Chico Fernandez Miami, Florida

Contact: C/O The Scott Fly Rod Company, 800-728-7208
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Chico Fernandez has dedicated himself to fly fishing for over 40 years, and is known worldwide as one of the founders of saltwater fly fishing. Chico has held numerous fly rod world records, and is an accomplished professional writer and photographer in the outdoor field.

In addition to his well publicized saltwater deeds, Chico has 34 years of fly fishing experience in freshwater. He has pursued trout, salmon, steelhead, and a host of other species, covering all of the U.S. as well as Canada, New Zealand, and much of Europe. Chico applies his vast personal experience in his teaching, and is one of the foremost fly casting and fishing instructors in the world today. Chico is more than a fly fishing superhero, he's a hardcore angler who has gained thorough perspective on every element of the sport. He has fished every corner of the world for countless species, and has studied the industry that he has helped to pioneer.

In 1997, Chico helped us redesign our Heliply Series saltwater rods. Originally, the 9-12 weight Heliplys were 9' 0" in length. Chico suggested that we redesign these models to match the 8' 8" configuration of the 7 & 8 weight HPs. In doing so, rod designer Jim Bartschi created lighter rods that cast better in the wind and offer more leveraging power for landing fish. The HPs are now our most popular saltwater fly rods.