Amos Stevens
New Member
By Fred Ney , Citizens' Voice Staff Writer 04/12/2003
Thousands of anglers will flock to their favorite lake or stream today for the opening of trout season in Pennsylvania, an annual ritual which many hope will end their long bout of winter and cabin fever.
But for one local couple, exotic trout fishing trips have become a daily experience and, indeed, a lifestyle.
Steve Hoovler and Sara Randle grew up in Mountain Top and attended Crestwood High School, graduating in 1996.
Today, Hoovler is a professional fly fisherman and outfitter who conducts guided fishing trips on many of Montana's rivers including the Madison, The Yellowstone and Rock Creek.
His clients number among the rich and famous, including Tom Brokaw, Harrison Ford and Steven Seagal.
Randle is a professional travel agent who books guided fishing tours for Hoovler.
Both were inspired to appreciate the outdoors from Fran Gough, a biology and environmental sciences teacher at Crestwood for the past 15 years.
Gough recognized that Hoovler and Randle were deeply interested in nature and the environment soon after they began taking his classes. He took them on their first trip to the Montana wilderness in the summer of 1996.
The trip included a lot of fly-fishing for trout near Yellowstone National Park.
"I remember when Steve first tried fly fishing with me. He had a hard time with it but he persevered and, eventually, he mastered it," Gough recalled.
He described both Hoovler and Randle as "awesome kids."
"They just fell in love with nature and the outdoors and I think it's just fantastic that they've been able to turn that interest into careers," Gough stated.
Hoovler and Randle both went to Penn State University. He graduated with a degree in wildlife fisheries sciences and she graduated with a degree in environmental resources management.
After that, both headed to West Yellowstone in Montana.
Hoovler got a job with Blue Ribbon Flies, a premier fly fishing shop and outfitting center, where he did odd jobs. Randle waited tables at a local restaurant.
Eventually, Hoovler proved his mettle as a fly fishing guide and Randle was hired as a booking agent for fishing trips offered by the Blue Ribbon Flies.
Gough classified Blue Ribbon Flies as "probably the best in the world."
Randle said the shop's reputation as a premier outfitter has the best fly fishing equipment manufacturers sending their products for "field testing."
Randle said Hoovler is currently testing a new type of fishing wader and fly line.
He was unavailable to be interviewed for this story because he was guiding clients on a fishing trip.
In July, 2001, Hoovler became part owner of Blue Ribbon Flies along with Craig and Jackie Mathews, a Michigan couple who have lived in West Yellowstone and owned Blue Ribbon Flies for about 25 years.
Hoovler has been a featured author in the American Angler, a national fly fishing magazine, on three different occasions.
His latest article appeared in the March/April, 2003 edition. In it, he instructs readers about how to prepare for a trout fishing trip before the spring snow melt and what kind of insects will be emerging at that time so the angler knows what kind of artificial fly to use.
He also discusses the best places to find trout and how to "read the water."
Gough said he keeps in touch with his "students" by phone and e-mail and visits them once a year.
fney@citizensvoice.com
Thousands of anglers will flock to their favorite lake or stream today for the opening of trout season in Pennsylvania, an annual ritual which many hope will end their long bout of winter and cabin fever.
But for one local couple, exotic trout fishing trips have become a daily experience and, indeed, a lifestyle.
Steve Hoovler and Sara Randle grew up in Mountain Top and attended Crestwood High School, graduating in 1996.
Today, Hoovler is a professional fly fisherman and outfitter who conducts guided fishing trips on many of Montana's rivers including the Madison, The Yellowstone and Rock Creek.
His clients number among the rich and famous, including Tom Brokaw, Harrison Ford and Steven Seagal.
Randle is a professional travel agent who books guided fishing tours for Hoovler.
Both were inspired to appreciate the outdoors from Fran Gough, a biology and environmental sciences teacher at Crestwood for the past 15 years.
Gough recognized that Hoovler and Randle were deeply interested in nature and the environment soon after they began taking his classes. He took them on their first trip to the Montana wilderness in the summer of 1996.
The trip included a lot of fly-fishing for trout near Yellowstone National Park.
"I remember when Steve first tried fly fishing with me. He had a hard time with it but he persevered and, eventually, he mastered it," Gough recalled.
He described both Hoovler and Randle as "awesome kids."
"They just fell in love with nature and the outdoors and I think it's just fantastic that they've been able to turn that interest into careers," Gough stated.
Hoovler and Randle both went to Penn State University. He graduated with a degree in wildlife fisheries sciences and she graduated with a degree in environmental resources management.
After that, both headed to West Yellowstone in Montana.
Hoovler got a job with Blue Ribbon Flies, a premier fly fishing shop and outfitting center, where he did odd jobs. Randle waited tables at a local restaurant.
Eventually, Hoovler proved his mettle as a fly fishing guide and Randle was hired as a booking agent for fishing trips offered by the Blue Ribbon Flies.
Gough classified Blue Ribbon Flies as "probably the best in the world."
Randle said the shop's reputation as a premier outfitter has the best fly fishing equipment manufacturers sending their products for "field testing."
Randle said Hoovler is currently testing a new type of fishing wader and fly line.
He was unavailable to be interviewed for this story because he was guiding clients on a fishing trip.
In July, 2001, Hoovler became part owner of Blue Ribbon Flies along with Craig and Jackie Mathews, a Michigan couple who have lived in West Yellowstone and owned Blue Ribbon Flies for about 25 years.
Hoovler has been a featured author in the American Angler, a national fly fishing magazine, on three different occasions.
His latest article appeared in the March/April, 2003 edition. In it, he instructs readers about how to prepare for a trout fishing trip before the spring snow melt and what kind of insects will be emerging at that time so the angler knows what kind of artificial fly to use.
He also discusses the best places to find trout and how to "read the water."
Gough said he keeps in touch with his "students" by phone and e-mail and visits them once a year.
fney@citizensvoice.com
