Episode 175: Mike Lawson - Legend of the Henry's Fork

Mike Lawson is a legend of the Henry’s Fork—and one of the men who helped shape modern fly fishing in the American West. A fourth-generation Idahoan, Lawson grew up fishing the Henry’s Fork and began his professional fly-fishing career in the early 1970s while working as a schoolteacher and tying flies commercially with his wife, Sheralee. He later guided in West Yellowstone before the two founded Henry’s Fork Anglers in 1976, building what would become one of the most respected fly-fishing operations in the country. For more than five decades, Lawson has been a guide, outfitter, fly tier, author, teacher, and tireless advocate for the waters he calls home. He became a contract fly tier for Umpqua Feather Merchants in 1979, and his patterns have been sold in fly shops around the world. His books, including Fly Fishing the Henry’s Fork and Spring Creeks, helped generations of anglers understand the intricate hatches, technical trout, and demanding presentation required to fish some of the West’s most challenging waters. He has also written extensively for publications including Fly Fisherman and served as a contributing editor. Beyond fishing, Lawson has devoted much of his life to conservation. He was a founding member of the Henry’s Fork Foundation and has been deeply involved in protecting the river and its surrounding lands. He has also been a longtime member and supporter of Trout Unlimited, the Federation of Fly Fishers, and other conservation organizations. Lawson’s legacy ultimately extends beyond the fish he has caught or the flies he has tied. For generations of anglers, he has been a teacher, steward, and ambassador for the Henry’s Fork—a river that has become synonymous with his name.