Fishing entered Mark’s life early, guided by his father, who taught him the sport with a spinning rod and inspired a lasting passion. That being said, Mark was not born into fly fishing, and there was nothing planned about the way it entered his life. His first fly rod came as a gift from his father’s boss after Mark made the 5th grade honor roll that year in school. Little did Mark know, it was a gesture that unknowingly set the hook for a lifetime. What began as curiosity turned into passion, and passion into a lifelong pursuit. For more than 65 years, Mark has hunted cold water fish, carrying his fly rod from his home streams in Pennsylvania to all across the United States, and even to Labrador to chase wild brook trout. To this day, Mark remains an avid angler and is still enjoying the endless pursuit of wild trout.

As the years passed, Mark’s love for fly fishing grew deeper and more technical. He took up fly tying at a young age and has spent over six decades at the vise, mastering patterns both classic and complex. He tied because he wanted to understand how flies worked, how fish responded, and how small changes mattered. Over time, his skills deepened. From tying ultra technical trout flies to patiently teaching youth fly tying classes in his community, Mark has done it all.

When he isn’t fishing or tying, Mark turns to pencil and paper. Entirely self taught, he is a gifted artist whose trout and wildlife drawings capture motion, realism, and detail in pieces that feel right at home in any outdoorsman’s collection. His artwork reflects careful observation and a strong connection to the outdoors. Over time, these drawings became inseparable from his fishing life and eventually became central to the work he creates today. Every illustration featured on his products is drawn by Mark and is exclusive to him.

Creativity has always been part of Mark’s life. After selling his business and retiring, he turned once again to working with his hands, this time through woodworking. He built his own shop from the ground up and began crafting functional pieces inspired by a lifetime spent on the water. What started as personal projects quickly evolved into something more. Today, Mark spends most of his time in that shop, crafting each piece himself from start to finish. Every product is made by him here in the U.S., crafted and finished by hand, and marked by his exclusive artwork, bringing together decades of experience, creativity, and purpose. Built to be as durable as they are meaningful, Mark’s pieces are made for anglers, artists, and any outdoorsman who value craftsmanship and purpose. Visit our Crafted by Cole collection today to see the incredible products Mark has created as a reflection of a life well lived on the water. Tight Lines Friends!