Growing up in Alaska I started tying and fishing at a young age. I was gifted my  first fly rod and fishing hat from my dad and I've been unstoppable since.  I used to sneak down to go fishing (2 miles from the house) and my mom would know exactly where to find me saying, "You know bears like to fish to, you can't just leave and not tell me where your going." I then got a tying set up so I could learn to tie, we didn't have anywhere to learn or buy flies close to us. I just started tying material to a hook to make it "buggy" using everything I could find including saving feathers/hair from our hunting. I tied every fly from then on and my family and I have caught fish all over Alaska. In 2001 we moved to Missouri. After getting settled we started driving around and found trout fishing 30 minutes from the house. I went every chance my mom took me, It was a trout park but atleast I could fish again. After graduating and getting my own vehicle I started researching for myself and I found some great wild water that will hold my heart from here on out.

Could I have went easier places to catch a striper on the fly? yes, but it wouldn't have felt like such a victory. This river has dealt me a rough hand for a few years. I was so excited to get this one in the boat.

If I ever look bored fishing it's because I have to use a indicator. An indicator and a rust zebra midge did get this one to the net. 

This time I got to bring my mom and Rylee with me. Here they are pictures with Jim Rogers taking the Casting lesson. This event is free to all women who come by! Rylee got a good enough hand in the poker run that she even won a fly rod! Don't miss next year, you will regret it!

We are Scadden owners! Chris and Amanda Millers (www.ozarkseuro.com) boat is pictured in the back. Reach out to them if you need a guide in the SW Missouri area, you won't be disappointed! 

We got to see the bench they put in at Dry Run Creek. It was such an honor to be there and see his loved ones talk about how he built this. We get to enjoy his work for years to come. Children 15 and under get to fish this and have a chance to catch the fish of a lifetime. 

I'm really not sure how Sarah Havens talked me into teaching in front of more than 1 or 2 people but she did. I didn't pass out and I'm counting that as a win. I'm so glad I got to teach two of my favorite flies all while supporting a group as great as the Mayfly Project.

I caught my first brown on a hibernator Jarrod tied. Catching a brown and fishing with Leonard with be something I never forget There is no better Taney legend than the man himself. You wil be missed buddy!

I bought a bike! 

I have to admit I was bummed that Son Tao didn't sell any flies at this event. He did give me a few tho and I just might have been grinning ear to ear. He is such a genuine person and just lights up talking about fishing,

I got to meet Brita Fordice. I have been following her on Instagram for years and I was fan girling a bit.

I hit 10,000 followers on Tiktok! That app has been so fun to play with and I hope to keep growing from there.

It was a great event to introduce Women into fly fishing. There were many people there to help you learn to tie your own flies, tie knots, teach you how to cast and plenty of people to talk fishing with.

15 people got 8 materials and a hook. Each person had 10 minutes to tie a fly. I entered this fly and I won. I still can't believe it but it's an honor to have my name on the trophy with some great tiers.

I had a mess of some soft hackle flies I had tied up. Chad Johnson came by and bought some bugs. I was still wondering what just happened when Jarrod says' "Do you know who that was?" The next day he came by talking about how well my flies worked the night before.