Shep Simmons Memorial Award Winners.
Outstanding Anglers of the Year

Capt. Dexter Simmons...

...on the Watch Hill Reef in Shep Simmons' boat - photo by Shep Simmons, August, 1996

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Shep Simmons was an icon in our home-town community of Watch Hill and Westerly, R.I. A dedicated husband and father first, Shep was a respected fisherman and lobsterman plying the waters off Southern R.I. and Southeastern Connecticut.

The Shep I knew was an outstanding angler on a tarpon quest, but first he was family. A cousin that I befriended in recent years, a man of integrity, with rich family values, Shep always shared a good laugh or story. I have seen these same qualities in his son Aaron, who is an outstanding person and angler in his own right. Aaron Simmons will someday visit the Keys on his own tarpon quest, it is his destiny and legacy.

The very qualities that embodied Shep are found in Del. Not only is Del an OUTSTANDING ANGLER, but he is a really great person to fish with day in and day out.


The selection committee always has so many worthy anglers to considerfor this annual award. I always think of my late cousin Shep when coming down to the finalists. Who would he like to fish with? Would Shep approve of our choices? What characteristics do the anglers share with Shep?

Del Bruce is an angler who would have enjoyed fishing and sharing time on the boat with Shep Simmons. Capt. Dexter has shared some great angling moments over the years with Del. Del Bruce is a master speed racer, a man in control of his own fate. He has beaten obesity (see photos below) with a dedication to a healthy lifestyle. You just can't beat seaweed and calamari salad on the boat for lunch! Del has jumped many Tarpon with Capt. Dexter and landed a few too!

Here is Del and Capt. Dexter with a Tarpon on the bow of "FlatsMaster" about 5 or 6 years ago.



Here is a slimmed down Del with a Silver King recently caught.



We have always had some great times with Del Bruce and his gang of anglers from Toronto. David Smith, Pat Smith and Lorrie Bennett would all agree that Del is worthy of this honor! Del and his crew understand the Golden Rule of Fly Fishing: "They want fish from fly fishing, but they want a great deal more than that, and getting it is not always dependent upon catching fish."*

They just like to be out there, taking it all in, keenly observing the marine wildlife in its natural habitat. Catching fish is a bonus.

*Adapted from Roderick Haig-Brown, 1946

May you be lucky enough someday to reach Fly Fishing Heaven, and if you do, then cast a few with Sheppy Simmons

Del will be honored with a commemorative placque and a complimentary "Guides Day of Angling" aboard "FlatsMaster" with yours truly. Together we will hunt the flats for fish in memory of Shep. And quite possibly we will be rewarded with fish, big or small, many or few, but whether the fishing is hot or not, we will know that Shep is with us in heart and spirit.

There were too-few days when Shep and I had the opportunity to fly fish together. Some on the Watch Hill reef for stripers (see below), and some on the Keys flats for Mr. Silver King. Shep jumped his first Tarpon on "FlatsMaster" in April of 1994. On that day he was astonished by the sheer power of Megalops Atlanticus. "It was awesome..." Shep would say. "I don't care if I catch anything, I just enjoy being out here casting the rod."

I will always remember our days on the water.