flylab pros

Conway Bowman is a USCG-licensed captain who pioneered fly fishing for mako sharks over 27 years ago. The waters off San Diego, CA hold one of the world’s largest seasonal populations of makos, ranging in size from 40-to-300 pounds. They migrate into these temperate, nutrient-rich waters, beginning in April, and are present until mid-November. He has perfected the pursuit of mako sharks, and other bluewater species, on the fly and cares deeply about studying and preserving this unique resource.

Rodrigo Salles is the co-owner of Untamed Angling and a veteran fly-fishing explorer of the Amazon rainforest. Born in Brazil, he has spent his adult life exploring and fishing the jungle for dorado, peacock bass, payara, arapaima, as well as countless other species. He has been instrumental in creating the concept of “community-based tourism” throughout the indigenous territories of Brazil: These efforts have helped to preserve over 12 million hectares of virgin rainforest and have created valuable work for Indigenous Communities. Rodrigo also holds three IGFA world records for peacock bass on the fly.

Hannah Belford owns and runs Damdochax River Lodge, one of the world’s most remote, pristine and private steelhead lodges in British Columbia. In operation since 1977, Hannah imparts the same core values and beliefs that her parents instilled: homesteading and stewarding the local valley with age-old traditions and a “no trace” impact ethic. She’s fished since the day she could walk and is the head guide and operator of the family operation. She also is an artist, interior designer and graphic designer.

Kyle Schaefer is a captain, fly fishing guide, lodge owner, writer, conservationist and entrepreneur. He is the owner and head guide of Soul Fly Outfitters in Maine and co-owner of Soul Fly Lodge in the Bahamas. He spends most of his time guiding in Maine, running his lodges, opening a new project in Canada and fighting for wild fish and wild places through his tireless conservation work. His board seat and consulting work with the American Saltwater Guides Association has brought him to testify in front of the U.S. Senate, where he advocates for sustainable fisheries.

Captain Jim Hutson has spent a lifetime on the coastal waters of Charleston, South Carolina and has been a professional light-tackle, fly-fishing guide since 2006. He was born and raised in the “Old Village” of Mount Pleasant, just across the harbor from the Charleston Peninsula. He enjoys chasing redfish and sea trout in the marsh, and the nearshore pursuit of false albacore, amberjack, cobia and Spanish mackerel. When not on the water with clients, you'll find him in the mountains of North Carolina with his wife Courtney, also a captain, and their two daughters, or enjoying the view from a deer stand.

Daniel Hackett has been a full-time fly-fishing guide in Tasmania since 2002. He’s drifted customers along Brumbys Creek, South Esk and the Macquarie River on more than 1000 trips. He’s also the most experienced wilderness Western Lakes guide in Tasmania, spending much of each summer deep within the Tasmanian Wilderness World Heritage Area. He also is writer, Fulbright Scholar and Ph.D. researcher, focussing on the management of wild places, fisheries management and soundscapes as wilderness.

Tyler Palmerton is fly-fishing industry veteran, having worked as a guide (Montana, Alaska, Oregon, Washington), retail fly shop buyer, in-house sales representative and outside sales representative from the Pacific Northwest, where he hails from. He owns and operates an outdoor marketing agency and loves to fish for steelhead, salmon and trout. He likes to say, “The river will give you her secrets if you spend enough time with her…”

Kyle Zempel is a business owner, fly-fishing guide, conservationist and photographer living in the driftless hills of Wisconsin. In 2013, he founded Black Earth Angling Co. and has pioneered one of the most unique smallmouth fisheries in the world on the Wisconsin River. Since its inception, Black Earth Angling Co. has grown into a full-time guiding operation, servicing both cold and warm water fisheries, with a sprinkling of destination travel. Kyle also provides community building events to the Midwest and beyond. When not on the water, he can be found cooking up delicious eats, traveling and chasing game with his bow.

Brian Schmidt is a longtime guide and professional fly tyer, having cut his teeth on the spring creeks of central Pennsylvania. He’s worked for Umpqua Feather Merchants, designed cross-over bass flies such as the Schmidterbug and Schmidterbait and has been intimately involved with gear testing (conventional, fly) for decades. Currently, he works at the Montana Fly Company, developing patterns and managing quality control. He also is the owner and designer at Brian Schmidt Baits.

Felix Borenstein is a hotel and travel consultant, former owner of the Owen River Lodge, a world-class fly-fishing lodge near Murchison on the South Island of New Zealand, and a fly-fishing tragic (in his words). After 20+ years in the fly-fishing hospitality industry, he now consults (internationally) with a wide range of luxury sporting lodges. The Owen River Lodge was the first fishing lodge in the world to obtain a “climate positive/carbon positive” certification, as well as B-Corp status. He enjoys traveling to Christmas Island, the Cook Islands, Montana, Alaska, Idaho, Chile and of course, New Zealand.