TEAM TRUTTA - Key Persons
Ben started fly fishing at the age of 12 years old after working on the Fly Fishing Merit Badge at Boy Scout Camp. He started fishing competitively in March of 2015 and often travels and even competes with his Dad, Joe. Ben enjoys fishing locally for wild brown trout in his local stream of Valley Creek which runs through beautiful Valley Forge National Historic park. Ben is an avid fly tier as well who recently took a trip to Colorado where he honed his nymphing and casting skills at the US Youth Fly Fishing Team Clinic. He put those new skills to work and placed well at his latest comp on the West Branch of the Delaware where Team Trutta surprised him with his membership at the closing ceremonies.
Brady starting fishing as a small child with his dad, whether it was on his boat chasing elusive panfish or fishing stocked trout streams around Central PA. His interest in trout fishing grew and he found himself spending most of his free time fishing local stocked trout ponds and creeks. Thanks in part to his soon to be teammate "Chafe", his obsession with fly fishing quickly grew as he began fishing for wild trout in cold limestone and spring creeks scattered through our state. After fished his first comp Brady was hooked. He's looking forward to spending time with friends on the water, and fishing many more comps with Team Trutta!
An avid outdoorsman with love for both archery and fishing, Chase began his fishing journey at the age of 3. He fished local trout streams and his grandfathers bass pond. After watching a fly fishing show on tv, his love of fly fishing began in 2015. His journey quickly progressed from stocked ponds to chasing wild browns. Chase recently attended the CPA Classic in June and had a blast competing with some of the best in the sport and is looking forward to many more comps in the future with Team Trutta!
Cody was born and raised in North Central Pennsylvania and is currently living and fishing the amazing waters in and around Elk County.
He picked up fly fishing at 17 purely out of curiosity and hasn't looked back since! Close friends with Zack, the two dove into competitive fly fishing together and learned the sport and techniques as a strong team before joining the squad.
Job Titles:
- Ambassador / Fort Smith, Montana
Born and raised in Lock Haven, Pennsylvania, David hadn't really fished much growing up.. Just occasionally with his father and brother with an old spinning rod. David spent most of his life playing music, touring and writing music in a few bands. Some years later he caught up with his friend and now fellow competitor Josh Miller, who taught him some of the basics. After hooking into his first wild brown trout he was "hooked". Since finding his new passion, David hasn't put down the rod. Thanks to the wonderful world of social media Nick, David, and Ross, became close friends and after fishing together, decided to start up Team Trutta. Dave's Resume is ever growing, first attending Sweetwater Guide School, then landing his first guiding gig at Vista Verde Ranch in Steamboat Springs, CO. After that season, he returned to PA to guide for The Feathered Hook Guide service. Only to continue his legacy, he spent the summer of 2017 guiding clients in the last frontier, Alaska. The latest endeavor, Dave is now the Fly Shop Manager at the great Bighorn Angler in Fort Smith, MT.
Edward grew up in Pittsburgh and has been chasing trout since he could cast a rod. After moving around after college Edward settled down in Johnstown PA and started fly fishing shortly after. When Edward showed interest in competing fellow teammates Nick Meloy and Chase Kreider got Edward up to speed and competing in no time. Since then Edward has been addicted to competing and searching for that lifetime trout.
Ethan grew up on the Mason-Dixon Line in New Freedom, PA. He began fly fishing at 9 years old on family vacations with his father. Ethan dove into the sport after turning 16 and found a passion for fly fishing and conservation while fishing the waters of South Central PA. Since the age of 16, Ethan has been quickly developing as an angler and started competing in 2019. Ethan is currently a college student transferring to Penn State University to study Environmental Resource Management. After winning the PA Collegiate Fly Fishing Championship, he was asked to join Team Trutta and is eager to continue competing.
John started fly fishing when he was 12 years old, in Washington State. Over the past 26 years he has had the privilege of being able to fly fish over a lot of the country. When he returned home in 2011 from a deployment in Iraq, John found competitive fly fishing. After his first competition in 2012 he was
"I grew up in rural part of Hunterdon County, NJ. Started trout fishing with my Father about 1974. Fortunately, my Dad was a perceptive angler..... He talked about, "drift, speed, depth and seams" he was way ahead for the time, an exceptional nymph fisherman. We fished with fly rods and spinning tackle. In the late 70s, we joined a "fly fishing only club", situated in a private stretch of water at the, Ken Lockwood Gorge, NJ. I'd throw greased up, royal coachmen and hornbergs for trout with a fiberglass fly rod. Unfortunately, there was an attitude at that time.... some fly fisherman looked down upon other forms of trout fishing. Had no respect for other presentations. We had to hide the fact we fished other ways? CRAZY! In 2010 my Son expressed an interest in fly fishing. My Son's interest, rekindled my passion.... together we spent hundreds of hours chasing trout and guiding friends. Competing amongst ourselves, friends and family for bragging rights. In 2016 our Son suffered an injury that makes fly fishing for him (currently) not possible. I compete now to continue the challenge and fun. Here to help to share and always learning. " - John
Born and raised in Clearfield, PA Kyle grew up around fishing, thanks to his father. His love for fly fishing started to bloom about 5 years ago when he found himself throwing big dries at native brookies in a local cold mountain stream. He competed this year for the first time in the Trutta competition on the Little J and placed very well. You'll catch Kyle any week knee deep in a local PA trout fishery chasing wild brown trout and striving for increased skills in the comp game.
