I grew up in southeast Wisconsin where all sorts of fishing opportunities present themselves. I predominantly spin fished as most do growing up but as I grew older my Dad taught me how to fly fish. I cut my teeth chasing trout in Wisconsin’s driftless region where spring creeks are abundant. As I fly fished more I chased everything from warm water species to lake run brown trout and steelhead.
Fly fishing has taken me many places one of which being Wyoming where I now live. I guided fly fishing trips for the last 4 years in the Jackson Hole area and have traveled elsewhere in the state to chase trout on my own time.
Foam flies and streamers are some of my tying favorites, but I have tied everything from musky and steelhead flies to saltwater flies. My demo at Fly Fish Food-Jimmy’s will present my most effective patterns from all these types. I will also offer information on how to present each one.
I grew up fishing all of my life and like many I just could not get enough time on the water. The desire to become a better angler, catch more fish and understand how to catch as many as possible led me to pick up a fly rod and never look back!
I joined the Army right out of high school and served for nine years, in that time I traveled all over the world and served time in Afghanistan. After my service I went to work in the plumbing industry working for a plastic piping manufacturer. I left the industry to live the dream of hard work full-time guiding to teach others how to be the most successful out on the water. I developed a passion for euro style techniques and after also attending a few competitions lead me to become really proficient in the technique and have since taught many others. I currently do not guide full-time however I have continued my passion and growth in the industry working full time at Fly Fish Food in Orem Utah. I still guide as well throughout the year whether it be teaching euro style techniques or chasing tailing Carp. During my demo, I will tie flies that my on-the-water experiences chasing carp, salmonids or others have inspired.
I love continuing to learn and still go out and chase any fish I can on a fly rod whenever I have the chance. I have grown to have the knowledge and skill to catch a variety of fish and this year alone have caught 30 different species. I also love to work on my passion of creating and developing new flies for chasing all different species of fish. I love spending time out on the water with the women of my dreams Hayley and my two beautiful children Bodie and Chloe.
That facial slice resulting from a Clearwater River client errant cast a few years back has healed, but Ken sports it as a mark of a “passionate steelheader”. Ken is our most renowned steelheader to the point that he has guided for these fabled fish on the Clearwater River via Clearwater River Company for years and has great experience on our Salmon River and other famed fisheries. He does all this during the Fall season but takes time to enjoy “steelies” on his own. In fact, after working for many fishing related businesses, he has retired to be able to fish when the urge beckons. During the off-season he returns to fly tying, not only for steelhead, but also for trout patterns. Having grown up in Swan Valley, the South Fork was on his doorstep. he began his fly fishing and fly ting there(Ken remembers fishing the South Fork before Palisades Dam was built). All this gives Ken a range of experience to be hired as a guide as well as a tier of patterns, including his own creations in demand for that river. Ken has demonstrated his fly tying skills at Jimmy’s, other area shops, the Eastern Idaho Fly Tying and Fly Fishing Expo, and other fly fishing shows around in the west. Generous, personable, and experienced to the extreme, Ken will be sharing his fly pattern ideas for steelhead and inland trout and how to present each during his demo.
Lance Egan has had a passion for fly-fishing for nearly 30 years and has made a career of fly-fishing. Having worked for an all tackle store, 2 independent fly shops, and 12 years with Cabela’s he has worked with thousands of anglers and aided each in learning more about the fish they intend to catch, along with teaching them the benefits and advantages of various types of tackle and rigging. All the while, Lance has been a student of the sport and continues to learn about the intricacies of fishing. Currently, Lance works for Fly Fish Food, an online and storefront fly-fishing retailer in Orem, Utah, as the shop manager. In addition to his fly shop duties he is a Signature Fly Designer for Umpqua Feather Merchants, and, Lance, along with Devin Olsen, and Gilbert Rowley, created instructional fly-fishing videos available as digital downloads from Vimeo.com or as DVD’s (Modern Nymphing, Modern Nymphing Elevated, and Adaptive Fly Fishing). Lance is also the co-host of the Newb And The Knower fly fishing podcast. Lance lives in Lehi, Utah, with his wife, Autumn, and their two children.
