Our November 19th FFV dinner meeting will feature Beau Beasley…
Beau Beasley is the Mid-Atlantic states field editor for Eastern Fly Fishing, a contributing editor for Fly Fish America, and an editor at large for Southern Trout. His work has also appeared in Fly Fishaerman, American Angler, Fly Tyer, Mid-Atlantic Fly Fishing Guide, Virginia Wildlife, Flyfisher, Virginia Living, Blue Ridge Outdoors, Virginia Sportsman, and Fly Rod & Reel. Some of his articles on menhaden as well as his work on public access and use issues have also appeared in the Baltimore Sun, Fredericksburg Free Lance-Star, and Roanoke Times.
In 2005 the Mason-Dixon Outdoor Writers Association honored Beasley with the Talbot Denmead Memorial Award for Best Environmental Writing (sponsored by Bass Pro Shops) for his work on the Chesapeake Bay. His first book, Fly Fishing Virginia: A No Nonsense Guide to Top Waters, won the M-DOWA Book Award as well as the prestigious Excellence-in-Craft Award in 2009. Fly Fishing Virginia is currently in its second printing and is one of L.L. Bean’s bestselling fishing books nationwide.
In 2011 the M-DOWA honored him again by awarding him the Talbot Denmead Memorial Award for the Best Article on Conservation and/or the Environment for “Where Have All The Menhaden Gone?” The Fly Fish America cover story chronicled the challenges of managing this very important baitfish. This honor was particularly gratifying since one magazine after another had refused to publish the article for fear of angering one or another stakeholder. In the end, however, both the conservation community and the commercial fishing industry lauded the piece as in-depth and even-handed.
His last book, Fly Fishing the Mid-Atlantic: A No Nonsense Guide to Top Waters, is similar in layout to the Virginia book but includes 45 fresh and salt waters across seven Mid-Atlantic states. Though most of the photographs are his own, collected from fishing each and every piece of water covered in the book, he was delighted to be able to include photography from pros like Jack Hanrahan, Mark Sargent, and Jim Graham. Alan Folger contributed the vivid, original wildlife art that brings the book to life.
Beau is a retired career fire fighter with the Fairfax County (Virginia) Fire and Rescue Department, where he served for 30 years. His last assignment was as captain and lead medic of Engine Company 427 in West Springfield.
He is currently working on a new book chronicling the work of Project Healing Waters Fly Fishing, a projected publication date is late 2016.
Beau also serves as the director for the Virginia Fly Fishing & Wine Festival which will be held just outside of Richmond this coming April.
Beau will also have copies of his books available for purchase at the dinner meeting for $30 each…
Fly Fishing Virginia and Fly Fishing the Mid-Atlantic
FFV member Robert Thomas will hold a free afternoon session…
Here is the Singing Reel for November, 2015.
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