Early History of the Main Line Fly-Tyers
by Ed Jaworowski

In spring/summer of 1971, Dennis DiBonaventura and Ed Jaworowski, employees of Coxʼs Sport Shop, Bryn Mawr, PA conceived the idea for a fly tying and fishing club. By fall 1971, meetings were held every second Thursday, in the ski shop on the second floor after the store had closed. Ed supplied coffee and donuts and presided over the meetings. Jack Sebzda and others tied flies, rented films were shown, tackle and techniques were discussed. By spring 1972, Ed called for by-laws to be drafted and regular officers elected. Dennis DiBonaventura was elected the first President. Various regular committees were eventually formed (Planning, Refreshment, Political Activities, Membership).

The club quickly outgrew the store facility, and in spring 1972, Tom Gilmore and Rich Greco, teachers at Archbishop Carroll HS in Radnor, made the school available for MLFT meetings. Ken Clark was the second President. Occasional guest speakers became a regular feature. Ed Jaworowski and Bob Bryan designed the club logo and patch while sitting at Bobʼs kitchen table using a box of his daughterʼs crayons. The outline of the mayfly was meant to symbolize an idea, which comes to realization in the solid image of the fly in the vise. Club-sponsored picnics involved membersʼ families.


By late 1973, interest began to wane. The club membership and treasury were both pitifully low, and serious consideration was given to disbanding. Bob Bryan, Ed Jaworowski, Tom Gilmore, and Gerry Tucci met at Bobʼs home and committed to reorganizing the club, with Bob stepping in as President and Tom named as Membership Chairman, a position he fulfilled with a vengeance. With barely enough money for stamps for a single mailing, the group scheduled and advertised a series of notable guest speakers and programs for the next year, relying on their ability to promote the ambitious undertaking. Letters, phone calls, in-store posters, and signs brought dramatic results. They moved the club meetings to the Schuylkill Valley Nature Center in the Roxborough section of northwest Philadelphia, where Gilmore was now the Centerʼs business manager. At the first meeting of the resurrected club, the room was packed, and an anonymous donor presented the club with a check for $500 (a significant sum in mid-70ʼs dollars!) because, as he put it, “Iʼm so impressed with what you are doing”. That renewed effort, supported by that donation, gave new life to the club and ensured its future. By the time Ernie Schwiebert arrived in spring 1974, the place was overflowing. George Kawchak followed as president. Since that time, the club has undergone many changes of leadership, membership, and direction. Its continued growth, marked by its ability to adapt, is a tribute both to the founders and all those who succeeded them.

In addition to many programs presented by members, here is a sampling of celebrity speakers from those early years.

Several of these (e.g. Schwiebert, Jorgensen, Kreh) made repeat visits:
• Ted Simroe (Leonard Rod Co.) (March 73)
• Bob Popovics and Butch Colvin (Salt Water Flyrodders of America) (73)
• Ed Koch (May 73)
• Lou Tabory (1973-74?)
• Ernie Schwiebert (first visit March 74)
• Poul Jorgensen (Oct 74)
• Lefty Kreh (first visit May 76)
• Jim Bashline (Feb 76)
• Al Caucci and Bob Nastasi (77-78?)
• George Harvey and Buck Metz (April 77)
• Keith Fulsher (Nov 77)
• Lee and Joan Wulff (January 78)
• Vince Marinaro (June 78)
• Sid Neff (November 78)
• Dave Whitlock

Letter from Ed Jaworowski

I just got off the phone with George Kawchak. As best we can recall, when he was president, I was vice-president, and Leon Guziewicz (now deceased) was either secretary or treasurer, Leon insisted we incorporate as a non-profit, tax-exempt organization. Because of the free classes and instructions MLFT offered, we think there may have been an "educational entity" (something like that) component to the incorporation.  It must have been around 1975.

Just as a bit of history, Dennis DiBonaventura, who worked at Cox's Sport Shop in Bryn Mawr, had the idea for starting a club in 1971. I worked part-time for Jim Cox as buyer and advisor for the fishing department. I organized things and ran the meetings every two weeks, from fall 1971 until spring of 1972, held in the ski department on the second floor of the store. It was a rather informal, unstructured affair. I then insisted we elect regular annual officers, but refused to accept the first presidency. Dennis was the first president, followed by Ken Clark, Bob Bryan, and then George Kawchak. (I'm pretty sure that was the sequence.) Along with myself, Tom Gilmore, George, Leon, and Bob Bryan were the backbone of the club in those first several years until it got on its feet and became self-sustaining. Once the membership built up, largely due to Tom Gilmore's efforts, we were able to invite speakers like Ernie Schwiebert, Lefty Kreh, Lee Wulff, etc. I can tell you more anecdotes about those early years, and some may be a little hazy, but that will give you some idea of what happened prior to the incorporation.

Founding and Early Members

Dennis DiBonaventura - First President

Dennis DiBonaventura, 74, of Pocono Lake, died Tuesday, July 6, 2021, at home. He was the loving husband of his high-school sweetheart, Martha Jane (Tomassetti) DiBonaventura, with whom he shared 51 years of marriage.

He enjoyed fly tying and fishing, taxidermy, caricature wood carving, and water color art. Dennis was an active hunter, and member of the Pennsylvania Game Commission. He loved building and flying radio controlled airplanes, and was a member of the AMA West End Wings RC club.

Ed Jaworowski

Ed Jaworowski is a writer, photographer and an exceptional caster with a passion and a desire to share his skills with others. In addition to teaching casting and fly fishing for more than 30 years, Ed has authored four books – “The Cast,” “Troubleshooting the Cast,” “PopFleyes,” and “Essential Saltwater Flies.” He also served as consultant and contributor to “The Complete Book of Fly Fishing,” and his writings have been featured in more than 200 publications and more than 20 angling periodicals here and abroad since 1977.

Tom Gilmore

Tom Gilmore has fly fished around the world for over 45 years and has provided well over 200 presentations on fly fishing for a variety of species and destinations including many such presentations to our club.
He had written numerous articles for Eastern Fly Fishing, Southwest Fly Fishing, Northwest Fly Fishing, Tail Fly Fishing and Fly Fishing Saltwaters and also several books both as primary author and as contributor.

We are proud to have been able to call him one of our own, as one of the original founding members of Main Line Fly-Tyers! A true gentleman who always had time to share a story and provide insight into questions anyone interested might ask. He was a lifelong conservationist as well. He will certainly be sorely missed. Condolences and Prayers go out to his family from all of us here at MLFT!

Obituary: The Passing of a Great Man.

George Kawchak

FLFLFLFLFLFLFL. is a writer, photographer and an exceptional caster with a passion and a desire to share his skills with others. In addition to teaching casting and fly fishing for more than 30 years, Ed has authored four books – “The Cast,” “Troubleshooting the Cast,” “PopFleyes,” and “Essential Saltwater Flies.” He also served as consultant and contributor to “The Complete Book of Fly Fishing,” and his writings have been featured in more than 200 publications and more than 20 angling periodicals here and abroad since 1977