Mark Hieronymus
Signature Tyer
Mark grew up in Western Washington and has been chasing salmon and steelhead for over 40 years. Lured to Alaska by the siren-song of commercial fishing money in the late ‘80’s, he managed to come up with a work schedule that allowed him to sportfish all over the Pacific Northwest and Alaska for 6 months a year.
After getting his Alaska sportfish guide license in 2004, Mark held dual citizenship in the sport and commercial fishing worlds for many years. Since his retirement from the Commercial industry in 2011 Mark has been a full-time flyfishing guide for Bear Creek Outfitters in Juneau, AK, and in addition to his Signature Designer relationship with Umpqua Feather Merchants, he is on the Pro Teams of ECHO Flyfishing and AirFlo Flyfishing, a Simms Elite Ambassador, and a Field Ambassador for Speyco Reels.
In the winter Mark works for Trout Unlimited, Alaska Program as the Sportfish Outreach Coordinator for Southeast Alaska, working on conservation and land use issues in “America's Salmon Forest”, the Tongass National Forest.
“My involvement in fly design has allowed me to express my inner "dirty gear chucker" and marry the best of both worlds into simple, effective flies that would scare the bejeezus out of most tweed-clad purists. I got into tying years ago because I couldn't find things in my local flyshop that I thought fish might want to eat. Having grown up gear fishing, I had an unconventional take on fly design and construction, something that I have carried with me to this day. I am constantly tinkering with my own patterns, tweaking this and clipping that until it seems the fish are satisfied.”
Mark grew up in Western Washington and has been chasing salmon and steelhead for over 40 years. Lured to Alaska by the siren-song of commercial fishing money in the late ‘80’s, he managed to come up with a work schedule that allowed him to sportfish all over the Pacific Northwest and Alaska for 6 months a year.
After getting his Alaska sportfish guide license in 2004, Mark held dual citizenship in the sport and commercial fishing worlds for many years. Since his retirement from the Commercial industry in 2011 Mark has been a full-time flyfishing guide for Bear Creek Outfitters in Juneau, AK, and in addition to his Signature Designer relationship with Umpqua Feather Merchants, he is on the Pro Teams of ECHO Flyfishing and AirFlo Flyfishing, a Simms Elite Ambassador, and a Field Ambassador for Speyco Reels.
In the winter Mark works for Trout Unlimited, Alaska Program as the Sportfish Outreach Coordinator for Southeast Alaska, working on conservation and land use issues in “America's Salmon Forest”, the Tongass National Forest.
“My involvement in fly design has allowed me to express my inner "dirty gear chucker" and marry the best of both worlds into simple, effective flies that would scare the bejeezus out of most tweed-clad purists. I got into tying years ago because I couldn't find things in my local flyshop that I thought fish might want to eat. Having grown up gear fishing, I had an unconventional take on fly design and construction, something that I have carried with me to this day. I am constantly tinkering with my own patterns, tweaking this and clipping that until it seems the fish are satisfied.”