HUNTER BANKS - Key Persons
Forrest was born and raised in Colorado where he spent endless hours fishing the South Platte River with his dad. He relocated to Asheville area four years ago and is excited to share his passion for fishing and photography with others.
Forrest has been fortunate enough to take his fly fishing addiction to the next level by traveling to many bucket list locations, including Alaska and Patagonia. Forrest is proud to be an Umpqua Feather Merchants fly designer and Regal Pro staff member. If Forrest isn't at Hunter Banks, fishing or tying flies he can be found hanging out at a local brewery with his wife and their miniature dachshund, Melody.
Job Titles:
- Founder & Owner - World Angler
Frank started Hunter Banks in 1985 with the goal of offering professional fly fishing support to the anglers of Western North Carolina. He is an avid fisherman and you can often find him in the shop assisting anglers prepare for their next adventure. When away from the shop, you can find Frank fishing for trout in Kamchatka Russia and Argentina, chasing a variety of fish in Jupiter, Florida, or stalking bonefish on the flats of the Bahamas. His wealth of fly fishing knowledge through years of experience provides great trip insight to our community of Hunter Banks anglers.
Job Titles:
- Bead Head
- Head Squirmy Wormy Jig
Job Titles:
- Marketing & Communications Director
Miller is the Marketing & Communications Director for Hunter Banks. As a Charlotte native, Miller has spent the majority of his fishing career in Western North Carolina. With 15 years of guide experience and a Parks & Recreation Management degree from WCU, Miller has worked continuously to create innovative strategies and creative content development for our shop and website.
Reid grew up just south of Charlotte, NC. He discovered his love for fishing on small golf course ponds and rivers of western NC. His passion for fishing and conservation continued in the Adirondack region of Upstate New York, where he studied Natural Resource management at Paul Smiths College. Reid enjoys exploring the back country and finding new water to fish on his free time.
Shane is the General Manager of Hunter Banks. Born and raised a few miles up the road, Shane has fished many almost every river in the area. With his local knowledge, he tailors the shop's inventory for the WNC angler. He also offers fly tying classes and enjoys teaching beginners the nuances of fly fishing.
Westin is a North Carolina native and grew up in the Lake Norman area. He "caught" the fishing addiction from a very young age. His family heritage hails from Wyoming, so he has had a fly rod in his hand for as long as he can remember. He cut his teeth fishing for bass and blue gill on Lake Norman but has been fortunate enough to have traveled and fished all over the place!
He spent five years down in Tampa, FL earning his bachelors degree from the University of Tampa in Environmental Science. Since, moving back to WNC he has been guiding trout, small mouth and musky ever since!