Invent

What is TrueFlies?


The TrueFlies Clothing Company not only makes excellent products, they are true stewards of the fisheries that support recreational angling. Their support of our bonefish acoustic study is just one example of their commitment to conservation.

Basic CMYK

TrueFlies Clothing is the result of taking two admitted fly fishing fanatics with 50+ years of Florida and Caribbean experience and giving them the opportunity to make clothing for the sport they live for.

Taking clothing in the style of Palm Beach and Boca Grande, and folding in the technical features required to keep one comfortable on a sun drenched flat, where the humidity and the temperature both read 90, is what TrueFlies is all about.

They’ve invented a phrase for this ideology: Life Off The Chart. In short, “Tails at eleven o’clock… Drinks at five.” It’s all about the upmost in technical clothing that you can wear anywhere, from the ragged edge to the country club, or anywhere in between.

Because of the profound affinity Mike, and Cole have for the denizens of the flats and the back country as well as the estuary itself, TrueFlies is passionate about lending it’s support to those working to protect these magnificent wild places for future generations to enjoy. After all, those who get so much enjoyment from something are obliged to repay it by protecting it.
Capt. Cole crop

The TrueFlies Story

TrueFlies was born not in a boardroom, an office, a mailroom or even a living room. It was born on a boat — a charter skiff to be more exact — operated by Captain Cole Fairbanks in the grass flats, creeks and backcountry bays of Boca Grande, Florida.

Captain Cole was not the first choice of Michael Lintz (a graphic designer from Cincinnati, Ohio) as a guide for his fishing expedition on that fateful day. It was an unplanned experience that yielded unexpected rewards.

Mike and Cole found  they shared a deep, connection with not only fishing, but also the sensation of being surrounded by the wild places that angling took them. They seemed also to have in common a feeling that they didn’t see themselves as invaders in this world, but rather just as another form of life found in it.

Mike Lintz_cropMike’s father, Robert Lintz, was involved in developing The Ocean Reef Club/Angler’s Club of Key Largo and The Boca Grande Club. Traveling around Florida and fishing as a boy exposed Mike to remnants of the glorious Old Florida that one could still see everywhere in those days.

At that same time, Captain Cole was running all over his ancestral home of Florida, as well as the Bahamas — fly fishing and grilling angling’s old guard for stories and advice, all the while honing the skills that would eventually become the tools of his trade.

Then one day came the epiphany. They realized they could put a clothing line together that would be just the way they wanted it. It would have colors that would reflect who they were as tropical fly fishermen and where they fished. The line would offer cuts that allow range of movement, but still fit right; provide genuinely functional features and materials disguised as casual sports wear. Their mantra would become: Being functional doesn’t mean it can’t look good.

Since its inception, TrueFlies has been committed to staying true to its ideals. They use state-of-the-art materials and modern, performance-based features. Their clothing has classic sporting style. And they strive to honor the rich heritage that is Florida angling.

Mike and Cole believe passionately in preserving the wild spaces of Florida’s backcountry. They see the fish, flora and fauna not as objects placed here to amuse sportsmen, but rather for what they are — living creatures, each one as invaluable to the ecosystem as the next.

Contact Us

Fisheries Conservation Foundation
302 E. Green Street #2102
Champaign, IL 61825
info@fishconserve.org

Let’s Be Friends

Five Ways to Help

Are you looking for a way that you can help to preserve our aquatic resources? Let us show you five ways you can help today!

Scroll to top