Martin started fly fishing when he was 14, and started competitive fly fishing in September 2016 at the PA Fall Classic after attending a US Youth Fly Fishing Clinic in Colorado. His home water near Needville, Texas is the beautiful Guadalupe River, which is the only trout water in Texas. Through the guidance of local anglers, Martin worked on his skill set to become a better angler, as well as traveling to trout waters all over the nation. Fishing with friends on the competition scene, like those he met at the US Youth Fly Fishing Clinic, Martin has quickly ascended the ranks and is a recently chosen member of the 2018 USA Youth National Fly Fishing team. When he's not on fresh water, he enjoys salt water fly fishing on the Texas Gulf.
Nick started fly fishing in 2015 for fun after an old neighbor who builds bamboo rods taught him the nuances of the sport. He quickly fell in love and soon-after got into euro-nymphing in August of 2016. He started fishing competitively in the winter of 2016. Having no trout water in Texas where he lives, Nick has to travel to Oklahoma for practice. He spends most of his days fishing for carp and bass. Despite having to travel regularly to practice and hone his trout skills, Nick made the US youth fly fishing team in spring of 2017, and continues to excel in the sport.
Job Titles:
- Captain / Roaring Spring, PA
Growing up in a region where the term "yinz" is common tongue, Nick never started fly fishing passionately until 2012. Making the journey from Pittsburgh to Central PA weekends on end with his good pal, and soon to be teammate, Ross Dixon, Nick fell head-over-heels for the majesty of fly fishing and wild trout. In 2014, Nick made the move to the Altoona area, where cold limestone and spring creeks ran wild. Fully indulged in his dream job as a User Interface Designer at Sheetz and the plethora of stream-bred trout, he became more in touch with the fish, an almost strict euro-nymph and dry fly approach. As 2016 was knocking, competition was also ringing; Nick then founded Team Trutta with the purpose of collaborating with like-minded, good-hearted friends, and hopefully score a few medals.
Whether swimming in a pool, surfing in the Atlantic, or fishing Northeastern PAs finest trout streams, Ray's childhood was surrounded by water. Introduced to trout fishing by his uncles and father, Ray was groomed at an early age in the fine arts of trout stalking and water reading. In 2006 his soon to be father in law banned the use of any 'garden hackle' and Ray's head first dive in to fly fishing began.
Thanks to his father in law's persistence and a Central NY friend's incredible help, he took off and ran within the fly fishing world. With some gentle encouragement ('I'm starting a comp team and you're on it'), Ray entered the competition scene and couldn't be happier that he did. Beyond his incredible teammates, it's a community of friends he couldn't imagine not being a part of.
Job Titles:
- VP of Dry Drops & Beekeeping
Ross grew up in Westmoreland County's Derry PA and was taught the traditional art, presentation, and patterns of fly fishing by his father. Together they honed his skills on Pine Creek and its tribs in the Pennsylvania Grand Canyon. After a brief hiatus from fly fishing he rekindled his passion for fishing with team captain and long time family friend, Nick and quickly got back into the game.
Ross brings a great deal of knowledge to the team about presenting dry flies and dry dropper rigs to be used during competitions. Dry or die bitches.
Job Titles:
- Chief Docking Agent / New Oxford, PA
Thomas been fishing for as long as he can remember but started fly fishing when he was 14 on Pine Creek. He got his first fly rod as a birthday gift from his Dad who has been fly fishing & tying for over 40 years. Thomas spent the first 4 years of fly fishing primarily throwing dry flies, but started nymph fishing when he moved to Central PA for school in 2013. He's been 'hunting trout' subsurface ever since.
While one of the young team's newest members, Thomas has been close friends with Trutta team members for quite awhile and has recently spent time with Ross while fishing Letort in August. His first comp will be the BFC fall classic in September.
Zack started fly fishing 9 years ago on local stocked streams and some of Clearfield counties pristine and secluded brookie streams. Zack has been competing for over a year now following in his brother, Curtis's, footsteps. Zack took first place in the first competition he fished in 2015 in Central NY, the Nine Mile Mini. In one of his first competitions under the Team Trutta banner, Zack helped Trutta to their first team medal.
An excellent nymph fisherman, Zack looks to mop up his competition whenever he can!