Today we’d like to introduce you to Caleb.
Hi Caleb, it’s an honor to have you on the platform. Thanks for taking the time to share your story with us – to start maybe you can share some of your backstory with our readers?
I grew up fishing for anything that swims in the mountains of East Tennessee! I picked up a fly rod when I was 12 and it quickly became an obsession. I spent every possible second I could targeting smallmouth bass, carp, trout, and several other species. My dad was an avid angler and took me to the float one of our local rivers and I quickly hooked my first smallmouth. I knew in that moment river smallmouth had my heart. I fell in love with Entomology and how it related to how so many different aspects of fly fishing. I followed this passion and obtained my Ph.D. in Entomology and Toxicology from Iowa State University. After graduation, I moved to Minnesota with my wife, Emily to pursue a career as an Entomologist. This move really allowed me to pursue my passions both on and off the water.
In 2023, I realized my lifelong dream of starting my own business. Regal Beagle Fly Fishing is a the culmination of a lifetime of fishing, learning, and teaching. RBFF specializes in fly fishing and light tackle fishing for trophy smallmouth bass, buffalo, carp, and a variety of other species found here in MN. This business allows me to share my passion for fishing with people all year and to truly provide a lifetime memory to anyone that I am lucky enough to share the boat with each day! In addition to guiding, I also tie flies commercially and send flies to fly shops and individuals all across the country!
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
I feel that every business owner typically has some challenges especially early on in the business. I was no exception to that. I did not grow up in Minnesota, pretty far from it. Proving that I knew my program well enough to have someone book with me was a mountain I needed to climb before I felt good about starting my guide service. Early on, that meant spending as much time on the water as I possibly could. This was accomplished by lots of late nights on the river after work fishing new areas, choosing poor conditions to fish in to make sure I felt confident in a variety of situations, even when conditions were at their worst. I believe that most people can put clients on fish when things are great, a sign of a great guide is producing fish on the hard days when most people struggle. It was critical for me to develop that skillset and I am so glad I took the time to do that!
I tell people all of the time that the fishing is the easiest part of being a guide. Learning the marketing component and getting myself out there was something that took me a while to develop. I am scientist for a job and marketing and social media was not something I did very much of before I started RBFF. Since then, my wife, Emily, has given me so much help and taught me so much about that side of the business. It is a team effort and I could not have gotten to the point I have without her.
Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
Outside of fishing, I am a professional entomologist. I serve as the Quality Assurance Program Coordinator for the Metropolitan Mosquito Control District in St. Paul, MN. We are responsible for treating the 7-county metro area around the Twin Cities for mosquitoes and black flies. I work on evaluating our control methods to ensure we are being effective at controlling these species while being environmentally-conscious.
Outside of this position, I own and operate Regal Beagle Fly Fishing, a guide service and fly tying company based in the Minneapolis area.
How do you think about happiness?
I find happiness in this business every single time someone steps in the boat with me or sends me a picture of a fish they have caught on one of my flies. We live in a world where so much tends to be focused on things. I really love to see people taking the time, being purposeful and choosing to have experiences and make those kind of memories that will last a lifetime. Sometimes it can be a 7 pound smallmouth, sometimes it’s a 8 inch fish that was their first, sometimes it’s a father and son that haven’t connected in awhile, every single time, it is so special. I truly appreciate every single time that I get the chance to fish with someone and every time it feels just as special as the first one did. I love catching fish just as much as I always have but I find my highest form of happiness and fulfillment watching someone experience the river and the fish that made me fall in love so much when I was younger.
Pricing:
- Full Day Float Trip (8 Hours) = $500
- Half Day Float Trip (4 Hours) = $350
- Casting Lessons = $100/hour
Contact Info:
- Website: https://regalbeagleflyfish.wixsite.com/regal-beagle-fly-fis
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/regal_beagle_flyfishing/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/p/Regal-Beagle-Fly-Fishing-100090962114721/
