Next Monthly Club Meeting & Program

Tuesday, Feb. 18, 2020
The Gardens at Heather Farm, Camelia Room
1540 Marchbanks Drive, Walnut Creek

Doors Open at 6:30 p.m.
Meeting Starts at 7:30 p.m.
Guests Welcome!

Smallmouth Bass, Trout to Steelhead Opportunities in Oregon,
with Mia Sheppard

Mia Sheppard, who owns Little Creek Outfitters with her husband Marty, will offer her insight into fly fishing opportunities on some of Oregon’s best rivers: The Deschutes, John Day, Grande Ronde, and Sandy. She will explain techniques used for steelhead fishing with a two handed rod as well as opportunities that exist for trout and smallmouth bass.

Mia started her guiding career on the John Day River and soon became efficient at casting both single- and double-hand rods and is now recognized as one of the top women Spey casters in the industry, and has used her casting skills to raise over $18,000 for Casting for Recovery. When she isn’t on the river, or being a mother, she is working to engage more women and children in the sport of fly-fishing and the outdoors through her company Juniper River Adventures.

Mia grew up in Tennessee, where she hiked and chased trout in the Great Smoky Mountains. Eventually she discovered snowboarding and spent years chasing powder, ranging from Truckee, Calif., to Girdwood, Alaska. Then, during 1996, she acquired a serious interest in fly fishing. Later, in 2001, Marty introduced her to two-handed Spey casting – a pursuit that forged Mia’s connection to and admiration of Oregon’s wild steelhead. Finally, during 2003, the couple purchased Little Creek Outfitters, an established guide service, where they continue the tradition of guiding anglers to the region’s steelhead, trout, and smallmouth bass. 

Always committed to conservation, Mia is currently a Field Representative for the Theodore Roosevelt Conservation Partnership, a river steward for the Native Fish Society, Conservation Chairman of the International Women’s Fly Fishers, and Southeast Oregon RAC member, as well as a supporter of the Deschutes River Alliance, Trout Unlimited, and Casting for Recovery.

2019 Member of the Year: Steve Spiller

Steve Spiller was recognized as the 2019 Member of the Year last month at the annual DVFF Crab Feed for his cumulative contributions to the club as well as his support and advancement of the club during 2019. He was nominated by multiple club leaders including past Member of the Year award recipients.

Steve is widely recognized for his positive attitude, responsiveness to others, and his broad contributions to DVFF. To him, these behaviors are simply what you do as an active club member.

Steve has helped the club with fly tying instruction, rod building coaching, as an outings leader, and as a Fly Fishing Fundamentals coach. He has also served very capably as the club treasurer for the past five years. During 2019, he earned the Golden Trout Award, improved club processes, including the payment system, and implemented most of the work needed to change the club name. He also served as a director while continuing as a club officer.

Congratulations again, Steve!

2018 Eastern Sierra Outing

Video Clips & Photographs Courtesy Fred Glaser, Tom Morehouse, Wayne Hofer, Patrick Konoske

Join The Club!

You can join online or download a membership application. (The membership form requires Adobe Acrobat Reader.) Print out and complete the form and either bring it to a meeting or send it to the club mailbox (Diablo Valley Fly Fishermen, P.O. Box 4988, Walnut Creek, CA 94596). You may also pick up an application at a meeting.