Verdigre Creek Journal | Sharkin’ in San Diego, Part III

Sharkin’ in San Diego, Part III

Conway Bowman was a San Diego local. He had read that the Mako was the most difficult species to catch on the fly in the blue water. Those words sparked his competitive nature.

Bowman was surfer, a fly fisherman. A San Diego local. His father had taken him fishing in Idaho as a boy. There were some opportunities to fly fish in the lakes surrounding San Diego, however, fly fishing in the blue water was fairly non-existent when he was a young man.

He asked many of the local commercial fisherman about them. They were more than willing to answer his questions. What threat, after all, could this young, surfer kid pose to their fishery.

Today the commercial fishery for Makos has all but disappeared. Conway Bowman’s business, though, thrives. He is up to five boats. His name is synonymous with Fly Fishing for Sharks. He’s been on ESPN, he’s been on Versus. His star has been on the rise for some time.

Dave Trimble’s path crossed with Bowman’s at Lee’s Ferry. Trimble guided Bowman on the Colorado.

After guiding in several exotic locations, Trimble made his way to San Diego and apprenticed with Bowman. For several years, Trimble kept a log of every shark they caught, where it was caught, water temperature, weather conditions, sea conditions. It was a valuable body of data.

Although Trimble has hung out his own shingle, On the Fly, he still has trips booked through Bowman’s Guide Service, Bowman’s Bluewater.