young on Thanksgiving weekend every year my family and I would go around the Cabot Trail in Cape Breton. On a trip in 1988 we stopped by my aunt and uncle’s summer place on the Margaree River. That is where I first saw someone flyfishing – my uncle. and i will never forget it - he was fishing a Pink Cardinelle. It was the hot new thing at that time. I received my first fly rod on my next birthday.
Favorite species?
- Freshwater – Brown Trout………….so far
- Saltwater – Permit no question
Favorite water?
- River – Bow no question. But i love the Missouri in Montana as well.
- Lake – Not a huge lake fan anymore. I went through a period of fishing south western BC lakes.
- Saltwater - Hard one but Cuba
Favorite technique? Sight fishing – no question.
Favorite flies?
Freshwater:
- Skid bitch
- Comparadun
- Gartside Leeches
Saltwater:
- Stuff of my own design
- Clousers
- Black Death tarpon
Favorite fishing book or DVD
- I loved “Running Down The Man” – good tunes and real fishing situations I could relate too.
- “Trout Streams of Alberta” - I give Jim a ton of credit for getting me super pumped on western flyfishing. I read it in 1998 when I lived up in Lake Louise. It only took me 6 years to get back again.
- “A Little Thing I Tied Myself” by Don Maclean. It’s a book about Atlantic Canadian fly tiers.
Favorite Vise (as in the tool.) NORVISE!!!!
Favorite pattern to tie? Any
Favorite material and why? DNA - it makes super buggy patterns quickly.
Prefer to fish alone or with friends?
- Wading flats-alone
- Sipping fish-alone or 1 other
- Steamer fishing-2 in a boat
- Slow fishing 2 in a boat
Two things you wouldn’t go fishing without (aside from rod, reel, line, flies) A nap, and buff
Interesting anecdote (ie. Embarrassing moment with a fly rod, interesting story about something you caught, etc.) I once pulled away from the boat launch in flip flops by accident while guiding. Itworked out ok though ‘cuz we smashed ‘em on stones and I didnt get out of the boat alot. Thank goodness the fishing was mostly from the boat though!
Most interesting (remote, distant, crowded, etc.) location you’ve fished.
- Remote - Baker Lake behind Lake Louise ski area (not very remote but not a ton of people have been there.) Great brookies.
- Distant - Punta Gorda, Belize
- Crowded - Big Hole during salmonfly. There were boats everywhere!
Your destination/species wishlist:
- Roosters, dorado,large jacks,billfish - Baja
- Those Indo-Pacific Permit - St Brandon’s
- GT’s wherever they are – The destination does not matter.
Given the opportunity who would you choose to fish with? Or someone who has inspired you as an angler/tyer/teacher/guide.
- My Uncle Carl Sommers who owns that place on the Margaree
- The late George E Morris he owned a small fly shop in Sydney, Nova Scotia. I met him at a sports show when I first started tying around 1989. I pestered him all weekend getting him to show me stuff about tying.
- If I had a chance I would like to guide “Bullet Tooth Tony”(Vinnie Jones). I read in “Maxim” that he is a big fly fisherman. I think he would be fun
