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Jeff Mckenna
Jeff grew up fishing alongside his father and grandfather, a passion that carried him from the Midwest to Colorado’s rivers. With a degree in Forestry Resource Management from West Virginia University, he’s always had water and conservation in his blood.
From his Boulder Boat Works drift boat, Jeff guides on the Colorado, Gunnison, and Roaring Fork, plus stillwaters across the Grand Mesa. He blends technical skill with an easygoing teaching style, tailoring each trip to anglers of all levels.
When he’s not on the water, Jeff enjoys mountain biking, concerts, and whiskey nights with his wife and two sons. He founded Colorado West Slope Fly Fishing in 2022 to share his lifelong love of rivers.
Colt Wing
Born and raised near Corpus Christi, Texas, Colt grew up chasing everything from bass to redfish across rivers, lakes, and the Gulf. His grandmother sparked his fly fishing obsession at age nine with a first rod, and by 11 he was exploring the Guadalupe River trout fishery.
Colt’s fishing adventures have since spanned the Rockies and beyond, with stops in Montana, Idaho, and Florida before settling permanently in Western Colorado in 2011. He guides year-round, from summer trout on rivers and lakes to winter ice fishing in Grand Lake.
With over 30 years on the water, Colt mixes experience with storytelling. Clients love his versatility—whether stalking trout in skinny creeks, rowing big rivers, or drilling holes through the ice, he’s always ready to share his passion.
Jacob “Carpy” Carpenter
Born and raised on Colorado’s Western Slope, Jacob has had a rod in hand since he could walk. From creeks and high mountain lakes to the Colorado River, he’s spent a lifetime chasing fish—and still packs a fly rod on every family trip, to the amusement of his wife and kids.
Known to fellow guides as “Carpy,” Jacob is an official American Carp Society guide and a master at stalking big carp in the Grand Valley. He’s equally at home drifting the Colorado, hiking into alpine streams, or exploring warm-water stretches.
With adventures from Alaska to the Florida Keys, Jacob brings energy, expertise, and plenty of stories to every trip. His specialty? Turning any body of water into an unforgettable day of fishing.
Jake Thornburg
Raised on Colorado’s Western Slope, Jake grew up with the Grand Valley as his backyard. He discovered the tranquility of fly fishing during his college years on the Front Range and has spent the last decade making it a lifestyle, not just a hobby.
Jake has guided on premier waters across Colorado, including a season at the 4UR Ranch in Creede, where he refined his passion for teaching anglers the art of fly fishing. His experience extends from Colorado trout streams to waters in Idaho, Utah, Arizona, New York, and even Mexico.
For Jake, guiding is about more than the catch—it’s about moments by the river, camaraderie, and learning something new. Whether chasing trout, warm-water species, or planning his next fishing adventure, he brings curiosity, patience, and a true love for the outdoors to every trip.
Tyler Morris
Born and raised on Colorado’s Western Slope, Tyler has been fishing since he could walk—even “casting” into neighborhood ditches just to practice. A childhood trip to the Fryingpan River taught him the value of fly fishing skill, sparking a passion that’s only grown stronger over the last thirty years.
After a career in the stone industry, Tyler shifted gears to guiding full time, inspired by a 2017 shadow trip with Jeff McKenna. Today, he calls East Orchard Mesa home, where he lives with his wife, two kids, and four dogs.
Tyler guides across the Grand Mesa’s stillwaters and the Colorado and Gunnison rivers, and has even begun hosting trips to his wife’s home country of Panama. For him, guiding is about creating memorable experiences on the water—celebrating both familiar faces and new clients as they land fish of a lifetime.
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