Bug Chuckers, Inc. is a loose conglomerate of fishing personalities looking to share their view of the contemplative sport. It’s more than catching it’s the experience. It’s not numbers, it’s sharing the time on the water with like minded buds and shooting the shit over a beer at the end of the day. It’s brownlining for carp in a drainage ditch, it’s dry flies to rising trout, it’s trespassing for natives, it’s stalking the flats, it’s flirting with the waitress until you find out she’s dating the bartender. The finest and simplest things in life get magnified and appreciated most when bug chucking.

The Board of Directors



Steve-o: Co-founder

Steve-o has been chucking bugs since he was 12 and grew up along the fabled trout waters of southern New Jersey. He cut his saltwater teeth on stripers in the Chesapeake and the non-Jersey shore shores in the Garden State. Now, when he’s not in the office trying to change the face of fishing retail, he can be found flogging the water somewhere between Pittsburgh, Western Maryland the Florida Keys and Montana. Fly fishing is the passion that has nearly derailed his bachelors degree, and law degree, but assuredly has derailed an otherwise unexamined and boring life.

KG: Co-founder

Kevin Garrison entered into the world of fly fishing around the age of 14 and it has been a wild ride since. He grew up in southwestern PA where he relized really fast that the trout fishing in that area was not the best. He learned that one of the best places in PA for trout fishing was the State College area so thats where he then moved to attend The Penn State University to major in Parks and Rec, but some say it was to major in trout fishing. During the summer semesters of college he would travel to Alaska to work and fish and on that last summer he did not return and decided to call AK his new home. He did recieve his diploma amazingly enough. After several years of the Last Frontier he relocated back East and this is where he has remained. KG has a serious native brook trout problem that no counseling will ever cure and you will never see or hear where he fishes for one of Gods greatest creations, something he learned while in AK. The waters of PA and MD are where you will see him at times and on occasion he will venture back up to the great North so those big bows can see him again.

Ryan : Co-Founder

Ryan is a northern West Virginia native who started flyfishing at the age of 15. Although he started fishing at the early age of 4 (which is the same year his first 4+lb smallie was caught), he didn’t gain his passion for bugchuckin’ until the teen years. Slow to start, his passion grew with his age. College years of earning a teaching degree has helped with passing on this fantastic sport. His true passion is catching wild trout, that have been educated. Whether it is brookies, browns, or rainbows, he targets the “one” fish that nobody else wants to waste their time on. Getting skunked only increases his drive to do better or try harder. Western Maryland is his favorite waters, although he has fished most of West Virginia’s very famous waters. Now, as part of a family of four, his time is very limited. Most outings consist of Western Maryland waters, and educated browns, thanks in part to a wonderful (and very understanding) wife. His career is in the flyfishing retail business, so even though he doesn’t always get to do the deed, he gets to live it every day.

Adam: Co-founder

Adam was born and raised in the Northern Panhandle of the great state of West Virginia, and has fished recreationally for his entire life. He did not gain his passion for chucking bugs until his early twenties, and that passion has quickly become an addiction. He started off chasing the legendary small-mouth bass, but once he started hanging with the other members of Bug Chuckers, Inc. he gained a love for the native trout of America. Adam enjoys the challenges of fishing waters that he has never seen, and the experience and knowledge that the wild outdoors gives him. The passion, bug chucking intellect, and vast vault of experience that the other members have opened up to him, has made Adam more and more eager to chase these creatures as far as his life and wild imagination will let him. Though he does not get to fish everyday of his life, he does get to share his knowledge and passion with others in the fishing retail world.

6 thoughts on “About”

Paul Balauf says:

February 28, 2012 at 8:15 pm

Gentlemen – Excellent presentation at the Upper St. Clair Fly Fishing Club. Five Stars. Great vids. Great discussion. Great Tying. Great new product and technique presentations.

tony says:

April 11, 2012 at 6:32 pm

Ryan, I finally looked for your blog, great stuff! Hope to run into you in Garrett county one day. Nice stories about Gene. Tony(Im the guy from Morgantown who stops by in Wheeling from time to time).

Dave Riestenberg says:

April 5, 2013 at 3:40 pm

Fella’s,

I met you at the USC fly fishing club. Really enjoyed your presentations. I have a question: I am planning to camp/wade in western MD the weekend of May 10-13. Looks like they are planning a whitewater release on the 11th and 12th. Is the river fishable during that schedule or should I look at other options (like the Savage or Casselman)? Thanks, Dave

1. Bug Chuckers, Inc. says:
  
  April 7, 2013 at 9:14 pm
  
  Dave,
  
  The N. Branch of the Potomac and the Savage are not very fishable during whitewater releases and can be dangerous. The Potomac is more-so fishable but you will have to hunt for some slower water close to the banks and the amount of water like that which is easily accessible is minimal. You are limited to access from the road leading down to blue hole. The Cassleman and the Yough are still worth it and in May both will still be very fishable.
  -Steve-o
  
  1. Dave Riestenberg says:
    
    April 10, 2013 at 12:52 pm
    
    Steve-o, Thanks for the advice! We will probably try to hit the N.B. on Friday and then try the Cassleman or upper Savage on Saturday. Dave
Dave Riestenberg says:

September 23, 2013 at 8:59 am

Guys,

I’m headed to the NB to fish this Thursday (Sept 26th). Other than the usual suspect beadhead nymphs, any suggestions on flies (dry or wet) to try? Thanks! Dave