The 2023 season is upon us, and once again The Fly Fisher’s Place is the home shop for the best guides in Central Oregon. Highly skilled, and a lot of fun to fish with, FFP’s guides provide trusted, proven, and dedicated service to clients on the pristine alpine lakes and beautiful rivers of Sisters Country and beyond.

Here at the Fly Fisher’s Place, we pride ourselves on creating a fantastic guided fishing experience for our friends and clients of all skill levels. We are proud of our guides, proud of the excellent professional services they provide, and are excited to introduce them to you here, so that you might get to know them before you hit the waters for a great day of fishing.

GUIDES OF THE FLY FISHER’S PLACE:

Jeff Perin

Jeff Perin is the owner of the Fly Fisher’s Place and guide service. He has been guiding Central Oregon since 1988 and has built his career fishing and guiding the Cascade Lakes and the Fall River.

There is nothing Jeff loves more than the thrill of technical angling, and he enjoys showing customers the best of what our tremendous lakes and streams have to offer. Jeff guides on East Lake, Crane Prairie Reservoir, Paulina Lake, Lava Lake, Hosmer Lake, 3 Creek Lake, and the Fall River.

Jeff’s a sucker for a well-tied terrestrial because he has seen what they can do when other flies seem to fail.

The Metolius River and East Lake are his two favorite Central Oregon waters, and Jeff spends as many of his days off as possible fishing both places.

Jeff is a boat fanatic, and is always looking for the perfect boat. This season he will be guiding out of a Hewes Craft Open Fisherman for the larger lakes, and a Koffler Rocky Mountain Trout Boat for the small mountain lakes. 

In Jeff’s boat, everything from quality Echo rods to the perfect line set-up are included, and he spends a lot of time over the winter tying flies for the upcoming season, so you always know that you’ll have the best fly tied on for the day.

Reviews for Jeff:

“Jeff. We have had some fantastic lake trips together. One in particular was to East Lake and the wind was blowing fierce. You found us several nooks where the fish were rising and we had one of the best dry fly fishing days ever. I always enjoy our outings. I tend to use guides to learn new waters and techniques and you are most willing to share your knowledge to help me improve. Often, I use my own gear, but your gear is so much better than mine I usually defer to you. Also, you have several of them rigged for multiple conditions and we use them all. Fly selection is so important and your fly boxes are filled to the brim; I lust after your fly boxes. Thanks for many fun filled days on the local lakes.”
—John Paznokas

“I am a Stream fisherman, not much for lakes, but last October, Jeff convinced me to try Hosmer Lake with him. Since I trust him, I agreed.

I was surprised. Seems like a pond at the boat launch: a whole day in this? Then into the channel and I was overwhelmed by the amount of water in the side channels, coves and bays that seem like a series of interconnected ponds. When we got to the upper lake, I realized what a unique creation of nature this is.

In the channel and side bays, I found myself drooling at the sight of so many fish. I had to take deep breaths to calm myself to be able to cast effectively. However, it was not like shooting fish in a barrel. The water is crystal clear and the fish selective, placing a premium on good presentations. And fly selection. Fortunately for me, Jeff knew what the fish wanted. He had three rods set up, dry flies, nymphs and streamers. We worked through a series of flies typical for a lake and I caught several fish between 12-15 inches. A good day anywhere.

I frequently had to put my rod down, look around and appreciate the beauty of the surrounding scenery, snow-capped mountains natural wonders. A world apart from daily routines, frustrations and news cycles. A moving mediation.

Then we got to the upper lake and Jeff rigged up a new fly: ‘One I just tied last night. Let’s see how it works.’ Well, after experimenting with a number of retrieves with no luck, Jeff said, “Try a hand-twist retrieve.” On the next cast, the indicator disappeared, I set the hook and thought I hung up on the bottom. Then line screamed off my reel. The fish made zig-zag runs like a Steelhead. I hung on for dear life. Finally I got him to the net, a 20+-inch Rainbow.

After I calmed down, I made a few more casts. The indicator went down again. I set the hook and the fish exploded from the water, jumping vertically. And again. And again. And again. Then he dove and fought like a bulldog. When I finally brought him to the net, he was even larger than the previous Rainbow.

