Meet our Guides
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Jackson
Streit has been fly fishing for 50 years, guiding for 30 years
and since 1971 has fished in Colorado an average of more than 100 days
a year. After growing up near Beacon, New York, Jackson earned a
business degree from Denver University before moving to Breckenridge and
starting the first fly-fishing guide service in the area in 1977. He
opened The Mountain Angler in 1985 offering top-quality fly fishing gear,
guide service and information.
In addition to fishing throughout Colorado, Jackson has "wet his line"
in the steelhead rivers of Washington & Oregon as well as in Belize, Mexico,
the Bahamas, New Zealand and Christmas Island. He is known for his
slide-shows and his presentations on fishing throughout the Western Hemisphere
have fascinated fly fishing groups all around the country. He has
also written articles for several Colorado publications, been a consultant
for articles in national fly-fishing magazines, and written his own "No
Nonsense Guide to Fly Fishing in Colorado".
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Kevin
Macreery has been fly fishing for over 40 years now. Growing up
in New York State, he tested the waters of the Catskills, Adirondacks and
other areas of New England. After earning a degree in Biology he moved to
Montana, enrolling in the forestry grad program in Missoula. He's fly fished
the Rockies from Canada to Northern Arizona as well as salt water in Mexico,Belize
and Christmas Island where on five occasions also conducted guide training
programs. Having guided for nearly 30 years, the last 22 with the Mountain
Angler, each new day on the water still remains fresh. When not guiding
, he spends time with his wonderful wife Kiersten and his young son Liam,
the next fly fisherman in the family.
Randy
Veeneman - Randy grew up in Summit County so he's as "local" as
it gets. Randy fly fished his way through college while attending Montana
State University. He has been guiding for the Mountain Angler since 1991.
In addition to fishing many rivers all over the western United States he
has fished, New Zealand, Mexico, Guatemala, Bahamas, Florida Keys, Cuba
and British Colombia. Guiding has become a true passion and a part of Randy's
life as well as his lovely wife Pamela, and two beautiful boys Jackson and
Thomas.
Kevin
Williams began fishing Colorado in 1982 and has guided for Mountain Angler since 1993. He has fished from Alaska to Florida for a variety of species. He has logged hundreds of miles at the oars of a drift boat on many western rivers and is just as experienced on Colorados "Trophy Trout Reservoirs" with a motorized boat. When not fishing, he can be found behind his dog looking for upland game birds.
Mark
Boyd is a native of Colorado who has been fly-fishing for almost 30 years. Not long after moving to Breckenridge in 1990, he began guiding for the Mountain Angler. He especially enjoys the "off the beaten path" rivers and streams where stealth and technique are very important.On his days off, you will find Mark float fishing all of the navigable rivers in the area. Saltwater fly-fishing came into Mark's life in the mid 90's and now winters find him in Southwest Florida where he charters fly-fishing for Snook, Tarpon, Redfish ,Trout and a number of other gamefish.
You can reach mark at
www.boydguideservices.com
Matt
Krane had his father first put a fishing rod in his hand in 1959
and since moving to Breckenridge in 1983 he has come to know just about
every piece of moving water within a 100-mile radius. In his three
years with the Mountain Angler, Matt has demonstrated this many times with
his creativity in finding "fresh" water for his clients on crowded days.
Matt wants to return all fish to the water safely and quickly, believing
that every encounter with a fish, no matter the size, should be special,
as is each fish's life.
"We enter the fish's world, tread lightly, and appreciate everything
from the sound of riffles, to the flight of waterfowl, wind in the trees
. . . and the tug of a 4 pound fish on 6-X tippet!"
Bruce
Spinney is a retired school administrator who injoys the freedom
to travel, participate in the outdoors, and convert an avocation to a vocation.
He brings 40 years of fly fishing experience to his guiding profile
and has been guiding professionally in Summit County for the past three
years. He is committed to being sure that every trip is a memorable
experience tailored to meet the needs and desires of the client. Bruce travels
extensively and has fly fished in Canada, Ireland, Brazil, New Zealand,
Christmas Island, and Thailand.
Creig
Krier moved to Breckenridge in 1994 after finishing college at
the University of Kansas with a degree in Biology. Growing up in a family
that visited Colorado multiple times a year made moving here an easy decision.
I started fishing as a young boy and was introduced to a fly rod at the
age of 10 by my grandfather, but moving to the mountains really got me into
the sport. I feel that fly fishing has a completely circular learning curve,
meaning I'm always trying to learn, even when guiding. Having fly fished
in the Bahamas, Belize, Mexico, Florida, and all over the western U.S.,
I've learned many different techniques to play this fun game we play. As
I enter my sixth year guiding (fourth with Mountain Angler) I look forward
to fishing with you and experiencing the wonders that await on the water.
