Meet Your Guide Dave Neal

Like many fly fishermen, I grew up soaking worms and salmon eggs under a bobber for any fish that would eat it.

My earliest memory of “fly fishing” was the day I sneaked an old nappy, ragged dry fly from dad’s tackle box.  Using my telescoping spinning rod, I somehow managed to whip out a couple false casts, imitating the fly fisherman I watched so intently.  As the fly landed with a splat on the water, my father, an engineer, casually responded,

“Dave…you don’t have the right equipment for that style of fishing”. 

What happened next is the reason you are reading this now… a flash of color, the familiar tug; I landed my first “brookie” with a dumbstruck but proud pop doing the netting honors. 

That trout was only hooked for a moment of its life, but I have been hooked ever since.

I started guiding fly anglers in the summer of 2001.  The following season I was invited to join the guide service at the original Trout Fly shop in Mammoth Lakes. 

In 2002, I attended the Guide School at Clearwater Lodge on Hat Creek.  I worked for the Trout Fly and Troutfitter fly shops for the following 8 seasons while starting my own guide service, Reel Mammoth Adventures. 

I live in Mammoth Lakes CA with my endearing wife, Tracie, and our daughter Bella. I am a full-time year around fly fishing guide who is licensed, bonded, insured, and carry forest service permits for all the necessary waters in our region.  I also have a BLM permit for the Trinity River where I guide for steelhead in the fall & winter months.