Guest Anglers Q&A Series: David Riina
In this monthly series, we sit down with guests from across to angling community to bring new perspectives and share a glimpse into different aspects of the sport, fisheries and watersheds, and culture. This month, we spoke with David Riina who is an artist, avid fly angler, and builder extraordinaire about how he to into the sport, his passion for art, and more.
Tell us a bit about yourself and how you got into fly fishing.
I grew up in Goldens Bridge, NY which is a suburb an hour north of NYC. My childhood was me circling the pond in my cousin’s yard down the street, entertaining myself for hours with a purple rubber worm and some largemouth bass. From there, my love of fishing just grew. Exploring local lakes and small streams behind my house, catching small native brookies. My father built a small cabin up in East Branch, NY which is the town next to Roscoe (Trout Town USA), so we would spend a lot of time over the summer up there. That is where I first started fly fishing. Once I was a little older, around 14, I was a fly shop rat at The Bedford Sportsman which was a local fly shop in Bedford Hills at the time. I caught my first false albacore on the fly on the Weekapaug breachway in Rhode Island with the guys from the shop before I could even drive a car. That fish ruined me for life.
A couple years ago, I got into boat building and that really ignited my love for fly fishing again. Building my 18’ skiff was the best thing for me…I should have done it 10 years ago. Being able to look at a map ANYWHERE, and say “let’s go explore” is what really gets me excited. Learning the unknown makes me happy.
What’s your earliest memory of the sport? What have you come to enjoy most about fly fishing?
My earliest memory of the sport is probably me floating down the West Branch with a fly rod in hand and in my dad’s tractor trailer inner tube. Back then, we saw so many trout and smallmouth floating downstream. 35 years later, all those rivers have changed a whole lot and I'm glad I had a chance to experience it as I did… a kid without a care in the world, LONG before social media.
The thing I enjoy most about fly fishing is spending time with the people (and doggies) I love and in so many amazing places. Fly fishing gave me the excuse to build a boat and explore the east coast!
You are also an accomplished artist. Did the fishing come first?
Fishing for sure. Before I was a full time artist, I was an Art Director in an ad agency for a very long time. I started painting to get away from a computer, away from Photoshop, and just to relax a little. Once I started painting fish and fishing related scenes, my artwork just clicked and it came natural. After all, I’ve looked at fish 150 days out of the year for my entire life- putting one down on paper wasn’t very difficult.
For anyone who has seen your paintings, they are incredibly detailed. How do you approach recreating the fish?
Ain’t that the million dollar question! I really don’t follow any formula or method to painting. I’m self taught so I taught myself both watercolors and oil paints, which are polar opposites when it comes to HOW to paint with them. In a weird way, learning oils helped my watercolors, and vice versa. Fur and feathers are easy to paint compared to scales and the texture a fish’s skin has. I try to paint fish that look alive, and not dead…
First thing I do is decide on the fish’s overall size and colors. A fish’s physical features can vary greatly throughout its lifecycle, so I try to capture that fish at what I consider its “prime”. Too young and their features are underdeveloped… too old and they lose characteristics they had earlier. Fish can vary in color so much depending on their environment so the overall color is another important choice. My work tends to lean towards more color then not. I like trying to capture that iridescence most fish have.
What do you enjoy most about painting? Are there any parallels to fly fishing?
The idea that I can create something from nothing and that inspires people to get outside and go fishing, or helps them re-live a great memory is probably what I enjoy the most. The idea that my work will outlive me, and continue to make someone smile long after I’m gone makes me happy.
There are lots of parallels between fly fishing and painting as well as building boats. Planning, patience, practice, and prayer. You don’t make a perfect 80’ cast at a tarpon or paint a masterpiece your first time out….it takes planning, patience, and practice. and when that fails…you pray!
You are also currently studying for your captain’s license. What’s that been like? The most interesting thing you’ve learned?
I’m very happy I’m taking a class with NE Maritime here on Cape Cod. There is SO MUCH information to memorize from the Colregs to deck safety, weather, plotting and navigation….having an instructor to help break down all the information is huge. I give credit to anyone who passes the Coast Guard exam by studying solo. It’s just a ton of information to remember!
