About Us
David & Stephie Nelson | Co-Founders
David Nelson, known throughout the fly-tying community as “Mr. Squimpish,” is a co-founder of Squimpish Flies, an accomplished fly tyer and pattern designer, and the originator of the Squimpish tying style. Inspired by the movement and profiles of squid, shrimp, and fish, this adaptable approach gives tyers room to create many different patterns and variations. A lifelong angler, David’s work has been featured in Saltwater Fly Fishing and in fly-tying books by David Klausmeyer and Bob Popovics. His work at the vise and his approach to materials remain central to Squimpish product development.
Stephanie “Stephie” Nelson, known online and within the industry as “Mrs. Squimpish,” is a co-founder of Squimpish Flies and an experienced entrepreneur with a background in business, sales, and marketing. In 2018, she took David’s idea and helped turn it into a business, beginning with an Etsy shop run from their living room floor.
Since then, Squimpish has grown from that small start into an international fly-tying brand carried by roughly 50 shops around the world. Stephie oversees the business and growth of the company while working closely with David and the Squimpish team.
Brian Picorale | Sales & Industry Partner
Brian Picorale is a lifelong fly fisherman and experienced outdoorsman whose background spans fishing, hunting, outdoor retail, sales, education, and the broader fly-fishing industry. His years on the water and in the field have given him a deep understanding of the sport, the gear, and the community around it.
Brian is also active in the fly-fishing community beyond Squimpish. His involvement has included work with the Catskill Fly Fishing Center and participation in youth education and conservation programs designed to introduce the next generation to trout, fly casting, and the natural world.
Brian joined Squimpish in 2025 and serves as our Sales & Industry Partner, representing the brand at shows and events, working throughout the fly-fishing community, and bringing his experience as an angler, hunter, and industry professional into the business.
Brian Sheppard | Brand Ambassador & Industry Relations
Brian Sheppard has been part of Squimpish from the early days as one of our original Pro Team members and a longtime Squimpish ambassador. An accomplished fly tyer and educator, Brian has been instrumental in tying with, demonstrating, and promoting Squimpish materials and helping introduce them to anglers and fly tyers throughout the region.
As Squimpish Flies’ Brand Ambassador & Industry Relations representative, Brian serves as one of the public faces of the brand within the fly-fishing industry, representing Squimpish at fly shops, festivals, trade shows, demonstrations, training events, and other industry gatherings. He also plays an important role in product development, working hands-on with our materials and blends, helping test and refine ideas, and bringing practical feedback from the vise, the water, and the fly-tying community into new Squimpish products.
Brian is also a Fly Fishers International Bronze Fly Tyer and the founder of City Fly NYC, a fly-fishing guide service, custom fly shop, and education resource built around helping people learn the sport and take those skills from the city to the water.
In addition to his work in fly fishing, Brian is an accomplished professional actor with an MFA in acting.
Peace, Love & Fly-tying
At Squimpish, our motto is simple: Peace, Love, and Fly Tying. It's not just about crafting flies; it's about finding peace in the process, pouring love into every tie, and embracing the joy of fly tying as a shared adventure.
Peace, Love & Fly Tying✌❤️🎣
David & Stephie
Remembering Bob Popovics
Bob Popovics was more than an influence on my fly tying. He was a mentor, a friend, and someone who believed in me and pushed me to keep developing my own ideas. He changed the way I thought about movement, profile, materials, and what a fly could be.
A lot of what became Squimpish grew out of that foundation. The way I approach materials, the way I build flies, and the confidence to keep experimenting all trace back in some way to what I learned from Bob. We would not be where we are today without his influence, his generosity, and his friendship.
This interview means a great deal to us because it preserves a conversation with someone who had such an important impact on my work and on Squimpish. I am grateful that I had the chance to know him, learn from him, and call him a friend.
— David Nelson
Special thanks to our friend Chris Brown and BayColonyGuides.com for use of their images