An AvidAngler is someone dedicated to the pursuit of fish. You can find them on the river, at the tying bench, or knocking back beers at the bar telling fish stories. With many years of experience and river miles between them, this crew is an integral part of the AvidMax culture.
Together, AvidMax and our AvidAngler team hope to build a community that shares a passion for engaging with the wild landscapes we love, and protecting the future of them.
Forrest Moisan @forrestmoisan
Angler, photographer, outdoorsman and conservationist of all things wild. Born and raised in Dallas, Texas. Currently reside in Denver, Colorado where I spend my spare time in pursuit of empty water, hungry trout, and cold beer.
Calvin McClellan @jah_eel_vt
I’m an Environmental Science major at the University of Vermont who spends way more time fishing and tying flies than I probably should. Although I do enjoy a good dry fly or streamer take, I most often can be found using European-nymphing techniques to target the wily wild browns, ‘bows, brookies and salmon of the Green Mountains and neighboring states. While I’ll always have a love for the challenging (and sometimes frustrating) streams of Vermont, I often migrate West during the summer to fish remote rivers and alpine lakes.
Derek Draplin @ddraps24
Derek is a journalist and writer who splits his time between Colorado and his home state of Michigan. He’s worked at the Pere Marquette River Lodge in Baldwin, Michigan, where he manages their marketing initiatives and social media. When he’s not working, he’s fishing, tying flies, or reading about fishing. He considers himself a “student of the game” and loves learning new techniques to use in different fishing circumstances that allow him to become a better angler. Derek most enjoys targeting brook trout in Northern Michigan, cutthroat trout in Rocky Mountain National Park, bonefish in Hawaii, and steelhead in the Great Lakes region.
Ben Upton @benupton11
Ben Upton is originally from Vermont, learning to fly fish in the pristine mountain brook trout streams that have instilled a passion for fly fishing and the conservation of natural landscapes in many anglers before him. While trout are his favorite species to target, the east coast offers so many unique fly fishing opportunities within just a few hours of driving. Ben enjoys chasing king salmon in the fall, steelhead in the winter, bass and pike in the spring, and striped bass off the coast during the summer. Last summer Ben spent his time guiding in Jackson Hole, Wyoming, and this summer he will be guiding at the A Bar A ranch in Encampment, WY.
Priscilla Dorszynski @pris_1414
My name is Priscilla and I’ve been fly fishing for 3 years. I was born and raised in Miami where I first fell in love with fishing. Currently, I serve as Vice President of Colorado Women Flyfishers. I love being able to share my love for fly fishing with other women through our Club Membership!
Beck Chickillo @b_chickillo
Hello, my name is Beck Chickillo, I’m from Northeastern Pennsylvania and I’m currently in my sophomore year at Juniata College which is located in Central Pennsylvania, and I’m actively pursuing a degree in Fisheries and Aquatic Science. I started fly fishing when I was 12 years old. All throughout high school and college I’ve fished avidly, making it a practice of mine to fish at least 150 days a year. My angling experiences primarily consist of fishing the many wild trout streams across Pennsylvania and New York, and tributaries of Lakes Ontario and Erie for Steelhead during the fall and winter months. I was one of 25 high school aged students selected from many applicants across the United States to serve on Trout Unlimited’s National Youth Leadership Council for 3 consecutive years (2016-2018) and I’ve also attended 3 consecutive Trout Unlimited Teen Summits (2016-2018) which are also referred to as Trout Unlimited’s National Youth Leadership Conference. From the years 2016-2018 I served as the Lackawanna Trout Unlimited Teens President and I also served on the Lackawanna Valley Trout Unlimited Board of Directors during this time. In 2017 I was one of 20 high school aged students selected from many applicants to serve on the Pennsylvania Governors Youth Council for Hunting, Fishing, and Conservation. I served on the council during the years 2017-2018.
