For those looking for references regarding our service, please contact us, we are happy to provide a list of people for you, both personal and corporate.

Some kind words about our staff...

Hey Dave –

Thanks so much for the trip – while I wish it were more fruitful on the fish front – the education was absolutely worth it, and the company was good. My arm is not sore at all – A  first since I started way back in the beginning of May.

Looking forward to getting out again with you sometime soon –under warm sunny skies!

Thanks,

Anthony Potestivo
Redmond, WA
5-9-08



Hey Dave,

Your lecture and demo was so far one of the best of all events on campus since last fall, so I’d love to try this again. Spring 2009? We’ll definitely keep in touch.

Ron Carnell - University of Washington
Seattle, WA
4-24-08


Hi Dave,

Just wanted to let you know that I collected on the fishing trip that Mike had given me for a present last year.  Jason was a very good guide and really tried to get us into some fish.  He took us to a very beautiful area that was completely new to me.  We did find some small bait fish, and I did get a strike and a swirl, but missed a hook-up, must have been the fishes fault.  Jason is also a birder, as I am and he showed me several birds that I would have missed on my own.  He then took and told us about several other places that I can try later on my own, this was a added bonus that I had hoped for, so the trip will continue to pay dividends later on. Thanks much for setting me up with Jason. 

Best wishes for a good season coming up. 

Lyle Hand
Bellingham, WA
4-22-08


Hi Shannon,

Thanks a lot for being the BEST ever possible guide during my fly-fishing! Thanks for sending me these beautiful pictures! Will let others know how wonderful you are.

Thanks,

Himanshu Baral
San Jose, CA
4-21-08


Thank YOU, Dave.  I had a wonderful time and learned a lot.  Last night I dreamed I caught a fish.  I wasn't going to tell you or Alex that I had hooked one until I actually landed it.   The funny thing is, the dream turned into something else and I don't know if I landed it or not.

Ellen Rice
Vashon Island, WA
4-15-08


Dave,

Thank you for the best weekend ever! I had an amazing time and have definitely developed more then an interest in this sport.  I will most definitely take you up on the offer to sit in on group casting lessons. Thank again, and I will definitely send you a picture of my first fish!

P.S.   No lie, I totally dreamt about fishing in all of my dreams last night.  I crack myself up.  :)

Alexendria Pugel
Seattle, WA
4-15-08


Dave,

I did have a blast!  I went today with my neighbor and hit the same beaches you took me to.  It was windier than last time.  I caught one 8 inch cut at the last beach near Olalla?  Missed one other.  It was still fun and I am officially hooked!  The best part..... My casting was awsome!  My neighbor was actually jealous...You rock thanks for the tips!  Next time we go and there will be a next time you need to fish with us!

Scott Wallis
Redmond, WA
4-6-08


Dave and Ryan,

Thanks for a great day on the water. Now that I've slept on it, I know I will remember yesterday for a long time. The conditions were great. Ryan was amazing. He is knowledgable, professional and tireless. I appreciate all he taught me and all his patience. Lunch was the icing on the cake and then to get my first rainbow on a dry fly! Couldn't be beat. I know I am a better fisherman than when I got here. I hope I can get back here soon.

Thanks guys,

Chuck Lanzieri
Columbus, OH
3-25-08


Hi Dave,

I’ve been meaning to write and let you know how much Ruth I and enjoyed our day with you on the mighty Snoqualmie.  You did a great job of orienting us to basic drift boat skills and safety concerns, and getting us organized and prepared to tackle some of the Olympic Peninsula streams. Thanks again for a great day on the water.  And have a wonderful Holiday Season with your family and friends.

Regards,

John Warrick and Ruth Jenkins
Port Angeles, WA
11-18-07


Dave,

I had a great experience with the Ryan's they listened to what I was
looking for and worked hard to provide it. I suspect they got a bit more
talk than they usually do. As a semi-retired professor I have hours of
lectures built up and I tend to unload those lectures on folks I
interact with.  When I fish I want to learn something new each day and
the Ryan's certainly provided that opportunity.