The most interesting thing I’ve learned is also the most obvious. 95% of people on the water driving a boat have no idea what they are doing. This was always my assumption, but after learning the “proper” way to do things, you really realize how few people out there actually know what they are doing. I’m looking forward to this upcoming season, and bringing some of my art clients fishing with me. The Cape is pretty amazing, and when the fish are here…well…it’s hard to beat. The Elizabeth Islands is one of the most beautiful places I’ve ever fished.
Is there anything you don’t do?
I’m only good at a few things. Painting, fishing, building boats or building stuff, and cooking. Outside of that, I’m fairly useless.
With a bunch of different options on the cape, what do you choose to chase when you aren’t studying to be a guide or preparing your next print?
Our fishing here on Cape is seasonal, so I go with the seasons. By the end of April, migratory bass start showing up in my local waters with May and June being the prime time on Cape Cod to get a big bass in very tight to shore. July can still be good, but it usually means longer runs in the skiff, and much more people. Once high school and college gets out in June, we get invaded with people here on cape cod. It’s both a good and bad thing. Just make sure you get to the boat ramps early, or else you won’t find parking!
My wife and I usually spend the end of July / beginning of August down in Fort Myers / Pine Island area. We trailer my skiff down there for 3 to 4 weeks, explore and fish. It’s definitely one of my favorite places to fish / explore. I could spend a lifetime down there exploring all those mangroves. Summertime is HOT, but the wind is usually calm and we can get out almost every morning.
Then, by mid-August, I’m back on Cape Cod right on time for the arrival of false albacore. I think this past year, my first Albie was August 14th…something crazy early like that.
Fall is Albie season. Plain and simple. Striped Bass take a backseat for me until the Albie fishing winds down enough to justify bass fishing again. Depending on the weather, Albies and bass will stick around until November. Bass fishing will stay decent down the Elizabeth Islands until it's so cold you don’t want to take a 25-mile round trip in a skiff. My last bass this season was the week before Thanksgiving.
Then come the winter months. I do not like the cold that much anymore. My wife and I usually trailer the skiff down to Charleston in either December or February for a little winter redfish. In the past, I used the “off season” to build both my first little mini boat, and my now FS18 18’ skiff. A couple heaters in the garage and I was able to get it warm enough to work with epoxy all winter long. This fall I bought an 18’ 1978 Sea Ox that I am fully restoring. So far this winter, I gutted the entire thing, removed all the wet foam, stringers and transom. So it's just an outer shell. I’m waiting for some warm weather before I start the glass work.
I’ll try to do any trailer maintenance, boat maintenance, bulk fly tying, etc in the winter.
I haven’t chased bluefin with the fly rod yet, but once I finish up my sea ox, that’s next..
Thanks David for sitting down with us and sharing your story!
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Your Name: David Riina
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Location & Home Water: I currently live with my wife and dog in East Falmouth on Cape Cod. I primarily fish the Vineyard Sound, Buzzards Bay, and the Elizabeth Islands, but trailer over to Cape Cod bay when the time is right.
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Favorite Species: False Albacore and Tarpon have won me over through the years. It’s hard to pick one as fishing for them are completely different animals. With the exception of traveling far and wide, those two species are as good as it gets on the fly rod.
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Favorite Fly Pattern: Honestly…anything easy to tie. I like simple flies and natural materials for the most part. Surf candies for Albies can’t be beat and that’s all I really fish for them with so that’s probably my favorite Albie fly - a pink surf candy. For striped bass, a hollow type deceiver is probably my most versatile and used bass fly. They are easy to tie in a variety of sizes and don’t weigh a ton in the larger sizes. Natural colors work well here on the Cape where the water is crystal clear. The squid run on Cape Cod is pretty amazing as well so I always have a good squid fly with me.
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Favorite Rod / Reel Set-up: I went to the dark side with one-piece fly rods, and I’m never going back. I’ll take ANY one piece fly rod. My favorite current rod is my Orvis Helios 2 one-piece, 9 weight. The Hardy one-piece rods are nice as well (I’ve fished with them on a couple of occasions).
