Kirk Bien Kirk has been fly fishing for 20 years, and guiding for 12 years. His favorite places to fly fish are Rocky Mountain National Park, specifically Forest Canyon and the Big Thompson River below Lake Estes. Kirk also guides backpacking and llama pack trips. His favorite fishing buddies are his kids, Luke and Addy. Gary Bien Gary, Kirk’s Dad, began fly fishing with Kirk 20 years ago, and has been guiding at Kirk’s for 12 years as well. His favorite place to fish in RMNP is Lake Louise, and his favorite guided trips are horseback trips and llama pack trips. He is often referred to as the “llama whisperer” by clients, and most days in the summer can be found trekking in llamas with clients to high mountain lakes. In his off time he enjoys playing with his grandkids at his home he and his wife, Vicki share in Estes Park. Grandma Vicki watches Luke and Addy just about every day in the summer while Mom, Dad and Grandpa are busy with the shop! Mike Caldwell Mike has been guiding for Kirk’s for 9 years and is not only a resident, year-round fly fishing guide on the Big Thompson River and in RMNP, but also guides most of our Longs Peak trips, as well as snowshoeing trips, overnight backpacking trips, llama trips and trips over the Divide. Mike’s speciality is trips over the Divide via Boulder Grand Pass, fishing Thunder Lake and Lake Verna on the way, and hiking to and fishing pristine high mountain lakes. He is also an avid climber and can be found hanging off the rock when he is not fishing. Ryan Nixon Ryan is originally from Atlanta, GA, and moved to Colorado in 1996 to attend college at Western State University in Gunnison, CO. That’s where Ryan started fly fishing seriously. He moved back to Atlanta after college for a few years and picked up saltwater fly fishing. It wasn’t long after a few years of city living he knew he had to get back to Colorad0 and do what he loves. Ryan loves to see the excitement and joy it brings to people catching fish on the fly in one of the most beautiful places in the country. Clients love his simple and Jerry Lehtinen Jerry has 25 years of fly fishing experience guiding the Rocky Mountain Region waters. His passion is to have the client have a memorable experience on the water, a memory that always will be embedded in their mind, and to introduce novice or seasoned fishers to techniques that will reward them with success when they return solo to the river. As a guide, he not only guarantees catching fish, but to entertain the client for a memory that will last a lifetime. His approach; Be safe, have fun, relax, be patient, and build confidence. This approach will have success in hooking and landing fish all while experiencing the “WOW FACTOR”! When not guiding or tying flies you can find Jerry fishing waters in Colorado, Wyoming and Montana. Christopher Weber Christopher caught his first fish at age two and never looked back. Growing up in Wisconsin meant a lot of fishing for Christopher. Family vacations all revolved around fishing and he followed his father to the water every chance he got. Living on Wisconsin lakes made access easy and the sport never grew old for Christopher. Moving to Colorado in 2001, he sought to expand on his fly fishing, including tail-waters, creeks, lakes, warm water systems and high mountain adventure; he loves it all. Fishing with either kids or adults, he believes nothing is better than fishing, except sharing the experience. And with 200 days a year spent on the water he has some sharing to do! John “JB” Bruning (right) JB is guiding with Kirk’s Mountain Adventures for the fifth year, he is a third generation native of Boulder, Colorado with 48 years of fly fishing experience. For “JB”, catching fish is a bonus, as the total fly fishing experience includes learning, relaxing and enjoying the pristine mountain settings of the area. When he isn’t fishing or guiding, “JB” is a metal sculptor. Jenna Melissa Jenna grew up in Texas where she developed her passions for the outdoor lifestyle in hunting, fishing and backpacking. She learned the art of fly fishing in the pristine waters of the Texas Hill Country. Once she moved to Colorado she honed in on her skills as a fly fisherman and has been fly fishing and hiking for several years here in Estes Park. Jenna is the best female fly fishing guide we have had and our best backcountry guide. Jenna is an artist, fly fishing enthusiast, rock climber, backpacker, and hiker. Jenna considers the outdoors her office and is always looking for her next grand adventure! Since Jenna was a wee lass, she has never stopped exploring. She has a passion for the outdoors and a huge heart when it comes to sharing this beautiful earth with others. Specializing in edible and medicinal plants, you will have the opportunity to learn trail side ecology. Her patience goes for miles for she is the first guide to spend a grueling 55 hour summit of Longs Peak with a blind and deaf man which was accomplished August 2015. Her background in hunting and photography has put her on point in sighting wildlife. Duane Simmons Duane has been a fly fisherman, horseman and avid outdoorsman all his life, having grown up in Wyoming ranch country. He has spent years fishing throughout the Rocky Mountains and across Colorado, Wyoming, New Mexico, Montana and Idaho. He lives year round in beautiful Estes Park, Colorado, and has been professionally guiding in Rocky Mountain National Park for the past five years. Duane has guided all major streams, rivers and lakes on the eastern slope of the Rocky Mountain National Park, as well as hiked nearly every trail and backcountry area. Duane feels equally at home in a river as he does on horseback, and loves to combine the two with overnight backcountry trips into the National Park. He enjoys introducing novice fisherman to fly fishing, and takes pride in watching students and friends grow into accomplished fly fisherman and women. DuaneSimmons.com Ryan Stillahn Ryan has been guiding for Kirk’s since the beginning, and in the summer can be found on the Big Thompson or in RMNP. He also enjoys fly fishing all over Colorado in his free time. When he is not busy in the summer, he is a high school teacher and wrestling coach in Loveland, CO, where he lives with his wife, Karen and their German Shorthair, Benna. Drew Gross Born and raised in South Louisiana, Drew grew up fishing in the swamps and the Gulf of Mexico. I moved to Colorado in 2004 and have been here since. I have been fly fishing since then and really enjoy being on the water and in the mountains. My favorite fish to catch are brook trout. Besides fly fishing, I love riding horses, bow hunting, back country camping and teaching my kids about the outdoors. Christopher Smith I have been a fly fishing guide for over seven years, while I grew up learning to fly fish in Texas for Redfish, Spec Trout and Bass, I was hooked to the freshwater scene as soon as I got to Colorado for college. Happy to work with any and all skill levels to help them accomplish their goals on the river that day. I fish all over the great state of Colorado as well as many other states and countries. When I am not guiding I work a residential Real Estate business covering all of Colorado, so do not hesitate with those questions either! When I am not working either job, you will find me exploring Colorado water with my Husky named Blue, and my girlfriend Kate. Kirk’s Flyshop is proud to offer the most knowledgeable fly fishing guides in the Rocky Mountains. We take pride in getting our clients onto the fish. Whether it is one of our private water excursions or a fly fishing lesson we have your covered. So don’t spend another year wishing you were on the water, contact us today!
laid back way if teaching. When he’s not guiding or fishing with friends you can find him climbing or skiing.
