Summer Pilgrimage from Ohio Steelhead Drifters on Vimeo.
Togiak River Fishing Adventures (TRFA) is the place that directed my lifelong fishing passion toward a career. In 2003, during my sophomore year of college at Ohio University, I decided it was time to pursue a summer fishing job. Alaska just made sense; beautiful, big, wild and phenomenal fishing were just a few of the thoughts on my mind.
After applying to several camps in the Bristol Bay region and a few phone interviews later, I was packing up and heading off to be a fishing guide in Alaska. Although they call it a job, it became more of just fishing as work. Prior to this, I had considered a job as something tedious, boring, and what you do to pay the bills. Guiding to me is more of a hard working, driven passion of mine that is a way of life. Getting to deliver memories and fishing experiences of a lifetime to our clients at TRFA over the years is one the most rewarding experiences of my life.
The experiences at TRFA go way beyond just the fishing… camaraderie with the crew, valuable team building, handy man skills learned, and true appreciation for life in the wilderness. Guiding in Alaska most importantly taught me that I wanted pursue careers that I enjoyed and I was passionate about. This has led me to my current status as NE Ohio steelhead guide, Lake Erie walleye charter captain, tournament angler, and airline pilot. Ever since I left for Alaska in 2003, I haven’t “worked” a day in my life.
Unfortunately, due to tough economic times and lease issues with the camp, TRFA was put in a situation that forced it to shut down operation for the Summer of 2013. I still have hope that one day the camp will reopen, and I will make another trip to that island. Because TRFA was such an instrumental part of my life and career as a fisherman, I could not take this page off my website.
