About Kamea Fly Fishing
I work with anglers who want practical casting skills and preparation habits that carry over to their fishing situations — whether close to home or on a destination trip. Strong fundamentals shorten the learning curve, reduce frustration, and help ensure your time is spent fishing effectively rather than figuring things out along the way.
Good preparation also helps anglers work smoothly with guides and fishing partners, so they can focus on the places, people, and moments that make fishing memorable.
Instruction centers on what actually happens while fishing, not just on the practice field. We focus on efficient mechanics, purposeful practice, and solving the problems anglers commonly face on the water.
The aim is simple: arrive ready, fish confidently, and enjoy your time on the water.
Perspective
Kamea Fly Fishing is grounded in education, stewardship, and people. Some of the most meaningful parts of fishing come from the relationships and communities connected to the water, such as being invited to a guide’s home on Christmas Island for dinner, and handing the rod to a young Cuban guide and helping him through the chaos to land his first big tarpon. Those moments are what fishing is really for.
I do this work because I value sharing knowledge and helping anglers bypass the trial-and-error that most of us had to learn the hard way. When preparation helps someone get more from a trip they’ve invested in, that’s success to me.
Time spent fishing Alaska, saltwater flats, and estuaries has reinforced a simple truth: preparation creates opportunity. I’ve arrived at trips where my casting and tactics fell short of what I’d expected of myself. That experience shaped a deliberate decision to be more purposeful about preparation. Fly fishing rewards that effort. When a guide says “thankfully someone who can cast and fish,” you know it was worth it. Readiness changes the experience — you fish with more confidence, let go of what you can’t control, and enjoy it more.
My fishing and casting have been shaped by two of the best in their respective disciplines — Glenn Flutie in tarpon fishing and Paul Arden in casting. Their approach reinforced something I value: genuine expertise travels with a questioning mind, not just accumulated answers.
Before focusing on fly fishing instruction, I practiced over 30 years as a board-certified emergency medicine physician and educator. I worked with over 100 of the leading US hospitals to improve patient care and patient safety. These are high-stakes environments where preparation and clear communication are non-negotiable. This background continues to shape how I teach: practical, structured, and focused on what helps anglers improve.
The Name: Kamea
On my first trip to Christmas Island (Kiritimati), I learned Kamea is the Gilbertese word for dog, born from a delightfully accidental moment in history. When Europeans arrived bringing dogs, locals heard them calling “Come here!” and the misunderstanding stuck. Kamea is also a Hawaiian name that means “the one and only.”
I chose it because it’s playful, a bit absurd, and it captures what we’re about: adventure with humor, intelligent readiness, and partnership.
Christmas Island inspired the brand—the world’s largest coral atoll and one of flats fishing’s most iconic destinations.
Community & Conservation
Responsible angling and conservation are part of enjoying the resource.
I’m a lifetime member of Trout Unlimited and support Bonefish & Tarpon Trust and Backcountry Hunters & Anglers.
I serve on the Board of Directors for Fly Fishers International (FFI) at both the International and Great Lakes Council levels. FFI’s mission focuses upon education, stewardship, and the future of the sport.
Service has remained a constant beyond fishing as well. I serve as President of the University of Minnesota Medical School Alumni Board, mentor medical students, and assist healthcare organizations with patient safety and medical education.
These efforts connect in a simple way: sharing knowledge, supporting others, and contributing to the communities that make both fishing and life more meaningful.
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