Meet  your guide, Jeff  "JD" Dean

After retiring from my career in the construction industry in 2014, I relocated to the western slope of Colorado.  In retirement I have had the opportunity to focus my attention on my passions; fly fishing, fly tying and teaching.  I began fly fishing shortly after my family relocated to Denver from Ohio in 1968.  I am an Orvis Endorsed Guide and have worked as a walk/wade guide for Sunrise Anglers since 2014, and Montrose Anglers since 2021.  I was named “Best Fishing Guide” in the 2022 Best of Delta County Survey.

 

I have completed the RIGS Fly Shop and Guide Service walk/wade guide school (2015), Western Anglers guide/rowing certification (2022), Colorado West Slope Fly Fishing guide/rowing certification (2023) and RIGS guide/rowing certification (2023).  I have achieved the necessary training and rowing mileage (over 500 river miles) to be certified as "Trip Lead" per Colorado standards.

​

In 2014 I became involved with the Project Healing Waters Fly Fishing (PHWFF) program in Grand Junction as a mentor in their fly tying classes.  In 2016, when a PHWFF program was established in Montrose, I became the lead fly tying instructor for that program.  I have also been active in fly tying events facilitated for area elementary and middle school students by our local Trout Unlimited/Fly Fishers International Chapter, Gunnison Gorge Anglers, and have done tying demonstrations at Western Anglers and Montrose Anglers since 2018.  I also was accepted as a guest tier at the 2023 East Idaho Fly Tying and Fly Fishing Expo and Wasatch Fly Tying and Fly Fishing Expo.  I offer individual and group fly tying instruction.

​

Additionally, I am the founder of a weekly social gathering (Fall-Spring) known as “Flies & Lies Social Club.”  The gathering is centered on fly tying, with a healthy dose of marginally true tale telling, “chops busting” and belly laughs . . .  the best medicine for whatever ails you!

​

Lastly, I have been competing in fly tying “competitions” (I use that word loosely!) like Iron Fly and Chopped Fly Tying for many years.  I was the winner of the inaugural Chopped competition, the 2019 Grand Junction Iron Fly, and have several “top three” finishes in both.

 

I support the following charities/non-profits financially and/or with “in kind” donations:

• Able Women Fly Fishing (Life Member)

• Big Horn River Alliance

• Brave Young Hearts

• The Centennial Institute

• Eagle River Watershed Council

• Fly Fishers International (Life Member)

• Fly Fishers International Fly Tying Group (Life Member)

• Fly Fishers International Guides & Outfitters Association

• Eagle River Watershed Council

• Friends of the Black Canyon

• Grand Valley Anglers Chapter of Trout Unlimited

• Gunnison Gorge Anglers Chapter of Trout Unlimited/Fly Fishers International (past President, Vice-President)

• Henry's Fork Foundation

• The Heritage Foundation

• Lake Fork Valley Conservancy

• The Mayfly Project

• Project Healing Waters Fly Fishing

• Roaring Fork Conservancy

• Rocky Mountain Rett Association

• Trout Unlimited (Lifetime Member)

• Uncompahgre Valley Watershed Partnership

• Western Slope Conservation Center

​

I have received the following awards in recognition of my service:

• 2017 and 2021 Jimmy Nelson Volunteer of the Year Gunnison Gorge Anglers Chapter of FFI & TU

• 2019 Montrose Project Healing Waters Fly Fishing Volunteer of the Year