As far as I can remember, I was born with a fishing rod in my hand. Having grown up on the Rogue River in Southern Oregon, I got my start fly fishing at the young age of 7 under the tutelage of my father. I can remember family photos of me with trout that were actually bigger than me, if that gives you any idea of how little I was when I first started catching fish. I caught my first steelhead not long after I started fly fishing and it was all over from there…the fishing addiction had its ugly hooks set securely into me!

I consider myself a pretty experienced oarsman having rowed the Upper and Lower Deschutes River, almost the entire length of the Rogue River including the Wild and Scenic section, the Colorado, the Arkansas, the North & South Umpqua, the North & South Santiam, the Sandy, the John Day, the McKenzie, the Upper Willamette, the Task, and the Wilson, amongst others. I pride myself on safety and I’m a certified EMT, so you can rest assured you are in good hands when you are with me on the river.

When I’m not guiding Central Oregon fly fishing trips, you will find me going ever-further in search of backcountry powder, sailing my Hobie Cat, Surfing the Oregon Coast, or working at St. Charles Medical Center as an Emergency Technician.  I spent 5 years in Nicaragua where I owned a surf resort, before returning to the USA, and I’m fluent in Spanish as such. I consider myself to be an avid outdoorsman, and I enjoy sailing, camping, hiking, mountain biking, and spending time doing all of it with my wife, Theresa, our baby girl, Rogue and our two Labrador Retrievers, McKenzie & Charlie.

I love to share a tale of my life’s adventures, having lived a few, and appreciate hearing yours as well. I believe that fly fishing is an experience that can be life changing, and I would appreciate the opportunity to share the experience with you. My favorite quote by Mark Twain resonates with me:

“Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things that you didn’t do than by the ones you did do. So throw off the bowlines. Sail away from the safe harbor. Catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore. Dream. Discover.”

Good Fishin’ To Ya!

Nic Reid