Offering Guided Fly Fishing
Southern & Central Oregon Fishing on the Chetco River, Rogue River, Elk River, Sixes River, Coquille River, Umpqua River
Northern California- Klamath River, Smith River, Redwood Creek, Eel River, Mad River, Van Duzen River, Mattole River
From the coastal rivers of Oregon...to the wild & scenic rivers of California’s lost coast: Join us for a fly fishing adventure!
“We pursue the hardest fighting Steelhead & Salmon on our planet in the pristine surroundings that rival the beauty of the fish.”
Most Fly Fishing guides will tell you it’s not easy earning a living dedicated to catching fish on a fly. Yet at Western Waters we feel truly blessed, because the quality of life…..it’s PRICELESS …. ….WE LOVE IT! At Western Waters Guide Service we strive to offer our guests the widest variety of fly fishing venues available, from the coastal rivers of Central Oregon all the way South to California’s wild & scenic rivers of the Lost Coast. Steelhead & Salmon are anadromous fish. They move…by the minute, hour, day…..and we move with them. When you go Fly Fishing with Western Waters, you’ll be fishing in the right water, with the most effective equipment & techniques. We specialize in helping fly anglers become more proficient in all techniques used to catch Steelhead & Salmon- both single handed & spey fly rods. And if you are a beginner, we guarantee to shorten your learning curve! If you are just starting to fly fish or you are a hardcore Steelhead fly fishing fanatic, Western Waters Guide Service will provide you a memorable experience.
Almost forgot….to the ladies’….we have a nice HEATER in our boats!
Meet Western Water Guide Service -- Owner Mark Papazian
A passion for the outdoors came early in life for Mark Papazian. By age three, Mark had figured out how to hook trout on his Zebco outfit…..even landing a few while his Brittney Spaniel tried his best to knock each one off. So yeah, Morgan gets full credit for developing Mark’s “catch & release” habit early on. After graduating from high school, Mark talked his way into a non-paying job in Southeast Alaska cleaning boats, filleting fish, & anything else the lodge owner needed done. Saying this 1st summer in Alaska was a good learning experience would be an understatement. Actually it was one of those unforgettable life lessons in “what doesn’t kill you makes you stronger”. The hours were long & the work hard, but Mark fell in love with Alaska. By the following summer, now 19 years old, Mark had earned his Coast Guard Captain’s certification, thus graduating from being “the new kid” to guiding guests in Alaska’s Tenakee Inlet & nearby rivers. At age 20, Mark became the youngest Orvis guide in Alaska- employed at Alaska’s Boardwalk Lodge, a five star Orvis endorsed lodge on Prince of Wales Island.
As much as he enjoyed his four years at Boardwalk Lodge, Mark knew he needed to finish school- so he put guiding on hold the next two years & completed his business degree at Chico State.
While living in Chico, Mark discovered the joys of fly-fishing for the hard fighting Steelhead of Northern California’s Lost Coast. Today, at 32 years of age, Mark spends late Spring & Summers as Head Guide for Alaska’s Deep Blue Charters in Glacier Bay, where Halibut, Salmon, & Humpback Whales get top billing.
Late September through May, Mark resides in Brookings, Oregon. From there, he operates Western Waters Guide Service (his passion) pursuing Steelhead on the fly, with an ever increasing list of happy customers. Although it’s not easy earning a living as a steelhead fly-fishing guide in Southern Oregon, the lifestyle…..priceless!
Steelhead are sometimes referred to as the fish of a thousand casts, however a great man (Henry David Thoreau) eloquently wrote: “Many go fishing all their lives without knowing it’s not fish they are after”. He surely must have visited the beautiful Lost Coast of Northern California & Coastal Oregon!
Come share an adventure with Mark as you pursue the hardest fighting Steelhead on our planet, in the pristine surroundings that rival the beauty of the fish.
Western Waters Guide Service; westernwaters.net 530-321-7452
