Fd: How did it all began for you regarding Art and Fly Fishing?
Michael: Fly fishing and Art came together early in my life. My father, Walter A. Simon was an artist who encouraged my efforts from the time I was 5 or 6 years old. My passion for fish and fishing came a bit later; first through collecting tropical aquarium fish, which I drew and painted and later, on my first fishing trip, I painted my first catch; a Pumpkinseed sunfish. As my fishing skills progressed I found myself drawn to fly fishing as the most graceful and artistic form of angling with trout being the most desirable subjects. By the time I was in Junior High School I had painted so many watercolors of trout that I was given the nickname “Fish”.
Fd: How is your work done?
Michael: Over the years my technique has evolved from a fairly loose, watery-wash style to a much more controlled method; similar to oil painting in that I apply multiple colors over the original wash to achieve depth. Typically, I don’t use white pigment in my watercolors so, in order to paint the light red, blue and yellow spots of a brook trout I methodically avoid the drawn spots when applying the darker background colors. When the background is painted in, I then apply the lighter tones of the spots and vermiculations.
Fd: You're also a classic gear collector. How was that love born? What pieces do you cherish the most?Michael: In the mid-70s I attended the Ed Rice fly fishing show in Denver, Colorado and happened upon Dave Inks’ booth which featured a display case of old Hardy Perfect fly reels. I was drawn to their beautiful finish showing the patina of time and loving care. I was hooked from that moment on.
Perhaps my most cherished reel is a lovely 3 inch Perfect style Dingley that I bought from Jim Adams, my favorite vendor of classic tackle. The reel is a rare left-hand model and is stamped “Westley Richards – Birmingham”. I believe it was made by William Dingley in the 1930s. My favorite modern reel is a 2 ¾ inch raised-pillar “Brook Trout” model given to me by my friend Ted Godfrey.
I love bamboo rods and own quite a few; twenty at last count. I do my best to fish them all but find myself going back to the same three or four. I have a Hardy “DeLuxe” that will be 100 years old next year and I will be sure to fish it then on my favorite brook trout stream. Of my contemporary rods, my favorite is a 7 ½ foot 4 weight “Prima Donna” by my dear friend Bill Harms.
Fd: What are your favorite species and spots?Michael: Here in Virginia, I love the spring and fall fishing for native brook trout. I also enjoy fishing the spring creeks and freestone rivers of the Cumberland Valley in Pennsylvania for brown and rainbow trout. Last fall I made a trip to New York’s Salmon River and caught my first Steelhead on my 40 year old “Granger” rod and I hope to go again this fall to catch another one or two.
Fd: Where can we find more about your artwork?
Michael: My artwork can be seen on my website: www.michaelsimonanglingart.com. My illustrations can be seen in Freshwater Wilderness; Yellowstone Fishes and their World by John Varley and Paul Schullery, in Norm Zeigler’s Rivers of Shadow, Rivers of Sun and in John Geirach’s Trout Bum. My writing and illustrations have appeared in Art of Angling Journal, Flyfisher (Japan), Virginia Wildlife, Virginia Sportsman, Colorado Outdoors,
among others.