Ken
Robak I am a self-taught fly fisherman who grew up under the bright
lights of the big city, Chicago. Now living in Colorado the last twenty
plus years fly fishing has been more to me than just a weekend hobby. The
sport has become the staple that most my life revolves around, now that
I'm retired. I have for the past several years been a fly fishing owner/guide
(Utah and Colorado) for private clients and teaching classes. Fly fishing
for wild trout in Colorado's rivers, streams and creeks is what I enjoy
the most. I like being able to get away from the hustle and bustle of the
city for a day to explore the breathtaking river scenery. The grace of fly
fishing is something that I have always loved. The simple fact that you
have a chance of hooking into a trophy trout is just icing on the cake to
enjoying the wilderness and meeting new clients.
Andy
D'Onofrio Andy D'Onofrio was born in Mobile, Alabama and raised
in New Jersey. Chasing after large mouth bass was his adolescence. He lived
in Boston Mass. earning a Bachelors Degree at Boston University. Summers
were spent in Ocean City, New Jersey working on a sport fisher pursuing
tuna, marlin, and shark, amongst other blue water species. Moving to Summit
County, Colorado in 1992 found Andy searching out powder stashes in the
winter and trout in the summer. He started guiding in 1999 and has kept
tight lines and happy guests ever since. Andy has fly fished in many of
the lower 48 as well as in Mexico and New Zealand. He married a Kiwi and
has a young daughter who enjoys visiting her grandmother in New Zealand,
and Gramma just so happens to live close to some good water. Besides his
family, trout and powder are held dearest.
Jeff
Bourgault Jeff Bourgault owes a lot to both his father and grandfather
for teaching him the finer points of angling on Lake Champlain, near their
home in Vermont. Jeff adapted these skills to the art of fly fishing just
in time for his move to Colorado in 1994. Since then, he has been on an
unofficial mission to fish, snowboard, and mountain bike as many days as
humanly possible (with a few left over for guiding, of course!) These three
activities have taken him all over the west, but he always comes home to
good old Breckenridge. It's a hard place to beat. With world class fisheries
in every direction, it should be at the top of every anglers must-fish-wish-list.
Just beware, you might never leave!
Scott
Gongaware grew up in Pittsburgh, Pa. fly fishing the trout streams
of western Pa. and the fabled spring creeks of central Pa. He first picked
up a fly rod at 12 years old and has fished ever since. He moved to Breckenridge
in 1991 and his 17 years in the county has led to an extensive knowledge
of the areas creeks, rivers and high mountain lakes. He has fished all over
the west and New Zealand as well as flats fishing in Mexico. Not afraid
to get off the beaten path , Scott's always looking for someplace to find
a little solitude. " It is better to have fished and failed, then failed
to fish " sums up Scott's commitment to the overall experience. , where
catching trout is simply a bonus to the incredible scenery.
Cory Pierson Originally from South Dakota, Cory is now a longtime Breckenridge resident and Mountain Angler employee. Featured in multiple publications, including Colorado Outdoors and Southwest Fly Fisherman, Cory has a loyal clientele following. He finds introducing the sport profoundly rewarding because it gives him the chance to share his passion and it opens new opportunities for discovering something about the sport. Cory's favorite way to introduce clients to fishing Colorado rivers is by boat. Cory enjoys guiding year round, especially in the winter months, though he also grooms for Breckenridge during that time. Destinations fished include Montana, Utah, Wyoming, New Mexico, Idaho, as well as Florida and Mexico where he has developed a newly discovered affinity for salt-water fly fishing.
John Arpin I grew up in a family of fishermen on the Jersey shore. At fourteen my first job was as a deckhand on a charter boat. I have been fishing in Breckenridge since 1993. I have also briefly fished in Idaho,Montana, Alaska, Wyoming and New Mexico, yet always enjoyed returning to the pristine waters of Colorado. Entering my third year of guiding at Mountain Angler, I am looking forward to an exceptional season sue to an increased snowpack. I can guide you to high Mountain streams to fish for native cutthroats in secluded areas, which is what I truly love. I look forward to seeing you on the river.
Barney Cohen moved to Colorado in October 1982 and started fishing the area in the spring of 1983. After escaping from the accounting profession, he became a part -time guide in May 1998. "I only work part -time since I refuse to let work interfere with my fishing " During his tenure as a guide he was also an instructor for one of the Orvis fly fishing schools with students ranging from 8 to over 80. Barney's idea of a guide trip consists of many aspects. First and foremost, he will try to tailor each trip to what the client desires from a guide trip. It could be going after the big one, or trying to catch lots of fish, learning how to fish, learning the area for future fishing outings or any combination of factors. He tries to emphasize the entire fishing experience: emphazing stream etiquette, getting out and enjoying the day, forgetting about the everyday
worries, experiencing the beauty of the area, and most importantly having fun. After all, fishing is supposed to be fun ! If has fins and feeds, Barney is probably trying to catch it on the fly ! Besides fishing fro trout, he spends time fishing for various salt water species as well as going after bass, northern pike, and carp in freshwater environments.
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Dave
Collins has been fly fishing for nearly 50 years. He started
fly fishing for trout with his father at age eight. For the past 20 years
he and his wife Jeanne (also an accomplished flyfisher) have spent their
summers chasing trout in the Breckenridge area.
