Scotty Daletas
Bio
My names Scotty Daletas and I’m a fishing guide on the Kenai River and surrounding waters in Alaska. I grew up in a small town outside of Eugene, Oregon called Pleasant Hill. It’s where I picked up my first fly rod. I grew a passion quickly for fishing, but to be honest I more so grew an addiction for the overall experience. The experience was what I was after, the hike in, the friends, the stories. I found each fish taught me a little about their environment and a lesson or two about life, more importantly fishing sounded like a productive word to just go exploring.
When I moved to Alaska in the summer of 2012, the experience was one that I thought I would only dream of. The thrill of fishing these waters and targeting large salmon is a riot and experience that you’ll remember for a lifetime. That time I found my true calling, a fresh college graduate looking into the corporate world with wide-opened eyes, fear that I may lose touch with the river. This was the transition point, a very hard decision, esepcially after 6 years of College, I was extremely nervous.
To look back now, it’s the best decision I’ve ever made. I found being a fishing guide, was my calling. I never aspired to be a guide. I never wanted to be a guide, I thought I just wanted to fish. However, the moment came where I found how meaningful it was to help a client reel in their first Salmon. It took me back to the years where I was just out for that experience and the fish was just a bonus. Being a guide, you don’t have much time to fish anymore, that’s just part of the job. However, I’ve found how much more rewarding fishing becomes when your role changes to teaching rather than fishing. You realize fishing becomes much more than just you, catching a fish, you find the true passion in fishing while teaching and guiding people daily, you hope to share your experiences with them.
Each day is different, we may catch a big one, or maybe none at all. I’ve found over the years, if you do everything you CAN control you will have a great experience and that’s truly what were after. Everyone has their little piece of the world, I love to share mine and learn about theirs on the water.
When I moved to Alaska in the summer of 2012, the experience was one that I thought I would only dream of. The thrill of fishing these waters and targeting large salmon is a riot and experience that you’ll remember for a lifetime. That time I found my true calling, a fresh college graduate looking into the corporate world with wide-opened eyes, fear that I may lose touch with the river. This was the transition point, a very hard decision, esepcially after 6 years of College, I was extremely nervous.
To look back now, it’s the best decision I’ve ever made. I found being a fishing guide, was my calling. I never aspired to be a guide. I never wanted to be a guide, I thought I just wanted to fish. However, the moment came where I found how meaningful it was to help a client reel in their first Salmon. It took me back to the years where I was just out for that experience and the fish was just a bonus. Being a guide, you don’t have much time to fish anymore, that’s just part of the job. However, I’ve found how much more rewarding fishing becomes when your role changes to teaching rather than fishing. You realize fishing becomes much more than just you, catching a fish, you find the true passion in fishing while teaching and guiding people daily, you hope to share your experiences with them.
Each day is different, we may catch a big one, or maybe none at all. I’ve found over the years, if you do everything you CAN control you will have a great experience and that’s truly what were after. Everyone has their little piece of the world, I love to share mine and learn about theirs on the water.
Location
Alaska