Sierra Secrets & Catch Magazine at the Spot

[Ken@theSpot]

John Sherman, Brian O'Keefe, Kent Rianda, Jeff Wieringa and Todd Shetter will all be here for a grand event December 11 and 12. Join us for another great educational event with some of the most exciting and knowledgeable people in the sport.

Kent Rianda is the owner, and guides for, the Trout Fly and Troutfitter in Mammoth Lakes. He spends 5-6 days a week guiding and fishing on his favorite spot, Crowley Lake. He has fished more than 2000 days on Crowley over the last 18 years, probably more than any person alive. His primary guiding interest is teaching. Kent's presentation will cover what we have to offer in the Eastern Sierra from high country to stillwater to freestone and spring creeks and finally tailwaters. (492 places to fish within one hour of his shop). This is a great opportunity to learn from one of the most experienced anglers in the Eastern Sierra and to find some new places to fish for the new year.

John Sherman is no stranger to most fly fishers. His photographic skills have been on the front of most of the magazines in print and his skill as an angler is well known. John is also the Southwest Rep for Simms Fishing Products and he will be on hand to highlight all the new goodies from Simms. If you have questions on the features and benefits of Simms gear this is the guy to talk to.

Brian O' Keefe from Catch Magazine will be here on Sunday along with our old friend Jeff Wieringa from Scientific Angler/Ross Reels and new surf line designer and guide Todd Shetter.

Brian O’Keefe has been serious about fly fishing for the past 40 years. During the past 30, cameras have played a significant part in his outdoor lifestyle.

At age eight, Brian’s interest in fly fishing was born while spending summers in Montana with his grandparents. There he was taught the art of fly casting and fishing by his grandfather, a dry fly purist. From those first years fishing the waters of the Northwest and Montana, he has spent the majority of his free time fishing and taking advantage of all the outdoors has to offer. On family vacations, Brian would often go off alone to fish a nearby stream. His interest in photography began as a means to back up with pictures, what his family thought might be just “tall tales”. 

Brian started fishing the world in the fall of 1973. He began with a solo trip through New Zealand and Australia, and a brief trek into the Himalayan Mountains to fish for brown trout. After returning from this two-year adventure, Brian spent his summers guiding in the Northwest and Alaska for trout, salmon and steelhead. During those years he accumulated quite a large collection of slides, occasionally selling one to a flyfishing publication. At age 30, he began his career as a fly fishing tackle rep. Brian is also an accomplished fly caster, earning the title of Master Certified Fly Casting Instructor from the Fly Fishing Federation (FFF). He has also placed in, and won many fly casting competitions.

Brian has traveled to some of the wildest and most remote angling destinations in the world, including: Bikini Atoll, the Seychelles, Kenya, Sierra Leone, Tonga, Cuba and Kashmir. He has also traveled to more accessible locations, such as: the Bahamas, Belize, Costa Rica, Nicaragua, Venezuela, Chile, New Zealand, Christmas Island and more. In many of these locations he again chooses to venture off the beaten path, hiking, floating, sea-kayaking or taking a Zodiac into the backcountry.

Brian lives with his wife and fishing partner, Judith in Powell Butte, Oregon and continues to work as an angling and outdoor photographer, having had photographs published in periodicals such as: the Los Angeles Times; the New York Times; the Miami Herald; USA Today and many others. He has had cover shots in: Field & Stream; Outdoor Life; Fly Fisherman; Fly, Rod and Reel; Fly Fishing Salt Waters; Fly and Fish Magazine; Outside Magazine and Mens Journal. In addition to photography, Today, you could just as easily run into Brian on his way to a slide show presentation at your local fly fishing club, as you could in an airport on his way to some island in the Pacific. Brian will be sharing some very cool video from Catch Magazine and will be giving us a look at Fly Fishing in Cuba.

Jeff Wieringa is a So Cal product who was snatched up by the folks at 3M Scientific Anglers/Ross Reels to help them develop new products and he has really done the job for them. Think Sharkskin. For those of you who have been around the fly fishing game for a while, you may remember J. W. Outfitters who made really great quality chest packs and pontoon boats back in the late 80's-early 90s. Jeff developed and was president of that company.

Jeff will be accompanied by Todd Shetter who was instrumental in developing a new line specifically designed for surf fishin conditions locally. Over the last twenty years Todd Shetter has fished the punishing saltwater environments inshore and offshore from Southern California to the tip of Baja Mexico. Growing up along the front range of Colorado he developed his passion for fishing with a fly rod near the home waters of John Geirach in Longmont, Colorado. Upon graduating from Colorado State University he relocated to San Diego and searched for local ways to satisfy the urge to fly fish. Todd was on the leading edge of developing surf fly patterns, techniques and equipment for the pursuit of fly fishing the inshore species on the beaches of Southern California and Mexico. Today Todd remains a local guide and still fishes and ties flies for saltwater and freshwater fishing adventures.

Join us for a great weekend here at The Spot and, as usual, there is no charge for this event. Call us if you have questions @ (818) 785-7306.

[Bernard]

Ken,
This looks amazing. Will all these cats be present both days?
Saturday is impossible for me but I might make Sunday.
B

[Ken@theSpot]

Hey Bernard, are you back in town? O'Keefe will be in store Sunday along with Jeff Wierenga and Todd Shetter. Stop by. It will be fun.

Ken

[fflutterffly]

Your store has some of the most interesting programs. I only hope I can make this one. Thanks for bringing the talent and knowledge to our fishing community.

[Ken@theSpot]

Ariel, Thanks for supporting us. We really appreciate it. Hope to see you this weekend.

Ken