Raised in Louisiana, 100% Cajun Ivan Perrin’s grandfather was a shrimp boat captain in the summer and a trapper in the marsh during winter. Ivan grew up in Louisiana, fishing conventional tackle, Bass, Crappie, Brim, Speckled Trout, Sand Trout, Red Fish, Snapper, Grouper, Croker, Drum, and Mahi Mahi. After finishing a degree in Accounting at LSU, he moved to Snowmass Village in 1989. There, he learned to fly fish in Shale Bluff Canyon after working accounting shifts with the Aspen Skiing Company. Ivan and two other Louisiana boys became, and still are, fly fishing guides. Ivan also runs ILP Services, LLC, offering all aspects of bookkeeping and financial reporting, payroll, budgeting, general business consulting and more.
He started his guide career wade fishing up-valley with Oxbow Outfitting in Snowmass Village, and later gained the contract with the Aspen Ski Company to provide guide services under the name Snowmass Anglers. During that time, Ivan I trained a number of guides who are still guiding today.
He began his float career in the late 90’s after fishing down-valley around Glenwood Springs. In 2005 he began his support of the Rocky Mountain Fly Fishing Classic “To Catch the Cure” tournament to raise funds for Cystic Fibrosis. Kea Hause was a fellow guide there, and according to local lore, he was known as “the God of Guides”. Kea agreed to guide the boat that he was in and, finally, Ivan was able to spend a day with him.
They fished the Colorado in the mud and posted a score that no other team could touch. Kea taught Ivan things about guiding that were the simplest one could imagine. After the awards ceremony in 2005, Ivan fully recognized he could be better as a teacher of fly fishing rather than a guide. In 2006 Kea guided Ivan and his boat to a repeat championship. By 2007, Kea had come to understandably dislike competition for fishing. Ivan never won the tournament after that. “I’m now trying to win one as a guide, hopefully one year. “
Ivan primarily guides the Colorado River area now, going for big fish. “I’m the self-proclaimed Mayor of the ‘Silt to Rifle’ stretch.” In total, he has close to 30 years’ experience teaching people how to catch, and respect, the entire sport of fly fishing. His guide record is a 25″ taped, male Brown Trout, estimated at 8 pounds (caught by Charlie Hill, then-leader of the Orchard Church).
“My tag line when you fish with me is ‘We only need ONE TEN pounder.’ I feel truly blessed each day I’m on the water, whether personally or professionally.”
HEAR ABOUT FISHING WITH IVAN
Check Out The Smart Boat company’s “Colorado” model
A highside Mckenzie River style drift boat for Fly Fishing heavier wave trains like the Colorado River in Glenwood Springs.
After a number of years I realized no other person will build the boat that I wanted but me. Designed by guides and built for anglers, the SmartBoat takes the best features from all my experience along with comments I’ve received from guides and clients over the past 30 years.
Ivan ON THE WATER
More From Ivan
Successful Co-Parenting
A real life story of techniques used to create a positive environment for children during and after divorce
From Author Ivan Perrin: The contribution that defines my proudest accomplishment is co-parenting with my ex-wife, Ann. I’m sharing our techniques to help other people. I have many friends with a not so great track record as co-parents. When I hear stories, horrible stories, of unreasonable parents who use their kids against the former spouse, I wonder how a parent cannot realize that this affects the children? Hoping that our story helps others along their path seems like a way I can make another contribution. The book covers the time period from pre-separation to today, ten years of co-parenting. I try to take the reader through the emotional hardships of divorce and offer a glance at the children’s perception as well. I also offer some key points to those co-parents.