I will be back to fish with them again and next time I will try to make
the timing fit the fishing instead of my "conference" schedule.

Thanks again for everything.

Gerry Campbell
Madison, WI
11-13-07


Dave,

Thanks once again for a great day on the water. I'm excited to hit
some local beaches as soon as time allows. It has been really fun learning to fly fish from you. Thanks for
guiding me on this new path and for being such a great instructor and
resource.

Nancy Kim
Seattle, WA
11-13-07


Ryan,

Again, thank you for a great day on the Sound and for your patience with such limited ability anglers.  I think you could make anybody look good.

Dennis Olson
Bend, OR
11-9-07


Mike,

Thanks so much for the teriffic pictures. Yours are much better than the ones I took. We just had a great time with you guiding us on the McKenzie. We were very happy too, to be able to catch so many good fish. That is some kind of magic fly that we used. Too bad Dave doesn't have one of those in his fly-box. Good luck fishing.

Jim and Dana Mounts
Portland, OR
11-8-07


Dave,

I have been meaning to send you a hand written note.  We had a terrific time.  It was really fun.  Jody was a bit apprehensive about what it was going to be like and whether she would be able to get the hang of it.  You are a master of teaching fly fishing and making it fun and relaxing.  We enjoyed your company and learned a lot.  The lunch was terrific, who knew you were such a great cook.  Jody really liked being out on the river, so much so that she has asked for fly fishing gear for her birthday.  It is something that I would like to do more of in the coming years.  So it would be a great pleasure to go out with you again sometime. 

Conrad Gehrman
Seattle, WA
11-07-07


Dave,

Debbie and I had a great time fishing with you.  Thanks for the extra effort to help us learn more and catch fish. It is always a pleasure to fish with you and your team.

T.F. Lambert
Bellingham, WA
10-8-07


Ryan,

Here are the pics we promised. I wanted to thank you for the great trip and wonderful meal. Lisa had a great time I have never seen her fish for so long. Let me know if you ever get to Texas.

Andy Hernandez
Corpus Christy, TX
10-8-07


Hi Dave,

I sure had fun yesterday.  I really enjoy your company and your wit, not to mention your easy, patient way of making this amatuer fly fisherman feel like I know what I'm doing.  I want to work toward doing at least one more trip with you before you head to points south, if that is to be.

Thanks again for another great day on the river.

Jim Osborn
Redmond, WA
10-08-07


Kevin,

Just a short note to say "thanks" for a great experience flyfishing on Saturday.  We both learned a TON and had a great day, too.   I'm going to have to do a bit of practicing now so I am ready for the next trip!   Thanks so much.

Kate Julin
Seattle, WA
10-7-07  


Kevin,

That trip was fantastic; I can’t thank you enough for taking me out.

As requested, here’s some pictures for you and the shop. When you get a chance, would you mind sending me a picture of that olive clouser with the stinger hook and a full picture of your fly box? Give me one of you while getting ready to fish while you’re at it too…I’ve got some ideas coming through on the backside of this trip!

Talk with you again soon.

Scott Frushour
Boulder, CO
10-1-07


Hey guys,

Just wanted to drop you a quick note to let you know that Sheila and I had a fantastic time fishing with Dave’s dad(Mike McCoy)on the N. Umpqua – and that we are going out with him again next week on the McKenzie. What a great guy. We loved being in his company and both learned a ton from him.

Kelly Sjolander
Seattle, WA
9-19-07


Mike,

I want to thank you for the great time we had fishing and learning to row with you last week.  Fishing experience was great, the teaching was excellent and your self control when I was going to hit the rock was great (your octave did go up).

Again thank you for a great time and I am sure we will do this again. I’ll practice rowing in the meantime!

Regards,

Gerard G. Moulin P.E.
Yorba Linda, CA
9-30-07


Hi Dave,

Dylan was awesome!  The guy is an asset to your outfit for sure.  Although we didn’t land much of anything, my client from Japan had a great experience learning about local steelhead from Dylan. 

