Low Tides & Winter Reds

David with a nice red at the Low

      Now in the beginning of winter, we start changing up the way we fly fish and spin fish for reds. Cold weather, windy days, clear water, and schooled up fish is what our winter fishing is made up of, and a great time of year for some serious sight casting! As a local there is nothing better than a slick calm day, blue sky, 50 degree air temp, and seeing a school of over 200 redfish fight over your fly! The other good part about this time of year is that I'm not running a lot of charters, which leaves a lot of time to find new fish, and have fun with friends. Getting some time to be on the bow casting instead of on the tower poling is always a plus too.


Mike with his 1st Low Tide Red!

    The excitement of watching a redfish eat your fly in mere inches of water is something that I think every fly fisherman should experience. Whenever I see guest on my boat hook up with there 1st fish of the day I always gets the same feeling, a feeling of excitement. Because its not everyday you get to sight cast to redfish, and that excitement is why I love guiding, and love seeing people catch there first redfish at low tide.

    Poling the boat in 8-12 inches of water, looking for signs of the fish moving around is how we target redfish at low tide. During the winter months the water clears up tremendously which makes it much easier to see the fish from far distance, and can make for more hookups out of a big school. A long cast is necessary this time of year do to the clear water, so be ready to throw a constant 50-80ft if you want to have a very productive day. The fly of choice this time of year is the Everglades, or any kind of minnow pattern because there will not be much bait left in the water.



Mark with a fat daddy red at the low

     I have a lot of good friends that love to fish, but not many know how to fly fish, or pole a boat. So more often in the winter when it comes to my days off from guiding I'm always out scouting and having fun, and usually like to spend those days with my good friend and writer Bryan Bowers. He's the kind of guy who dreams about being on the water, knows how to throw a fly rod, and can guide as if it was his job. Whenever I'm on the water with Bryan we not only have a great time, but always seem to catch some nice fish while were at it!
   One reason Bryan and I get along so well on the boat is because we understand each others style of fishing, and seem to put those two styles together to make a great partners in crime when chasing reds. Whether its poling the boat, seeing the fish, making the cast, or knowing the exact moment to strip set, we both understand each other, which is why we are so productive whenever we fish together. Bryan has done articles for Eastern Fly fishing Magazine, and is a monthly column writer for SC Sportsman, and you can tell by reading his articles how much this guy loves fly fishing.



29.5 inch "Donkey" Bryan put me on at the low

     Ive recently really got into filming, and video editing, which has really got me addicted to always having the video camera available to get footage on the boat. Seeing something in a video is always much better than a photo and with fly fishing it really helps you understand how things work, and what to expect when your out on the water. Adding some great music, a couple slow motion views, makes a day on the water seem like a movie in the theatres. During the next 3 months of winter fishing I will be getting a lot of footage together since I will be on the water mostly with friends, so keep an eye out for a new low tide video at the end of February.
   We started doing some video stuff last year including "Reds on the Rise", which was a tailing red film, "Wake" which was our low tide film, and "Cast and Blast" which was a video I did a few months ago about our reds and rails trip. So after a year of learning about filming and editing I feel that this year will bring some really awesome videos, including a cobia video! Check out our current videos and keep an eye out for our new video on our website, or facebook page at http://www.baystreetoutfitters.com/.
     



Fall Fishing "Cast and Blast"

Clients Pat and Lance with a double hook up

   The fall fishing here in Beaufort, SC has been in full swing! My favorite time of year as a local, and the best time of year to fish for Redfish, Trout, and Flounder. The months of September, October, and November provide great weather, lots of bait, and most of all hungry fish. As guides this is our most busy time of year, do to a lot of return clients coming back down for the cooler weather, and great fishing. Whether your using light tackle gear, or throwing the fly, fall fishing is the best time to fish in Beaufort.


