Josh Phillips is Fulling Mill's Newest Signature Tier!
Fish Beware! Josh Phillips, owning partner and CEO of Spawn Fly Fish, has partnered with Fulling Mill to bring some of the fishiest flies to life. Some of you may be familiar with Josh’s ability to find and catch fish, but that doesn’t happen overnight. It is the culmination of endless hours studying and pursuing anadromous species and more. While his favorite species to chase year round would be coastal searun cutthroat, Josh is also at peace on the vast expanse of the ocean. Albacore and blue sharks on the fly? Josh is your guy.
Soccer to Fishing
For those who don’t know, Josh is a former pro soccer player. There are no shortcuts to performing at the professional level in any sport. There must be skill, ability to learn and the desire to be the BEST! That also holds true in the world of fly fishing. From a young age Josh has been honing his fish catching prowess. Josh’s father was for many years the lead fisheries biologist for Washington state. Josh absorbed all of the fishing knowledge and experience he could from his father and combined that with his own obsession with fish to become one of the premier anglers on this planet. Period. Growing up with Puget Sound as his fishing arena not only sharpened his skills but also shows in his approach to fly patterns.
Only the Good Stuff
What this all leads to is a lineup of flies that remove any excess fluff and simply have the components needed to catch fish! Whether you are chasing coastal cutthroat or fishing inland, these flies put fish in the net! These offerings include the Steamboat Island Leech, the Rainbow Yummy, the Simple Shrimp and the Pink Dropper. All of these flies work great in the salt and just as well in fresh water. That is not always the case. It only comes from a tyer who has put in the time and observation of what fish actually like! What makes these patterns even better is the fact you can find success without being the best caster or offering the best presentation. They simply catch fish!
Inspiring and Motivating
Josh has taught many classes on fly tying and has led more than a few folks to their first cutthroat or coho salmon. But what does he want you to gain from his patterns? His goal would be for you to spend more time on the water and to CATCH MORE FISH! Grabbing a handful of these amazing flies from Josh will allow you to do that, but they will also make you a better angler. You can’t expect to learn how to land that trophy fish if you’re not catching fish along the way. These patterns will keep you in the fish.
Future Reach
The partnership of Josh Phillips and Fulling Mill combined with the community that is Spawn Fly Fish lends itself to a bright future. There is no stopping Josh when it comes to being diligent and hard working both on and off the water. That same commitment can be found in these amazing flies. What that means for you is the ability to fish the same patterns that bring Josh success! Get some of these bugs in your own fly box and enjoy the best of what fishing has to offer.
-Pete