Kea Hause, founder

The Roaring Fork valley was home to artist, fly-fishing guide and Proudline’s founder, Kea Hause, for more than 45 years. Kea started his fly fishing business in 2012 and surrounded himself with a small crew of guides who he taught the value of bringing the ethics of continued care for our rivers and streams back into guiding. Kea hated to see people dissatisfied, in life, in work, or in fishing. “Guiding isn’t about physics, or entomology. It’s about knowing how to talk to people. I’ve had trips where I never took a rod out. Just sat in the truck and answered questions.” Continue reading »

lani kitching, owner-operator

After catching her very first trout in the summer of 1979, Lani devoted a little more time to the rivers each year. Upon relocating to the Roaring Fork Valley in 1999, Lani and Kea crossed paths on the river and connected through their easygoing natures and compelling curiosity. The years that followed held many memorable adventures, but fishing was always an enlightening experience as Kea patiently taught Lani the finer points of trout habits and habitat. Today, Lani is honored to keep Proudline afloat and delights in helping fly fishing newcomers feel excited and confident enough to venture out into the water with her. Continue reading »

michael shook

Since 1975, Michael Shook has produced fly fishing guidebooks and river maps for different drainages throughout Colorado, Utah, New Mexico and Wyoming (available at www.flyfishguide.com) and has been a professional guide in both the Gunnison and Roaring Fork Valleys throughout that time. Kea Hause was one of his closest friends and mentors. Michael is glad to see Proudline carry on Kea’s contagious enthusiasm for getting people on the water and into fish! Continue reading »

john hunt

John Hunt has been primarily floating the Roaring Fork Valley since 2011 after learning how to feed trout on technical small Ozark spring creeks in his home state of Missouri. John prides himself on being an expert oarsman and hooking fish in his raft or driftboat at a steady pace from Snowmass all the way down to Rifle. When not drifting the local rivers John can normally be found looking for tailing fish on a sandy flat in the Caribbean or a carpy looking reservoir mud flat. Continue Reading »

David santini

David got his fishing start early in life and his love for it has only grown since then. Many of David’s fishing endeavors were self-taught, with the occasional piece advice from an old timer to help him along the way. David has been guiding in the Roaring Fork Valley since 2006 and attempts to give the same patience and love that Kea gave to his clients, whom in many cases, became life-long friends. Due to his self-taught style of fly-fishing, David understands the difficulty that a newcomer encounters, and  is able to shorten the learning curve by break things down in a very simple, patient, and easy to understand fashion. Continue reading »

Ivan Perrin

Ivan Perrin grew up in Louisiana, fishing conventional tackle. He moved to Snowmass Village in 1989, where he learned to fly fish in Shale Bluff Canyon and started his guide career wade fishing up-valley and later, floating down-valley around Glenwood Springs. In 2005, he had the opportunity to spend the day with Kea Hause (according to local lore, “the God of Guides”) during a fishing tournament. The two won the tournament for two consecutive years, but more importantly, Kea’s influence helped Ivan recognize that he could be better as a teacher of fly fishing rather than a guide.  Today, Ivan primarily guides the Colorado River area, going for big fish. Continue reading »

Paula Fothergill

Paula learned fly fishing from her late husband Chuck Fothergill. Chuck was a world class fly fisher, guide and owner of the first fly shop in Aspen, Colorado (Fothergill’s Outdoor Sports). With the simple question “Do you ever go fly fishing with regular people like me?” the door was opened for Paula to learn fly fishing from a wonderful person like Chuck and to step in to an amazing sport. More than just a sport it is an amazing connection to the stunning rivers and streams in the Roaring Fork Valley and beyond. Since that first encounter with Chuck nearly 30 years ago Paula has become an accomplished fly fisher and enjoys nothing more than introducing new people to the sport. Continue reading »

Derek Grzelewski

Before moving to Colorado a few years ago, for a decade and a half Derek Grzelewski was a fly fishing guide in New Zealand – one of the best but also the most challenging trout fisheries on the planet. Derek’s books, The Trout Trilogy – Trout Diaries, Trout Bohemia and Trout Dreams, are all about fly fishing adventures in New Zealand and Colorado. Derek became a part of the extended Proudline family when he married Jennifer White who was one of Kea’s closest friends and his regular fishing and skiing companion. “Unfortunately, I never met the man himself, but from all I’ve heard about him I’m sure we would have made good fast friends as we both have burnt with the same passion for trout and the snow, and shared many similar values and attitudes.” Continue reading »

Sydney Freeman

Bio coming soon!

Jason Phillips

Jason loves fishing and has had the opportunity to fish a lot of different places around the globe. In his time as a guide, he has won several notable accolades, including Champion Guide Runner Up in the 2011 Redbone Tournament. But as Kea would say and Jason would agree: fly fishing is not and should not be a competitive sport.

“When I close my eyes or stare off into the distance, I can still see Kea and laugh out loud. There are so many memories. Kea started Proudline Flyfishing to reincarnate a fraternal order of fun guided fly fishing. He was always putting together the most elaborate fishing, skiing and surfing adventures he could conjure. His spirit was non-stop ‘go.'” Continue reading »