Fly fishing is built on two key skills: identifying the places in a river or stillwater where trout will most likely be found and presenting a fly in the manner and pattern that a trout expects. The quickest way to learn these skills is by being on the water with a guide, casting to fish, collecting insects, and matching the food trout are feeding on. Your guide is there as a companion to share his knowledge of the water, teach you these skills and encourage you along the way. Falcon’s Ledge guides can focus on a particular fishery, on mastering specific skills, or just having fun catching fish.
The Orvis Endorsed guide staff at Falcon’s Ledge is truly exceptional. Each member of the guide staff is an accomplished angler and instructor eager to share their knowledge and experience with you. Our guides are passionate about fly fishing, the outdoors and ensuring your day on the water is one that you will remember forever.
SPENCER HIGA
Spencer was born in Provo, UT. He grew up fishing these local rivers, streams, and lakes with his father. Spencer began guiding at Falcon’s Ledge in 1996. He has been tying flies for 20 years just about as long as he’s been fly fishing. He loves fishing the high mountain streams for brookies, cutts, and rainbows. He also loves the challenge on the lower elevation rivers for trophy browns. His passion for fly fishing is evident and he is eager to teach anyone that is willing to learn. Spencer lives in Provo, Utah.
JEFF LINDSTROM
Jeff was born in Provo, Utah. His first experience fly fishing was on the Fire Hole River in Yellowstone when he was eight. Jeff has been fly fishing off and on all his life but actually got serious about it 12 years ago. Jeff enjoys guiding and helping others enjoy the challenge and thrill of fly-fishing.
BRYAN ELDREDGE
Bryan has suffered from what appears to be a terminal case of Fish Fever his whole life. He was born and raised in Roosevelt, Utah, just twenty miles from Falcon’s Ledge. He spent his summers hauling firewood from the Uinta Mountains with his father who discovered that the best way to get Bryan to work fast was to promise to let him fish once the truck was full. Bryan began guiding and teaching fly fishing schools at Falcon’s Ledge in 2003. He confesses now that he worried that he wouldn’t be able to stand not being the one doing the fishing, but he found from the start that helping others catch fish and experience the waters of his youth is every bit as rewarding as doing it himself. Besides, he still manages to catch one or two (thousand) fish a year. . . . In the “off season” Bryan is an Associate Professor and Program Coordinator of the American Sign Language & Deaf Studies Program at Utah Valley University in Orem, Utah. He has to do something to justify the time he put in earning a Ph.D. in linguistic anthropology. Bryan attributes his love of guiding to the fact that it combines his avocation (fly fishing) and his vocation (teaching). Bryan lives in Pleasant Grove, Utah with his wife, Julie.
DARREN WARD
Darren was born and raised in the Utah Mountains and grew up fishing their rivers and lakes. He has fly fished out of Falcon’s Ledge for the last five years and this is his third year guiding. He loves spot and stalk fishing for large trout in small water. He completed his first novel last year. He lives in Draper with his understanding wife, daughter, and son.
ERIK HACKING
Erik’s father gave him his first fly rod in 1977 and he’s been chasing trout with a fly ever since. Erik has spent much of his life fishing the rivers of the Mountain West, with much of his time spent floating the South Fork of the Snake River in Idaho and the Beaverhead in Montana. Erik worked a few years guiding on the Provo in the mid nineties and is excited to return for a third season at Falcon’s Ledge.
JOHN ROCK
John was raised in Morgan Utah, where he still lives today. His first real fishing rod was a bamboo fly rod that his dad gave him when he was about 8 years old (which he still has hanging on the wall of his home). John has been fishing with his family ever since. He loves to toss dry flies and enjoys the challenge of nymph fishing. Married to his wife Susan for the last 34 years . They have six children and eight grandchildren. He started teaching and coaching wrestling and football at Morgan High School in 1980 and is still enjoying it. This will be John’s 4th year at Falcon’s Ledge, John is a patient teacher and guide.
GRANT BENCH
Grant grew up in Missouri teasing the bass in local farm ponds with flies. He enjoys every aspect of fly fishing including tying flies, fishing with corkies, and stalking big fish. Being a self-proclaimed “dry fly junkie” he enjoys teaching people to understand the importance of presentation. Grant speaks three languages, Spanish, Russian and Ukrainian. “Will finish school someday….nah!!”
TIM JOHNSON
Tim grew up in Mesa, Arizona and got his first little taste of the “fly fishing juice” at the tender age of 10 years-old… It might as well have been crack. Stuck in the middle of a desert, and able only to fish wherever he could peddle himself on his Yellow Schwinn Cruiser, Tim spent his days tying flies and absorbing fly fishing books and magazines. Soon he was making frequent trips to Utah and enjoying our amazing fly fishing opportunities. In 2000 he finally moved up here and has been flogging the state’s trout into submission ever since. Because moving from the state would mean moving away from the fish, he may just never leave. (Don’t tell the in-laws) Tim lives in Provo with his wife, Georgie, and their first baby girl, Bailey, who at 18 months has already thrown line and shown great interest in rivers and fish. When he’s not on the water he can be found painting watercolors of… what else… behemoth trout.
TIM JENKINS
Tim grew up in Colorado and spent every moment he could chasing every fish he could find. Little has changed now that he is older although today, grad school and work eat into his fishing time a little more then he would like. Tim’s true passion is catching big fish in small streams on dry flies. He especially likes to get away from crowds and enjoy the peace that fly fishing can provide. Tim spends most of his time now trying to convince his wife Amy, that they should use cool fishing names for their children. Although Amy quickly has dismissed most of Tim’s suggestions, Tim did score one big victory with his first-born (and the only child…so far); Drake Fisher was born in August of 2008.
DAVID DANLEY
David, is a native of Utah and has fished and guided our home waters nearly his entire life. Having earned a degree from Utah State University in Fish & Wildlife Biology & Management, he not only can nearly read the fish’s mind he can also name you every bug, bird, and plant as you enjoy a day on the river with him. He is married to Crystal Danley and they reside in Roosevelt with their two Labs, Hanna and Higley. As an interesting side note, David is a world-class distance runner – qualifying for the Olympic Trials in the marathon a couple of years ago. Don’t try and out walk him while you are out fishing.
ERIC “JR.” MACKAY
Eric first caught the fly fishing bug when he was 15 years old. Tutored and taught by his scout leader, Falcons Ledge’s very own Darren Ward, Eric soon spent every possible day he could on the water. Eric enjoys all aspects fly fishing has to offer, the life style, solitude, long road trips and miles hiked, the unique and beautiful places in nature fly fishing takes you and the friendships made along the way, but mostly the TROUT! There is always something new to be learned in fly fishing and Eric keeps an open mind to all. Eric started guiding in 2007, and loves teaching beginners how to fly fish.
Testimonials
“I almost always fish with a guide, because a good guide enhances my experience on the water. I learn new techniques; I go to the most productive water at the most productive time; I pick-up local lore; I enjoy their company; and if I have a learning angler with me, I don’t need to play teacher.” – Perk Perkins, President, The Orvis Company
“These are the best educated, most polite, most safety conscious, most knowledgeable guides we have ever had.” – Stewart M. NC
