Evan grew up fishing the 10,000 lakes of Minnesota which developed into a lifelong love for fishing and the outdoors. After spending his early years freshwater fishing and hunting for waterfowl and upland game, Evan was introduced to saltwater fly fishing in the early 2000’s. His experience in the salt quickly turned into a lifelong hobby and obsession. Evan now spends several months a year chasing permit and tarpon in the Florida Keys. He is an active tournament angler, participating in all of the major tarpon and permit fly fishing tournaments in the Florida Keys and winning the Grand Champion Angler award in the Golden Fly Tarpon Tournament, the Don Hawley Tarpon Tournament and the Del Brown Permit Tournament. His passion for hunting and fishing has also spawned his desire to preserve the resources he has enjoyed over the course of his life. Evan has become an active volunteer and conservationist, serving on several non-profit boards focusing on wildlife conservation including the Bonefish & Tarpon Trust, as well as Pheasants and Quail Forever.

Baker grew up in East Tennessee and the Roaring Fork Valley of Colorado, and has lived on Sullivans Island, SC for the past 20 years. His great grandfather was a master fly rod builder and passed on his love of fly fishing to his grand daughter, Sandie Bishop, Bakers mom. Baker had a fly rod in his hand as a young boy, fishing for bass in the Tennessee river, and trout in the Clinch, South Holston, Roaring Fork, Frying Pan, and Colorado rivers. He attended Montana State University where he furthered his passion for angling and hunting. In 1999 his mother introduced him to Tarpon and the Florida Keys, and he bought a house there in 2000. In 2004 he started fishing tournaments in the keys, and by 2006 was fishing all the major tarpon tournaments and some bonefish, permit, redfish/snook tournaments as well. He is active in many conservation organizations throughout the south east, some highlights are: Founding board member of the Charleston Waterkeeper, Chairman of the Don Hawley Tarpon tournament, and Board member of the Bishop Family Foundation. He is passionate about the fisheries he loves, and passionate about the Guides that work those waters.

Scott started coming to the Florida Keys in 1972 to visit his grandfather, Raymond Donnersberger, on Summerland Key. Ray was a tournament angler in the Keys and introduced Scott to fishing on the flats at the age of six. Scott skipped a year and then returned multiple times per year to fish from 1974 to now. Scott fished with “Junior” Snow and Woody Sexton as a young angler. Scott loves fishing for most all species in the keys and considers himself more a generalist in his fly-fishing as opposed to a species specialist. Scott has grown to love all South Florida fly fishing having pursued fish from Everglades City to the Marquesas and up to Biscayne Bay. Scott views the area as one interconnected fishery with it and the people that make a living on the that water deserving the utmost respect. Scott’s wife and kids all regularly fish and spend time on the water in the Keys. Scott actively participates in the Lower Keys Guides association and has regularly supported entities like BTT, Captains for Clean Water, and the IGFA.

Coming soon

Thane first came to the Florida Keys in 1998, sneaking away from work to spend a couple of days fishing with Captain Craig Brewer. Initially, Thane wasn’t very productive from the front end of the boat, but he learned a lot from the guy on the back end. As a native conch and second generation fly guide, Captain Brewer revealed his passion for the sport and the resource that can’t be described through conversation. In the time since then, Thane has met many other Captains who share that passion and appreciation for their craft and cherish the world that lets them share it with their anglers. Thane has also seen and shared their great disappointment as this resource has become steadily deteriorated. As a member of the GTF board, Thane hopes to promote preservation of their stewardship of the craft and the irreplaceable and undervalued Florida ecosystem where they ply their trade.

Robert grew up wade fishing the grass and sand flats of the Coastal Bend and Laguna Madre regions of the Texas coast.  Today, his favorite wade fishing targets are the “big trout” of Baffin Bay, a well-known area of the Upper Laguna Madre.  Robert did not pick-up a fly rod until well into his 40’s.  However, after several fly fishing trips with friends to Mexico, the Bahamas and the Florida Keys, he was hooked.  Over time, his fly fishing passion has become primarily directed at ocean-side tarpon.  In 2014, he participated in his first tarpon tournament – the Don Hawley Invitational Tarpon Fly Tournament.  He has remained a tournament angler since then – and greatly values his time in the Keys.

Mark discovered the Florida Keys by chance while attending an English friends’ wedding in the late 1990’s. As a lifelong Atlantic Salmon fisherman, he was immediately drawn to the saltwater fly fishing culture of the Keys and subsequently purchased a home in Islamorada. Twenty years later, Mark is an eight-time Grand Champion of major Keys fly fishing tournaments and one of only a few anglers ever to win the ‘grand slam’ of a Tarpon, Bonefish and Permit tournament. Mark’s favorite species is the ‘downtown Islamorada’ Bonefish.