Lance is a 3-time National Fly-Fishing Champion, 2-time ESPN Great Outdoor Games Fly-Fishing Champion, Fly-Fishing Masters Champion, Teva Mountain Games Fly-Fishing Champion, 3-time Utah Single Fly Champion and a current member of Fly-Fishing Team USA. With Team USA, Lance has represented America 15 times at the World Fly-Fishing Championships and is a 3-time World Fly-Fishing Championships medalist (1 Team Silver, 1 Team bronze, and 1 individual bronze).
Lance is a pro staff member of Scientific Anglers, Hyde Drift Boats, Flycraft USA, and often works with various fly-fishing companies to help design rods, lines, waders, boots etc. Social media channels for Lance include Facebook (Lance Egan), and Instagram (@lanceeganflyfishing).
During his Saturday demo at the shop, beginning at 10:30 AM, Lance will focus on tying patterns offered by Umpqua Feather Merchants, Fly Fish Food and in his DVDs, For certain he will offer” how to fish” information on each.
Some fishing closures begin on December 1st in IDF&G’s Upper Snake and Southeast Idaho regions.
The Henry’s Fork in Harriman State Park, Sand Creek Ponds, Blackfoot River tributaries above Blackfoot River Reservoir, and Fish Haven Creek are included. Portions of Silver Creek also close to fishing on December 1st. Refer to to the 2022-2024 Seasons and Rules booklet to see these.
The Saturday tying demo will begin at 1030 AM featuring Keegan Berrett.
I was born and raised fishing the waters of East Idaho where I learned to fish, row a boat and tie flies. I did this until I joined the Marines right out of high school. After serving, I moved back home and picked up where I left off, fishing and tying with Dad and his friends. My Dad, Elden, is a fly fisher, guide and fly tier of wide renown.
I love tying flies and love creating an effective and successful pattern even more. Small dry fries are my favorite tying and fishing, but streamers are a close second. Our long cold winters help drive this passion, just to keep our minds right. I have a wife who supports my addiction, and I have 2 beautiful daughters that keep me on my toes. My younger daughter enjoys tying with me and enjoys a day on the river catching fish.
Being a Marine veteran, I share a special brotherhood with other vets. I have been the Assistant Program Lead for the East Idaho chapter of Project Healing Waters Fly Fishing since it started. It is a special thing to introduce the serenity of fly tying and fly fishing with our disabled vets. Knowing the serenity that these activities brings to me drives my desire to pass this to someone that can use some peace of mind.
I have been guiding part time on the South Fork of the Snake and the Main Snake below the confluence with the Henry’s Fork. I am a signature tyer for Fulling Mill with several patterns available from them.
I will feature some of these during my Saturday, December 1st demo.
Because of being adjacent to the Thanksgiving holiday, we will not offer fly tying demos on Saturday, November 18th and Saturday, November 25th. Our Saturday fly tying demos will resume on Saturday, December 1st and continue into December.
A.J. Jorgensen is featured for the Saturday, November 11th Fly Fish Food-Jimmy’s fly tying demo. He is another Colorado transplant, although his roots are in eastern Idaho thanks to grandparents. A.J. got into the fly fishing world in a backwards kind of way. That is, he began as a youngster tying flies for his dad and his buddies while living in Colorado and yet to fly fish. On becoming of age to buy a truck, he began scoping out nearby streams. It was success while doing so that fly fishing became love at first sight. Seeing that east Idaho offered much more for an outdoor life, A.J. moved there and became acquainted with our wonderful array of waters. He entered the angling industry though employment at Rio about eight years ago, but soon graduated the guiding for The Lodge at Palisades Creek. In doing so, products from his fly tying vise became sought after, especially those patterns for the South Fork, the Henry’s Fork and their tributaries. He will tie these patterns as well as offer usage information on each during his demo
About five years ago A. J. demonstrated his tying skills during Jimmy’s Saturday demos, and more recently, he did the same during the 2023 EIFTE fly tying demos held in the Mountain America Events Center. A. J. is now the Fly Fish Food-Jimmy’s assistant manager as well as a sought-after commercial fly tier. A. J. and his Mrs., Claire, live in Lewisville with children Flint and Zola, all of whom can look forward to a great outdoor life in this area.
