Jay Nicholas

Advisor

Here is my one-sentence bio: Jay is passionate about all things related to fish and fishing.

I’m fish biologist fly tyer; angler; writer; photographer; artist; teacher; storyteller; mentor; and life-student. My heart pounds every instant I’m on the water with something pulling back on the end of my line.  I’m also husband, dad, grandpa, retired, working, and continually wrestle with the elusive concept of “balance” in life.

My professional career as a fish biologist with the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife spanned four decades, and fit quite naturally with my fishing interests.  A Wild Salmon Hall of Fame Inductee in 2006, I retired from the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife in 2007to work as the senior Salmon Scientist at the Wild Salmon Center; retiring finally by 2014.

Professional recognition received includes induction to the Wild Salmon Hall of Fame; Oregon Trout’s Fishery Scientist of the Year; Oregon Steelheaders Annual Fishery Scientist; American Fisheries Society Fishery Worker of the Year; Governor’s Leadership Award, and Oregon Fish and Wildlife Researcher of the Year; not necessarily in that order.

I’ve fished for six decades; tied flies for more than five decades; produced hundreds of YouTube fly tying videos; and currently provide encouragement and mentoring to promote fly fishing, fly tying, and salmon conservation.

Education: Oregon State University MS, Fisheries & Wildlife, 1977
Military Service: LT, USNR; USS New DD 818, 1971 - 73
Oregon Department of Fish & Wildlife, 1977 – 2007
Wild Salmon Center; Senior Salmon Scientist, 2007 – 2014

My days are full to the brim – fishing somewhere on the coast, tying flies, creating instructional videos, writing, sketching, and mentoring people with similar passion for fly fishing and conservation.  You’ll find my reports on the Oregon Fly Fishing Blog, and I’m honored to contribute to several fly fishing magazines here and in Japan.  

Finally, I‘ve published over ten books on Amazon, a portfolio of writing that spans science and art, from serious to silly, with fish and fishing as unifying theme.