Guides

Charlie Conn (MT Licensed Outfitter #7156)

Whether it is landing the largest Taimen of the season in Mongolia, diving into an Amazonian river to free a fish from a snag, or simply floating down the Yellowstone River, Charlie is one of the great, undiscovered personalities in the fishing business. With a quick wit, and agile fishing mind, Charlie is a great teacher who makes every day on the water enjoyable.

Charlie has worked in the retail side of fly fishing for many years, and he knows the intricacies of the equipment that make a fly-fishing trip successful. He has guided throughout the world, and his knowledge of the world of fly-fishing insures that you have the right equipment as you embark on your next fishing adventure.

Aaron Hansen (MT Licensed Outfitter #5952)

In an age where many Montana fly fishing guides appear to be more like refugee snowboarders displaced from their half pipes, it is very refreshing to have a guide that reflects a bit of the “old school” that is rapidly disappearing from the modern-day fly-fishing world. Aaron Hansen is a gentleman that understands the subtleties and art of being a fly fishing guide.

Born and raised in Salt Lake City, Aaron spent his summers honing his skills as a fly fisherman; at least until the football season began. As an athlete Aaron excelled, he was on a three time state championship high-school football team and was voted all state his senior year. He continued his football career at the University of Utah where he played as an offensive lineman. Today Aaron resembles the guides of old, as a school teacher and a fishing guide. He is the Biology teacher at Big Timber High school and he has continued his football career, but now it is from the sideline as Big Timber’s line coach.  Perhaps the thankless job as an offensive linemen is why Aaron has the great demeanor it takes to be a first class fishing guide.

After graduating from College, Aaron started guiding the Yellowstone River in Paradise Valley then gravitated to West Yellowstone where he was a member of the core guide staff at Blue Ribbon fly shop for many years. In addition to guiding in Montana, Aaron has guided in Mongolia for Sweetwater, and he was also the lodge manager at the Turneff Flats lodge in Belize.

As a guide Aaron has a great understanding for the nuances of dry fly fishing. While most boats on the river are in full indicator regalia Aaron quietly and calmly has the ability to produce fish on dry flies. Not only does he produce fish be he as an uncanny ability to deliver the big ones.

Aaron and his wife Amy live in Livingston where they spend time floating the Yellowstone and skiing Bridger Bowl.

Don’t pass up a day with Aaron!

Tony Valerino (MT Licensed Outfitter #5246)

Tony V is a great veteran Montana fly fishing guide who will make sure you have a great day on the river. When not guiding Tony spends his time with his family, chasing elk or skiing at Bridger Bowl.

Brant Oswald (MT Licensed Outfitter #1581)

Having managed one of Montana’s premier shops for many years, Brant is undoubtedly one of the most knowledgeable fly-fishermen in the world. His breadth of knowledge extends from the complexities of the Paradise Valley Spring Creeks to the vastness of Yellowstone area fishing opportunities. Like all good guides, Brant is a great teacher and teaches casting and fishing schools for Sweetwater. We actively encourage all visitors to our shop to spend some time with Brant. He has a special ability to simplify the more difficult aspects of fly-fishing and can make sure that your time on the river is very productive. As an aside, if an angler has a special interest in linguistics, Brant has a masters in Linguistics from the University of Oregon. He has been very helpful in our getting this shop established and we are thrilled to have him working with us.

Jeff Welke

Originally from northern Michigan, Jeff Welke started fly-fishing at ten, tying flies at twelve, then guiding and teaching fly-casting instruction at 17. He managed a fly shop and guided in the summers while pursuing his college degree. After discovering the local area during a trip to Yellowstone, he made the move out west to pursue the sporting life he dreamed of since a boy. After moving to Livingston, he spent several years as the general manager of Dan Bailey’s Fly Shop.

He currently dabbles in real estate and works as an outside sales rep for numerous sporting goods manufacturers. He spends the summer months guiding fishermen on his favorite streams in the area while sharing his passion for angling and instruction.

Jeff resides on a ranch south of Livingston with his two bird dogs and enjoys spending the off season gardening, foraging for wild mushrooms, wandering around in the mountains or hunting for big game animals and birds all across the region.

Steve Wilson

When Steve Wilson first laid eyes on the Yellowstone valley, he asked a local, “What do they call this valley?” The local told him the name Paradise Valley to which Steve replied, “Yea I know it’s paradise but what is the name of this valley?” Paradise Valley, as well as all of Montana, became a dream come true when Steve moved to the area via Washington state. He spent his high school and college years learning trout and mountain fishing in the evergreen state after growing up on the bass lakes of east Texas. Now a veteran guide, Steve traded in his career in sales for a guiding career and joined the Sweetwater team eager to not just guide clients, but facilitate a fantastic experience on the water for all levels of anglers.

He is a professional, friendly, and laid back person, but sometimes is more excited than clients when they have a successful day on the water. Steve went to college as a recreation major and interned in several leadership and ropes course programs. He is a teacher at heart and now loves using that experience guiding as well as instructing in Sweetwater’s Guide School training the new crop of fishing guides. When not guiding or fishing in Montana, Steve enjoys chasing chrome on northwest steelhead rivers, or traveling to the Caribbean to fish the flats with his wife, Heidi. He and Heidi live in Livingston year round. Steve spends his winters skiing up at Bridger Bowl and works as a lift operator.

Beau Peavey

Beau started his guide career in Maine chasing Landlocked Salmon and Brook Trout. Having started fly fishing at the age of 4, he is no stranger to the water. After graduating from the University of Maine in 2010, and Atlantic Salmon becoming endangered in Maine, he and his wife moved to Montana to pursue their careers, only instead of teaching physical education, Beau continued fishing.

Beau is a year round Montana resident, spending his winters hunting, skiing and fishing. In the winter he ties flies commercially, and designs his own line of streamers for big trout in Montana.

Beau started working in the shop with Sweetwater and guiding part time. Now a days he is working in the shop a day or two a week and guiding full time. Beau has a professional, laid back approach to guiding, not too laid back though, he does get excited over fish.

Anglers of any skill set are welcomed; in fact Beau loves teaching, as his degree was in outdoor recreational education. He loves his anglers to learn something every day on the water, whether it be a part of your casting stroke, something about entomology, or a little river history.