Meet the Guides

Guide Mac Marett is definitely one of the most well-rounded guides in Western North Carolina, capable of putting people on fish whether the venue is a small wild stream, a stocked Delayed Harvest river, or a tree-choked stretch of muskie water. His guiding specialty is wild, native Southern Appalachian brook trout trips. Mac grew up in Eastern Tennessee, catching his first trout at age 3 under the watchful eye of his father Larry, an incredible fisherman. After attending the University of South Carolina, where he studied Southern Literature with "Deliverance" author James Dickey as his advisor, Mac moved to Philadelphia to chase his dream of playing in rock band. He toured England and North America before relocating to the Highlands-Cashiers area in the early 1990s, where he worked as a sous chef and guided part-time. Soon he hung up his apron and began guiding full-time. Three years later, he became the head guide for an Orvis endorsed outfitter in WNC, where he worked for 5 years until we (thankfully) wooed him away. After a lifetime of fly fishing, Mac's two main loves remain brook trout and muskies. Every fall, he makes a pilgrammage to Boulder Junction, WI to fish for these toothy predators on the fly. Mac is also a gifted fly tier whose original patterns have been featured in American Angler, Southern Angler's Journal and Eastern Fly Fishing. If you want to learn some new patterns, hike into a remote brookie stream or find out what makes muskies tick, Mac is who you want to come looking for.

Guide Pete Pepinsky took to fly fishing like a rainbow trout takes to a #22 red zebra midge. After vacuuming up knowledge at the L.L. Bean Flyfishing School in Maine and an Orvis school in Georgia, he has spent the past 15 years learning what makes trout tick, also chasing other freshwater and saltwater species on the fly from coast to coast. Books on fly fishing almost make a corner of his house sag. His quest for information probably came from his work as a senior editor at three daily newspapers, a public relations manager at three universities, plus eight years in the crazy confines of an advertising and public relations agency. Pete is a graduate of Auburn University, the Poynter Institute for Media Studies and the American Press Institute. He was honored by the Public Relations Council of Alabama in 1999 as its practitioner of the year, and as a senior practitioner in 2000 by the Southern Public Relations Federation. But back to important stuff. A self-admitted gearhead, he should be honored as customer of the century by fly fishing equipment manufacturers. Recently, Pete has been smitten by Tenkara, the ancient Japanese technique of fly fishing. Tenkara's simplicity and portability make it well-suited for hikes to wild trout streams in WNC or paddling adventures down the fabled French Broad. Yeah, Pete ties his own flies, too. He likes to teach beginners to fly fish and to put experienced anglers on the most popular dining locations of hungry trout. He's convinced that unlike golf, fly fishing is about being there and having fun.

 

Guide Tony Brooks - I am the son of an East Tennessee native and fish with my 80 year old dad often. I have lived in East TN and WNC the last 25 years, the last 12 years in Hendersonville, NC. 

I have been fly fishing over 37 years and tie my own flies. I learned to fly fish on the Davidson River in the Pisgah National Forest and Big Santeehlah Creek in Graham County, NC. I am a member of the Hilltop Fly Tyers, a Master Angler volunteer for the Pisgah Center for Wildlife Education, a Casting For Recovery River Helper and  current president of the French Broad Fly Fishers - a FFF Charter Club.

I've been guiding friends new to the sport over the last 10 years. I started guiding wade and float trips commercially in 2009. I have a 16' fiberglass EMR drift boat and enjoy floating the South Holston, Watauga, Tuckaseegee for trout and the French Broad and Pigeon rivers for smallmouth bass. In the last four decades, I have covered hundreds of miles of well known and little known trout streams in WNC, East TN and the Smokies. Occasionally, I find my way to Montana to fish the Big Horn.

I am a fly fishing enthusiast because of the simultaneous simplicity and complexity. Fly fishing offers something new on every trip. It is a sport where one skill is built on another. I consider myself a student first and then try to pass that knowledge along to others willing to learn.

 

Guide Woody Platt might look familiar to anglers with a penchant for bluegrass music. As the lead singer and guitarist for the Steep Canyon Rangers, Woody has traveled the nation playing bluegrass and, in between gigs, wetting a line in some of our country’s finest blue ribbon trout streams. A lifelong angler, Woody began guiding after finishing high school in Brevard at age 18 and was full-time on the river every summer when home from UNC-Chapel Hill, where he studied business and environmental studies. Woody and some friends started the Steep Canyon Rangers while in college. The group has gone on to earn national recognition with their chart-topping release “One Dime at a Time,” followed by an International Bluegrass Music Association “Emerging Artists of the Year” Award. They are featured on the Grand Ol’ Opry several times each year. Woody is available most weekdays, between gigging. His “fish sense” and great people skills make him a favorite among our repeat clients.

 

Guide Michael Sprouse Growing up in Raleigh NC, Michael started fishing at a very early age with his father. Chasing bass all over the central part of the state with the occational trip to the beach was where it all started. After high school Michael attended Western Carolina University where he was introduced to fly fishing and has been hooked ever since. After transfering to North Carolina State University and graduating with a B.S. in Agronomy Michael moved back to the mountains for good. He works full time as an assistant superintendent at a local private country club and guides part time. When not spending time with his young daughter and wife, Michael is on the river figuring out what it takes to catch trophy smallmouth on the fly. If you are looking for a relaxing day full of smallmouth action, Michael can hook you up!

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