During the off season Dave and Jeanne reside near Iowa City, IA where
Dave teaches or as he puts it, taints and corrupts the minds of young
aspiring marketers at the University of Iowa. Dave's ability to take the
complex and make it simple to understand and his quick wit have made him
a popular teacher and have won him numerous awards for teaching excellence
at the university.
While back in Iowa for the school year, his rod does not collect dust
in a storage room. He frequently escapes the classroom to fish the streams
of the Midwest's famous Driftless area located in NE Iowa, SW Wisconsin
and SE Minnesota's.
Dave has an appreciation for the outdoors, a love of fly fishing and a
passion for teaching.
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Melanie Rojko started out with a cane pole in the northwoods of Wisconsin and has lived in Colorado for 30 years. After teaching skiing at Breckenridge for over 20 years, has now found fly fishing taking over and is living the life, seeking out waters in incredible places and enjoying the laugh out loud experience fly fishing provides. Melanie has a small Llama Ranch in South park and enjoys the world class waters with her husband Scott.
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Pete Reynolds grew up fishing the fabled waters of North East PA where he was taught to fly fish by his grandfather. From that time on he has been "hooked" and passionate about the sport. With a deep respect for mountain living and especially fly fishing, Pete found his way to Summit County 16 years ago. He has been a local guide for over 10 years and is very familiar with all of the surrounding hot spots and the perfect holes to find fish for his clients. Pete has a broad range of experience guiding beginner as well as seasoned fly fishermen. His personal approach to teaching focuses on your strengths to improve your success on the water and to have a fun and enjoyable trip.
In the off season Pete is the owner of the Breckenridge Ski Shop at the North end of town where you'll find him helping our winter visitors with all of their ski and snowboard needs - - or you many find him sneaking a few runs in on the hill!
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Mike Roschak a.k.a. "The Fishing Master", I was born and raised in Oklahoma and eventually moved to the beautiful mountains of Breckenridge, Colorado.
I'm blessed to have now enjoyed over 40 years of fishing the majority of that with a fly rod, reel and a fly.
I started my life bait fishing as a young boy of about 5 years old in 1951. Over the years I have grown to love all kinds of fishing. However, I'd have to say that my favorites are Ice Fishing and Fly Fishing in both lakes and rivers.
As a self taught fly fisherman I was excited to learn. There was something about this craft of fly fishing that really spoke to my inner spirit. I couldn't get enough of it! 40 years later...I’m still learning and I still can't get enough of it. I wouldn’t say I’m the purest of fly casters. I just catch fish and enjoy life!
Ryan Wagner I am from new jersey I have been fishing my whole life but fly fishing has taken over my life about 5 years ago. I have been fishing steadily here in the Summit County area for 3 years. I enjoy chasing different species fresh and saltwater when not here in my home waters of Colorado. I get the same enjoyment from fishing now as I did 20 years ago and thats why I fish as much as possible.
Matt Miller is a third generation angler who was to young to remember when he first picked up a rod. Matt moved to the county in 1995 to pursue skiing and climbing, and has also followed those interests and explored the Jackson Hole region of the Grand Tetons and had his passion for fishing rekindled there.In his free time Matt can be found tying flies or floating one of Colorado's many rivers throwing any number of his fly patterns. His favorite spots are the Arkansas, the Gunnison, Colorado, and Blue rivers.
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Robert Deal grew up in coastal Georgia and divides his time between Breckenridge and Kailua Kona, Hawaii. During a Navy career in the submarine service, his tours in Pearl Harbor, Norfolk, and Charleston provided inshore and offshore fishing opportunities. He has been fly fishing in Summit County since 2005. A teacher at heart, Robert enjoys introducing new fly fishers to the sport. In addition to teaching alpine skiing here in Breckenridge in the winter, he teaches boating safety, navigation, and operational risk management classes for the US Coast Guard Auxiliary. A avid fly tyer, he is a member of the Advisory Committee for Colorado Mountain College’s Professional Fly Fishing Guide Certificate Program that he completed in 2009.
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Charlie Lockwood As a Breckenridge native, I have been immersed in the outdoors from an early age, and old photo albums show me casting a fly rod around 5 years old. The entire process of fly fishing fascinates me: from spending hours behind the fly tying bench tweaking effective patterns, to stalking selective trophy trout from hands and knees. My comfortable zone is sight-fishing to finicky trout in our wonderful tailwaters around the state, but am always up for any type of angling adventure. This is my second season as a guide, and I look forward to spending time helping others experience many of the great river basins surrounding this amazing place.
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Austin Norling Fly fishing is simply a drug there is no cure, no rehab and there is none wanted! I grew up in the lakes of Wisconsin where summers were spent on the water. I moved to Breckenridge five years ago where Fly fishing grabbed my life and took over. I enjoy fishing year round whether it be negative 5 degrees or 80 and sunny. Fishing for me does not stop when the sun goes down but continues all night long. Plain and simple i cant get enough of it. The chase for Hog Johnson (The biggest fishing i the river) will be a life long journey for me. I love teaching people the ways of fly fishing and look forward to sharing the adrenaline rush that goes along with the chase for fish.
