Meet Our Guides

Luke Kinney, Orvis Endorsed Fly Fishing Guide and Owner.

When I started fishing at around the age of six I remember losing my grandfathers rod in the lake the first time going out. Once I even hooked into a boat as it was launching. I was convinced I was not meant for fishing. My grandfather would patiently untangle my lines and he even seemed content with doing so. Looking back on it I realized he was just happy that we were all together as a family, and fishing was the medium.

When I picked up a fly rod for the first time I knew that it was something special and life changing, there was a deep connection there. I fell in love with every aspect of the lifestyle, from fly tying to obsessively checking weather patterns, I couldn’t get enough, and I don’t think I ever will. I started my own guiding outfit in 2021 with the mindset of offering the best and most professional guided experience on the Eastern Sierra. Golden Trout Guiding Co. is committed to making you a better and more well rounded angler, while having the most fun possible!

Being on the river is a privilege, and a responsibility. As a guide I love getting folks into beautiful and memorable fish but I also enjoy sharing my passion for the Owens Valley originally named Payahuunadü or “Land of flowing water” by its native Piute people. The journey of fly fishing is lifelong, and it only gets better. Im excited to share my experience and knowledge with you, and have a blast while doing it!

  • Luke Kinney, a California licensed, bonded, and insured guide #1001501

  • First Aid Certified 2022.

Rob Hrabik, Head Guide and Nymphing Specialist

Some of my earliest memories are of fishing. Born into a fishing family, I was out ice fishing with my dad when I was three years old. My childhood was mostly spent outdoors, fishing and exploring the woods around the property. In 1993 my parents rented “A River Runs Through It” - they had to convince me to watch it. Needless to say, I was hooked.

Two months later I had my first fly combo and set about teaching myself how to cast in our little farm pond, catching bass and bluegill. I read what books/magazines I could find, trying to glean as much information as possible. There was no YouTube to learn from back then. Christmas 1994 I got my first fly tying kit. I managed to decipher the nomenclature of materials, tools and techniques through the black and white photos of that beginner instruction manual. I still have one of the first flies I ever tied, a Mickey Finn. Catching fish on flies that I tied was the key for me to feel the passion and art of fly fishing. That’s what unlocked the obsession.

I began guiding around the Sierra in 2016. I enjoy sharing my passion for fly fishing and the outdoors with everyone. As a guide, I love teaching the skills and techniques needed to fool our wary trout. Tight lines.

 

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