I attended Andrew’s tying demo at East Rosebud Fly Shop in Billings MT. Andrew is a superb tier, very personable and more than willing to engage the crowd to answer questions. His demos are thorough and very insightful, showing not just how to tie his patterns but letting you in on the tips to fish them too. You can tell the guy has loads of fishing knowledge. I definitely will be attending any of Andrew’s events given the opportunity again.

Calvin D. Billings, Montana

I recently had the opportunity to attend one of Andrew’s classes hosted by Trouts Fly Fishing in Denver, CO. I really appreciated the time Andrew took out of his busy schedule to sit down for several hours to teach us how to tie a few of his patterns. First off I really liked that the patterns are versatile and can be used in different rivers and seasons. We tied streamers, hoppers, and nymphs which means I have something new to try any day of the year. Secondly, as a newer fly tier, I liked that the patterns shared some common materials which not only makes me want to tie all of them, but I’ll also not wind up with stacks of one-off material that I’ll never use again. Finally, and most importantly Andrew is just really good people, and speaking for everyone in the class we all had a great day hanging out with such a talented person. The class was conducted in such a manner that it pushed a few of us newer tiers, but not so fast that anyone was left behind or frustrated by the pace. Hands down an awesome class and I’ll definitely attend another one if Andrew’s ever hosting something in my area again. Thanks!

Lucas D, Denver, Colorado

Having been to and hosted numerous guest speakers and tiers, Andrew stands head and shoulders above the pack.  His professionalism, organization, flexibility and knowledge helped things run smoothly with planning and preparation.  His attitude and expertise allowed him to keep the presentation more of a conversation than a boring lecture about flies and fly designs.  Andrew gave us an all round impressive experience that our customers are still talking about.

Mat Wagner, Owner, Driftless Angler, Viroqua, Wisconsin

I was interested in taking a fly tying class from Andrew Grillos when I heard he was coming to town as I’ve heard of a few of his foam dry flies. I can confidently say he taught one of the best tying classes I’ve ever taken. His hands-on class was a great way for me to learn how to tie his foam flies. I definitely took away numerous tying techniques that I look forward to playing with on my own. Also, Andrew’s stories from all his time fishing and guiding make for a super entertaining and interesting class. I look forward to seeing him again and hopefully taking another tying class from him!

Marcus L. Seattle, WA

Grillos is the king of foam!

I had the pleasure of spending a full day with Andrew and picked up much more than the techniques required to tie his signature patterns with materials once foreign to me. Hearing his stories, built up over decades of guiding and tying experience, inspired me to keep pushing myself to observe, learn, and have the humility to swing a pizza slice at a fish to see what happens. Can’t thank you enough for your time, your patience to teach, and your willingness to share your craft.

-John S. Denver, CO

I first learned about Andrew Grillos, when I began tying his pool toy hopper in 2013 after a recommendation from a fishing guide. In 2017 I stumbled into a productive fly called the hippy stomper, and subsequently I discovered that this was also an Andrew Grillos design. Fast forward to 2019, and I learned that Andrew was conducting a fly tying seminar at Trouts Fly Fishing in Denver. I decided to sign up for the five-hour course scheduled for March 16, and I attended this past Saturday.

The class surpassed my expectations. We tied seven flies that Andrew designed, and I learned new techniques that will most assuredly improve my fly tying capabilities. Andrew provided all the materials for each fly and patiently coached us through the individual steps required to produce a quality facsimile of his creations. Andrew mixed in anecdotes and stories about his life experiences and the creative process that spurred the creation of effective fishing flies. Five hours flew by quickly, and I walked out of Trouts Fly Fishing with seven new flies, a few small gifts from Umpqua, and enhanced knowledge that will guide me in my future fly tying and fishing adventures. I highly recommend Andrew Grillos as an instructor and mentor in the world of fly fishing. An opportunity to attend a class with Andrew should not be overlooked.

-Dave W. Denver, CO

Knowledge behind the beard // There was a lot of hype surrounding the Grillos tying class I attended - Umpqua Signature Designer, Creator of the Hippie Stomper, Fish Whisperer, etc. Within a few minutes, the hype was real. Grillos leads a class that is laid back and insightful. He takes you through his background, the origins of his flies, and techniques for spinning up his bugs. He's open to all questions ranging from material selection, to what music to listen to on the way to the river. Grillos's combination of naturals, synthetics, and fly design sits at the confluence of two fly worlds - the old traditions of classic dry flies and the new trends of flashy foamy stuff that all the kids are talking about these days. I'd recommend the class to any intermediate tier looking to take the next step in their craft. You'll walk away with a knowledge of fly tying to fill your box with flies that look great in the box, but even better in a fish's mouth.

-Ryan C. Denver, CO