Community Member Spotlight

Micah Utterback

The members of the Arizona Fly Fishing community continue to inspire me. Henry David Thoreau said long ago, “Most fly fisherman fish their entire lives and never realize it’s not the fish they’re after.” This month’s community member spotlight epitomizes this quote.

I can totally relate to Micah’s fly fishing journey. My dad and I have spent most of our time together, on the water, fly fishing. Being able to pass that gift on to my children, nieces and nephews. Additionally, one of the gifts of opening AZ Fly Shop had been the opportunity to work and fish with our daughter.

I admire Micah’s commitment to spending time with those people who are most important to him, and I’m touched that AZ Fly Shop is able to play a small part in their quality time together.

-Chris Rich, AZ Fly Shop Founder

What does fly fishing mean to you? What about fly fishing offers you most satisfaction?

Fly fishing means to me a gateway to escape and forget about all the things going on in life. A moment to enjoy God’s creation and clear my mind.

What does having AZ Fly Shop in the community mean to you? What do you like about AZ Fly Shop?

Having a place where you can actually go to look and touch everything. It is all the highest quality gear in the industry. Especially with people who know what they are doing and share knowledge! With an increase in online use there is a miss in the ability to serve the client and building a relationship. Something I am grateful for is the ladies at AZ Fly Shop, it creates and environment that is comfortable for daughters to continue pursuing their love for the sport and connect with other female anglers.

Tell us your most memorable fly fishing story

I would say the largest fish I ever caught on the Deschutes with my daughter. A trout probably over 20 inches! My daughter was the only witness and it was such a special time to bond with her. This was a great experience that we can reflect on and laugh about. It motivates us to have more experiences like that!

Is there anything else you would like to share with the community?

One of the greatest gifts you can give your kids or grandkids is get them outside and expose them to fly fishing. My grandpa took me on a trip when I was 10 years old and to say the least after that I was HOOKED!

Since starting my own family I have had wonderful opportunities to connect with my children on the water. A tradition we started many years ago was an annual trip with a close friend who also learned to fly fish from his grandfather at age 10. Once our daughters were old enough we did a father-daughter trip with each of our girls. They are amazing anglers and the memories made have really given us something to grow even closer.