Kristin with a nice trout

    When throwing the fly during the fall season, choosing the right pattern is key. There are a lot of shrimp around at low tide, and a lot of fiddler crabs around at high tide, so matching those patterns produces the best results on the fly. Poling low tide in the flats boat this time of year is a ton of fun do to the redfish being very active chasing shrimp, so seeing them on the shallow water mud flats is a lot easier for new anlgers. Focusing in 8-10inches of water, sight casting to schools of 15-50 fish at a time. The fall season is when our redfish really start to school up in high numbers getting ready for winter, so it gives you a good opportunity to capitalize on large numbers of fish.
   Fall is always a great time for tailing redfish on the fly, allowing us to fish any high tide through out the day, because of the cooler water and air temperatures. Crab patterns and the Dupre Spoon fly work great in the grass for tailing redfish, having a good weed guard is key in the thick spartina grass. Casting to a tailing redfish is one of the best sight casting opportunities you can have with a fly rod, getting within 15-30ft of the fish as its feeding on fiddlers. When you put the fly in the right spot as the fish is tailing, the hook ups are automatic, and offer a very exciting take! Full day fly trips this time of year are well worth the extra money as a client to be able to experience two different situations with redfish on the fly in a single outing.


Nat with a tailing redfish from the boat

Client Rich with his 1st tailing Redfish on the fly!

   Light tackle fishing this time of year is sometimes like catching fish in a barrel. Producing 15-20 redfish, 10-15 Trout, and large numbers of lady fish, flounder, etc in a 1/2 day trip. All of our light tackle fishing during the fall is done with live shrimp under a cajun thunder. Working grass lines, oyster beds, and any place where these fish are feeding. This is the kind of fishing that is great for beginners, kids, or the guys who like to catch and eat. For the experienced light tackle guys who like to use artificials, low tide is a great way to sight cast with gulp or D.O.A. Casting to big schools, single fish on white oyster, or tailing redfish in the grass.


Client Steve with a nice red on light tackle

   A new thing we started guiding for this year in the fall is Marsh Hen, also known as "Rail Birds". There are set seasons for these waterfowl, and only certain tides over 9ft allow you to hunt for them. When we get these huge high tides during the fall it brings the marsh hen up out of the high spartina grass, putting them in the open waters for us to shoot. Poling the flats  boat around and looking for these birds swimming, flying, sitting on grass, or making there famous call is how we hunt for them. Using small gauge shotguns like a .410, 20 or 28 gauge makes the shot a little more challenging. The marsh hen is not a very good eating bird, but does allow a good flying target, and a lot of shooting with a limit of 15 per person.

   The "Cast and Blast" is one of my favorite charters to run. There is nothing better to challenge a shooting sportsman, and also a fisherman in the same outing. Focusing on shooting marsh hen in the morning, then fishing for redfish in the afternoon is by far the best experience in the low country. I had the pleasure of spending 3 days in a row on the water this year with 2 clients that absolutely love the outdoors, who got to experience our cast and blast charter in first person. If you haven't got a chance to shoot and fish in the same day I highly recommend giving it a try, you will not be disappointed.

    

Lady Anglers

A Clients 2 daughters with one of the many nice reds that day

     Through out the past years of guiding I've really started to notice that more and more women are getting involved with the sport of fishing. Most guys wonder why ladies don't like to fish much, and I personally even wondered that at times. Imagine going shopping for a day, and spending hours in stores trying on clothing, or picking out a new pair of shoes, which for most guys is the last thing they want to spend there day doing. Well a day of fishing for most men is like a day of shopping for most women. Comparing shopping and fishing is a way that you can really see why men like to fish and women like to go shopping. Although this is not the case for a lot of lady anglers, because you would be very surprised by the amount of women who love to fish!

My mom and I on Mothers day

    One of my favorite charters is when a guy and his special someone are on the boat. Whether there newly weds, married for 30 years, or just going on a date, these are always some of the best days. Its really awesome to see ladies get so excited when there out on the water catching fish, the action from a redfish fight is something they will never forget. Usually its the ladies first time fishing, so there is quite a bit of instruction needed, which is my job, so it saves the husband a lot of stress and even a future argument after the trip! Its a great thing to see a lady who enjoys fishing with her husband or boyfriend, something not many guys are lucky enough to experience.
  There are a lot of things that seem to push women away from fishing like hooking the bait, touching the fish, or being able to cast the rod. It seems like there mostly too worried about messing up or being scared to try it, but what most women don't realize is how easy, fun, and relaxing fishing can really be. I find that 9 out of 10 times when a lady catches her first fish, she realizes that fishing is actually fun, and understands why we as men love it so much.  Fishing should always be fun, whether your an experienced fly fisherman, or just a weekend warrior, so try taking your wife, girlfriend, mom, or daughter for once instead of your best fishing buddy and I'm sure you will enjoy it as much as she does.

