The Tug is The Drug

My name is Frank VanGeison, and I am from Spartanburg, South Carolina. Growing up, I longed for the outdoors, leading me to become an avid fly fisherman and travel the world in pursuit of different fish species. I became hooked when I was six years old, exploring the creeks of North Carolina. Soon after, my dad and I decided to adventure to the west, searching for breathtaking scenery and a more comprehensive selection of fish. The gamble to expand our horizons paid off as we roamed the west through Idaho, Montana, Colorado, and Utah chasing a passion we enjoyed together. Brook, brown, and rainbow trout filled our time on the water as we explored mountains, canyons, and pastures. Soon after, I began to take up a new style of fly fishing in high school, saltwater fly fishing. As a South Carolina native, I was lucky enough to grow up with abundant marshland, where I often found myself casting at flood tide tails on summer evenings. The difference in technicality and terrain was a feeling of exhilaration I could never escape. Therefore, I knew there had to be more to discover, and I began traveling globally to fish.

I began in the Bahamas in 2018, catching bonefish on the clear flats of Exuma; soon after traveled to Belize to catch the saltwater grand slam, consisting of Tarpon, Bonefish, and the elusive Permit. The Permit is widely regarded as the prime achievement in the fly fishing world. These fish have a keen sense of sight and feel, understanding the difference between real and fake. Luckily I was able to catch my first one, as well as my dad, in late May of this year in Rivera Maya. Fly fishing has also taken me to Austria in search of more trout species.

Over the years, fly fishing has been at the epicenter of my life, luring me around the world and allowing me to meet many people along the way from across the globe. These people and I all have one thing in common, to get off the beaten path for a while, gaining stories so we can tell those back home. Most importantly, my Dad and I experience all these wonders together, meaning more than any fish caught.