Jess Kiesel hails from skiing royalty and as an NCAA champion at the U of U, he carried on a heritage that boasts Olympians, U.S. Ski Team members, and World Cup winners. Obviously, he loves winter in Sun Valley. But as much as he loves to ski, Jess also loves to fish. Like so many lucky local kids, Jess first hung a line into storied Penny Lake, describing the experience as, “chuckin’ worms and bobbers!”
Certified Casting Instructor
"The wisdom is in his soul when it comes to fly fishing".
If you wish to make an apple pie from scratch,
you must first invent the universe.
Sharing this lifetime love of the sport is what Jess values most about his job as a guide. “It’s so great when people are on the water having fun whether that is floating on the Salmon River or enjoying the peace of a morning hatch on Silver Creek. However, while they call it fishing, not catching, for me it’s still all about getting people into fish and hopefully a few with some size.”
Guiding Style
Combination. “As a guide, you have to be both a teacher and a catcher. They go hand-in-hand. If you can teach well, it puts your guests in a position to have success in not only hooking, but properly playing, and landing a fish. I also teach people how to properly handle fish so they are released unharmed. That said, I’m out there to catch fish and I work hard to make sure I am in the ‘catcher’ category!”
Fun Facts about Jess
· His perfect end to a day of guiding is with a handshake with guests who have put some big fish in the net and captured the moment with photos they will always cherish.
· Favorite hatch? Small Harop mayfly dries on Silver Creek. “Big fish on small flies that require a presentation, and are as realistic as possible, is a higher level of challenge that I enjoy.”
· When he’s not in area waters, Jess can be found mountain biking, rafting, riding motorcycles, backcountry snowmobiling, snowboarding, skiing, backpacking, and pursuing his interest in photography.
· He likes to weld in his shop.