The Ibis Story

            Growing up on the shores of Galveston Bay, saltwater fishing has always been a part of my life. My passion for fishing quickly steered me towards a crippling addiction to fly fishing. In middle school, the bus stop was within casting distance of Clear Lake and stashing my fly rod in the bush nearby was standard practice. As I got older, my path took me away from fly fishing as I spent time travelling and working as a deckhand and competitive sailing coach, but came full circle after returning home to attend Galveston A&M in pursuit of a Coastal Environmental Science degree. With the flats nearby, I began seriously pursuing redfish with a fly rod again, evolving from a kayak with a step ladder bungee-corded to the deck and a wooden dowel push pole, to a 14ft homebuilt skiff during my time in school. That first skiff built in a one car garage took me from Laguna Madre to the Florida Keys including weeks long solo trips in the Everglades and trips for monster Louisiana Redfish.

            Sharing my love for what I once felt was a niche activity with friends quickly became an outlet for me and bringing people into the sport opened up a new avenue for my passion. Teaching someone to cast a fly rod or poling them towards their first school of tailing redfish became as good as catching them myself. Seeing someone light up sight fishing for the first time is an experience that will never lose its charm.

            Today, my passion for fishing is as strong as it was in the days of the bungee-cord step ladder but comes with more refined techniques and equipment. There is nothing I would rather do than share time on the water with someone passionate about the sport and the outdoors.