Regards,

James Iwase
Seattle, WA
9-25-07


I’ve never seen the group I manage so elated after spending time together. Generally when our management team gets together it is to hack out difficult matters of policy and to set interest rates. When they finish they tend to look as if they’ve swum the corporate equivalent of the English Channel. But after the afternoon with Dave at Emerald Water Anglers they looked ten years younger and they couldn’t’ stop talking. It was if the stress was gone from their faces. It helped a lot I think that they ALL caught a fish! Some of them caught several. All had nothing but good things to say about Dave and Monday morning at the office they couldn’t’ stop talking about what a good time they had. I would recommend Dave and Emerald Water Anglers for any team-building event.

Mark Sticklin
Seattle, WA
9-25-07


Hi Dave,

We had a wonderful time today with Dylan!!!   Nick and Liesl loved it also.  Dylan was a wonderful teacher.  Thank you very much.

Diane Gelotte
Seattle, WA
9-21-07


Dave,

Yesterday was absolutely great!!

Ryan and Dylan were such a pleasure to work with.

The instruction was outstanding. Dylan helped me a lot. I really have to
say that my distance casting improved significantly and I can now cast a
weighted fly, not perfectly, but with some degree of success.

The other guys had a great time as well. Rob is a new comer to flyfishing
and he got a lot of attention from Ryan which he really appreciated. He
felt like his casting improved a lot.

We all think we can fish the salt with some confidence now.

Thanks again and I look forward to the next outing.

T.F. Lambert
Bellingham, WA
9-14-07


Ryan,

I’ve been meaning to contact you to thank you for the great day Dennis Falk and I had August 14th.  It’s still on my list, once I learn to transfer digital photos to email, to send you the shots of my big steelhead.  Thanks for the tips and the lessons on Spey casting.  I also enjoyed your general knowledge of the flora and fauna.  Hope to ride with you again in the future.  Best wishes.

Bruce Squire
Albuquerque, NM
9-10-07

Dave,

Thanks again for the rowing lesson, you are an excellent teacher. I am typing this with a pencil in my mouth, I can't raise my arms.

Rick Henegan
Olympia, WA
9-8-07


Hey Dave,

I didn’t get a chance to thank you for fishing guide for Michael and I.  We had a great time, and you were a great guide…just the type of experience I wanted for my son. Anyway, thanks again, and if we are up that way again, I’ll definitely be giving you a call.

Tom Hanna
Los Angeles, CA
9-7-07


Hi Dave,

Fortunately Ryan escaped Lake Osewgo and developed a social conscience. He demonstrated tremendous patience and great stamina putting in a 14hr. day to get fish. He taught me a lot about fishing in the Sound and we had a great day. He ties a magical streamer. Might have been a shorter day had the fish been released before 6:00PM. I will be back to get those Coho I released prematurely and maybe get another gorgeous cut.

Thank you guys.

Steve Butt
Eugene, OR
9-7-07


Just wanted to say thanks for setting us up with Ryan for our fishing trip last Sunday. We had a great time and Ryan had us on fish; they just weren't cooperating. But I learned alot from him (which I'll translate into use here on Lake Michigan), and Ryan did a great job and took extra time to teach my 18y/o son Kurt the finer points of big water flyfishing. He also cooked us a great lunch!

I hope to get back to the Seattle area sometime soon-will definitely contact you for another trip. Feel free to use me for a reference if needed.

Thanks again,

Jack Swanson
Chicago, IL
8-30-07


Dylan,

We all really enjoyed our trip with you Friday!  We had a really good time and we learned a lot.  You were so very helpful and encouraging.  We will be in touch for future trips.

Michael Tucker
Woodinville, WA
8-27-07


I had a great time!

Cascade mountain creeks were gorgeous and fishing was awesome with lots and lots of fish. Box canyon had the bigger fish. Did catch a very nice 11-12" fish that managed to get away while waiting to have its picture taken :)

Puget sound was also good with a nice 4lb coho and 2 cutthroats, one a nice 18", 2.5lb+ fish.

Had a great weekend and Dylan was very good (even brought me to the airport afterwards which I appreciated a lot).

