Episode 153: Drew Chicone - Fly Tyer, Fisherman & Adventurer

Mill House Podcast

Mill House

Leisure, Wilderness, Education, Hobbies, Sports

4.9 • 1.1K Ratings

🗓️ 3 December 2025

⏱️ 80 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

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Summary

Drew Chicone is a renowned fly designer, author, and educator based in Fort Myers, Florida. Widely respected throughout the fly-fishing community, he is best known for his innovative saltwater fly patterns, hands-on teaching style, and deep knowledge of the species and ecosystems on the west coast of Florida & the Bahamas. A lifelong angler, Drew has devoted his career to studying fish behavior, refining fly-tying techniques, and creating patterns that solve real-world challenges on the water. His work has been featured in numerous national publications, and his patterns are fished by guides and anglers across the country. Drew is the founder of Salty Fly Tying, a platform through which he teaches classes, produces instructional materials, and shares the research and experimentation behind his designs. He has authored 17 fly-tying books, many of which have become staples for saltwater anglers and tiers seeking to improve their craft. He also collaborates with leading brands, guides, and conservation groups to support responsible fisheries and help anglers elevate their skills. When he’s not writing or teaching, Drew can usually be found on the flats or in the backcountry around Southwest Florida—testing new materials, observing local fish, and refining the patterns that have made him one of the most recognizable names in modern fly tying.

Transcript

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1:10.6	We broke everything, we broke lines, we broke hooks, we broke rods, We broke our minds. We broke marriages. We broke the whole thing.
1:18.0	I knocked another arrow and he turned around the other way and I shot him going through the other way. So I double lunged him both ways.
1:25.0	But it was nothing for us to paddle an air mattress out into government cut.
1:29.8	I got him on. All right now. We're going to teach him a lesson. I'm just an old guy that likes
1:36.2	to fish. I'm not quitting yet. And he said, well, who the hell do you think you are, Sue App? And I said,
1:42.9	that's exactly who I am.
1:45.8	Life's journey to the grave should not be one arriving with a pretty well-preserved body,
1:51.2	but rather skid in broadside in a cloud of smoke, thoroughly torn out, thoroughly used up, proclaiming wildly.
1:59.9	Wow, what a ride there's something fishy going on here um this Let's start off by talking about your home and your life in the outdoors.
2:24.5	Yeah.
2:25.5	I grew up in the Finger Lakes in central New York.
	...

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