Needless to say, Jeff converted me to a lake aficionado. Oh, what was the magic fly? A Balance Leech.”
—Frank Link

“Fishing with Jeff is always a pleasure. His equipment is first rate, including that secret fly pattern, and the little techniques that make for a successful outing.”
—Jon Egge

“My Dad and I have had the pleasure of having Jeff as our guide over many years and multiple patches of water. While every trip has been excellent, our favorite trips are to East Lake. Jeff has fished this water since he was a kid, and I swear it seems that he knows every square foot of the underwater topography. His ability to put on fish is uncanny, and his ability to get you an “East Lake Grand Slam” (Rainbow, Brown, and Kokanee) is superb. But more than goof fishing, a day on the water with Jeff is like a day spent with a great friend —fun, humorous, educational, and memorable. I hope to be fishing on East Lake with Jeff as my guide for many happy years to come.”
—Scott Collins

The Guide: Steve Erickson

The resident old man at FFP, Steve has been guiding with Jeff for over fourteen years. His angling experience includes both moving and stillwater aquatic environments across the United States and internationally. His primary focus is on the rivers of Central Oregon, including the Deschutes and McKenzie, but he maintains a strong and growing enthusiasm for stillwater fishing.

Steve is an enthusiastic teacher of both novice and experienced anglers, and he is an invaluable resource for learning new techniques and building the skill sets you will want in your angling adventures. He particularly enjoys teaching the element of spey casting for those majestic migratory fish.

When plied with his favorite Scotch, Steve admits that standing thigh deep in the pulsing current of the Deschutes, swinging flies for summer run Steelhead is his favorite vice.

He is also an excellent oarsman who has spent a lifetime understanding and anticipating the needs of fly anglers. His custom built 17×54 Willie drift boat is fully supplied with all of the equipment needed to fish the varied waters of Central Oregon.

If you are a resident or a visitor, and want to have a memorable and informative experience plying your angling skills in any of the aquatic environs of central Oregon, give us a call at the Fly Fisher’s Place. Ask for Steve, and get ready to have a memorable, enjoyable, and informative experience.

Reviews for Steve:

“My friend and I took a float-trip with Steve down the McKenzie. It was truly one of the best times of my life. I am a novice fly-fisher, at best, and Steve’s patience, humor, and skill, made the day incredible. He got us on the fish, happily un-assed a lot of my problems, and made not only a repeat customer, but a trusted friend.”
—Craig Rullman

“Hi Jeff. Just wanted to quickly say thank you so much for what was a really great day of fishing. Troy and Steve were amazing guides and very accommodating with our time constraints and experience levels. It is SO beautiful here and we will for sure be back!”
—Erin Eastland

The Guide: Troy Leedy

Troy Leedy has been guiding in Oregon for six years. He brought with him a love of guiding high alpine streams and lakes from the southwest mountains of Colorado and northern New Mexico. Oregon’s high alpine lakes and streams are where he feels most at home.

Troy spends many of his days on the trophy waters of Hosmer Lake. “Throw a fly in the wake of SUP hatch and hang on,” he says. East Lake is a close second, for its trophy fishing and the amazing scenery in the Newberry National Monument.

Troy’s love of big rivers and drift boats is evident any day he’s not on the lakes, and he spends a great deal of time on the Lower Deschutes. “The beauty of the fish and geology in the Lower Deschutes Canyon is breathtaking,” Troy says.

Since moving to Oregon, steelhead have become an obsession, and the chance to chase these awe inspiring fish on the Deschutes is what gets him up at 4:30 in the morning. Troy is currently drifting an Alumaweld boat, “Little Drifty”. His 26 years of experience in running whitewater have taken him all over the world, and it is evident in the way he rows a boat, and provides a fantastic experience for clients floating and fishing the McKenzie for trout on dry flies.

Drys, nymphs, streamers, poppers —Troy loves mixing it up and using the optimal technique for the occasion. He believes it is important to tailor outfitting to the individual, and will help you focus and dial in your strengths, while buoying your weaknesses. Redington and RIO are generally in Troy’s capable hands, and he provides a full line to dial in your experience.

