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Our Story
At Water First Fishing we have been part of the fly fishing industry and community for over 25 years. We have traveled the world fishing for all species of fish, using the latest equipment available. Our experiences have defined our passion for designing and manufacturing the most effective and finest fly fishing rods in the industry.
Our Mission
Our mission at Water First Fishing is to manufacture the finest quality and most technologically advanced fly fishing rods for the worlds most discerning anglers.
Who Is Water First Fishing
Travis Johnson
Travis has been an industry personality and guide for 20+ years. His passion for the sport of fly fishing and especially the hunt of steelhead and Tarpon on the fly have led him into places he had never dreamed. His in depth knowledge in the world of Spey casting and experience from casting competitions has provided understanding into the existing fly rod and line design practices and enabled him to innovate Wafter First Fishing design forward.
Winning multiple world Spey casting titles has given birth to why he work so hard to understand the design and current path of modern fly rod design. This knowledge infused with the passion for the sport has pushed him to excel at every facet of his career from casting, guiding, writing, instructing, and trip hosting.
Here at Waters First Fishing, Travis is our rod designer and co-owner of the new and emerging rod company. Here's to a bright future together!!
Bob Madson
Bob has been fly fishing for over 30yrs and credits his dad on bringing him into the sport. My fly fishing experience started with focusing on trout, quickly progressing into swinging streamers in large rivers. Moving to the Pacific Northwest, I fell in love with Spey fishing for steelhead. At the same time I started making trips to the Gulf Coast sight casting for redfish on sandy beaches and if lucky hunting for tarpon!
My dedication to the sport has allowed me to meet some of the best guides and instructors around. I was lucky enough to own or try most rod brands and lines over the last 30yrs. Only once you have done this do you realize that not all rods and lines are equal. Long ago I started my mental indexing of what I would want in a rod and how it should feel!
Bob is co-owner of Water First Fishing, focusing on product testing, customer experience and the business execution. Water First Fishing is a culmination of a lot of hard work and I believe that our products best in class in the market.
What People Are Saying
Topher Browne
"The Water First Fishing Frigate 8-weight rod is one of the finest 8-weights that I've cast (I work with a local fly shop, so I've cast just about every 8-weight in the business). At shorter distances, the rod loads off the tip for precise casts. At middle distances, where we do most of our fishing, you can false cast the rod with your eyes closed and lay out a straight line with minimal effort. At longer distances, where we're shooting a lot of line, the rod tip does NOT fold on the caster, instead pushing the bend into the lower reaches of the rod where the real power lies. Designing a rod to cast superbly at all three distances is a difficult balancing act. This rod delivers at every distance, loads easily and recovers quickly. It's part of my everyday saltwater quiver here in Maine for striped bass."
Topher Browne worked as a professional guide for many years and has fished for Atlantic salmon in Canada, Iceland, Scotland, Norway and Russia. As a casting instructor, the author of Atlantic Salmon Magic (Wild River Press, 2011) co-wrote and co-produced the spey-casting DVD, Spey to Z (2006). Trained and mentored in fly tying by the late Warren Duncan of Saint John, New Brunswick, Browne’s superb flies appear in various magazines and books, including the companion volume to the above title, 100 Best Flies for Atlantic Salmon, 2011).