Libby Schultz @Elizc45
Originally from Iowa, I now call Colorado my home. My fishing partners include a 5 month old German Shorthair Pointer named River, a 3 year old Goldendoodle named Nati and my fiance Greg. I am in my 3rd year of fly fishing and while I have had the opportunity to fish for many different species my favorite is still trout. Fly fishing has truly helped me find my place and community in the hectic city of Denver.
Christian Graham @grahamcreative
Hey, my name is Christian, I was born and raised in Northern Colorado. I am an outdoor enthusiast from hunting and especially fly fishing. I have fly fished for the last 6 years of my life and don’t plan on stopping until I drop. I have reached out into the world of photography and have worked with a few companies in the industry. My goal is to show this great passion of mine to others and encourage them to get outside and do the same!
Jack Shirk @jackshirkflyfishing
I currently chase trout all across the Rocky Mountains and spend every waking moment pursuing my passion and exploring the beautiful waterways Colorado has to offer. I am working as hard as I possibly can to build a respectful, fulfilling, and life long career in the industry. I have strong aspirations to be a fly fishing guide on Colorado’s infamous tailwaters and to help others learn and get involved in the sport. Currently, I am working on honing my craft and skill set so I can do just that at the highest level possible. See you on the water!
Brody Auckerman @paperfectdrifters
Hey Everyone, PA Perfect Drifters is a group of best friends that grew up together in Latrobe, Pennsylvania fishing our local trout streams and bass ponds together. We all played ice hockey together so fishing took the back burner for a while, but once we graduated high school we all got right back into fly fishing and took it to another level of passion. We all live to be in nature, fly fishing has become our way of life and our escape. No matter what the world throws at us we know its just one cast away from forgetting it all. We love exploring new waters and have traveled throughout the country chasing many species on the fly. We love to have fun and know our little brotherhood can be a lot of laughs. Getting out on the water is what drives us, whether it’s floating a trout stream, shore casting for bass or chasing musky on a jet boat . We love to learn new things and we also like teaching newcomers things that we learned the hard way. Hope we can help someone or see you on the water!
Shannah Fedus @shannahlynn3
Shannah is an entrepreneur focused on making others lives easier through home organization. When she’s not working on her small business with her mom, you can usually find her adventuring in the mountains of Colorado. Growing up in Michigan, Shannah learned how to fish conventionally and from a boat. As the years went on, she and her dad began taking fishing trips in an attempt to teach Shannah more about fly fishing. It’s safe to say her Dad’s plan worked and she has become more and more addicted ever since!
Thomas Dzis @tommydzis56
I am a Connecticut native with early fly fishing roots on my local waters of the Farmington River and Long Island Sound. I went to school at the University of New England in Biddeford, ME where I studied Business Marketing and enjoyed most of my time fishing the sand flats of Biddeford Pool. I am also a Sweetwater Travel Guide school alum, which took place on the Bighorn River in Fort Smith, MT. As much as I have a passion for hunting for big wild browns in New England, I have a stronger passion for targeting big striped bass, bonito, and false albacore on the fly. I am constantly searching out new adventures consisting of blistering drags and ice cold beers. I currently reside in the Green Mountains of Southwestern Vermont. Cheers.
Tyler Puisello @tyler_puisello
Tyler Puisello was originally a New York native, who found his love for fly fishing in the “Birth Place of American Fly Fishing”, the Catskills. This is where he attended and graduated from Trout Unlimited’s Mid-Hudson Brotherhood of the Jungle Cock youth program that taught him to promote and teach conservation through fly fishing. Tyler now calls New Hampshire his home, taking his love of fly fishing to the Berkshires in Western Massachusetts. You can find him navigating and guiding on the Deerfield River System, where he spends most, if not all his time chasing wild brown trout. If you were to ask him about his favorite technique, he’d tell you to throw on a mouse pattern and meet him at 2:00 AM for an unforgettable time. He plans to take his love of fly fishing to Boulder, Colorado in the summer of 2021 to share his deep passion with others like himself.
