About Us
Our Mission Statement
Dan Bofenkamp
– Lead guide and founder of the Owyhee Fly Fisher Guide Service
Owner and Head Guide for the Owyhee Fly Fisher, Dan Bofenkamp, has fished the Owyhee River since the 1980’s. As a twenty-year resident of nearby Ontario, Oregon, he was on the river every week for years, and the wildly successful introduction of brown trout in the early 1990’s only added to his passion for it.
Dan does not fish in exotic places or tropical locales when winter comes; he fishes the Owyhee all year. In fact, Dan almost exclusively fishes the Owyhee. This really says something about the quality of the river considering that there are scores of other legendary trout fisheries within one to five hours of his new home in Boise, Idaho.
Although Dan may not know the scientific/Latin name of every insect on the water (what guide does?), he diligently ties all of the flies that imitate the river’s abundant and diverse insect life. Dan’s experience on the river has led him to develop several unique fly patterns and techniques that have proven to produce fish. He also intimately knows the entire river, its unique history and its many moods. In 25+ years, he has fished every riffle, pool and tailout on this incredible desert tailwater fishery.
Dan, his wife Stacie and their field-bred Springer Spaniel, Gracie, now live in Boise, Idaho, which is an easy one hour drive, to and from the Owyhee tailwater. When not fishing, the Bofenkamps are usually in hot pursuit of the abundant grouse, pheasant, huns and chukar found all around the Boise valley. Upland bird hunting is their ‘other’ passion.
Jim Houston
– An avid angler who compliments the guiding philosophy of the Owyhee Fly Fisher perfectly
Guide Jim Houston was introduced to the Owyhee by Dan Bofenkamp over twenty years ago and still remembers his first brown and where he landed it. That experience was enough to light Jim’s own personal passion for the Owyhee and the unique fishery it has become.
Jim has the ability to instantly recognize what’s going on with the fish and the insects, and he will act expediently if conditions cause a swift change in feeding behavior. He is not the type to stick with a fly just because it’s “supposed” to work. In fact, this guy will change from a stillborn PMD to a bead head nymph in a heartbeat – and he’ll switch back to dry flies just as quickly if the hatch reemerges. No one has the ability to tell the fish what to do, but Jim has the gift of making instinctive mental notes of subtle changes in fish behavior and weather conditions– this type of kinship with a fishery only comes after countless days on the water.
Jim makes annual excursions to the famous rivers in neighboring Montana, and he swears that the numbers and overall average size of the fish on the Owyhee are superior to anywhere else he wets a line.
Jim and his wife Marcia own The Nest Home Store on Eagle Rd. in Boise.
For up to date information on weather conditions and water levels please visit:
A special thanks to Ed Anderson for his help with our logo artwork, Gabe Cross for text content and Jeff Welsh at FolioType Design House for his assistance with the website design and development.