Husband and Wife Clients with a nice redfish

         There are tons of different kind of groups, clubs, and organizations for lady anglers. Whether your a fly fisher or love going offshore in the deep blue water, there are a lot of different organizations for ladies to join. Even in a lot of tournaments now and days you'll see categories for women, which make the tournaments a little more fun when you bring a female angler along with you. I personally think its great that women are getting so involved with the fishing industry in general, its no longer just a mans sport these days.

Lady Client with a nice winter redfish

       In a lot of the fishing magazines I read weekly there are more and more articles about women fishing, pictures, and stories of there adventures on the water. I had the pleasure to meet a female guide from NC a few months ago, and the knowledge she had of her freshwater trout fishery blew me away. She knew her stuff, and got me very excited about coming to fish for Brook Trout with her by the way she explained hiking through the mountains, and fishing small streams with tiny 3wt fly rods.

Giving a casting lesson to a lady client on the boat

     A few months ago I had a 2 hour fly casting lesson with a lady well over 60, who decided she wanted to go fly fishing in Montana after watching the movie "A River Runs Through It". I could tell how excited she was to learn, and how eager she was to go on the trip. This lady informed me that her husband had passed so she would be doing the trip alone and really wanted to go fly fishing, and from the moment I heard that my focus was turned to teaching and getting her ready for the trip. We worked hard for 2 hours as I taught her the basics of a fly cast, and the technique of being able to cast a fly line for the fresh water trout in Montana. The lesson was a success after 2 hours she had it down, and I could tell how excited she was by the smile on her face, which made me just as happy. The days like that remind me how lucky I'am to have the career that I was born to follow as a fly fishing guide.

My baby sister Zelie with a nice trout!

    At Bay Street Outfitters we have a Ladies redfish School which is a one day casting school that is held with only women. This is a great way for women to get into fly fishing and not only learn how to cast a fly rod, but to really be able to understand how the sport works. You will learn about the rods, reels, lines, casting, and so much more through out the one day ladies redfish school.
     Most people would think that my dream girl would be a girl who loves to fish, which in certain ways of reasoning is very true. But in the long run its very rare to meet a girl who actually likes to fish, and can understand why I personally have a passion for fishing. So in reality my dream girl would be someone who simply understands my passion, and why fly fishing is a part of my life, not just a girl who likes to fish. Of course joining me on the water every now and then would be a plus! The respect I have for lady anglers is huge, and I strongly urge any women to give fishing a try, I'm sure you will not be disappointed!


Clients daughter with a redfish



Lady Client with a Speckled Sea Trout

      

South Dakota on the Fly

1st Trophy Carp on a 7wt

     I recently made a trip up to Sioux Falls, SD in search of Carp and Northern Pike on the fly, and yes I did say Carp! My friend and also past client Dan Fraiser was the one who got me hooked on the idea of targeting Carp on the fly, which most fly fisherman think is pointless. To them a carp is the last fish they want to target, but to me it was the new freshwater fish on my list to catch. Dan would send me all sorts of pictures of these huge 25-35inch, 8-15lb Carp, that he was catching on a 7wt. Casting to these fish is very similar to redfish, because your seeing the Carp cruising is shallow water, then laying an accurate sight cast to them, watching them chomp down your fly.
   Soon after seeing constant pictures, the urge to catch a Carp soon became a reality. The dates were set, plane tickets purchased, and tackle packed for Souix Falls, SD. Tuck Scott who is a friend and also a guide at the shop joined me for the trip, and off we were to South Dakota.  Dan and his brother Mike picked us up at the air port, knowing Tuck and I had high hopes of catching our first Carp and Northern Pike on the fly. Dan is one of, if not the best Carp fisherman in SD, he had the tactics, flies, streams, and knowledge to produce for a great trip. Dan and Mike are not guides so it was a ton of fun watching them share with us the knowledge they had of there fishery, and treating Tuck and I as if we were paying clients.

