Kalyn Hoggard | Monday, 3 March 2025
Beginning in November 2018 with “The Return Home” and concluding in February 2024 with “My Final Page,” our dear friend and colleague Andy Dear has spent the last six years sharing stories and inspiring the Sexyloops community to venture out and create lasting memories of their own. With over three hundred articles to his name, Andy has left behind a sizable pair of cowboy boots to fill—boots that I, as more of a sneakers guy, have no intention of trying to fill. It feels fitting to start my contributions by honoring Andy and reflecting on the legacy he leaves behind.
I had the pleasure of meeting Mr. Andy Dear at a casting event in Seguin, Texas, this past year. I was fortunate to be invited along by Mr. Bill Gammel, and I truly had no idea what I was getting into. Bill assured my colleague and friend, Marty McVey, and me that this would be a fantastic opportunity to learn and share ideas with exceptional casters. Additionally, it would be our chance to hang out with Mr. Gammel for the first time without the barrier of over a thousand miles and a telephone between us. It certainly seemed worth the drive.
Marty and I were the first to arrive at the event, and did what we always do, stood around casting in the grass questioning everything we’ve learned, when Andy showed up. For context, I cast frequently and serve as a casting instructor, so I feel fairly confident in my abilities as both a caster and a cast analyzer. However, as Andy stepped out of his car, introduced himself, and retrieved an unfamiliar, blacked-out rod, I was intrigued. I like to watch people’s back cast to try to taste the flavor of their cast and see how much they practice. I don’t expect everyone to throw 80-plus feet of pointy loop on their back cast, and let her rip on delivery immediately upon arriving without warming up but, that’s precisely what Andy did. I turned to Marty and remarked, “If they all cast like that, I’m not sure we belong here.”
I’ve been fortunate to call Mr. Dear my friend and have enjoyed many wonderful conversations with him since that event. Some of which relate to building the ultimate fly rods for several different applications (maybe foreshadowing). It turns out that the drive was indeed worth it. Before Andy transitions to a different stage, I wanted to discover which front page articles he remembers fondly and is proud to have shared. I also wanted to learn more about his experience writing for Sexyloops. Here’s what he had to say:
“Kalyn asked me to put down a few thoughts about my experience as a writer for Sexyloops, along with a few thoughts about my favorite essays. I met Paul many years ago…2004 to be exact, and always enjoyed the “outer limits” content on Sexyloops. Paul was aware of my literary history in fly fishing as all of of the articles (interviews) I did for RodMaker had been published on Sexyloops for many years. So, in 2018 when I decided to expand my literary footprint a bit, Sexyloops seemed like a natural fit.
As I look back over my 6 years as a FP writer, I have to say that there isn’t one essay that I didn’t enjoy writing. There are a few that stand out in my mind as maybe more meaningful than the others. The Map Room, Powderhorn Lake, and Lessons Learned are a few of those. I suppose the reasons for that are varied, but it’s mostly because of the wonderful memories that those essays continue to conjure up.
I once heard Flip Pallot say that he was convinced that the essence of fishing is drawn from memory. I tend to agree, as most of the most vivid memories I have are of spending time with my dad, or my son, or a good friend on the water. And, my tenure on Sexyloops has been a wonderful way to document those great memories.
Looking towards the future, I am anxiously waiting to read Kalyn’s perspective on our wonderful sport. Not only is he a world class caster, but also a phenomenal fly tying talent, experienced guide, and an all around outstanding human being. I have had the opportunity to get to know him over the last six months, and I promise you, we will all be better casters and anglers after reading his front pages.”
I haven’t had the chance to read through all of Andy’s articles yet, but so far, his very first piece, "Return Home," is my favorite. This may be partly because I am contributing for the first time, just as he was writing his first FP. I appreciate how the legend of Paul and Andy is conveyed in such a subtle way. Perhaps it’s also a tinge of jealousy that those guys needed to stand along a highway to have enough space for their distance casts. I’m not exactly sure why, but I really enjoy that article. If you get the chance, take a trip in the Time Machine and read the articles that Andy wrote and fondly remembers. They’re worth your time.
One thing I find Interesting about writing as much as Andy has, is that you can essentially create an archive of your favorite stories and what was going on in your life while you were writing them. Perhaps even making some of the memories that led to your favorite articles along the way. I hope that what I share with all of you is at least entertaining for some. Paul has invited some great writers, fly fishermen, industry innovators, and casters to contribute to Sexyloops. He has also asked me, for which I am grateful. I hope I’m a good fit.