Friday, 7pm and Saturday 1 p.m.
Introduction to Fly Fishing

Members Fly Fishers of Idaho

Bruce Flesher

Occupation:  Owner, Inland Northwest Sales, Inc.
Vice President: The Idaho Bass Federation
Tournament Director: The Idaho Bass Federation
President: Idaho Bass Anglers
Competitor The Idaho Bass Federation Circuit and regional open tournaments

Chuck Cremer

Is the owner of Alpenglow Mountainsport, a small specialty shop here in Boise. Chuck has been an avid, rafter and kayaker since 1989.  With the creation of many fishing specific kayaks in the past several years, he has been able to merge his love for the great outdoors, with the thrill of sport fishing here in Idaho.  In addition to the various types of fishing kayaks that Alpenglow offers, they also sell and rent all things paddlesports for whitewater & flatwater kayaking, as well as rafting for many of the incredible rivers that our great state has to offer.  If you're looking for a mellow float on the Boise River, Alpenglow can also supply a raft rental for a day trip, and has a large selection of PFD's, clothing, gear and accessories to make your outdoor adventure complete. 

Dan Fowlds

Dan was born and raised in Grangeville. He grew up fishing and hunting the waters and land in and around Idaho. His love of kayaking has allowed him to take up the sport of kayak fishing and hunting. Kayaks allow him to access untouched fishing holes and cross rivers to access new hunting areas. Dan was a whitewater raft guide in Alaska and Idaho and this has taught him respect of the land. Dan primarily fly fishes, but is known to pull out his spinning rig as well. Chucker and duck hunting are also sports in which his kayak can help him access hunting areas.

Mike Plein

An accomplished Guide, Contest Caller, and Owner of Toxic Calls, Mike has been in the Waterfowl world for over 20 years. With the encouraging words from his grandfather in his ears, “if you cant shoot well you better learn to call and get them close…” he has perfected his calling skills, through years of guiding demanding customers and competing in Calling Contests across the Nation. With the experience of standing on some of the most prestigious contest stages in the world, Mike has picked up a lot tricks and tactics from some of the top guides and callers along the way. Quoting Mike, he says “With the advances in Waterfowl calls over the last decade, our fore fathers would roll in their grave if they heard what we can do with a duck or goose call now a day…”

Cody Martin- Meridian Ducks Unlimited
has been part of the Avery Youth Field Staff for 4 years, has helped with DU committee for 5 years. He has traveled to a hand full of states to hunt and usually hunts almost everyday of the waterfowl season, has also been competing in calling contests since he was 13 years old.

Tyrel Bean- Meridian Ducks Unlimited
has been employed at Sportmans Warehouse for 3 years, been waterfowl hunting for 6 years, has blown in calling contests for 4 years, strongly believes in passing on waterfowl hunting to younger kids, has traveled to duck hunt and hopes to become a waterfowl specialist in the future.

Jason Schultz

Known as a Hells Canyon specialist, Jason Schultz has been a full time guide in Idaho, Washington and Oregon for 20 years. He possesses Idaho outfitter permits for Snake River in Hells Canyon and Clearwater River and holds a special use permit for the nationally famous Snake River in the Hells Canyon National Recreation Area. Schultz spends most of his time on the water targeting salmon, steelhead, sturgeon in Hells Canyon and on the Clearwater and Columbia River. Owner of Hells Canyon Sport Fishing, Schultz’s operation consists of four full time guides with more than 50 years combined guiding experience.

Schultz guides Spring Chinook fishing on the Columbia and Clearwater rivers in April, May and June, prior to switching to Fall Chinook and Coho on the Columbia River in Astoria, Oregon, between August and September 15. From September through March he sticks close to home and focuses on Steelhead on the Snake, Grand Ronde and Clearwater River. In between, he’ll seek out monster sturgeon on the Snake River in Hells Canyon. Speaking of Hells Canyon, Schultz has spent more than 2,000 days guiding steelhead anglers alone here and endured half of his life developing personal guide strategies to always continue to become a better angler and apply new techniques. In 2009, his boat, a 30-foot, twin engine Hells Canyon Marine caught more than 3,000 steelhead.

In addition to being a world class angler and top-notch guide Schultz spends some of his time off the water preparing for and presenting seminars at Cabela’s retail stores. Schultz will share his secrets at these seminars for Cabela’s at their Post Falls and Boise locations. His credibility and professionalism has earned him allocates in In-Fishermen magazine and TV, Salmon Trout Steelheader, Salmon & Steelhead Journal and Northwest Sportsman in addition to being featured in the book "Great Places in Washington" by John Kruse.  The motto Schultz lives by is “Fish till it hurts!”

Nate Brumley

Nate Brumley is the owner of Dry Fly Innovations (www.dryflyinnovations.com), an online fishing company out of Meridian, Idaho. DFI specializes in custom dry flies and fishing videos. Nate is a native Idahoan, born and raised on the Salmon River, and he has dry fly fished the Northwest for over 40 years. That experience has led to the creation of over a hundred unique dry fly patterns that have been tested over some of the smartest fish on the planet with amazing results.
Nate’s presentation, “Winter Dry Fly Fishing,” introduces you to the fantastic world of small bugs, big fish, and the tranquility of winter fishing. This seminar will also prepare you with the right bugs, the proper deliveries, and the essential techniques to make winter fishing an exceptional experience for you.
The presentation, “Advanced Dry Fly Fishing,” introduces you to some awesome new fly patterns, techniques on how to deliver dry flies, and strategies on how to fool big fish.  It’s a show packed with remarkable fishing footage, unique insight, and gorgeous places.

