Ed Shenk III — Cumberland Valley Anglers

About

Ed Shenk III carries forward a family tradition of limestone creek fly fishing that stretches back three generations in the Cumberland Valley of south-central Pennsylvania. His grandfather pioneered several fly patterns that remain staples on the Letort Spring Run, and Ed has built on that heritage with twenty-five years of professional guiding on the spring creeks and limestone streams that form the historical foundation of American fly fishing. The waters he guides — the Letort, Big Spring, Penns Creek, and a handful of lesser-known private streams — are among the most technically demanding in the Eastern United States, and Ed's deep familiarity with their rhythms, hatches, and resident trout populations gives his clients a decisive advantage.

Ed is a recognized authority on the sulphur, trico, and terrestrial hatches that define summer fly fishing on Pennsylvania's limestone creeks. His ability to spot feeding trout in flat, clear water and diagnose the specific insect they are consuming is a skill honed over thousands of hours of patient observation. He carries a vest full of meticulously tied flies in sizes that would challenge the eyesight of most anglers, and his leaders routinely taper to 7X or 8X tippet, a necessity on water where trout have been subjected to catch-and-release fishing pressure for decades.

Ed welcomes anglers of all skill levels but finds particular satisfaction in guiding experienced dry-fly fishers who want to test themselves against the most selective trout in the East.

Specialties

Rivers & Waters