Mark Karaba

Self employed most of his adult working life in the concrete construction business, Mark began fly fishing in the 1970's, as a trout fishing enthusiast. He got away from trout fishing for a few years when developed a passion for Walleye. He found his way back to moving water, Smallmouth Bass and Trout about 15 years ago, and hasn't stopped since. Mark is a master fly-tier, beginning over 25 years ago. He follows his own sense of creativity with nymph and streamer patterns. He takes great pride and satisfaction in creating a fly and catching fish with his flies of his own design.
Mark spent a few years filming for national TV shows in the outdoor/hunting/fishing programing genre. He traveled to several Canadian Provinces and Michigan to film. In addition to his film experience, Mark has traveled to many U.S. states to fish including; Minnesota, Wisconsin, Montana, Wyoming, West Virginia, Tennessee, North Carolina and Alabama. In Canada; Labrador, Ontario and Quebec. In addition to all of this wonderful experience, Mark is a professional writer, having published work for outdoor publications, online fly fishing journals and been published in an international deer hunting magazine, a bi-monthly conservation newspaper based in Michigan.

Mark became interested in becoming a fly fisherman guide to offer clients an experience that can offer them a different perspective of a river or stream as a living entity. Mark has a passion for sharing knowledge of the entire experience. From bird life to the types of trees, plants and wildflowers that exist along the river corridor. His goal, along with the desire to catch fish with a fly, is to offer a more complete outdoor experience, and share over 40 years of a life in the out of doors and pass along knowledge to those looking for a fishing experience beyond catching fish with a fly.

Brett Riser

Brett taught himself to fly- fish as a teenager, but never really got “the bug” until his early twenties while on a trip to the famous Au Sable River. This eventually turned into a passion of his between classes while attending Michigan State University. There he received his Bachelors of Science in Fisheries and Wildlife. As a member of MSU’s Fishing Club, Brett and his teammates won two Michigan Collegiate Steelhead Tournaments on the famed Pere Marquette as well as two Big Ten Bass Championship Titles. Amongst like-minded talented fishy individuals, Brett began to craft his talent and affinity for fly-fishing.  

A life-long obsession with nature, turned into an education resulting in a position as a fisheries technician with Michigan State University. There he worked on a largemouth/smallmouth bass study project that supported an early catch and release bass season across mid-Michigan. Brett was responsible for studying the behavior of spawning bass and the effects of angling on reproductive success. While working on the project he led angling techniques and fish identification. As a fisheries technician with the United States Fish and Wildlife Service, Brett received experience angling for saltwater species in South Carolina’s “Low Country”, learning southern culture-on-the-fly. Frequent trips back to the region continue to challenge his appetite in learning new techniques and casting styles. A season spent in Alaska on the Kenai Peninsula, traveling and exploring everything the peninsula had to offer, exposed him to; giant rainbows, dolly varden, steelhead, silver salmon, king salmon, pinks and west coast style fly culture. Navigating drift boats down the alluring Kenai River, remote hike-in trips on the Russian River, and fishing tidal waters like the Anchor River, provided a unique learning experience that can’t be found in a book or classroom.

Brett has fly-fished in Michigan, Montana, Wisconsin, South Carolina, and Alaska. However, of all his adventures and experience through travel– the road has always led him back home to the Kalamazoo river of Michigan. If not on the Kalamazoo fulfilling his passion of moving water and aggressive smallmouths in the clear, cool water, Brett can be found up north. Northern Michigan streams and trout on the dry-fly, intertwined with the bubbling of streams and cold clean water have a gravitational pull on his soul.

Brett has evaluated the State’s resources and is well in-tune while staying ahead of the curve on stream health and fish populations throughout the state. He can provide an insight into “the river” unlike any other offered. A young gun with a respect and appreciation for the old fly guard and fishing gurus that have come out of Michigan before him, Brett draws from the old and creates with the new. He blends classical style with the newest techniques. A student of the game and innovator in his own right, he can provide you with an exciting adventure.  If you want to fish with a unique guy, knowledgeable of the resource, with a friendly and cheery nature... You’ve found the right fly guy.