Bob Saban

Bob is co-owner of FLOAT ALASKA, an equipment rental company based in western Alaska.  Bob is also a professional Wildlife Biologist with 40 years of experience in managing fish and wildlife resources.   He has been fishing and rafting the remote rivers of western Alaska for the past 30 years.  He is recognized as one of Alaska's most knowledgable and experienced professionals in planning and organizing "Do It Yourself"  float fishing trips in Western Alaska.

Glen Berry

Come meet World and Canadian Elk Calling Champion, Glen Berry, owner of Berry Game Calls as he teaches early season elk hunting techniques.  For a quarter of a century Glen has manufactured a quality line of hunting calls, DVD's and accessories.  Glen's name is synonymous with elk hunting.  Over the past 30 years, Glen has taken 41 bull elk with archery equipment in 5 states and 1
Canadian province.       

Mitch Sanchotena

Mitch started taxidermy as a child growing up on a farm in Burley.  Today Mitch is a National Taxidermy Association Certified Master Taxidermist....only 200 taxidermists nationwide carry this distinction. Mitch also is an Idaho Taxidermy Association Certified Taxidermist.  Mitch carries both a federal and state taxidermy license.  Mitch owns and operates Imperial Taxidermy in Caldwell, Id... One of Idaho's largest taxidermy studios employing four taxidermists. We mount both African and Exotic game animals from around the world as well as all North American big game and birds.  We have always enjoyed the Idaho Sportsman's Show because it gives us a chance to meet old friends and to make new ones.

Karl Findling

Karl is the co-owner of Oregon Pack Works, a newly launched back pack and binocular harness company, based in Bend, Oregon. Karl’s primary career is a professional fire captain, and has been in the EMS, Structural, and Wild land fire-field for thirty years--starting out as a volunteer in his home town, Ontario, Oregon.
Karl started his hunting lifestyle at a young age following his father, a back country hunter who loved chasing deer and Upland birds. Karl took his first buck at age twelve while learning hunting ethics and techniques from his only brother-in-law, Bob. Those early trips supplied Karl’s formative years with the experience and mentoring needed to create an advocate of the wilderness. Each trip traveled just a bit further into the areas without roads, thus a back country way-of-life was created.
By seventeen, his first true back country experience resulted in one of the biggest bucks he’s shared in taking with a rifle, but with a memorable “stay outdoors all night, without a coat,” kind-of-story. Many of these “Oops” moments have resulted in many colorful stories of mostly “how not to do it!” Karl’s hope is to give you at least one take-home-lesson or tip.
Having “learned” from others’ mistakes, Karl has had no problem thinking he had “learned it all” from all those magazines we used to read. Now that he’s compiled thirty years of “miss-adventure’s,” Karl hopes his DIY “tips and how-to’s,” help those new to the back country, and possibly add something to the mix for that back country guy that, “knows it all.”
Karl has hiked and float-hunted for deer, elk, Caribou and traveled many miles by foot to find desert mule deer, and high country elk. While hunting Chukars is his passion, big game hunts are what carry him from season to season.
These days getting out for his passion, Chukar hunting or back country deer and elk is a challenge with two young girls at home and two jobs. But doing so just adds to the richness of each trip, and he hopes to offer the “ammo to go forth” with practical advice in order to “experience the things I have that have made my soul richer, and made me a stronger person.”
Thanks for your attendance.

Michael Vavrinec – Tshabezi Safaris Bio

Michael Vavrinec was a competitive marksman, coach, & rifle team captain while serving honorably with the U.S. Army with the 4th Infantry division.  Over the past 5 decades he has hunted, fished & guided in 7 western states.  He is a merchant marine captain with an international endorsement (retired) and is well traveled and experienced in 5 African countries.  For a number of years, he has been on staff of Tshabezi Safaris based in Zimbabwe, Africa specializing in dangerous game.  Well experienced in the methods used in hunting all African game as well as an expert in the rifles & calibers needed.  He works with  problem animal & poaching control.  When not in Africa, he makes his home in Bend, Oregon.

Steve Alderman
Age: 38
Hometown: Meridian, Idaho
Occupation: Tile Contractor; Video and Television Production Company
Area of Expertise: Mule Deer
Favorite Hunting Method: Spot and Stalk Muzzleloader Hunting.

Steve was raised in Glenns Ferry, Idaho and started Mule Deer hunting with his father at the age of 12. He was the pusher on these hunts while his father was the shooter. In high school mule deer hunting mature bucks became a passion that persists today. Steve borrowed his first muzzleloader from a friend's father and was hooked on the challenge of short range hunting.
Steve moved to Boise in 1989 to play college football for Boise State University, but still found himself chasing big Mulies with his front stuffer on the weekends. Steve picked up a bow and arrow after college and fell in love with the sport. There is just something special about the challenge of getting close.
Steve has been fortunate enough to have the opportunity to travel North America hunting and filming Mule Deer from Canada to Mexico and everywhere in between. Steve holds the number 2 archery buck in Alberta, Canada and the number 1 muzzleloader buck from Old Mexico. Steve is very proud of his accomplishments, but they all come second to his family and five year old son, Bennett.
In 1995, Steve joined the Deer Hunters o f Idaho where he sat on the Board of Directors for 2 years. He was then Vice President for 4 years and President for 2 years. In 2005, Steve became the Chapter Chair for the Mule Deer Foundation, Bennett Hills Chapter. Under his direction, the local 2007 Mule Deer Foundation event was one of the highest net to gross banquets in the nation. He looks forward to serving on the National Board of Directors for the Mule Deer Foundation. He believes that conservation is the key to helping out the deer herds in Idaho and nationwide.
Steve loves spending time outdoors with friends and family. Camping with his wife, Amy, and his son, Bennett, is his new favorite pastime. He knows the more time spent in the outdoors and scouting with his family, will pass along his love of the outdoors, mule deer and the hunting heritage.