FISHING CREW

GENERAL MANAGER

Reed is a Boone local and started fly fishing when he was around 6 years old with his dad and grandpa. In high school, prompted by Joel Brown, Reed's fishing passion was born again. Reed attended college locally at Appalachian State University, allowing him to cultivate his love for fishing by guiding for Eseeola Lodge in Linville, NC and explore local waters on his own. Community and service to others have grown to be pillars in Reed's life through working for retail spaces such as Appalachian Ski Mountain's Pro Shop from 2017-2021, becoming assistant manager at Stickboy Bread Co. from 2019 - 2021, and being a Young Life leader for local high school students since 2018 - present. Reed now continues his work for the community and his passion for trout fishing with Speckled Trout Outfitters as the shop “master chief”.

HEAD CHEF/FISHING GUIDE

Michael was born in Alabama and raised in southern California. He grew up fishing coastal, lake, deep sea, river and pond. When he moved to New Mexico, a local chef introduced him to Fly Fishing. It was not hard for him to fall in love with the sport in the heart of incredible trout rivers. He has had the pleasure to have fly fished 41 states over the past 25 years as well as England, Spain, Colombia, and Argentina. His passion for fly fishing is only matched by his passion for the culinary arts. 35 years in the restaurant business as a chef has allowed him to appreciate the beauty of food and hospitality. “Our mission at Speckled Trout Outfitters is to provide the premier river experience wade or float. Cheers and Tight Lines.”

HEAD GUIDE

Joel grew up right here in Boone, NC, and started fly fishing when he was 8 years old. By the time he was in high school, he was on the water every chance he could. This ultimately led him to decide to attend college at Western Colorado University in Gunnison, Colorado, to pursue a degree in business administration and grow towards becoming a guide in one of the premier fly fishing towns in America. After a year of guiding for Willowfly Anglers in Almont, Colorado, and graduating college, Joel moved to Fort Smith, Montana on the Bighorn River. He guided there in 2020 before returning to his home waters of Western North Carolina in November of 2020. He is now full-time with the Speckled Trout family.

STORE MANAGER/FISHING GUIDE

Lawson is born and raised in Boone, NC. He discovered fly fishing early in high school and has since fallen in love with every aspect. For the last 5 years, he has been working at Napa Auto Parts in Boone. After work and on days off, he has dedicated his time to his passion for fly fishing. You can look for him on a local creek or picking apart the famous tailwaters of the Watauga and South Holston River.

WADE GUIDE

Coming from Burlington, North Carolina, Hayden made the High Country his home in 2017 to attend Appalachian State and has spent any free chance he had on the local streams and rivers. He has been fly fishing and exploring this area since 2013 and has worked in the guiding industry for the last 10 years. Hayden has guided trips in North Carolina, Colorado and Alaska while specializing in wild water and small stream techniques. Hayden is also a volunteer with the Watauga River Keeper as a water quality monitor volunteer and works with the team on stream bank restoration projects. Hayden’s certifications also include Wilderness First Responder, CPR/First Aid, Leave No Trace 101 and he was honored to receive the 2022 Mountain True High Country Volunteer of the Year award.

WADE GUIDE

Bella grew up in Boone, NC. She started fishing at the age of 7 and became fully immersed in the world of fly fishing in her late teen years with knowledge passed down from her father and brother. She has been guiding in the High Country for the past 5 years including 2 winter seasons spent as a salt water fly fishing guide in the Southwest Florida Everglades. She specializes in small creek fishing for wild trout. She believes in maintaining the mindset that all folks on the water should be treated with absolute kindness and respect as we should be treating our waters and resources the same way.

STRIPER/BASS GUIDE

Ryan Hartley was born and raised right here in Watauga County. He started hunting, fishing, and shooting at age five (5). Ryan’s grandfather played a key role in introducing Ryan to his love of the outdoors and taught him so much about wildlife. Their favorite activities were hunting deer, turkey, grouse, and pheasant, shooting, and fishing in the streams and lakes of NC and TN. As he grew up, he made friends all over the country who share his passion for the outdoors. He has bear hunted from the NC mountains to the NC coast. Ryan has guided bear and duck hunts in eastern NC and he has had successful elk hunts out west. Ryan truly loves to be on the water whether it’s trout fishing in the waters around the high country, on a mountain lake striper fishing or out off Hatteras NC in the gulf stream fishing the deep blue. Ryan lives in Zionville, NC with his wife, two daughters and two labs. He is also a leukemia survivor after two rounds of fighting cancer in 2015 and a bone marrow transplant in 2016, he does not take a day for granted and loves more than anything to get outside and be in nature. By trade, Ryan is a licensed electrical contractor in NC and TN and owns and operates Mountaineer Electric & Generator Systems. By heart, he loves more than anything to be in the woods hunting, training his retrieving labs, or catching some fish out on the water.

WADE GUIDE

Coleman grew up in Spruce Pine, North Carolina, and started fly fishing in his early years of High School. Coleman now attends Appalachian State in Boone, NC, allowing him to follow out his passion for Fly Fishing and the 828 area. He joined The Speckled Trout Outfitters team in March of 2023. Whether it’s bigger rivers or tiny creeks, you can find him exploring new water. Coleman became a guide earlier this year and continues to work and strive for growth both as an angler and a guide. You won’t find a better guy to spend a day on the water with!

FLOAT/WADE GUIDE

Joe was born and raised in Oklahoma. Farm ponds were his first introduction to fishing as young as he can remember, but he never took fishing serious until later in life. In his early 20’s he started a steel building company and grew it into a busy small business. In his late 20’s he revisited fishing and found that it was the rivers that had been missing in his fishing life. After chasing trout for some time he began to focus on more readily available smallmouth bass. Spending more and more days away from work and covering countless miles throughout the Ozarks, he knew he wanted his life centered around fly fishing. It seemed logical to try guiding part-time and discovered he enjoyed putting people on fish just as much as catching them himself. From smallies to trout, ozark streams to the famed White River, he cut his teeth on the guide game. Whether it be dry flies on a 3wt or streamers on a 10wt, Joe finds the thrill never dulls. In August of 2023 Joe sold his business and moved his family to North Carolina. Guiding and dedicating every day to fishing, conservation, community, and building a mainstay with a stellar team is a dream come true. He is beyond thrilled to not only be with The Speckled Trout, but to also serve the community, grow relationships, and be increasingly valuable to everyone around him as well!

Ayden was born and raised in the high country. Being surrounded by fly fishing from the early years of his life, he knew he wanted to share the excitement he felt his first time catching a trout with others. Growing up in the area, he has a keen knowledge of what makes the area so unique and special. He believes in guiding with upmost respect and kindness, with the folks on the water, and standing for the waters that we stand in everyday. You can usually find Ayden on a small creek or searching for Brookies in the backcountry!