Southern California Fly-Fishing Expeditions

I proposed to my woman yesterday on a beautiful trout stream thanks to Mark! He was so helpful and accommodating during the planning and execution of the whole day. It really could not have gone any better. We also caught some amazing fish. I would recommend Mark to anybody looking for a great day in the outdoors.

My guy and I were fortunate to book a one day fly-​fishing expedition with Mark for the Big Bear/​Santa Ana River area to celebrate my birthday weekend.
My guy has lots of fishing experience in lakes and oceans, but both of us were newbies to casting and fly-​fishing.
Mark is the PERFECT person to reach out to for people like us (beginners-​with no gear) or for experienced fly-​fishermen who need a guide to the BEST places to fish in the Western U.S.
He provided all the gear and equipment necessary… waders, boots, rods, reels, flys, nymphs, LUNCH! and a bad-​ass Land Rover for getting down to the best fishing holes (none of which I’ll share here… Mark turned me into a true fisherwoman and I’ll take these secrets to the grave;-)
He was patient, kind, informative, kept his sense of humor when shaking my dry flies out of the trees and off of boulders, and has the true gift of being able to convey his love for fly-​fishing, the trout, and the land and waters.
PLUS, he can teach casting really, really well. I caught two beautiful brown trout, and I lost count of my guy’s catch of browns and, I think, two rainbows.
He cheered when we caught fish, he corrected our form when we didn’t, and all throughout the day he showed us his integrity, and his care and devotion to this sport and to us, his clients.
We were witness to his beautiful spirit for close to ten hours.
He let us fish until we couldn’t fish anymore… then he accommodated my photographer boyfriend by standing by while he ventured off to take pictures of the surrounding area.
We agreed that this was one of the most memorable experiences we’ve had in a long line of memorable experiences!
That’s some high praise!
I thank you, Mark, from the bottom of my heart.

My lady and I recently had the pleasure of being guided by Mark and the experience was better than expected. I am a long-​time fisherman (though not an experienced fly fisherman) and an experienced hunter, so the outdoors are not new to me. The genesis for this trip was 10 years ago while I was deployed to western Iraq. At the end of each long day, I would look through an old, worn copy of a fly fishing magazine. One article in particular featured an excursion to Telluride, Colorado in which the author went fly fishing for wild trout. As I flipped through that magazine, I’d save that article for last and daydream of doing the same thing when I got back. For whatever reason, it took 10 years to follow through with the trip and the experience was even better than I imagined. A few reasons why:
Knowledge: Mark is truly a duty expert and knows what he’s doing. Upon arriving near the area where we’d begin our fishing, he gave a basic class on the equipment we would be using. He made us practice until he was sure we’d be proficient enough to cast repeatedly. He emphasized good technique which, I would soon learn, is very important; this whole day, I never caught a fish by using poor technique. It was when the cast and placement of the fly was good that the fish struck. Mark knew this is the case and that is why he ensured we were proficient with the equipment.
Preparedness: Mark provides everything from transportation, waders, boots, lunch, rods, flies, etc. We literally brought ourselves and a small pack with layers in the event it got cold. We wanted for nothing. Mark’s Land Rover provided a very comfortable ride and was so capable off-​road that I’m now thinking about getting one. The original plan was to fish an easy, wide river but, due to the rains, the river was flowing very hard and the water was the color of dark chocolate milk. He quickly adapted and suggested we hit a creek at a lower elevation thinking that it would not be as muddy. He was right and this turned out to be a great idea on his part.
Mark’s enthusiasm: It is very clear that Mark guides because he loves it, rather than as a way to pay the bills. This has not always been my experience with guides, but it sure was with Mark; your success is his success and he gets excited with each fish and each new possibility that the next pool brings.
We caught several fish on that day and were amazed at the quality of the experience. It wasn’t just the fishing that was so good, but also being out in nature in one of the most beautiful, scenic places I’ve ever been. I was glad I brought my camera as it ensured that we would have pictures to help preserve the memories. I highly recommend Mark’s guide service and will definitely use him again.

My experience with Mark and Southern California Fly-​Fishing Expeditions was nothing short of spectacular. I have been fly fishing for 8+ years and taken guided fly fishing trips all over the U.S., Mark is exactly what you want in a guide.
He is informative, polite, patient, engaging and all the while he coaches and guides with the care and precision of a surgeon. Moreover, you can tell Mark truly cares about the environment and streams he is sharing with you. It really is a collaborative learning experience.
I highly recommend the off-​road package, it is definitely worth it and a very cool experience if you don’t get to hit off-​road trails often. Other than that just sit back and enjoy the ride, Mark is as good as it gets and he takes care of everything. Can’t wait for my next trip! Thanks Mark!

My husband and I just came home from a wonderful day of fly-​fishing with Mark. My husband is an experienced fisher, but only being my second time, Mark provided excellent instruction and I was catching fish in no time.
Mark was very knowledgeable of the streams and surrounding area, as well as the local animals and terrain. His off-​road vehicle allowed us access to remote areas with total privacy.
I highly recommend this trip for the fabulous fishing, gorgeous scenery, and good company. We can’t wait to do it again!
Thanks, Mark!

I used Marks guiding services on a recent trip to Southern California. I’ve been fly fishing for about a year in Orlando and never had the opportunity to fish for trout in moving water. Mark was patient with our group and taught us a lot about moving water. He put us on an incredible number of Browns and Rainbows. Mark is truly a professional and I highly recommend his services.

I’ve fished with Mark several times over the past year. He is knowledgeable, enthusiastic, easy going and fun to fish with. He is an expert on our local mountains and creeks. He has compiled years and years of research and it shows. I’ve fished with a lot of guides, and Mark is not in it for the money. He does it because he loves fly fishing and he enjoys teaching people how to fly fish.
I would highly recommend Mark to my friends and family!
Thanks Mark.

Mark took our family on a wonderful expedition that we will always remember. Our group spanned a wide experience and age range… novice elementary age sisters to my husband who is an avid fisherman with decades of ocean and lake fishing. Mark helped all of us learn something new. We caught several beautiful trout, which is an accomplishment considering the low water levels this year. He started with casting lessons on land and then gave each of us individual guidance on the stream. Mark even helped the kids find flies in the streambed. Mark knows how to guide and teach both an expert and novices which I think is quite remarkable.

Mark took myself and some friends out on an exhilarating trip in a beautiful part of southern California that I have never seen. Even thought the water levels were lower than ideal and most fisherman wouldn’t give it a chance, Mark had a glint in his eye the whole time. He knew exactly what we needed to do to catch fish. We hauled in around 10 fish each and luckily I caught the biggest fish of the day which was a 14″ wild rainbow. I want to thank Mark for such a wonderful experience and he truly has a deep passion for the sport of angling!