Reviews for Troy:

“Hi Jeff. Just wanted to quickly say thank you so much for what was a really great day of fishing. Troy and Steve were amazing guides and very accommodating with our time constraints and experience levels. It is SO beautiful here and we will for sure be back!”
—Erin Eastland

The Guide: Ben Kittell

If you have called the fly shop, stopped in for some advice, or gone on a multi-day trip with us in the recent past, chances are you have met and talked with Ben. After graduating from Colorado State University with a degree in Environmental Communications, he moved to Central Oregon where he is now the Guide Trip Operations Manager, Guide, and Multi-Day Specialist for The Fly Fisher’s Place.

Ben began working in the guiding industry in 2008 in order to help provide people with a positive experience of the local river ecosystems, to build a relationship with the natural world we play in, and to promote stewardship of our fisheries for the future.

When he is not in the shop helping our valued friends and customers unlock the secrets of the Metolius, Ben can be found teaching fly fishing lessons, or guiding on the many and diverse rivers and lakes of Central Oregon. Ben has been rowing boats since he was 17, and loves to take people out in his 16′ Alumaweld drift boat for float trips down the Lower Deschutes, Upper Deschutes, McKenzie, or up into the Cascade Lakes.

From spey to switch to single-handed, Ben offers the use of a wide range of quality equipment that has been extensively tested on our home waters. When we are unable to get a hold of Ben, he is usually out on his raft, floating down the Lower Deschutes to set up tents and cook delicious stream side meals at our luxurious multi-day camps.

Over the past few years Ben has spent a lot of time on the Middle and Lower Deschutes refining hybrid nymphing techniques that can improve any angler’s day on the water. More importantly, he loves sharing all that he has learned. When we asked him what his favorite fly is, he replied: “A BK Kller BH FB CDC PT…in most colors and sizes…”. You’ll have to ask him in person to clear that up.

Whether in the fly shop or out on the water, Ben strives to provide each person he interacts with a fun, knowledgeable and unforgettable experience that will stick with you, and keep you coming back for more.

The Guide: Mary Ann Dozer —

Mary Ann fell in love with fish, not while casting from a riverbank, but while scuba diving in the Caribbean and South Pacific with her husband, Dave. Her first fly fishing experience was in 1995 in Yellowstone Park and her passion for the sport took hold. Since then, she said she has spent “pretty much every vacation and long weekend with a rod in my hand.” When her high tech career wound down after 20 years, Mary Ann wanted to do something different with her life. The answer was easy: pursue her passion for fly fishing and share it with others.

Mary Ann loves to introduce new anglers to fly fishing or take experienced anglers’ skill to that next level. Whether this be via casting lesson, a day in a classroom or a day on the water. Mary Ann considers casting an art form. She is an Fly Fishers International (FFI), Master Casting Instructor and is pursuing a Two Hand Casting CertificationHer love and finesse of casting has put her on the Winston Pro-Staff Team. Mary Ann is available for casting instruction, fly fishing workshops, and club presentations.

For the past 15 years, she has instructed men and women in fly fishing techniques. Since ’09 she has dedicated her spring, summer, and fall to guiding in Central Idaho & Central Oregon. With a recent move to Sister’s she is teaching and guided in Central Oregon exclusively. She believes in giving back and volunteers for Casting for Recovery and for the IFFF at the local, state, & national level. She has volunteered with Casting for Recovery for 15 years, participating in fly fishing retreats for women with breast cancer. She has also co-chaired Education and Publicity for the Northwest Fly Fishing Expo for the last ten years. Her greatest love is guiding other fly fishers. She is building a series of educational videos for fly casting and fishing. She is the Monthly Programs Chair for the Central Oregon Fly Fishers Club.

On her guiding style, Mary Ann says: “I am a teacher who makes learning to fly fish fun, knowing that our purpose on the water is to catch fish! I think it is a guide’s responsibility to take their guests’ skills and knowledge to the next level so that the next time they fish, something they learned from me will result in a great cast, and a great fish.” Accolades from Mary Ann’s guests and students include: “positive,” “outgoing,” “fun,” “patient,” “builds confidence,” and “a natural teacher.”