   Our first spot of the trip was the tail waters of the Vermillion, which consisted of small freshwater streams full of Carp, Pike, Waleye, Small Mouth, Gar, and Mooneye. The flies of choice for the trip were an assortment of wooly buggers, streamers, crab patters, minnow patterns, and dry flies. We wet waded through these streams looking for the carp tailing, swimming around, and mud clouds were they had been sitting. Working these streams was pretty difficult at times do to all the high banks, so adjusting our cast from the bow of a flats boat took a little time. We mainly used 7wt rods, and 3x tippet do to the carp being liter shy.
    In the first few hours I sight casted to quite a few carp and had some trouble getting them to eat the fly, we must of switched flies 5 or 6 times till finally the choice was right. I laid a 30 foot cast out along a bank that I saw a fish come up and eat, after my 1st strip my line got tight, I stripe set, and BAM! The first fish of the trip was on, and putting up quite a fight. As the liter started to show, so did the fish with a huge surprise! It was a nice 28inch Northern Pike, which had me super pumped. Mike did an excellent job putting me on the fish and landing it with the net like a pro, he also informed me that it was a trophy Northern Pike for the waters we were fishing which had me double excited!


Trophy Northern Pike

      Soon after I caught the Trophy Northern Pike we went in search of more Carp. Mike put me on an area where I saw a group of about 5 huge Carp feeding and tailing in some really skinny water. I laid the fly in front of the fish 3 times and on the 3rd cast, first stripe, one of the carp chomped down my fly! Instantly I stripe set the fish and the fight was on, pulling and shaking his head, the carp fought surprisingly very well, and similar to a redfish. Mike netted the fish and I proudly stood with my first carp on the fly at 25in, weighing around 8lbs. The elusive carp met all of my expectations, and I could tell that Mike was very relieved to see me land both of my goals within the first 2 hours of the trip.
   Through out our adventure in SD we caught Carp, Pike, Gar, Bluegill, and Mooneye. Yes there is a fish called a mooneye, and a very interesting fish at that. We targeted these fish with small dry flies on 5wts as they were rising, which was exactly how you fish for trout. The mooneye were very aggressive fish, and had small sharp teeth that made it tough to land. We caught quite a few of the mooneye through out the trip, mainly focusing on them at sun down to end the day with some fun action.


Mike with a nice Mooneye

    Mike did a great job of guiding me, and Dan helped out a lot as well with fly selections, and area's for Mike to take me. After my epic first couple hours of the trip, I decided to give Dan and Tuck a hard time, naming our team "Team Big Fish" do to all the big fish we were catching. Tuck and Dan weren't to happy about that the first day do to a lot of bad luck with liters breaking, and hooks bending, causing them to lose some nice fish. There team name for the trip was Fire and Ice, and made for quite a few good jokes through out our trip! Team Fire and Ice soon caught up with up on the big fish by getting Tuck his first Carp and also Northern Pike the next morning we went out, which was a good way to make up for losing so many fish in bad situations, or what we call "Bad Fish Juju".
   At the end of our trip to South Dakota, Dan and Mike did an absolute great job guiding, and put Tuck and I on tons of fish through out the 3 days of fishing. We did lose a lot of big carp, and pike, but that's always part of fishing. The competition of Team Big Fish and Team Fire and Ice made the trip a lot of fun, and very humorous at times. All in all when you have 4 friends fishing together and having a great time, those are the memories that matter the most.

Mike, Me, Dan, Tuck
The Crew

    


Dan with a nice Northern Pike

               

The Best Equipment = The Best Results

 
 When it comes to the equipment on my boat as a Professional Fishing Guide, my motto is always "The best equipment produces the best results." Some people say that spending more money on a product that does the same thing as another product for the 1/2 the price is pointless. But little do most people know that the reason one product is more expensive is because its a better made product, resulting in performing better and lasting longer, when the product for the 1/2 the price wont even compare. When your on the water 4-5 days a week, or simply just a weekend warrior,  having the best equipment is the key.

