Our Guides

Victor Babbitt

Victor purchased his first fly rod at age 7 but unfortunately never had a mentor to teach him how to use it! He did catch a few catfish with it at the Colorado River though! Victor really got into the sport when he moved to Tahoe back in the 80’s and found an old fiberglass rod in the shed of the first house he lived in. A little mentoring from an old shop owner named Wayne Wilkins and the rest is history! Twenty some years later, he still loves the Sierra Nevada Mountains! “The fishing is wonderful and the outdoors cannot be beat.” Living in South Lake Tahoe has been an adventure for Victor and central to many a good fishin’ hole. After spending the past fifteen years behind the counter of a fly shop and a few years prior to that behind a bar, he has heard most all the lies he can imagine and a few secrets about fly fishing as well!

There are five watersheds within a few hours drive and he has spent his fair share of time on all of them. The Carson Rivers and the Walker Rivers are his backyard fisheries and it is where he sends most of his clients. His favorite place to guide is on the East Walker River during the winter/spring! So if you have a question about these rivers or if you are in need of a direction to be sent, now is the time to ask him, and you just might learn a secret or two. If there is one thing he enjoys, it’s talking about fishing!

Jarrod Beer

Jarrod was born in Washington State in 1982 and moved to South Lake Tahoe in 1986. Growing up fishing the local waters in and around Tahoe for the last 20 years has given him a knowledge of these fisheries that is second to none. He is an excellent instructor who is extremely patient and is always happy to teach beginners to the advanced fly fisherman. He has worked at Tahoe Fly Fishing Outfitters for the last 6 years and this has given him the knowledge of both the area fisheries and the products that you might need. Jarrod also enjoys skiing the mountains in the winter and wakeboarding Lake Tahoe in the summer.

Brendan Burnside

Brendan Burnside grew up in the foothills of the Western Sierra. His earliest memories of fishing go back to salmon fishing with his grandpa over 20 years ago. While his friends were fishing with spinners and bait, he taught himself how to fly fish on the streams of the Sierra 16 years ago. He is always an advocate of catch and release fishing. He moved to Tahoe full-time 6 years ago, which enabled him to fish many more hours and fine tune his fly fishing skills. You’ll find him fishing all over the Eastern Sierra chasing trophy trout with his dog, Sage. When not on the stream he spends his time skiing powder at Kirkwood. Whether you’re a seasoned angler or a first timer he’ll work his hardest to make sure your trip is unforgettable.

Jon Copeland

Jon defiantly lives the “dream.” Spending his winters skiing at Kirkwood Mountain Resort and his summers chasing trout in and around the Tahoe Basin, gives Jon his most joy. “I have never had a desk job and never plan to. It just wouldn’t seem right.”

Jon has been fly fishing for over 20 years and guiding for 11 seasons. Having chased trout all over the Western United States, Jon says, “It’s more about the hunt than the catch.” Considering himself a nymph and sub-surface fishing fanatic, he always seems to hook fish. He loves to spend as much time as he can on the Truckee and East Carson Rivers, but also gets to some of the smaller rivers and creeks to hone his skills for our native trout. Whether it is a 6” Brookie on a 1 weight or a 5 pound Brown on a 6 weight he seems equally excitable. Mention streamer fishing and he might just go crazy.

“I really enjoy teaching people new techniques and seeing them catch fish is really exciting to me. When guiding I still consider myself fishing, but I have to do it through my clients, choosing the right fly, using the right approach and technique. When they get into fish, I feel like I had a big part in it and it is really rewarding.”

Corey Funk

Corey started fishing around the age of 5. Growing up in Lake Tahoe made for great fishing adventures and he took every opportunity to be on the creek and come home wet albeit to his parent’s dismay. His fly fishing odyssey began after college when Corey came across an old Fenwick left by his dad. He was able to spend about a hundred days a year on the water honing his skills. That work continues to this day, as there is always something new to learn. Corey believes one of the most important aspects of fly fishing is being out, away from the crowds, using that time to reflect and unwind. He will encourage clients to notice their surroundings and their natural abilities. There are very few “ugly” fly fishing venues. Get out there, cast a line and have a ball. Bad days just don’t exist when you’re fishing.

