Ashley White in full fly-fishing gear, fishing in an urban setting.

Ashley White, from Bob Mitchell’s Fly Shop...

chats with Fishing & Hunting Merchant Kasey Wiese from our Digital Team about the benefits and joys of fishing close to home.

Ashley White smiling up at the sky as he walks a city bridge wearing full fly-fishing gear

Ashley White

“Born and bred in the Midwest. Each year I select a new hobby to continue learning and growing in an experiential way. One year, I decided to spice things up and take a fly-tying lesson and that was the night that set off a chain of events that would ruin my life. By ruin, I actually mean help me feel welcomed in my new home and find a passion to pursue for the rest of my life. I enjoy fishing all over the Midwest with dreams of fishing international waters. I believe the river is one of the best places to build a relationship. I hope to inspire a new generation of diverse anglers to enter the sport and wish to remove barriers for anyone who has a desire to learn.”
Kasey holding up a moldy shoe that she caught while fishing (like a fishing trophy)

Kasey Wiese

“You know the saying, ‘If you can't beat ‘em, join ’em,’ well, that's basically how I found my way to fly fishing. Even though it was already in my DNA, it took me a while to get there—every day after work, fall, winter (full-on blizzard fishing), spring, and summer, my partner was always on the river—some days in the summer, I wouldn't see them all day (kind of easy when you have a great river in your backyard). So, one day I decided to join them. Day one, I fell in the river, cursed the fly line, sat on the bank soaking wet, and ultimately went home without a fish but with a deep respect for the art of fly fishing. Flash forward a dozen years or so, and a few more houses, dogs, and fly rods, and you can generally find me in the drift boat, on my snowmobile/snowboard, or in the kitchen cooking or baking up something delicious.”