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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Doug
Hardwick born and raised in Denver, Doug has lived and fished in
the Summit County area for 26 years now. Having worked for the Mountain
Angler since the shop opened in 1985, Doug is both our "Senior Guide" and
"Web Master" -- if there's anything you really like (or dislike),
feel free to let him know! Doug has taught skiing at Breckenridge
for 24 years and enjoys 'teaching' as much as actually 'doing'.
While some people need to catch BIG fish and others want LOTS of fish, what
Doug loves most is catching the "most difficult" fish. He believes
there's a lot more to fly-fishing than just catching fish --
such as the scenery, wildflowers, and history of the sport and the local
region.
"When you're fly fishing, the 'Fishing' is always great,
even if the 'Catching' leaves a bit to be desired!"
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 - After earning a degree from North West Missouri University
Kevin moved to Summit County in 1982. He has been flyfishing since moving
to Colorado and has guided for Mountain Angler since 1993. He has fished
from Alaska to Florida and logged hundreds of miles at the oars of a drift
boat on many western rivers. With the addition of a motorized fishing boat
Kevin has developed an interest on guiding colorados "still water"
trout lakes for some trophy sized bows. Over the last several years
Kevin has also developed an interest in "stillwater" fishing on many of
the lakes and reservoirs in our area
Mark
Boyd is a native of Colorado who has been fly fishing for 20 years.
He especially enjoys finding and fishing those places that are "off the
beaten path". While his true passion is trout fishing and he gets
great satisfaction from helping people to hook & land trout in our local
rivers & streams, Mark has recently discovered salt water fly fishing which
has opened up a whole new world of fly-fishing opportunities for him to
explore. He's shown here with a good-sized Snook he caught in southern
Mexico last Fall.
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 Sioux Falls South Dakota,
I moved to Breckenridge in 1995 to try a season of Mountain life. Fly fishing
for me is a way to keep rediscovering the area which I have grown to love.
I am a full time guide and shop employee entering my fourth year with Mountain
Angler, Being in the shop is educational, when talking with people everyone
has an opinion about how and where to fish. Listening and testing these
theories on the water, the way in which I fish is constantly evolving. I
fish and guide year round, and especially like going out in the winter.
You end up having these world class spots all to yourself. I look forward
to meeting you and showing you around this beautiful place.
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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John Grey retired from a 30-year career as a commercial real estate developer and manager to pursue his passion for fly fishing on a full-time basis. Between guiding and fishing on his own he spends around 150 days chasing trout each year.
He specializes in putting clients on the best water given their experience level and individual interests. John will work with you to choose the right flies, teach you the best casting techniques, show you the different methods to rig your tackle, and help you effectively read the water. His goal is to give you get the best possible angling experience whether you are a seasoned veteran or are early in your fly fishing career. His enthusiasm, patience and experience will help make your fishing trip enjoyable, memorable and educational.
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Tony Lord moved to Breckenridge when he was nineteen and has fished the local waters for the last 38 years. He has a Bachelors Degree in Environmental Conservation from the University of Colorado and has spent the majority of his life working outdoors. Tony has caught steelhead in the Northwest, Salmon and Trout in Alaska, Pike in the Boundary Waters, Snook in Florida, Smallmouth everywhere,and grew up catching bluegill and crappie in the lake near his home in the East coast. His mom said his favorite line was " Just one more cast!" Tony worked for the Breckenridge Ski Area for 13 years and created the Skier Services Department which specialized in customer relations. His main occupation as a self employed contractor has left him the freedom to set his own schedule and spend plenty of time on the water. Tony spent many years coaching hockey, basketball and soccer while raising three great kids with his wife of 30 years, Kim. These same teaching methods are great tools to help visitors enjoy the great fishing experience that we get to enjoy daily.
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Adam Nabors Growing up in the mountains of North Carolina, fishing has always been a part of Adam Nabors' life. After moving to Breckenridge in 1996, he learned to fly fish and has since pursued Trout, Salmon, Northern Pike, Bass, Tarpon and many other species with a fly rod in hand. In 2002 he became a professional guide in the Summit County area, and has logged countless hours guiding from shore and a driftboat in the High Rockies.
