Our Guides

Kootenay Fly Shop & Guiding Co. prides itself on providing the visiting angler with the best guides to ensure that you enjoy the waters of the East Kootenays, have fun and land the fish that stories are made from. Fly-fishing is an amazing sport and we feel that you should always be learning something new from our guides while out on the water. They are knowledgeable and excel at instruction as they have years of experience under their belts.

Carole Beaupre
Our bilingual guide, Carole, has been employed with Kootenay Fly Shop & Guiding Co. for more than 8 years and has learned all aspects of the fly fishing business during this time. With over 20 years experience as a ski instructor, combined with a Bachelor of Education degree, Carole continues to develop team building programs and has created our Ladies Fly-Fishing Club and Fly-Fishing Camps for women and children.

Another aspect of Carole’s work is the development of a kayaking business in the East Kootenays, Panama and Costa Rica.

Mike Mailey
Mike, with over 30 years experience and 20 plus years in the fishing industry, considers himself a true fish “bum” as he is self taught in fly casting and was one of the first to offer guided trips on the Bow River. Mike has had the opportunity to fish with Dave Whitlock, Steve Rajeff, Dan Blanton and Mike & Denise Maxwell.

Mike has been guiding on the Bow River since the early 80’s and other destinations have included fishing for Northern Pike and Lake Trout in the Northwest Territories and Arctic Char in Nunavit and Vancouver Island.

While you may see him sitting creating new fly-tying patterns, Mike’s preference is to be rowing a boat down the river.

Tyler Carson
Tyler has been fly-fishing for almost 20 years starting out on the Grayling streams and stocked lakes of Northern Alberta and British Columbia but it was his move to Fernie in 2000 that really hooked him on fly-fishing. He has spent the last six years as a whitewater raft guide in the Fernie area and has now made the transition to fish guiding. During his time as a whitewater raft guide Tyler was certified in swift water rescue and was fortunate enough to get to row on some spectacular multi-day raft trips on the salmon, trout and char filled Chilko River in northern British Columbia and on the Colordao River through the Grand Canyon.

In the off season Tyler is a First Aid instructor at the College of the Rockies in Fernie and works on the Pro Patrol at Fernie Alpine Resort doing First Aid and Avalanche Control work. One of Tyler's things about Fernie is March days where he can ski powder in the morning and fish dry flies for Cutthroat Trout in the afternoon.

Jaime Trento
Jaime has been fishing since he was a small child and has been a fly-fishing guide for 9 years. His guiding territory lies between Canmore, in the heart of the Canadian Rockies, east to the famous Bow River in Calgary, then south to the Crowsnest Pass area, and finally west again to Fernie nestled in the British Columbia Rockies on the famous Elk River and tributaries. For all of Jaime’s float trips, you will be guided down the river in a 16’ 9” Hyde Limited Edition Signature Series drift boat.

Each day of the summer guiding season (July to October), you will find Jaime out on the rivers, lakes, streams and creeks and during the winter season, the Carribbean is the place to be for Bonefishing.

Jaime is also a professional nature photographer which always helps to get great photos of those beautiful trout we are likely to catch before release.