Meet Zach Markow
By Shea Tighe
Zach Markow is a fly fisherman out of Charleston, SC. He goes for redfish but also spends a great amount of time in Venice, FL where he goes after the prized tarpon and snook. He’s 18 years old and has been fly fishing for 6 years. He started the sport in 7th grade and was only one of two people who actually fly fished. A month after starting, Zach began tying his own flies. He has now perfected them and sells them to fishing shops as well as does custom orders to fit people's needs. Since learning to tie flies, Zach only uses his own flies to target fish. He just saw it as a challenge and something new to take on. He had never taken any lesson or classes on fly casting, fly fishing or even fly tying - he is completely self taught in the sport.
Q: How did you first get into fly fishing?
A: I got into fly fishing after going on the kayak with one of my friends in 7th grade and I was using lures and he brought a fly rod. It was a calm, glassy morning and all of the casts I made at red fish, all managed to spook them, but my friend was able to land his fly on the water quieter and with more accuracy than me with a spinning rod. And after seeing him hook up, I was hooked.
Q: What does the water mean to you?
A: When I was a newborn, water was the only thing that would calm me down from crying. Whether it was the beach, bathtub or pool, water was soothing to me. Not much has changed, being on the water is still when you will find me the most happy.
Q: What was your all-time favorite day on the water?
A: My favorite day on the water probably had to be when I caught my first red fish on the fly. It was a summer afternoon around an hour after lowtide and I was chasing some red fish up a creek. I finally saw one along the bank within casting range and I casted my shrimp pattern a foot in front of him and the second it landed, the fish nailed the fly and I hooked up.
Q: What’s going in in your world at the moment, and what does the future have in store?
A: Currently, I am trying to target tarpon over 60lbs from my kayak and on fly. It has not been easy. I have had a few blown shots at rolling fish but the hardest part about it is positioning my kayak in front of them so I am able to cast perpendicularly in front of them and not have the wind push me around.