Thx

Robin Thorn
New York City, NY
8-26-07


Hey there Dave,

Thanks again for the great trip and the Spey casting instruction.  Thanks for being so patient too.  You're a great guide...Stay in touch.  Below is my contact info.  Good fishing always!

Steve Hoover
Oakland, CA
8-11-07


Dave,

I had the pleasure of fishing with Ryan Smith a few weeks back on the Cowlitz. Although we did not get any steelhead, I wanted to let you know that I thought Ryan was a pleasure to work with. His good natured personality, knowledge of the outdoors, and professional guidance made the day very enjoyable. I have fished in many places around the world with a few guides and can say that Ryan is one of the better.

Dean Lippold
Chicago, IL
7-29-07


Dave,

Thank you so much for a wonderful day!  We had such a great time and I couldn’t have asked for a better guide and person.  What is your address?  I’ll be sending a photo CD, you took so many great photos I can’t email that many!

Take care,

Corrine Gooden
Seattle, WA
7-30-07


Dave,

Thanks once again for a perfect day on your water. You are the consummate professional. I particularly appreciate your willingness to take up the mantle of educator and advocate for these incredible fishes and their homes. You are uniquely positioned to make a difference. Probably the high point of the day was a glimpse at a sea-run cutthroat, with its mysterious Braille of spots, communicating something beyond words. A little doggerel came to me on the trip up the Columbia, a strong impression of the summer run and of your church.

Drifting, probing monks
Waving feathered prayer sticks.
Hail! Silver pilgrims.

Until we meet again,

Chris Warner
Pullman, WA
7-1-07


Dave,

Yesterday was a great day.  Thank you for all the effort you put in to make it so informative and fun. 

Teresa Bonfiglio
Seattle, WA
6-4-07


Hey Dave,

Thanks for the note and thanks for the class, it was wonderful! I had a great time, really learned a lot and had a lot of fun... don't think I'll ever look at bugs the same again :)..... you do a great job.

Mike Fowler
Snohomish, WA
6-4-07


Hi Dave,

I just wanted to let you know that fishing with Ryan last week was a great experience. He is an excellent teacher as well as a damn good riverside cook.

All the guys thought he was great. The best part was Ryan teaching a beginner - I mean never cast a rod before beginner - how to cast and was even able to out fish his friend. Whom by-the-way, has been fishing for years.

Thanks for letting me tag along.

Todd Karn
Seattle, WA
5-29-07

Dave,

Kevin was great last Tuesday. We had a great time, despite having to cut the day really short due to a work crisis.  Important safety tip, leave the cell phone at the hotel!

Anyways, I caught one so I can add to my species list.

Next time I can get out there I will definitely call on you. In the meantime I’ll let the folks know who referred me to you that their recommendation was excellent.

Robert K. Rowell
Townshend, VT
5-27-07


Dave,

Thanks for the fishing on Wednesday…it was a blast…I will look you up the next time I am back…You have a great approach. Kevin did a great job as well.

Bill Miller
Kansas City, MO
5-18-07

Hey Dave,

Thanks for a great trip, we sure had a good time fishing with you. Even though the fishing was slow, we all sure gave it our best try. John and I fished hard on Thursday and Friday but still no luck. Thank you very much for all your help on the casting, I certainly understand more about it now and will be able to improve, provided the casting gods are willing. Please tell Ryan and Dylan how very much we enjoyed our time on the river with them as well. They are great guys and a pleasure to spend a day fishing with as are you. Anytime you guys are out around the Lyons area, just let me know and will get together. Hope to see down the road.

Dave,

Thank you for a great day on the water, it was truely a learning experience.  I enjoyed spending time with you and on the water, Ben ???  I think he was whipped by lunch time. 

I thank you for spending the quality time with Ben, I know steelheading can be quite frustrating. I have been there before, and trust me I will be back.  This has now become a personal quest, I want the 20+ pound steelhead on the spey rod.

If there is anything I can do to help you out let me know, I will pass on my experiences with my friends and colleagues that have a passion for fly fishing.   You operate a professional and excellent business.

