Martin Gerdin: Glass Trout and the Art of Fly Fishing

From Wild Fish to Glass Art: Photographing the Work of Martin Gerdin

A Fly Fishing Artist Who Honors the Fish

If you spend much time around fly fishing and have an appreciation for art, then you’ve heard the name Martin Gerdin. His hand-blown glass fish are more than just decorative pieces, they’re immaculate tributes. To the fish. To the places they live. To the hours spent chasing them in silence with and without victory. When I had the opportunity to photograph Martin for a recent magazine story, I knew right away this wasn’t just another artist profile. It was a chance to document someone who truly understands what makes fly fishing special.

Photographing the Process Behind the Glass

Martin’s Gerdin’s studio is located in Crawford, a small town in a remote section of southwest Colorado, which tells you a bit about him already. He doesn’t need the fancy street facing storefront, because for him, it’s only about the work. And that’s obvious seeing him in action. He cares. Sure, creating stunning glass blown fish is how he earns a living, but it’s also his passion. Glass blowing is a very delicate art, especially when dealing with a pieces the size of Gerdin’s fish. There are so many steps along the way that can cause each one to be ruined. And when that happens all is lost. Back to the beginning. As a photographer intent on documenting a process that cannot be faked, the only option is to be a fly on the wall and not get in the way. Martin and his team are constantly moving, back and forth from the work bench to the furnace, over and over. For this shoot I wanted to use strobes to light the scene in a way that wouldn’t draw attention to the light itself. Rather as more of a subtle enhancement. So the hard part was finding those places within the studio that the strobes and light stands wouldn’t impede his flow. Which was difficult at times, but he graciously told me when they needed to be moved and everything worked out just fine in the end. To be honest, there were times when I just wanted to sit back and watch. Looking at Gerdin’s work on his website or Instagram is impressive, but to see a final piece come to life before your eyes, is something else altogether.

**If you think creating glass trout for a living is all glamour, think again. It’s well over a hundred degrees in Martin’s studio when the furnace is running.

Where My Work Intersects with His

Martin Gerdin doesn’t create custom glass trout for fly fishing collectors by accident. It started out of his rabid obsession with the sport itself. The assignment to photograph Martin at work also didn’t happen by accident. As a photographer, it’s very important to me that the people and stories I work on, are ones I truly care about and have an interest in. So I pitched the idea to a magazine because I was a fan of his work and am also violently obsessed with fly fishing, which has led to a somewhat unhealthy amount of time on the river with both a fly rod and a camera. Like Martin, it’s my happy place.

See the Full Collection

Want to see more?
You can view my full collection of fly fishing photography prints [here]. Each image is available for purchase, and select pieces are also available for editorial or commercial licensing. If you’re a collector, or simply someone who loves the water, I think you’ll find something that speaks to you.

Martin Gerdin - Glass Fish Artist

Fine art glass fish artist Martin Gerdin at work in his studio in Crawford, Colorado

Glass fish art

Fly fishing artist at work

Hand blown glass shark

Photograph of an arist creating a hand blown glass shark

Hand blown glass brown trout art

Photograph of glass trout being made

A glass blown brown trout going into the furnace

Fly Fishing in the Colorado Backcountry

Black Canyon of the Gunnison Fly Fishing

Colorado - Photography

If you’re looking for a special place to fly fish and have considered the Black Canyon of the Gunnison, just do it. Just go. Stop screwing around and do it. Be warned though, it’s not for everyone. You’ve got to like getting your ass kicked. We did the S.O.B Draw route, and don’t mind saying it’s a tough hike with a full pack. Technically you can’t even call it a hike because there is no path, just a scramble the whole way up and down, with several places that will require taking off your pack just to get down those sketchy sections. They say it’s 2.1 miles with 2,000 ft of elevation, but it seems like that’s just to where the “trail” hits the river. From there you’ll need to keep following the river to find the designated camping spots. If you’re a psycho, you could make it a day trip, but what the hell is the point of that? We did 2 nights and wished for a 3rd.

Fly fisherman backpacking into the Black Canyon of the Gunnison in Colorado

Fisherman making camp at the bottom of the Black Canyon of the Gunnison

The bastard of a hike in is what makes the whole experience great because very few people actually want to work for it. So you could potentially have the entire canyon to yourself. In my opinion the first campsite is the best one, and makes for a great base camp to take day hikes from. There is plenty of fishing to be had right in that area, which we did on day one. Depending on the time of year, it can be hot as hell. We expected the nights to cool off, but they did not. It stayed hot enough in mid August to sleep in only underwear and no blankets. Sticky. The nights were sticky. Fortunately, the water was very cool.

Fly fishing in the Black Canyon of the Gunnison

A fly fisherman navigates rocks while looking for trout in the Gunnison River

A fly fisherman prepares to net a trout in the Black Canyon of the Gunnison

Leaving camp the next day was great. We packed enough food for the whole day and a Grayl filtration water bottle which eliminated the need to carry large amount of liquids or a separate filtration system. Even with the hot temperatures, waders are a must as there is Poison Ivy EVERYWHERE. A miracle that none of us got it! (It’s worth bringing some Poison Ivy soap and washing off a few times a day)Getting to the river from the top doesn’t mean that the work is over. Everywhere you go requires hiking on primitive trails or scrambles, but it’s all worth it. No matter the location, you’re always surrounded by 2,000 ft rock walls. It reminded me a little bit of Glenwood Canyon without a highway running through the middle of it.

Two fly fisherman hiking over large boulders on their way to the Gunnison River

A fly fisherman climbing over large boulders on the side of the Gunnison River

The fishing was awesome. Lots of action. Tough at times, but a ton of fun. Without mentioning any names, one of us had a tough time with fish aggressively swimming down river and breaking the line. We really should have kept a tally on that. Probably just the time of year, but we never even thought about throwing out a dry fly. It was all about Perdigons on the bottom. All 3 of us put some stunning Browns and Rainbows in the net, which honestly, is almost just a bonus. The overall vibe in that canyon is spectacular. A really special part of Colorado, the country, and a unique place to fish without any crowds. Before leaving we were already excited to do another trip. Now that we’ve digested things bit, going at a different time of year seems better, when the water is a little higher and the temps a lot lower.

Two friends laughing together after a day of fly fishing on the Gunnison River

A fly fisherman prepares his gear for a day in the Black Canyon of the Gunnison

A fly fisherman navigating difficult terrain in the Black Canyon of the Gunnison

Fly fishing the Black Canyon of the Gunnison in Colorado

A trout caught by a fly fisherman in the Black Canyon of the Gunnison

If you’re planning a trip and have any questions, reach out to my buddy at Slackwater Co, he’s got tons of expertise to share on fly fishing in Colorado.

Click here to see more of my fly fishing photography. And contact me directly to purchase prints of my fly fishing photography.