Not Just a Guide.
A Fly Fishing Education
Spend a full day on the water learning the competitive methods, water-reading systems, and decision frameworks developed over 40 years — and refined through 12 years of competition.
40 Years on the Water • Competitive Fly Fishing Experience • Author & Rod Designer
Why This Is Different
Most guided trips focus on the result.
This instruction day focuses on the process.
My goal is simple:
I don’t want you to need me next time.
Typical Guided Trip:
❌ The guide reads the water
❌ The guide selects the flies
❌ The guide makes the adjustments
❌ You catch fish
Private Instruction Day:
✔ You learn to read water systematically
✔ You learn why certain flies work
✔ You understand depth, drift, and timing
✔ You leave with a framework you can apply anywhere
40 Years on the Water. 15 Years in Competition.
I’ve spent four decades fishing Appalachian rivers and tailwaters.
The last ten years were spent studying competitive fly fishing — where efficiency, precision, and system-based thinking matter.
Competition doesn’t reward luck.
It rewards understanding.
That experience shapes how I teach:
Structured water analysis
High-percentage positioning
Methodical adjustments
Fly selection based on conditions, not habit
I am also the designer behind Highland Rod Company — building and testing rods at the blank level — which gives me a deeper understanding of equipment, presentation, and feel.
You are not booking a casual outing.
You are investing in accumulated experience.
What You Will Learn on the Water
Every instruction day is customized, but core modules include:
The Water System
Breaking a river into predictable holding zones
Identifying seams, depth transitions, and current speed shifts
Recognizing high-percentage water quickly
The Trout System
Trout positioning relative to current and structure
Feeding lanes and micro-holding structure within a run
Why fish refuse properly presented flies
Technical Systems
Tight-line (Euro) fundamentals and advanced refinement
Spanish Dry Fly & Dry-dropper strategy and adjustments
Depth control mechanics and drift management
Strike detection beyond the obvious
Decision Frameworks
How to determine when to change flies
When to adjust weight
When to move water
How to troubleshoot efficiently
You will leave with structure, not guesswork.
These are the same structured systems discussed in my upcoming books and used in competitive fly fishing environments.
Instruction Is Designed For
Anglers who feel stuck at a plateau
Self-taught fly fishers wanting structured understanding
Competitive anglers seeking refinement
Serious anglers who value skill over shortcuts
This Instruction Day Is Not For:
First-time fly fishers wanting a casual introduction
Anglers simply looking to float and relax
There are many excellent guides who specialize in that experience.
This is for those who want to sharpen their edge.
Private Instruction Day — $595 (Up to Two Anglers)
Your Instruction Day Includes:
• Full day of private on-water instruction
• Pre-trip consultation call
• Customized on-water curriculum
• Post-trip summary and notes
• Recommended practice plan
• Optional follow-up Zoom review
This is not a fishing trip.
It is a condensed apprenticeship.
If you want someone to tie flies on your line and row you to fish, there are many fine guides available.
If you want to think differently about fly fishing for the rest of your life, I’d be honored to teach you.
world class fly anglers
Learn to fly fish with some of the best competitive fly anglers on the planet. These guides have proven their abilities in the competition fly fishing tournaments all across the country. Learn from the best or just enjoy a day on the water catching plenty of fish.