I caught up with Isaiah, a Colorado-based fly fishing guide who traded cleats for waders after a college football injury led him down the rabbit hole of fly fishing. What started as a way to stay connected to the outdoors turned into a full-blown career chasing trout from a drift boat. Now, he's gearing up for his next adventure—guiding in Louisiana’s saltwater. We talked about his journey, his best tips for fishing from a boat, and why he’ll always be a streamer junkie at heart.

Isaiah, what first got you into fly fishing, and what made you stick with it?

Fishing has been a passion of mine since childhood in Missouri, where I learned the art from my grandpa on our family pond. We’d catch catfish, bluegill, and bass, and before long, fishing became one of my favorite pastimes.

In 2018, I moved to Colorado to play college football, but a foot injury ended my athletic career. Wanting to stay connected to the outdoors, I took a job at Cabela’s in the fishing department. That’s where my passion for fishing reignited, and I began exploring the waters around Grand Junction. Through research and conversations, I discovered fly fishing on the Frying Pan River. It was a transformative experience—something about the casting techniques and the challenge of matching flies to the insects I observed completely hooked me.

For a year, I dedicated myself to the Frying Pan, unknowingly passing by incredible fisheries like the Colorado River and the Roaring Fork. It wasn’t until a good friend, Jerre, introduced me to wade fishing these rivers that my passion truly expanded. Watching boats float by as I waded through those waters made me realize I wanted fishing to be more than just a hobby—it had to be my life.

Now, five years later, I’m a float guide through the spring, summer, and fall. I love this life, and I’ll continue doing it as long as God allows

As a guide, what’s the most rewarding part of putting clients on fish?

I think the most rewarding part of putting clients on fish is seeing that moment when everything clicks for them—when they truly start to understand what we’re doing and why. Why did I have them cast to that spot? What are their flies actually doing below the surface? When should they mend, reset, or recast? Why did we stop and wait 30 minutes for the water to warm up just a bit?

When those pieces come together, it’s a sign that I’m not just guiding—I’m teaching. And being able to share that deeper understanding of the sport, to give people experiences they don’t typically get, is incredibly fulfilling. Of course, I’d be lying if I said I didn’t also enjoy the challenge of using my own knowledge to find and catch fish. That’s part of the fun too.

What are your five best tips for chasing trout from a drift boat?

1. Gain knowledge of the fishery by talking to local guides and anglers at the boat ramps

2. Know how to row stealthy and quietly, pounding rocks and slapping the water with your oars will not help your chances at catching fish.

3. Take what information the fish give you and use it. When you catch a fish in a certain type of water continue you fishing that kind of water and pattern what kind of mood the fish are in that day. One day they might be a foot off the bank in a foot of water and the next they could be 4 feet off the bank in 3 feet of the water. Adjust to the fish, don't try to make them adjust to you because they won't!

4. Have an understanding of hatches and what's going on with the bug life on the particular river you're fishing. It's not a guessing game, the information is right there for you to see!

5. If there other boats on the water with you, give them space and find your own flow.

If you could only fish one setup for the rest of your life, what would it be and why?

Haha, that’s an easy one—streamers! I love the active hunt of fishing a big streamer and targeting predatory fish. At the end of the day, they might not eat, but if you stick with it and fish hard, you’ll see big fish. It’s hands down my favorite way to fish

What’s next for you in your fly fishing journey? Any big plans for future trips ??

Saltwater guiding is the next step for me. I’m close to obtaining my USCG Captain’s License and will be guiding in Louisiana this coming fall and winter, continuing to fuel my passion for both guiding and fishing.

Before trout season starts again, I have a couple of saltwater trips planned—I’ll be in Mexico chasing permit and bonefish in early May, and then heading to Honduras at the end of the month.