CLEARWATER'S GUIDES

The Clearwater guide team is truly exceptional. These men and women are all accomplished anglers. More to the point, they are outstanding and patient teachers and pleasant companions for a day on the water. They are particularly talented at teaching all ages of anglers. A great many returning guests request the same guide they first fished with at Clearwater. This entire staff of guides is arguably the best group of guides in the "west".

Guided fishing is a wise investment in both immediate satisfaction and in long-term skills and success. Clearwater guides can focus on a particular fishery, on mastering specific skills, or just having a fun fishing day. In the course of that day, you may walk, wade, fish from a pram, a drift boat or our bass boat. You may fish dry flies on the PhD Flats of Hat Creek, go deep in the Pit River canyon for big rainbows, cruise the crystal clear flats of Ajumawi Lava Springs State Park, or stalk small wild rainbow in the spring-fed flows of Burney or Lost Creek. Visit our Home Waters page to read about our guide destinations.

Full days start at 8am and go until dark. Excellent lunches and soft drinks are included. Morning half days start at 8am and end in the early afternoon. Afternoon half days start after lunch and end at dark.










Andrew Harris is a multi-talented young man. He has published a fishing guide to the Plumas National Forest, designed the reservations program that Clearwater Lodge and several other lodges around the west run their operations with, and is an exceptional guide who fishes around the world. Drew is patient and skillful and often requested by returning guests.


Jason Cockrum graduated from our Guide School in 1999. Jay brings a quiet competence and great angling skill to his guiding at Clearwater. He can find trout wherever you wish to fish in our area. He lives in Truckee and guides the river and the stillwaters around Lake Tahoe. In the winter, Jay's the man in the snowcat who grooms the snowboard park and pipe at Alpine Meadows.


Gino Bernero was the star of our 2001 Guide School and segued into full-time guiding at Clearwater. His infectious laughter and pursuit of personal angling excellence have made him a hit. He is much in demand by returning guests. Gino guides for Clearwater during the regular trout season and around California and Oregon for steelhead from the late fall into the spring.


Dax Messett is a graduate of Clearwater's 2002 Guide School. With his background as a snowboarding instructor, he has great people skills and an appreciation for how people learn. He's on the fast track to becoming a full-time, worldwide guide. In addition to Clearwater, he guides in Montana in high summer and New Zealand during our winter.


Mike Peters started guiding at Clearwater in the 80's and then went on to set up his own guide service around Mammoth Lakes. This year we are happy to have him back at Clearwater for several extended guest appearances. He lives in Nevada and guides anglers in the Eastern Sierra and at Clearwater. In the winter, he coaches the Mammoth ski team.


Scott Saiki came to Clearwater in '93 on an internship from Humboldt State University. He immediately distinguished himself as an exceptional guide. These days we see much less of him than we'd like, with his family and his busy teaching job in Redding. He does teach our Master Angler school in July.


Jon Haslett started guiding at Clearwater in 2004. He is a southern Oregon steelhead guide in the fall and winter and was a trout guide in Colorado for several years. We are delighted to have such an experienced man on the Clearwater guide team. Jon is skillful, enthusiastic, a pleasure to spend the day with and has quickly developed a solid knowledge of our local waters.


Vanessa Cummings grew up fishing the waters around Clearwater and graduated from our Guide School in 2005. She has developed a highly organized approach to teaching fly fishing skills that guests really appreciate. She graduated from Sonoma State this winter and works as an Emergency Room technician in the winter.


Brian Kohlman is a highly organized and professional guide. Perhaps it's his many years as a motorcycle policeman in Santa Rosa that has helped him become so focused. He's a recent graduate of our Guide School and is quickly becoming established on northern California waters.


Brooke Matteson is a graduate of our 2006 guide school and she is an absolute joy to have on our staff.  When she's not fishing or persuing backcountry skiing, she is a graphic designer in Santa Cruz. A Colorado native, she's fished all over the Rockies from Wyoming to Utah and the Dakotas.  Her enthusiasm, patience, and easy smile make her a great guide choice.


Brannon Santos is one of our most recent additions to the Clearwater guide staff.  He graduated from our 2007 guide school program.  Besides his expert fly fishing skills, he spends a great deal of his time cooking and snowboarding.  His confident, calm, and patient teaching skills make him a perfect fit to this rock star guide staff.


Mark Buljan is another graduate of our 2007 guide school.  He loves to chase steelhead, fish for trout, and was a pro skier on the Subaru Big Mountain tour.  Mark's outgoing personality, hard work ethic, and enthusiasm tempered by his patience make him another great guide choice from our staff.