*Dave Whitlock Dave's experience and creative outlook on the whole spectrum of fly fishing have earned him the reputation of being one of the top professional fly fishers in the sport. He has been the recipient of many awards for his fly-fishing and fly-tying contributions, including induction into the National Fresh Water Hall of Fame, the Max Ander's Wild Trout Award for his work on propagation of wild trout and the Federation of Fly Fishers' Conservation Man of the Year Award. Dave has also received the Buz Buzeck Flytyer's Award which is the highest honor in the fly-tying world. It recognized his innovativeness in new fly-tying patterns and his national fly-tying activities.
Dave was given the FFF James E. Henshall Award for his work in warm-water fishing and conservation, and received FFF's Ambassador Award for national and international promotion of fly fishing and conservation. In 1996 he was inducted into the Arkansas Game & Fish Hall of Fame and was given the Lifetime Contribution Award in 1997 from the National American Fly Tackle Trade Association.
* Ward Bean Throughout Wad's career as a college educator he often dreamed about how good life would be if he could "chuck it all" and become an outdoor writer. But the pragmatist in him always argued that "chucking it all" was not in his family's best interest. Ironically, retirement helped make that dream come true. Soon after he stopped going to the office every day, he tried his hand at free lance writing and his fly patterns, tying tips and feature articles began to appear in Fly Tyer Magazine, Warmwater FlyFishing, and Fly Fishing and Tying Journal.
In 1999 Dr. Tom Whiting of Delta, Colorado, invited Ward to join the Whiting Farms Pro Team. His goal is for WarmwaterFlyTyer.com is to be a work in progress with new fly patterns and fly tying techniques posted frequently. As Warmwater Fly Tyer evolves, he hope that it will meet his expectations and yours as well.
* Tony Spezio Tony started tying flies during his freshman year in High School in 1945. He tied for five years before entering the Air Force in 1950. He did very little tying for the next 15 years till he bought a vacation place in Vermont with a couple of streams and a beaver pond. Began tying a bit more after that till 1988 when he got back into tying almost full time when heart problems stopped his flying. In 1990, Tony started tying at the East Coast shows and Conclaves. 1994 brought him to Arkansas where tying became a full time hobby. He has taught classes, tied for shops and resorts and continued tying at shows and Conclaves around the country. Tony has tied at the Dealers shows for Gudebrod, Dyna King andMag eyes, He is on their tyers Pro Staff along with Conranch Hackles. Tony is best known for his Tony's Froggie fly.