Troutfest TX Casting Instructor Bios

Troutfest Reels

Troutfest TX 2024 Casting Instructor Bios

John Biggers John Biggers

FFI Certified Casting Instructor, retired computer engineer, patent lawyer, and fly fishing guide, lives in Taos, New Mexico, with his wife of many years and a couple of unruly dogs.

David Drez David Drez,Jr.

FFI certified casting instructor
Retired Orthopedic surgeon
Lives in Lake Charles, LA with wife of 60 years
Three grown children David Drez

Gary Davison Gary Davison – FFI Certified Casting Instructor Gulf Coast Spey LLC

Gary Davison, owner of Gulf Coast Spey LLC. is a Pro Team Member for Ballistic Fly Lines. (Spey & Single Hand Fly Lines) & I build custom G.C.S (Gulf Coast Spey) fly rods which include TFO rod blanks that are perfect for Inland Bay & Inland Marsh (Spey) Applications.

Gary has been involved in instructing single- and double-handed casting for over 15 years.

Is a FFI Certified Casting Instructor who has had the honor of learning and teaching fly-casting with some of the best in the field which include Mr. Al Crise MCI, Mr. Steve Hollensed MCI, Mr. Dayle Mazzarella MCI, Mr. Keith Richard MCI, Mr. Jeff Ferguson MCI, Mr. Jay Clark MCI, THCI, & Mr. Lee Davison MCI, THCI.

Gary is the current monitor for The OL Al’s CI Study Group that assists FFI CI Candidates in their CI Certification journey. Gary is an avid fisherman with a passion for fly-casting and is especially interested in those techniques that trend toward adaptation of Spey Casting to the Gulf Coast area for both single and double-handed presentation. Gary is a member of the Montgomery County Fly Rodders Club in Spring TX, Texas Fly Fishers Club in Houston TX, Woodlands Anglers in Woodlands TX, and is a member of Trout Unlimited (GRTU Chapter).

Camron Dunn Camron Dunn

I am from Lubbock Texas, and I went to school at Texas Tech University. I belong to the Lubbock Fly Fishers Club here in Lubbock. I love fishing northern New Mexico and southern Colorado for pike and trout around Santa Fe, Taos, and San Luis. I predominantly to fish around Texas for Large and Small Mouth Bass, but my favorite is salt water fishing in Florida and Belize.

Jeff Ferguson Jeff Ferguson – FFI Master Certified Casting Instructor

My fly fishing began in the early 60’s fishing the South Louisiana marshes for bass and bream. Santa Claus delivered a fly rod that sat on the shelf for many years because working got in the way. Many years later, I noticed my fly rod all dusty and neglected. I attended a fly fishing conclave and met a Master Casting Instructor and have been casting several times a day for the last five years. I became a CCI in 2013 and an MCI in 2016. Now I chase massive schools of redfish far back in the Louisiana marshes. My current goal is winter wade fishing for trophy speckled sea trout with a two handed rod.

Jeff Grahams Jeff Graham

Jeff was born and raised in Louisiana, hunting and fishing from the age of eight.

He graduated from LSU with a degree in Computer Science and has done interesting research and development projects for DARPA, the Navy, Air Force, Army, NIH, and NASA. This work includes robotics, myoelectric control for prosthesis, satellite systems, artificial intelligence and scientific instrumentation.

Jeff first picked up a fly rod in August 2007 in Texas and began his journey for casting instructor certification in the summer 2008. In 2018 he moved to Oregon and continued his journey. He tested and received his FFI CI certification in March 2020 back home in Lake Charles and is now actively teaching fly casting in the Dallas, Texas area.

Jim Hund Jim Hund – FFI Master Certified Casting Instructor

Jim Hund is a Master Certified Casting Instructor (MCI) who lives in Lubbock, Texas. He is active in Lubbock Fly Fishers as the casting director. He teaches regularly. He began fly fishing in the mid-1980’s. He fishes for trout in the Western United States (primarily Colorado), salt water flats species on the Texas Coast, the Florida Keys and Belize and swinging flies with a two hand rod for steelhead and pacific salmon in Alaska, the Pacific Northwest (Oregon and Washington) and British Columbia.

Alan King Alan King

I am a registered Landscape Architect practicing in College Station, Texas. I am also a graduate of Texas A&M University. In 1989 I received a bachelor’s degree in Landscape Architecture and currently sit on the Professional Advisory Board for the department.

I have been married to My wife Kerran since 1991 and we have two adult daughters, Jordan and Logan.

My fly fishing obsession began in 2002 and I became an FFI Certified Casting Instructor in March of 2020.

My volunteer efforts include being a “Fishing Buddy” for the Brazos Valley chapter of Reel Recovery on several retreat weekends.

I enjoy teaching casting and adventure travel. I have fished many locations around the country and have a passion for trout though local bass ponds are more plentiful in my area.

Stacy Lynn Captain Stacy Lynn

Captain Stacy operates WOW! Fly Fishing, a business supporting the experiences, education, and industry of fly fishing. The sport of Fly Fishing has been central in her life since 1995. Captain Stacy has managed several of Texas’ best fly shops since that time and has 20+ years as a professional casting coach. She is a USCG Captain and TPWD licensed guide, operating a technical poling skiff from which she guides and instructs fly anglers on the saltwater flats of the Texas Coast. She is a Fly Fishers Intl. Certified Instructor and a graduate of Joan Wulff’s Fly Fishing Instructor’s School, and her instruction specialties are conducting casting diagnostics, and helping fly casters prepare for the challenging and exciting Saltwater Fly Fishing experience. She is an active supporter and member of many of the Texas fly fishing clubs and related organizations, including as a volunteer instructor for Texas’ Casting for Recovery program – a weekend fly fishing retreat for women surviving breast cancer. She has been a feature speaker, demonstrator and instructor at numerous events including The Fly Fishing Show, The Shallow Water Show, Fly Fish Texas, Flat Out Fishing!, TPWD Expo, GRTU Troutfest, TRWD FlyFest, Oktoberfisch, the Houston Fishing Show, Texas Fly Fishing and Brew Fest, and several FFI Conclaves/Fairs.

