by Erin Foley
We’re in the business of sending the most innovative, cutting-edge, gnarly flies we can find tied with only the latest and greatest materials on the market. It just so happens one of our own Josh Phillips, Tribe Leader and @Fishingjosh on Instagram shares our passion for innovation. Josh has co-founded Spawn Fly Fish a company dedicated to producing ultra-realistic, premium quality fish heads designed to up your streamer game!
Take a look at some of the mystical fish heads Josh has been creating.
When Josh isn’t sketching new ideas for fish heads and tying products he’s playing soccer professionally for the Colorado Springs Switchbacks. Crazy? Yeah, our thought’s exactly. That’s why we decided to pick Josh’s brain and see what’s driving him in the interview below.
How did the idea for Spawn Fly Fish come about?
Spawn Fly Fish came about over a year ago while I was back home in Seattle Washington streamer fishing for Sea Run Cutthroat and Coho Salmon. Both species love life like streamers, thus Spawning the idea of adding a realistic element to every streamers in my box.
What prompted you to take a leap and start your own company?
I’ve always wanted to own a company where I can truly impact the way people fish and the fisheries I am passionate about. I believed making Spawn Fly Fish affordable for the everyday angler would help continue to shape streamer fishing and donating 2% back to the Coastal Cutthroat Coalition is a way to help protect the fisheries where I grew up.
Have you always been entrepreneurial minded?
Yes, I graduated from Gonzaga University with a degree in Business Administration. Working for a major company like Amazon did not interest me, so I started something of my own, building it from the ground up.
What’s it like running a company while being a professional athlete?
The USL is professional and a full-time commitment. Flying to different cities every other weekend and training every day makes adding a small business to the mix extremely taxing. Although difficult it has been extremely rewarding, I enjoy waking up before training to fulfill orders and answer emails! After training, I’m right back to work continually improving our existing products and working on what’s next!
How long have you been playing soccer?
Soccer started for me as a young child. Since I was six I had a soccer ball close by. In 6th grade I joined a competitive travel team which included a training schedule much like I have today!
How long have you been fly fishing?
I’ve been fishing all my life. My early days were spent fishing in Idaho and an occasional trip to Washington. My dad, a regional director for Washington State Fish and Wildlife, ensured I grew up itching to always be on the water. This included fishing for salmon late at night with lighted lures in the confluence of the Snake and Salmon Rivers, to fishing lakes in the Selway Bitterroot, to bottom fishing at Neah Bay. Since graduating from college and moving away from home I’ve fly fished a lot, an average of 1200 hours per year, this year being no different!
Is there a specific need within the fly tying material industry you’re looking to fill?
Absolutely. I believe that there are a large group of anglers like myself that love to tie and fish streamers but didn’t have the ability to add a realistic element to their favorite patterns. My goal is that Spawn Fly Fish can be a product that will fulfill that need. We want to be in every streamer box across the globe!
How is the fly fishing community receiving Spawn Fly Fish?
The first week was tough, like any industry when a new company enters a market people are going to be skeptical. However, in the following weeks the community has really taken to our products. We have seen orders scattered across the country and globe. It is exciting waking up to photos sent to us from customers telling us how much they enjoyed using our products on the water!
Where do you see Spawn Fly Fish take you? you have any plans for offering any other fly tying products?
I’m not sure where Spawn Fly Fish will take me personally but I do know that as a company we are going to be successful. I’ve surrounded myself with amazing friends in the fishing community like Postfly that are helping make all of this possible.
Spawn Fly Fishing has exploded onto the fly fishing scene and we’re excited to be collaborating with this new young company for the month of October.
We’re giving away 10 meaty streamers featuring Spawn’s innovative fish heads. To enter you must have an active subscription as of 10/15 at 11:59pm EST.
Not a member of the Postfly Tribe? Make sure you have a box coming your way next month and sign up today to get the best flies and gear sent right to your door every month.