Regards,

Todd Somsel
Phoenix, AZ
3-12-07


Dear Dave:

I hope you remember me.  A few months back I sent you an e-mail asking about  a one day fishing visit in Bariloche.  You put me in touch with Manuel Abril.  I wanted to thank you sincerely for helping me make the connection with Manuel.  What a wonderful guy and what a wonderful day fishing.  Manuel stopped by the day before our trip with his son just to go over details and provided everything I needed and more.  The location was spectacular, the fishing was excellent and the service and support provided by Manuel and his son Gonzalo was worth every penny.  He provided transport, gear, food, advice, casting lessons, etc and all with good humor and fun.

I sent you photos of the lovely fish we bought, and my deepest thanks for hooking me up with a great experience.  I’ll be going pack to visit Manuel with friends and hope we can all get together and fish S.A. one day soon.

All the best,

Jon Wolfsthal
Washington, DC
3-5-07

I was impressed with how far you guys go to make sure the client is happy. I don't know anyone in the guide business that offers the value and personalized service you offer. Ill be in touch when I am in the area again.

David Prestipino
Star Tannery, VA
3-20-06


Dave,

We had a great time with Ryan. The class taught us what we wanted and needed to learn. It was great fishing on the Yakima river even though the weather was not the best for it. I guess it was a little too cold for much of a hatch. The spots were nice and no one else was fishing the area so we got to learn a lot. We both caught some fish but our only expectation was to have fun and learn. The fish were a bonus.

Thanks for a great class.

Jeff Ellis
Seattle, WA
9-22-06


Dave,

I could not be more pleased with my experience. My friend and I, despite not having caught much, enjoyed being out on the water. Mark was helpful and patient, especially with my friend who was truly a beginner. I am looking forward to coming back and will recommend Emerald Water Anglers to my friends back home… thanks again!

Aarin Massey
Chicago, IL
8-18-06

Hi Dave,

You were great! Thank you for taking time out of your day to talk with us. The guys who sat with us at breakfast, John and Keith, could have listened to you for hours. Fishing is life for them. And several others commented later about how much they learned and enjoyed your talk.

Best regards,

Richard Walters
Seattle, WA
8-2-06

Dave,

First let me apologize for not writing you sooner. I want to thank you for a remarkable trip to the Cowlitz River. Although I wasn't able to catch a steelhead the day was one I will certainly never forget. As you may recall I said something to the effect of "If I don't catch a fish it doesn't matter, I was able to spend the day in some of the most beautiful country. I truly believe that the opportunity to see and experience Gods gift to fishermen is the primary pleasure of all fishing trips. If I am able to hook one ,land one, or see someone put one in their creel then the day was even better.  I want to express my gratitude to you for not only having the patience of a saint but for having a genuine stewardship for the environment and its beauty. I feel as though I had a day of  excellent tuition with a good fisherman and made a friend at the same time . I would gladly return that favor if it were in my power. Please promise that if you are ever in my neck of the woods that you will let me return the favor with some good Texas hospitality. Thank your wife for supporting you in your stewardship and at the soonest take your baby fishing. May God Bless you and all that is yours.

As I Remain Thankful

Bruce Tiffin
Austin, TX
7-22-06


Hi Dave. 

I had a marvelous time fishing with you last week.  I know you wanted to catch a fish very badly but believe me I learned so much and had such fun that actually landing a fish would have been icing on an already very delicious cake.  I fished this morning on a small stream in Westchester county with my 7' bamboo rod and found myself double speying instead of rollcasting, which was really overkill but more fun.  I don't know about my school schedule for next year yet but when it allows I am going to try to come back.  I think we have a few long weekends in early October, and then Thanksgiving (I don't know if you work then).  If I had a choice between them (and I'm not sure I do, but let's be optimistic) which would you recommend?  Again I don't know if the finances or the schedule will really allow for this, but I'm being optimistic.  Anyway, gratias tibi maximas ago (thank you very much) again.
 
Funes intentos esto (tight lines),

Tom Hoetzl
New York, NY
7-8-06


Dave,

Dylan was the best! A great guide and a great person to spend the day with. We had a fantastic time. Monster fish, fun fly fishing. I gave up fly fishing about 30 years ago, but after the day, I can see getting back into it. My son still talks about the fishing. We may be in Seattle in March and will definitely get back to you.

