Guides
Our guides love what they do. We eat, sleep, and breathe fly-fishing; we love sharing our passion of this place with our clients. At YRO, we strongly emphasize education and conservation. Come fish with us here in Montana and Yellowstone!
Brogan Ballard- MT outfitter #31507
Brogan has been a fly-fishing guide in the Greater Yellowstone Area for almost 10 years. He was born and raised in Denver on the numerous tail waters and creeks of the Colorado Rocky mountains. He made it to Montana to attend college at the University of Montana in Missoula (Go Griz!). When he wasn't fishing, Brogan studied psychology and English literature as an under graduate. He is also a proud member of the 2007 GRIZ lacrosse national championship team. After guiding for a few years, Brogan went back to Missoula and earned his Master of Education in Curriculum and instruction. Putting down roots in Livingston, MT, Brogan's "off-season" job as a grades 3-5 Special Education teacher keeps him warm in the winter. Brogan is a fun-loving, knowledgeable guide and educator.
Buddy Holcombe- MT guide # 23913
Buddy is another fellow University of Montana graduate. As a GRIZ, he studied Environmental Studies and Psychology when he wasn't testing hand-tied flies on the Blackfoot and Clark-fork Rivers. Buddy is a hard-working, calm guide who loves having a good time and will do anything to put his clients on fish. For the past seven years, Buddy spent his off season supporting science projects as a communications specialist in Antarctica. Wanting to be in Montana year around, Buddy now calls Livingston, MT home. Buddy is an expert guide with anglers of all ability levels. If he is not guiding or fishing on his own, you will probably find Buddy in his wood working shop creating his next piece.
Jordon Hirsch- MT Guide #33929
Jordan has called Gardiner, MT home for the past decade, but he originally started fly-fishing the northeastern waters around ORchard PArk, NY (Go Bills!). He likes Dogs, Italian food, big mountains, long rivers, good friends, hard work, oh… and fishing. On the other hand, his dislikes tend to be Mild winters, ticks, sleeping in, bad chicken wings, and of course when the Buffalo Bills lose (which is often.) When Jordan is not guiding or fishing on his own, you can find him ripping up and down steep, avalanche filled, back country mountains on his skis and snowmobile. He does not answer his phone nor respond to text messages during the winter months. Jordan’s knowledge of fishing in Montana and Yellowstone National PArk is immense. A day fishing with Jordan includes adventure, education, laughs, and always a few good jokes.
Josh Ziegler- MT GUIDE #27046
Josh grew up in Florence, Montana where he spent the bulk of his feral teens filling his Isuzu’s gas tank with spare change in hopes he’d reach the river before running dry. Most notably, Josh ran out of gas while fishing western Montana’s Rock Creek, as well as the canyon section of the Blackfoot River—two areas nearly void of cellphone service. It was in these formidable years that Josh became a skilled hitchhiker and resourceful trout bum.
Josh later attended—based upon their proximity to trout streams—The University of Montana Western and Montana State University where he earned a B.A. and M.A. in English education and comparative literature. Since 2014, Josh has worked as a professional guide in both Montana, Alaska’s Bristol Bay, and Washington state. You will find him to be knowledgeable, professional, and comfortable with both novice and expert anglers. During the offseason, he works as a teacher, a journalist for multiple outdoor publications, and a professional diaper changer.
DAvid Sheerin- MT Guide #37132
DAvid Sheerin started fly-fishing trout streams in the Northeast as a kid growing up in Vermont. He initially came out to Gardiner 6 years ago to spend the summer fishing and hiking in Yellowstone. He liked it so much that he never left. David is a true fly-fishing academic and his knowledge of the Yellowstone waterways is really second to none. He is an avid fly tyer and often fishes his “home-brewed” flies with clients to give them the upper hand on the water. When DAvid is not guiding or playing frisbee with his dog, Emmy-lou, … He is inspiring young minds as a very skilled and adored k-12 music teacher in Gardner. Whether you are an experienced angler of 30 plus years or a 7 year-old picking up a fly rod for the first time, you are bound to have a phenomenal day in Yellowstone with Dave.
Scott Weisbeck- MT Guide #37666
Scott was born in Plains, MT in the early 70's. Scott’s father worked for the Federal Highway administration building roads and infrastructure in our National Parks in Montana, Wyoming, and Colorado. This gave Scott the opportunity to explore small streams and large rivers throughout the Rocky Mountain States. Scott is not only a passionate outdoorsman/fisherman but also a recent retiree of the Civil Engineering profession! Scott and his wife Nicole moved back to Montana in early 2018 from the western Denver foothills area to enjoy the simpler things in life. It wasn’t a hard choice to trade in the hourly commutes of Colorado traffic & the even longer commutes to chase fish to less than a ten minute drive to the nearest boat ramp to float and explore. Scott will provide you an exceptional experience on the Yellowstone and surrounding watersheds. His experience and calm nature will ensure that his guests are learning about fishing, enjoying the Livingston, and most of all having fun! Scott enjoys sharing his knowledge and regularly volunteers for Project Healing Waters taking veterans on floats & attending fly tying webinars. .
