Guest Feature: Mark Martin
Mark and Kate with a 28” Rainbow on a small stream in Alaska
Despite the challenges that fly fishing can present, it’s a sport that will continue to surprise you every single time you do it. It doesn’t matter if you’re fishing your home water, you’re going to land new fish and continue to learn new things. The sport is special because it truly means something to people.
“For me, it (fly fishing) is all about being on the water, the challenge of finding fish, and the camaraderie of friends,” says Mark Martin, a longtime guest of Justin and Kate’s. “I have been very fortunate to fish in some incredible places with a great group of friends. Kate and Justin continue to be a part of nurturing those experiences.”
These special occasions and feelings take time to culminate. When anglers first begin fly fishing, it feels a bit like an under skilled carpenter trying to build a house. The clumsiness, frustration and questions that arise can lead to many anglers deciding to quit. However, if you can learn while you’re in the right state of mind and stage of life, those challenges are all a part of the journey.
“I lived on the banks of the Rogue River for a summer when I was 10 years old,” says Martin. “Each day was spent wandering around the river with a friend, who’s parents owned the local tackle shop. We mostly fished with worms but I still remember the first time I used a fly and had a fish rise up to take it. That spark continues today.”
As a child, learning something new is special. Even the slightest sense of accomplishment brings an entirely new sense of pride and joy to the table. Martin was able to channel this joy and it led to numerous excursions all across the world that eventually allowed him to meet Kate over a decade ago.
“I first fished with Kate as a guide in 2011 on the Lower American in Alaska,” said Martin. “I still have this vivid memory of Kate pointing to a spot on the far bank with a huge rainbow. I couldn’t see the fish but Kate insisted it was there. With significant doubt about the fish, I made a cast somewhat close to the spot and “whamo”, sure enough, a huge rainbow took the fly. I have been a believer ever since.”
This initial experience keeps Martin coming back to fish with Frigate Travel as often as possible. As he fished with them, his skills continued to improve. He has learned to enjoy the challenges of learning and using different techniques to land fish. The continued hard work truly paid off in 2016 on the Naknek River.
Mark Martin with a Winter Steelhead
“For almost a decade, we had always talked about landing a fish above 30” in Alaska and while we got close on a couple of occasions, this was the first time to actually land one. They are so incredibly strong and beautiful,” says Martin.
This success didn’t happen overnight, and the work put in to be great can be intimidating for many anglers. Not knowing where to start and the frustration of a lack of success creates fishing fatigue. Martin, however, believes with the right strategies that fly fishing doesn’t have to be one of those frustrating hobbies that come and go.
Fishing the proper location and hiring a guide can inform you in ways that would otherwise take a massive amount of time to learn on your own. He argues that Bristol Bay in Alaska is an ideal place to learn due to the high number of fish and ease of access!
With Justin and Kate opening their new lodge in Alaska, Martin is excited for what is to come and continually work with Frigate Travel Adventures.
“It is the amazing combination of their professional approach to guiding and an easy-going atmosphere that makes the days on the water very special,” says Martin. “Plus, the lodges are located in the best locations for salmon, steelhead, and rainbow trout fishing in the world. Each trip has been memorable, whether catching 30” rainbows on the Naknek or enjoying the scenic beauty of the smaller creeks tucked up against mountains in the Katmai National Park.”
Martin has stayed at the Alaska lodge on numerous occasions over the past decade before the purchase this fall. The location, access and quality fishing all set it above many other lodges in Alaska. With Justin and Kate’s new ownership, the level can be raised even higher.
“I am very excited to be experiencing the new lodge this summer, as I know it will be fantastic with all the attention to detail that Kate and Justin has brought forth in other locations,” says Martin.
For Mark, the fishing is about the camaraderie of friends!