Dave Inks' Story by Bill Kliene
"Godfather of Fly Fishing"
One of the “godfathers” of modern day fly-fishing and has been a renowned innovator and active participant in the industry for over 40 years. He grew up in Montana fishing and hunting in the neighboring wilderness perfecting his talents on the great names such as the famous Blackfoot, Bitterroot and Rock Creek watersheds among numerous others. In his early days as a Boy Scout, Dave discovered his passion and desire to know the outdoor life.
Later in his life in the mid 1960’s Dave was involved in the start up of a group called the Federation of Fly-fishermen (FFF). This was about the time when a rapidly growing generation of sportsmen started to invade the fly fishing scene. Thanks to the FFF, and many other newly developed fishing clubs, a great new interest in the sport began to develop.
Dave the Inventer and Entrepreneur
Dave set up and started Umpqua Feather Merchants with Dennis Black. Umpqua started to buy and import fly tying feathers which they then sold to the industry, which had developed a strong demand for quality products in this rapidly growing sport. Today, Umpqua needs no introduction to any fly-fisherman and has become the leading vendor of flies worldwide with over a billion units sold last year.
In 1972 Dave started a fly shop called Creative Sports in California’s Bay Area with a partner Andre Puyans. Dave and Andre developed a strong following and grew Creative Sports sales figures to over five hundred thousand in 3 years. Later the pair opened two additional stores also adding a wholesale supply division.
Two world Records
Throughout the 1980’s and 1990’s Dave spent many years working as a group leader organizing trips and taking anglers fishing all over the world in fresh water and salt water. He started leading groups of anglers in 1967 and continues to do so. He worked with Fishing International as a sales rep for 13 years part time and led many trips to now famous fly fishing destinations. After making trips to Canada for Steelhead fishing, Dave started developing salt water experiences. He was one of the first to put a Tarpon fly fishing trip together on the west coast of Costa Rica fishing the jungle river Rio Colorado. He went to Panama for Sail Fish and then on to Andros Island, Belize and Christmas Island. During this period, he received two World Records for Yellowfin Tuna caught on a fly. Those records still stand to this day. Dave pioneered fishing travel to many other wonderful places like Argentina, Chile and has personally spent over 15 years exploring the clear streams of New Zealand, using helicopters to land in places where no man had walked. All of these experiences have helped Dave to develop his concept and designs for would someday become the “Water Strider,” his design for the ultimate personal fishing craft.