    The right boat is always the number one impact on any fisherman. As a fly fisherman I run a 17' Scout Costa Tournament Edition Flats boat thats light, fast, well built, and drawls only 8 inches of water, desighned to fly fish out of and sight cast in very shallow water. Powerd by a 90 Yamaha 4-Stroke motor that runs like a train while also being very quiet, fast, and is also fuel effeciant. My boat is set up to fish shallow water, so the upgrades I have for it allow me to do just that. A Hydrolic Jack plate that allows me to run my boat in mere inches of water at full speed. The 20ft Carbon Fiber push pole to pole the boat around on shallow water flats sight casting. And also a 6ft Signature Series Power Pole which I use as a shallow water anchoring system for holding the boat in place without have to deal with setting the anchor, saving time and allowing more fishing.

   Rods and Reels are always one of the most important peices of equipment for a fishing guide. I carry Orvis, Sage, and G-Loomis fly rods, which are all the flagship rods of the fly fishing industry. Anywhere from 7-12wt rods, all having a different purpose for different situations here in Beaufort, SC. Some of the favorite rods on my boat  include the 8wt Orvis Helios, 9wt Sage XI3, and the 11wt Orvis Hydros which is a Cobia magnet. I use all Orvis fly reels including the Battenkill and new Hydros reels, which all hold up great in saltwater, and offer a smooth drag on a nice redfish. In the world of spinning rods I carry Falcon and G-loomis, all equipted with Shimano Stradic Reels, and power pro braided line. All of the rods and reels on my boat have great warrantys that are true to what they offer.

  When it comes to tackle, always make sure its new to date, and not worn out. Losing a fish to failed tackle is never a good feeling, and something you dont want to experience. All of my fly lines are either Orvis or Rio, all replaced at the necessary time. A fly line that is too old will coil up which makes it hard for casting, and also has the risk of breaking under a lot of pressure. My light tackle lines are all power pro braided lines which hold up great in our salt water, and also are very abbrasion resistant in the grass and on oysters.

   All of the equipment on my boat holds a warranty. Whether it is a 1 year, 5 year, or life time warranty, thats always something to look for when buying new equipment. Because if the company can back up there product that always means its built well, and will last a long time. For example the Orvis Helios costing $775.00 brand new which is a pricey fly rod, but has a 25 year warranty on it. So if your dog bites it in half, breaks on a big fish, or you slam it in your car door, orvis will always repair or replace it for those 25 years of owning it. So really spending the extra money is worth it in the long run, and kind of an investment for your fishing equipment, and also having the best equipment in the industry. Warranty's help me out tremendiously as a guide, and save me quite a bit of money every year. Boat problems, engine problems, broken rods, reels, and so many more problems that are invloved with your equipment happen, so make sure you buy the best and you wont be dissapointed. Companys like Orvis, Sage, G-Loomis, Tibor, Simms, Scout Boats, Yamaha, Power Pole, Falcon, shimano, Columbia, Patagonia, Chaco, Costa Del Mar, Power Pro, Rio, all have great warrantys.

  
   

Cobia on the Fly

     When it comes to saltwater fly fishing there is nothing more exciting than having a big fish gulp down your fly and Cobia are the big fish we have here locally in Beaufort, SC. There are a lot of different pieces that come together when sight casting to a cobia. The slick calm water, sighting the fish on top of the water, a great cast, and of course the right fly. Our cobia fishery here in so unique do to the fact that these big offshore fish come inshore to my home waters, the Broad River to spawn for 2 months out of theyear, which gives you an easy opportunity to fish for them inshore rather than running 20 miles offshore to fish.
   Cobia are a very strong and most times aggressive fish when it comes to sight casting for them. They range anywhere from 10-80lbs and can put up quite a fight on a 10-12wt rod, with a 2 piece section of 52 and 35lb liter. Looking for these fish is one of the most exciting parts of the action because you are looking for them pushing on top of the water either feeding, or simply just cruising. When we have calm, slick water, that's the time to look for them. The push or wake they put up is very noticeable, and looks like a huge V in the water. You are able to spot these fish 30-100yds away from the boat, and running the boat about 5mph is the easiest way to spot them them cruising.

A Cobia Cruising on top

        After you spot a Cobia, you then simply direct the boat towards the fish, staying on either the left or right side, about 30ft away so you don't spook them. Surprisingly Cobia are not a very smart fish, and do not get spooked by boats. Once you are within casting distance, you simply lay the fly about 2 feet in front of the fish, then strip as fast as you can. The Cobia will then turn and chase your fly down, which is a very exciting moment, but the key is to stay focused and be ready to set the hook. When you see the fish take the fly you simply give it a nice strip set and BAM the game is on. Letting the line go through your hand until it hits the reel, then your on for about a 45 minute to an hour and half fight. The fly of choice on my boat is the flashtail whistler.