NICk ARGYRAKIS- MT Guide #21014
Nick’s obsession with fishing started as a little kid on the bank of a bass pond in the great state of Virginia. He made his way out to Montana to ski, fish, and attend college (in THAT order) in Bozeman at Montana State. Nick brings a unique skill set to the YRO guide team as he DEFINITELY holds the record for the most species caught on the fly. Bass, CArp, Trout, Permit, Bonefish, Walley, JAck, sharks, Stripers, Redfish…… Heck, Nick casts at anything within 50 feet of the puddle’s surface. Throughout the year, Nick guides on almost all of our rivers in Western Montana. does fishing the Madison, Yellowstone, Stillwater, Boulder, and Missouri rivers in 5 consecutive days sound like fun to you? If so, Nick is your guy. When nick isn’t rowing a boat or putting miles on his truck, he is either spinning up flies or shredding Montana’s backcountry peaks. Nick truly brings a diverse quiver to our team. A day spent in Nick’s boat will be full of laughs, instruction, and fishing stories that make you want to come back for more.
Don McCue- MT Guide #10750
Don was born and raised on the famous trout streams of Southern Pennsylvania and has been guiding in Montana since 2002. Don is an absolute trout fanatic with an endless amount of knowledge. His personality and extreme work ethic make one of the best guides on the river. Don has spent many seasons working on the Big Horn River in Fort Smith, Montana- but the Yellowstone, Madison and Yellowstone National Park are definitely his home waters. If you are up for a hike, Don will take you back to some fantastic places in Yellowstone National Park! When Don is not floating the River or tying flies for the river, he is often examining the river from the bird’s eye view of his Hang glider. A day spent is Don’s boat is definitely one for the books.
Pat Joyce MT GUIDE #13150
Pat Joyce first started fly-fishing on his home waters of the Middlebury River, Otter Creek, New Haven River, Furnace Brook, and The Neshobe river in Vermont as a kid. These technical fisheries created the perfect foundation for Pat’s love of chasing trout and teaching others the finer techniques of fly-fishing. Pat is a true “guide’s guide” as he spends many weeks every year during the shoulder seasons as a guide school instructor teaching future guides the tricks of the trade. Pat made his way out West to attend college in Bozeman, MT at Montana State. When Pat is not guiding, instructing, or tying flies…. He enjoys throwing the tennis ball for his co-captain, Sally. During the Winter months Pat spends his time at Bridger Bowl in the marketing department and on the slopes testing the early season snow pack. Pat truly brings an immense set of knowledge and passion to the YRO guide staff. Whether you are an experienced angler looking to fine-tune your reach cast or a newbie working on your first cast, Pat provides the experience, knowledge, and patience necessary to ensure that you will learn new skills and have a great day on the water.
Tim Reid- MT GUIDE #44140
Tim grew up a country boy in LA (lower Alabama), fishing barefoot (really) with a cane pole and bobber for bass, catfish, and bream. The latest addition to the guide team, he is no stranger, having been associated with YRO since the beginning. A career National Park Service employee, Tim arrived in Yellowstone in 1994; transferring his southern passions for whitetail deer and bass to elk and fly-fishing. Tim attended undergraduate school and wrestled at Oklahoma State University (Go Pokes!). Tim’s thirty-plus years in southwest Montana and Yellowstone provide him with a deep knowledge of area fishing and an endless cache of absolutely true stories. Tim’s humor and quiet tenacity ensure a memorable day on the water. A lucky man, Tim lives on the Yellowstone river shore, enabling him to fish most evenings after concluding his workday in the park.
Micheal Ireland - MT Guide #53789
Mike grew up in New York just outside the city. He spent most of my youth fishing everything from the Salmon River to drainage ditches for species of all kinds. Mike moved out to Montana about a decade ago where he first fell in love with a fly rod, trout, and the unmatched scenery of the Rocky Mountains. Mike enjoys guiding anglers of all ages and ability levels. He calls Livingston, Montana home and spends most of my days fishing on the Yellowstone River and most of my nights tying flies or losing to his girlfriend in pool at the Office. In the off season, Mike packs his board shorts and sandals to guide in South America until the Montana winters decide to lighten up. A day spent with Mike will be full of fishing instruction, a few good jokes, and a lot of big smiles.
LAdy Ballard- REsident boat dog #1
LAdy has literally been warming the top of the boat cooler her entire life. Although she was born on a ranch in Great falls, MT, she calls livingston home. LAdy loves float trips as she enjoys watching the action from her perch on the cooler. She is a quiet boat companion, and loves the OCCASIONAL pet between her ears when anglers take a quick break to admire the views of the River CORRIDOR. If you would like lady to accompany your float trip, let us know! unfortunately, lady is not welcome in yellowstone national park BECAUSE her DISTANT cousins (the wolves) have already laid claim to being "king k9" of that landscape.