Jason's fishing obsession started at age 5 when he sat on the docks of a local lake with his Grandpa, casting for trout. His parents will tell you—once that fishing "bug" bit, there was no turning back. Family vacations always had to be near water, where he could dangle a hook and reel in fish!
Growing up along the Nickomekl River in Langley, Jason was out fishing for salmon and cutthroat every day after school. Weekends were spent on the Vedder, casting for salmon, or up at Heffley Lake fly fishing for trout. By his teens, he was tying flies and fishing everything from the Vedder’s steelhead runs to Vancouver Island’s coho-rich waters. Before he could drive, he'd saved enough to buy a custom-built Sage centerpin rod and an Avon Royal Supreme centerpin reel. Float fishing became his life, and steelhead quickly became his winter passion.
At 16, Jason landed a job at Terminal Tackle & Bait, where he immersed himself in the tackle world. A stint as a saltwater guide in Rivers Inlet followed, but it was at Haa-Nee-Naa Lodge on Dundas Island that Jason truly found his calling - guiding! Along the way he also earned a Fisheries & Aquaculture Technician Diploma, worked at shops like Anglers West and Active Tackle.
Jason’s fishing journey has taken him from the Skeena and Nass regions to remote lakes, and even as far as Chile for big brown and rainbow trout, and to Panama, Mexico, Cuba, and Venezuela for a variety of saltwater species. These days, you’ll likely find him a bit closer to home on the saltwater fishing for salmon or on the interior lakes of BC targeting big wild trout in BC's pristine mountain lakes. There's something about the quiet beauty of both these fisheries that keep him coming back.
When he’s not on the water, you’ll find Jason at Pacific Angler, either helping customers gear up or teaching saltwater fishing courses. He’s also a regular contributor to radio shows both locally and abroad and has appeared on TV shows like Reel Obsession and working with Fishing BC, filming segments that highlight BC’s world-class fishing.
Jason’s love for fishing isn’t just about the thrill of the catch—it’s also about giving back to the community. He’s served as President of the Steelhead Society of BC, a Director of the BC Federation of Drift Fishers and more recently the Sport Fishing Institute of BC and is currently the Chair of the Sport Fishing Advisory Board Lower Mainland. He’s always been an advocate for the sport, helping shape the future of fishing in BC.