The Flashtail Whistler

   Cobia fight like a bull, and tend to dive pretty deep, so the key is have your drag set tight, and be ready for sore arms the next morning. When landing the fish it is important to make sure the Cobia is worn out, because they are a very strong fish and can go pretty wild in the boat. A gaff or boga grip are the best ways to put the fish in the boat. It is a very rewarding feeling when you catch such a big fish on the fly, especially one that you watch eat your fly.
   One of my favorite experiences with a Cobia on the fly was last year on fathers day. I was out with my dad looking Cobia and after about an hour we spotted 2 big females cruising together, both around 40lbs. As I threw the fly out, the fish on the right turned right away, and NAILED my fly, game on! I fought the fish for around an hour then finally got him to the boat. Once he saw the boat he took off with sheerr force and broke my 11wt in 3 pieces! I thought we had lost the fish, but sure enough he was still on! For the next 30 minutes I pulled him to the surface with just the reel and butt section of the rod, my dad gaffed him, and we landed a 43 pound Cobia on the fly, which made for a great fathers day!
    The feeling of pulling that fish to the surface was amazing and one I will never forget. The reason my rod broke was because about 2 weeks prior to that I had a client break of a 50+ pound Cobia, and the ferrel's of the fly rod got cracked when that happened. Cobia are a ton of fun, and very exciting to fish for on the fly, one of my favorite times of year here as a local. Seeing a big fish eat the fly is something I recomend to anyone who like to fly fish, and Cobia are a great way to do it.


My dad and I with the Cobia and broken 11wt



A Guide and Friend

A friend of mine Bryan Bowers from SC Sportsman Magazine

          When it comes to building a relationship with a client on my boat the main goal is to become like a friend to him or her. From the time we leave the dock by boat, till when I drop them off, I treat my customer as if they were not only a paying client but also as a friend. There are quite a few different things that create that friendship while out on the water, and after my first year of guiding it became very easy for me to have customers who become friends. From not only being very serious when it comes to fishing, but also joking and laughing a little, having some very good conversations, and most of all catching fish.

Rich a client from Alabama on Thanksgiving Day

       Being serious on the water is one of the main ways I gain the trust of clients. Staying focused on finding fish either at low tide out of the boat, or high tide walking through the marsh. When they can see that I'm focused on finding them fish, and showing them how the process works, it makes them feel more comfortable being with someone they just met at the boat landing. Once they know I'm a local and grew up on the water, that usually gets there attention and trust in me as a guide, which also helps me out on the first impressions.
    One thing that has never been a problem for me is conversation, and if you've ever met me in person you'd know that I love to talk. Whether its about fishing, sports, cars, story's, memories, dogs, news, government, boats, and so many other things many people enjoy talking about. The fun part as a guide is to figure out what my client enjoys, and what he or she would be interested in talking about as the day goes on. Almost like reading someone by certain things they say or do, then making a conversation from it. Every day on the water with a client is a fun day, and I cant even start to tell you how many crazy story's Ive heard, awesome people I've met, and also friends I've made. All because of my job as an Orvis Endorsed Fly Fishing Guide.

A friend of mine Matt on my day off

       Being positive at all times on the boat is another main way to be a good guide. Always having a smile on your face, telling fun story's, and not letting anything interrupt a good day. The key to being positive is to have patience and be excited about everything going on no matter what it is. Whether I get hooked by a customer, have a guy who cant cast a fly rod well, or someone who simply is hard to fish with, I always keep a positive smile on my face.
    When you take all of these things I've talked about and put them into action on a 4 hour charter, the end result is excellent. Ive had days when guys are extremely happy because they caught a tailing redfish, 50 trout with there son, or a lady who catches her first fish. Then I also have days that a guy cant fly cast, or the weather is bad, and we don't catch much, but at the end of the trip they are still extremely happy with the day even with out a lot of fish. As a guide I feel accomplished in every charter when a guy gets off the boat with a smile, a hand shake, and my favorite quote from customers, "I will be back to fish with you soon! We had a great time!". Which return customers is my goal as a guide, and is the way you have a successful career in guiding.