Fun facts about Mary Ann:

• She hails from Atwood, Indiana, a town with no stoplights.
• Her parents are Dutch immigrants and three out of her five siblings were born in Holland.
• During her childhood, her parents owned a chicken farm and then a grocery store.
• She holds an engineering degree from Purdue University and a Masters degree from Pepperdine University.
• Her favorite rod is one of the bamboo sticks her husband crafts. “There is nothing like the sensitivity and responsiveness when casting bamboo and landing a fish!”
• She is a Big Ten fanatic and is normally not reachable during the NCAA Basketball Tournament season.

THE GUIDE: Adam Ross

Adam Ross moved to beautiful Central Oregon in 2012 in pursuit of more fishing options.  Once he settled in, he realized he had struck gold with the amount of amazing fishing opportunities in the area.   Coming from New Mexico where options are few and far between, Adam absolutely fell in love with the seemingly infinite number of quality fisheries.

When it comes to fishing Adam prefers to sight fish for selectively feeding trout.  Whether they are eating sub-surface or up top, you can bet Adam will find a way to oblige them.  Adam prefers to fish the flowing water of rivers but spends a lot of time every season at Wickiup Reservoir and Hosmer Lake where sight fishing is the name of the game.

Adam also ties flies in bunches.  Tying anywhere from two to three thousand flies every year you can bet you’ll be well “armed” when it comes to fly selections.  All of Adam’s flies have been specially tied and designed for our local waters.  Adam also enjoys teaching the beautiful art of fly tying to those that want to learn.    

Although Adam specializes in European style nymphing he is well versed in many other fly fishing techniques and strategies.   Adam enjoys teaching fly fishing techniques to novice and experienced anglers alike.  Watching the beginning angler’s skills develop is worth it’s weight in gold to Adam.  When it comes to guiding more experienced anglers Adam loves to shed light on new techniques and perhaps work on skills that haven’t quite developed.  In either case you can be sure Adam will be wearing a big smile.    

Whether you want to float down the Mckenzie or Deschutes in Adam’s drift boat (affectionately named Dolores), or walk the banks of Crooked, Fall, or Upper Deschutes River, Adam has you covered.  With expert advice and an up-beat attitude you can assure that you’ll have a great experience on the water with Adam. 

THE GUIDE: Doug Pendleton

Owner, Northwest Fly Fishing Academy

At age three, Doug got his first lesson in fly fishing from his dad on the Pend Oreille River near his hometown of Newport, WA.  

After completing his graduate degree in marine biology and experiential education from the University of Hawaii, he spent more than a decade as an eco-adventure tour operator in the islands.  Doug returned to Washington in 1987, where for the next 20 years he pursued his love for the natural world by creating natural history itineraries worldwide for several exploration-style cruise companies.  Home again in his native Washington, Doug was re-introduced to fly fishing by some of the fly fishing legends of the northwest, including Brian Chan, Ed Ward and Simon Gawesworth.In 2006, Doug retired from his “day job” in Seattle to pursue his love of fly fishing full-time as a professional guide and instructor. The focus of his new passion is introducing new-comers to fly fishing. In 2009 Doug launched Northwest Fly Fishing Academy in 2009. It was immediately a hit and in 2011 Doug was voted “best fishing guide in the northwest” by viewers of Seattle’s King 5 TV’s Evening Magazine. 

In December of 2019 Doug his wife, Lois, and their two friendly pooches, moved to Sisters for its appealing lifestyle and to launch Northwest Fly Fishing Academy in central Oregon. Now on the guide / instructor team at Fly Fisher’s Place, Doug is eager to introduce visitors and residents alike to the art and science of fly fishing on the waters of central Oregon.

THE GUIDE: Shad Campbell

Shad Campbell has been guiding successful trips for seven years, making his mark on the Deschutes River, the Fall River, and the numerous Alpine Lakes of Central Oregon.

“What I like most about guiding,” Shad says, “Is sharing the experience of fly fishing and the places it takes us. I like to show people our amazing Central Oregon playground.”

Shad’s favorite fly is the Green Butt Skunk. “Very few flies have as rich a history, and are as well known as the Skunk and Green Butt Skunk. It’s simple, classic, and likely catches more steelhead than any other fly.”

Shad’s favorite spots vary by the season, but “The Deschutes is always towards the top of the list, and the John Day River in the late fall is one of my favorites.”

Clients on the water with Shad will find a quiver of Echo, Beulah, Sage, and Winston fly rods on hand to round out a fantastic experience on the water.