Traditional Arts in Upstate New York. Traditional Arts of Upstate New York
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Francis Betters

Wilmington, Essex County
Fishing Guide and Fly Tier 
(1931-2009)

 
Francis Betters was born in Wilmington, at the foot of Whiteface Mountain. The son of an Adirondack fishing guide who taught him how to fish with a fly rod at the age of eight, Fran has studied and practiced the arts related to fishing since. Living by the Ausable River, he has guided and taught hundreds of people how to fish for trout. He is particularly known for making custom fly rods and for tying flies used in fishing under all kinds of conditions. He still personally ties over 25,000 flies a year to sell in his popular Adirondack Sport Shop. He has created a number of original patterns, including the Haystack series and the Ausable Wulff. The Wulff pattern is widely acclaimed as the most productive dry fly you can use for trout and salmon. Fran writes frequently about fly fishing and has published twelve books featuring various subjects related to fishing or its adventures, including his favorite tall tales and humorous poems.


 
Click here to listen to the TAUNY/NCPR "Meet the Masters" story about Fran's fly-tying, and here for the programs about his work as a guide and teacher.



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