Ryan Barnes - Member, Fly Fishing Team USA

Ryan Barnes grew up in the suburbs of Salt Lake City. From an early age he was involved in completive sports such as baseball, soccer, skiing, and water polo. His family is a very closely nit group, and have always been avid outdoor enthusiasts. As a child Ryan spent many family vacations camping, hiking and skiing together. His love for the outdoors comes from the early introduction that was given to him from his family.

Ryan Barnes also has a very adventurous spirit and loves to travel and see new parts of the world. Ryan has been fortunate enough to travel all over the United States, Mexico, Argentina, and Russia and wet a line in most of those places. Ryan is a graduate of the University of Utah with a bachelor’s degree in fine arts (English). Ryan's degree is something that he have worked very hard to achieve; it is one to the greatest accomplishments in his life.

In 2003 Ryan Barnes married the love of his life, Leslie, his long time girlfriend and confidant. Leslie has remained by his side through years of long fishing trips away from home, fly tying messes, and the constant talk about fish among my friends. Although she does not fish much she helps to keep Ryan grounded. Leslie is Ryan's greatest fan and supports him in all he does.

Ryan Barnes has always been a fisherman but at age eighteen he became very serious about fishing with his fly rods. Since then Ryan began an endless search to become the best angler that he could be. Ryan is always trying out new ways to fish and new game fish to peruse. Not long after he began a serious pursuit of fish, Ryan began to work at a local fly shop in Salt Lake City, Western Rivers Flyfisher. Ryan still works and guide for them today, and next year will be his 6th with them. The fly shop has been a great place for him to grow as an angler; in his capacity there Ryan has come in contact with individuals that have fished the world over. Each of these people has taught him something and he is a better angler because of it.

In addition to his employment at a fly shop and guiding the waters of Northern Utah, Ryan has guided extensively on the trout rivers of Southern Argentina. In Argentina he worked as a guide on an Estancia in Southern Patagonia. Ryan's experiences in Patagonia really taught him how to change and adapt to the changing conditions that are found on trout water throughout the world. There Ryan also began to see that by thinking outside the box of convention, an angler can catch more fish efficiently.

Ryan is also involved in fly-fishing competitions for the past several years. These events include the ESPN Great Outdoor Games, ESPN Fly-Fishing Challenge, ISE Best of the West Distance Casting competition, and the Outdoor Life Network Fly-fishing Masters. The list that follows is all of my placements in those events.

• 3rd ISE Best of the West, Pleasanton, California 2003
• 2nd ISE Best of the West, Salt Lake City, Utah 2003
• 3rd ISE Best of the West Denver, Colorado 2004
• 2nd OLN Fly-Fishing Masters Southwest Region 2003 (1st place casting team)
• 2nd ESPN Fly-Fishing Challenge 2004
• 3rd ESPN Great Outdoor Games 2004
• 2nd OLN Fly-Fishing Masters West Region 2004