Favorite fishery: Toss-up between Ocean Beach, North Coast Steelhead, and McCloud River 

Favorite restaurant in SF: Bix – get the Bloody Mary (best I’ve ever had)

Favorite bar/drink spot/coffee: Postscript Coffee is hard to beat, and Maison Nico for the pastries.

Fly pattern: Ocean Beach: Surf Brown Adachi Clouser, North Coast: Burnt Chicken (pink), and McCloud: Clark’s Golden Stone. 

Specialties: Fly casting instruction, Fly Lines, California waterways, Steelhead, surf fishing, saltwater flats, trip preparation, rod tapers, and rigging.

Podcasts:

• Orvis with Tom Rosenbauer
• Cal Trout Fish, Water, People Podcast

President of the Board of Golden Gate Angling and Club

2017 Five Rivers Challenge Winner

3x ACA National Casting Champion

Born in the Seattle area, Brett has spent the last four decades fishing all over the Pacific Northwest and the world. His fly fishing and guiding experience runs deep, as he has worked in several facets of the fly fishing industry since 2001. Over the years, he obtained a USCG captain’s license and spent time guiding in Western Alaska, as well as his home state on the Skagit, Yakima, Puget Sound, and beyond. Outside the PNW, Brett's passion for chasing fish led him to hosting clients on destination trips around the globe, which he does for LCO these days. His experience and depth of fly fishing knowledge are a boon to the shop. Today, you can find Brett and his dog, Frank, on the sales floor at the shop, working on destination travel for the shop, or dreaming about steelhead. If he's not in the shop, he's probably at the beach chasing stripers or doing yard work.

Jacob was born in Marin County and raised by a very fishy family. With his grandfather, Gene, managing a sporting goods store in San Rafael and his father being a die-hard angler, Jacob's passion for the outdoors, from as early as he can remember, naturally gravitated towards fishing. Getting serious with angling at the age of 20, Jacob's excitement has not slowed down, and he sees every avenue as an opportunity to learn and experience something new. That said, freshwater bass occupy a special place in his heart, and no matter what fishing is hot at the moment, you can bet Jacob is still thinking about bass fishing to some extent. At the shop, Jacob is integral to managing our online orders and shipping. He is a valuable asset on the sales floor, with a wealth of hard-earned local fishing knowledge.

Our Midwest representative, Dillon, grew up in the plains of western Nebraska, where he found a love for the outdoors, hunting pheasant, and hiking the ponderosa-covered bluffs of Pine Ridge. After moving to Fort Collins, CO, he picked up a fly rod and taught himself how to fish on the Cache la Poudre River. His fishing and hunting passions eventually led him to work for Fishpond and a career in the outdoor industry. Dillon and his wife have bounced around the American West, casting flies along the way, landing in the Bay Area in 2024. An avid trout angler, you'll now find him surf fishing for stripers before work.

Finn, San Francisco's native son, discovered his passion for fishing at a young age. He caught his first fish at just five years old with his grandpa. Since taking up fly fishing at the end of the COVID pandemic, he has explored the rivers and surf of California, dedicating every moment he can, away from school, to being on the water. At the shop, Finn has utilized his expertise as an avid rod builder to fill a niche for us. He not only performs custom rod work, but also enjoys sharing his knowledge and passion for fishing and rod building with others.

Wil is Lost Coast’s resident “flats bum,” equally at home on the bow of a panga or chasing salmon from the deck of his Grady White, Feeling Lucky. If he’s not in the Bay, odds are he’s somewhere warm, most likely in Belize, stalking permit, either on his own or hosting anglers at Rocky Point Permit Camp. His passion for the flats has also taken him to Xcalak, Puerto Rico, and he’s always scheming his next trip to Cocodrie, Louisiana, to tangle with redfish. An on-again, off-again “tech bro,” Wil now splits his time between the shop—where he also helps with the website and communications—and the Golden State Salmon Association, where he handles marketing and digital media.

Auggie is a Bay Area native who grew up fishing around Northern California with his dad. He enjoys schlepping through the state's tailwaters and hopping around lakes and creeks in the Sierra. A passionate angler, Auggie enjoys learning about the fish species he pursues just as much as he does catching them. A people person, Auggie loves hearing your fishing stories, trading spots and knowledge, and helping you find the gear you need to get on some fish. A convert to the local surf scene, Auggie is quickly trying to learn as much as he can about fishing in the East Bay. His favorite rivers in the state are the Trinity and the Lower Sac.

Born in Portland, Oregon, Morgan began fishing at a young age. A frequent visitor of local lakes, like Bethany Pond and Lost Lake, as a kid, at that point it was a lot of worms and Powerbait. After moving to San Francisco in his youth, Morgan took up fly fishing in his early 20’s and has been a fanatic ever since, mostly fishing local lakes and Bear Valley in the Sierras. Lately, he has delved into the world of competition Spey casting, and can be found at the Golden Gate Casting Ponds with his 15’ 10-weight Orvis cannon in hand. He has worked at the shop since January 2023 and is our daily cheerleader, throwing fistbumps and smiles to customers and coworkers all day, every day.

Ezra is a San Francisco native who takes every opportunity to escape the city and head outdoors, whether he’s hunting, fishing, or just a hike for some fresh air. Ezra been fishing his entire life, but picked up the fly rod during Covid, and hasn’t looked back. If he’s not out in the surf, casting for stripers, you’ll probably find him hucking big streamers on one of California’s many beautiful fisheries. At the vise, Ezra focuses on deer-hair streamers and vibrant steelhead patterns. When he’s not on the water, he’s usually leather working (or in school). Be sure to check out his handmade fly wallets in the shop! Balancing school, fishing, sports, and leatherwork is a challenge for the young lad, but Ezra is always happy to talk about anything fly-fishing.

The best boy. A yellow lab who didn’t invent the fishing dog game—but perfected it. At 14, Deez has mostly retired to the comforts of the drift boat diesel or a favorite chair. He’s fished just about everywhere in California. Read Ode to a Fishing Dog.

Our sheepish cattle dog can always be found at George’s heels. No funny business with this one. Fishing dog in training and has learned from the best in the industry. 

Frank is our resident tuxedo dog. He enjoys chasing squirrels, long walks on the beach (while dad fishes for stripers), peanut butter pretzel bites, and neck scratches. He also goes by Franklin, Frankfurter, Horse Dog, Snootman, Beanman, or really anything, as long as you have treats in your pocket.