Captain Stacy will be the General Manager of Galveston Fishing Company, a new fly shop on Galveston Island opening later this spring 2022.

Dayle Mazzarella Dayle Mazzarella – FFI Master Certified Casting Instructor

Dayle has been guiding summers in Wyoming for 35 years. He has won numerous coaching and teaching awards and earned his FFI Master Casting Instructor certificate in 2011. He loves teaching all levels but especially enjoys working with beginners!

Andy Payne Andy Payne, CCI

Andy is a CPA and retired in 2016 from a career in financial leadership positions with numerous private companies, mostly in the energy services industry. He began fly fishing with his son in 1986 on the San Miguel River near Teluride, a tradition that now extends to his grandsons.

To improve his casting ability Andy joined FFI in 1998 and attended many casting workshops at Expos, eventually becoming a Certified Casting Instructor in 2012. He served on the Board of the Texas Council of Fly Fishers International from 2018 through June of 2021 as Casting Director, Vice President, and President of the Council. He is a life member of FFI, CCA-Texas and Trout Unlimited.

Andy volunteers his time and knowledge to teach casting at events and with clubs in the Council. As in 2022, he will be using OnForm coaching tool to video the casting performance of experienced fly fishers, thereby helping them to identify opportunities for improvement.

Cari Ray Cari Ray

Cari is an FFI Certified Fly Casting Instructor, Texas Council FFI Casting Director, professional guide, and host of the Fisher of Zen Podcast. She founded Rio Llano Outfitters and the School of Zen Fly Fishing to give anglers the opportunity to experience fly fishing in the wilds of nature and the context of mindfulness and conservation. Summers will find her blue-lining and guiding in the High Country of Southwestern Colorado and floating clients on New Mexico’s famed San Juan River.

Cari loves to teach and has a particular passion for inspiring new fly anglers and helping students/clients achieve consistent and independent success on the water. She believes fervently that one’s mastery of fly casting and fishing skills is equally proportional to one’s access to the enjoyment, relaxation, and “zen” that is available through the sport.

Jim Richards Jim Richards

Jim is a Fly Fishers International Certified Casting Instructor and is an officer and member of the Board of Directors for the Fly Fishers International Texas Council. Additionally, Jim is a 15 plus year member of the Texas Fly Fishers, where he has served as an officer and member of the Board of Directors, is a member of the Coastal Conservation Association (CCA) and is a member of Trout Unlimited (Guadalupe River Chapter). In addition to fly fishing experience from coast-to-coast in the United States, for multiple freshwater species such as trout, small and largemouth bass and Arctic grayling, along with saltwater species including redfish, trout, bonefish, snook and tarpon, Jim has also fished the waters of Belize, Canada and the United Kingdom. Jim has served as a volunteer instructor for The Mayfly Project – a fly fishing based organization created for the benefit of foster children and enjoys fly fishing from his stand up paddle board and kayak as a member of the Texas based Paddling Anglers in Canoes and Kayaks.

John Slocomb John Slocomb, Ph.D.

Dr. Slocomb has fly fished for over 30 years. He has fished numerous trout streams in New England, Oklahoma New Mexico, Montana, Alaska, British Columbia and the Patagonia region of Chile, plus many small mouth bass and northern pike lakes in the northern U.S and Canada. Since moving to Texas, he has caught redfish, speckled trout, flounder and other saltwater fish here and in Louisiana. He has taken numerous trips to Belize and the Bahama Islands, catching tarpon, permit and bonefish. He has taught fly casting for 10 years and is currently a candidate to become a Certified Casting Instructor through the FFI.

Rex Walker Rex Walker

Rex Walker is a DFW area casting instructor, fly fisher, and fly tyer. Rex has been helping people improve their fly casting skills for the past 16 years. He has worked with many of the region’s fly fishing clubs, at fly fishing events across Texas, and with both Reel Recovery and Project Healing Waters. Rex is a Fly Fishers International certified instructor and a member of TFO Rods Pro Staff. When not helping other fly fishers improve their casting skills, Rex can often be found on Lake Texoma chasing black bass and striped bass on the fly.

Stephen Weaver Stephen Weaver

In 2017 I retired from 26 years of service in the US Air Force. I managed a state park for the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department until 2021, and currently am a lecturer for the Hollingsworth Center for Ethical Leadership at Texas A&M University. My education includes a BS in Wildlife Biology from Texas A&M University, an MA in Organizational Leadership from Chapman University, and an MS In National Resource Strategy from National Defense University’s Eisenhower School. I am also a graduate of the U.S Army Command and General Staff College.

My volunteer experience includes tutoring in Washington DC public schools, stocking food banks, serving at local meal kitchens, and participating as a “Fishing Buddy” with the Brazos Valley Chapter of Reel Recovery.

I’ve been married to my wife Shana since 1992 and we have two adult daughters, Lauren and Rachel.

I became a Fly Fisher’s International Certified Casting Instructor in 2020.

A big thank you to our sponsors and partners who helped make Troutfest TX possible.

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CONSERVATION

Protecting, reconnecting, restoring and sustaining our cold water fisheries. It’s what we are here to do.

LEASE ACCESS PROGRAM

Our lease access program allows members access to fish the Guadalupe River at 14 private locations.

YOUTH TROUT CAMP

Engaging our young people in river ecology, conservation and fly fishing with an expert hosted parent/child weekend on the river.