My first personal connection to Phil Shook happened when I was looking for information about fly fishing in the Exumas, Bahamas. Some of you may recognize the fly from the summer 2026 issue of Fly Tyer magazine, which featured the Flicker NVR by Phil Shook. The hooks Phil included were premium hooks, meant for serious work. The arrival of Phil Shook’s Flicker No Vise Required flies has been impressively eye-opening. His published writing has appeared in Southwest Fly Fishing, Fly Rod & Reel, Eastern Fly Fishing, On the Fly, FlyLords, the Pointing Dog Journal, Upland Almanac, TROUT, American Fly Fishing, USA Today Hunt & Fish and Fly Fisherman magazines.