Willy Self - Brookside Flies

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Fly Designer: Willy Self

Brookside is excited to add Willy Self to our team of designers. We are always on the lookout for talented fly designers, and Willy’s designs have truly “wowed” us. From old standby favorites like Willy’s Spruce Moth to Willy’s Cwazy Wabbit, every design is unique and proven through the countless guide trips Willy has conducted.

Willy’s passion for fly tying started young – at the tender age of six. By the time he was eight, he was tying custom orders for family and friends! Willy fishes many of the West’s great rivers including the Yellowstone, the Madison, the Gallatin, and the Missouri along with many others. Willy started guiding on these and other local rivers when he returned from active duty in the Marines. He is also an enthusiastic stillwater fisherman and guides on many Montana lakes. He teaches his expert stillwater strategies to many in his clinics. He will be developing more flies like his Willy’s Flashback Zuggy (a stillwater fly) for Brookside.

As a manufacturer of premium flies, we’ve seen plenty of good – even great – fly designs over the years. What drew us to Willy was his total understanding of aquatic life. He combines a dedication to testing and tweaking each new fly design with a deep knowledge of the characteristics of fly tying materials in every kind of condition. Only when Willy has a truly “finished” fly, will he put it into production. Fishing with Willy’s flies is a new experience in performance.