a month ago
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Posted On: September 24th 2026, 09:01 pm
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He told his wife guiding would help supplement their income.
The truth?
“I just wanted to fish.”
More than 33 years later, Paul Dixon is still doing exactly that.
It started when Paul was 16, working as a boat boy on Henry’s Lake in Idaho. Many of the old timers spending their summers there were from the San Francisco Casting Club. They taught him to fly fish, and he fell in love with it.
Eventually Paul moved East, opened a fly shop on Long Island, and quickly realized he didn’t want to spend his days stuck inside.
Guiding solved that problem.
Today he splits his time between Montauk and the Florida Keys, mostly hunting striped bass and tarpon. Give him bright sun, a great caster and targets to throw at and you’ve pretty much built his perfect day. Sight fishing is his game of choice.
Favorite fish? Probably tarpon. They come in every size, inhabit wildly different places, and, as Paul says, “the elephant that eats peanuts” rings true.
But if it were his last days on earth? Wading for big bonefish.
After three decades behind the rod, his advice is still simple: practice, practice, practice. And when it comes together, don’t let go of your fly line. Let it run through your hand. Line control is everything.
His go-to? A Rise Shearwater 9wt, Cortland Redfish Taper floating line and usually a 12’ 16-lb leader. Down south, some sort of crab fly gets the nod- a pattern he’ll throw for stripers up north, too. Second choice: an epoxy minnow developed by Bob Popovics.
One of his most memorable days was fishing with Popovics and Lance Irwin on the ocean side of Key Largo, landing one of the largest tarpon Paul has caught.
“Pure chaos and laughter.”
And the pre-fishing drink after 33 years? Black coffee.
Post-fishing?
Black coffee.
“One to get you going and the other to keep you going.”
More from Paul in the comments ↓
The truth?
“I just wanted to fish.”
More than 33 years later, Paul Dixon is still doing exactly that.
It started when Paul was 16, working as a boat boy on Henry’s Lake in Idaho. Many of the old timers spending their summers there were from the San Francisco Casting Club. They taught him to fly fish, and he fell in love with it.
Eventually Paul moved East, opened a fly shop on Long Island, and quickly realized he didn’t want to spend his days stuck inside.
Guiding solved that problem.
Today he splits his time between Montauk and the Florida Keys, mostly hunting striped bass and tarpon. Give him bright sun, a great caster and targets to throw at and you’ve pretty much built his perfect day. Sight fishing is his game of choice.
Favorite fish? Probably tarpon. They come in every size, inhabit wildly different places, and, as Paul says, “the elephant that eats peanuts” rings true.
But if it were his last days on earth? Wading for big bonefish.
After three decades behind the rod, his advice is still simple: practice, practice, practice. And when it comes together, don’t let go of your fly line. Let it run through your hand. Line control is everything.
His go-to? A Rise Shearwater 9wt, Cortland Redfish Taper floating line and usually a 12’ 16-lb leader. Down south, some sort of crab fly gets the nod- a pattern he’ll throw for stripers up north, too. Second choice: an epoxy minnow developed by Bob Popovics.
One of his most memorable days was fishing with Popovics and Lance Irwin on the ocean side of Key Largo, landing one of the largest tarpon Paul has caught.
“Pure chaos and laughter.”
And the pre-fishing drink after 33 years? Black coffee.
Post-fishing?
Black coffee.
“One to get you going and the other to keep you going.”
More from Paul in the comments ↓
Comments (14)
a month agojonesbrothersmarine
We miss seeing you down at the Cape! Congratulations on the 33 years… to many more!!!
a month agol_mark_weeks
The man! Regarding coffee, Paul taught me that, when you’re in Florida, if you fill your travel cup with coffee and leave it in your car while on the water, the Florida sun keeps it hot for the drive home. Works like a charm, particularly for long drives like from Flamingo back to the Keys.
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