Have a great holiday.

Thomas R Petersen
Los Angeles, CA
11-29-03

Hello Dave,

Just wanted to send you a note to let you know that it really was a treat to fish with you a couple weeks ago... The fish may not have cooperated but it truly was a pleasure to share company with you for the day. I was satisfied just wading Puget Sound and all it's beauty. I know after spending the day with you that I don't need to say this, but count your blessings, you are living a dream! You bring great credit to the sport/passion of flyfishing and your enthusiasm is contagious.

Thanks,

Bill Darbee
Bakersfield, CA
5-13-06


Dave,

Had a great time. Kevin was excellent and the scenery was brillant! Next time will be for steelhead

Thanks,

David Goldstein
8-1-06


Dave,

We had a great time! Ryan was great, he has the best personality, and was the most fun and personable of any guide I've ever had (and I've had more than 20 or 30). BTW, he took some pictures that we'd REALLY like to have e-mailed to us. We'll pay to get them developed if necessary, but we really want copies of those pictures!

Mark Godsey
San Louis Obispo, CA
3-20-06


Dave,

This is a long overdue thank you for all the help on the trip to Pelican Bay .  As I am sure you know it was not great fishing, about 80% fishing and 20% Chuck!

It was everything I could have hoped for in a bone fishing destination.  I just wanted to thank you for putting it together and we will probably go back sometime and will have you do the trip. Greg was great, very professional and took an interest in all the anglers and always ready to listen and give advice when needed.  Thanks again.

Liz and Chuck Brousseau
Seattle, WA
5-1-04

Special thanks to yourself and your fine staff. I enjoyed myself and learned a great deal from each and every instructor. I would love to see this become an annual get together and count on me bringing a couple of friends. On Labor Day I was visiting relatives on Fox Island . I got up early to go fish off the shore and caught my first salmon on a fly rod in the saltwater, a nice 7lb silver. I owe it all to the great ideas and instruction I received. You have a new saltwater disciple in me.

See you at the shop, or on the beach.

Sincerely,

Bruce Christy
Seattle, WA
9-10-04


Thanks Dave,

Had a great time on the Ronde althought the fishing was poor.  Everyone did get a fish however.  Marty and the crew were awesome and I would do the trip again in a heartbeat. We rebooked for next year already!

Nathan Keen
Seattle, WA  
11-5-05


Dave,

Thank you so much for making my dads' day of fishing so enjoyable.  Both of them gave you a "two thumbs up."  I really appreciate your warm hospitality, patience and friendly demeanor.  My dads really had a great time!

Thanks, again, Dave!  I'm really happy that the day was great for them.

Amy Trenary
Seattle, WA
6-29-05


Hi Dave,

Dylan ran a great class a couple weeks ago, so thank you.  He told us that we could email him anytime to ask questions. 

Drew Herdener
Seattle, WA
11-14-06

Greetings Friends,

Just wanted to drop you a quick note with great appreciation for the trip guided by Ryan in late June 2006.  I was in Seattle on a business trip and a short time to use for "on stream" fishing.  Ryan's attitude, knowledge, and willingness to share made the 1/2 day trip on the Cedar River memorable.  I brought along a new friend; a doctor living in WA who is engaged in studying stream activity and trout populations, and he even was impressed.

As a beginning fly-fisherman, I hold courteous guides and a willingness to share experience with me as worth every penny of a guided trip.  An educated professional, I learn quickly about the entomology of the region and local fish behavior.  Ryan was more than accommodating in this regard.

Though the 1/2 day trip yielded only 2 hook-ups and no fish was brought to hand, Ryan and his seamlessly and selflessly shared experience made the trip worth every penny for the outing.

I can, without reservation, recommend Emerald Water Anglers (Ryan especially) to host anyone willing to learn and have an opportunity to put a trophy trout in hand.

Additionally, I will recommend Emerald Water Anglers and Ryan to any friends and associates finding their way to the Pacific Northwest.

Best regards,
T.W.
Indianapolis, IN
1-25-07