Brad Jackson

Brad started flyfishing in the early 60’s with his father and uncle. They took him to very small high mountain streams where he learned to catch native trout on dries. After a few summers of listening and learning he was off to the rivers of the West. He now continues to fish throughout the Western United States, and also manages about 5 weeks a year chasing fish in warm salt water. Come winter, Brad seeks the clear waters of New Zealand to spot and stock browns and rainbows for a month or so. He feels there are absolutely no bad days on the water. And any fish that takes a fly is a good fish!

Peter Santley

Peter Santley was born and raised on the shores of Southern California. It was there that surfing and fishing became his passions. He became active in the off shore angling scene where he fished for Tuna, Yellowtail, Dorado, Marlin, and Swordfish. He competed in many tournaments in that area and Baja. Peter moved to South Lake in 1993 where he traded surfing for skiing and pursued the fishing opportunities in the area. He purchased his first fly rod at this time and has not put it down since. As a guide for Tahoe Fly Fishing Outfitters, Peter is a tremendous resource for both the fishing opportunities and sharing his knowledge of the Sierras. A day with Peter is filled with fun and the excitement of learning something new.

Doug Teakell

Doug was born and raised in northern California, spending most summers on the family cattle ranch in the Colorado Rocky Mountains. Weekends were spent in the Sierras, where the family pastimes were deer hunting and trout fishing. Under his father’s guidance, Doug became a well-rounded outdoorsman. Doug left the mountains and went to sea for 25 years as a Captain, but yearned to return to the Sierra Nevada, which he considered home. While running private yachts in the Bahamas and Caribbean, he honed his fly fishing skills chasing bonefish. On his way back to Tahoe, Doug attended the Clearwater House Guide School in 2001, and renewed his passion for mountain trout. In addition to guiding for Tahoe Fly Fishing Outfitters, Doug captains Harrah’s motor yacht, the Tahoe Star, on Lake Tahoe.

Doug has lived his life in paradise – whether it’s on the sparkling turquoise waters in the tropics, or in the High Sierra and the deep blue Lake Tahoe. Doug is a natural guide – whether he’s describing the sights and history of the area, or pointing to fish in a river and the wildlife around it. You’re sure to pick up his enthusiasm on the river, and hear a tale or two on your way there.

Mikey Wier

Mikey Wier started fly-fishing at age 7, and the sport has been a big part of his life ever since. Mikey was born in New Zealand, and moved to the foothills of the Sierra Nevada Mountains at age 2. He spent much of his childhood chasing around bass and trout in the Hwy 88 region. Mikey joined the Delta fly fishers at age 9 and began tying flies. He further developed his skills over the years and now prides himself on trying to fish with only flies that he has tied. Mikey moved to Lake Tahoe 10 years ago and has been snowboarding in the winters and working in the fly fishing industry in the summers, for the past 10 years. He started out as a shop employee with the Tahoe Fly Fishing Outfitters and has been a full time guide in the Tahoe area for the past 8 seasons. Mikey most frequently guides the Carson Rivers, Pleasant Valley, the Walker Rivers, The Truckee and Little Truckee, and the high country lakes.

In addition to guiding, Mikey also started and runs Burl Productions. They do FISH EYE Fly Fishing Video Magazine and have worked on several other projects such as The Trout Bum Diaries and SOULFISH. Burl Productions is the first fishing oriented production company to bring non-instructional, hard core fishing entertainment based videos to the market. Burl Productions still prides itself on producing the most exciting videos available today. Mikey also keeps a blog chatting about all his latest filming and fishing adventures. Make sure to check it out.