    From these days on the water with clients not only do I gain a lot of friendships, but also a lot of connections. Places I can stay for free, fish, or simply help with an issue on something. I keep in touch with a lot of clients through email, facebook, and of course a phone call if the the weather is right and the fish are really on. I still learn something new every day with a new client, and thats always one of my favorite parts about being a fly fishing guide, its always changing, and never the same day in the office.

The Story of Influences and Idols

A client from Japan

   Most happenings in life are brought upon people by the influence of others. Some influences can be good, and some can be bad. Another big impact on a persons life is seeing somebody as an idol, and wanting to be like them. Becoming a Fly Fishing guide was a hard decision for me to make at the age of 18, but what I realized was that I had an opportunity to do something I loved to do as not just a job, but a life style. Now  looking back, I couldnt of made a better decisicion in my life.
   It all started out with my father. Ever since I was a small child my dad had me out on the river fishing, and teaching me the ways of the Broad River. Frank is probly my biggest idol, not only when it comes to fishing, but in the way he has lived his life. Because of him I'am the person that I've dreamed of being, and I owe that all to my dad. My mother Therese was also a huge support and influence for me growing up. She is the one who taught me that anything is possible as long as you have the heart to do it. From her experiences, she gave me a sense of adventure to life, that every day should be the best day, and to never let something bring me down. I couldnt of asked for a better family, and parents that are both a huge influence on my decision to be a guide.


My Dad Frank with a nice Red

      Another major influence is the shop that I guide for called Bay Street Outfitters. Five years ago during my sophmore year of high school I started working for the shop, selling clothing and fly fishing tackle, which to me was the best job anyone could ask for! My manager Alice taught me how to be great with customers, and also how to learn the product I was selling. When you sell things like a fly rod, knife, or clothing you wear, it becomes fun to help people with the things you love as well. From Alice I learned how to be polite, and most of all helpful to people in the store. Before I knew it, I became one of those few people who love there job.
   Tuck is the head guide for the shop here, and ever since the first day I started, he was an idol of mine. A guy who took his passion and turned it into a career, which to me was better than being the president of the united states. Hearing his story's from trips, seeing the awesome pictures, and realizing how happy he was to be a fsihing guide was something that I looked up to. Tuck taught me a lot about guiding, and a lot about fly fishing for redfish and cobia in general. We soon became not only co-workers, but friends, strated to fish together, and learned new tactics from eachother.
   From working in the shop I realized that guiding was something that I was ment to do. My situation with Bay Street Outfitters was the best not only because I loved where I worked, but I had a chance to become an orvis endorsed fly fishing guide at a very young age, and do something not many people get to do. I graduated high school the summer of 2009, and never looked back. Tony Royal, who is the owner of the shop is the one who gave me the oportunity, and had the trust in me that I would be able to obtain the Orvis name. I knew the Broad River like the back of my hand, got my captains liscense, had a new boat, and the positive personality to be a successful guide. At the age of 18 my first charter was October 15, 2009, and for me it was the start to a new path in life, one that I loved.


Client with his first Red on the Fly

  Doug Gertis is another person who as always been an idol of mine. Doug is one of those guides who everyone knows, and everyone recomends. Not only is Doug one of the best fisherman in Beaufort, but he was born here just like I was. So I have always had a profound respect for him not only as a guide I've looked up to, but also as a true local to the waters here. I never had a chance to work with Doug here at BSO, but from the conversations and storys weve shared, he always seems to amaze me.
  Another guide I've always looked up to is David Murray, who is a Salt Water Fly Fishing Expert here in Beaufort. I can remember being a little kid and watching him do casting lessons down town, and remembering how amazed I was by the way he could cast a fly rod. When I though about Fly Fishing, David Murray is the guy who came to my mind. David doesnt guide any longer either, but he still does casting lessons for us here at the shop. Every time I watch him teach, there is always something new I learn. Ive done a few casting lessons for different clients, and it feels good to be doing something that I always thought was incredible, and never thought that I'd be doing the same thing David Murray was doing 15 years ago.
  I could go on for days about other people who have influenced my life when it comes to guiding, and most people know who they are. One day I hope to influence someone like all the special people have done for me.