Hello, my name is Eric Hurst. I’m a fly fishing guide based out of Georgia and I currently work
full-time with two companies. I am a production and signature fly tier for Umpqua feather
merchants.
I love the art of fly-tying. Being able to imitate a food source out of feathers and other materials
to catch a creature in nature that we have no control over is amazing to me. I grew up mainly
spin fishing for bass but once I found the fly rod there was no looking back for me. It’s my
preferred method to fish with. I like the art of the cast even when the fish aren’t hungry.
The things that I love about this career are teaching new anglers about the sport and
importance of conservation and taking care of the fish and fisheries. I focus on catch and
release techniques to help fish populations for future anglers. I also love learning and growing.
In this field, there is never a day where it’s the same and I really enjoy that. You get thrown a lot
of obstacles and you have to be able to problem-solve and think outside the box.
I mean we’re literally trying to feed fish fake food so that in itself is pretty amazing. I really look
forward to meeting new clients. The thing that keeps me motivated is that the next cast could be
the trophy fish that we’re all on the hunt for!