Capt. Tom Campbell
Tom grew up in Huntsville, AL where at a very young age fished Guntersville Lake for largemouth bass. It was a common scene in the Campbell household for Tom to throw epic temper tantrums if the boat left the driveway without him! Later, he focused on Tim’s Ford Lake in Tennessee for smallmouth and giant stripers (up to 30 pounds!). It was here where he obtained a fisherman’s greatest asset. Patience. It was absolutely impossible to fish too slowly in Tim’s Ford’s deep clear waters.
In college, Tom ventured out west where he attended the University of Montana in Missoula. He graduated with a B.A. in English Literature and was the starting goalie for the U of M’s hockey team. It was in Missoula where Tom immersed himself into anything and everything that had to do with fly fishing. Missoula was a fantastic place to catch the bug.
Tom’s mentors included some of the finest fly fisherman and all around people that you could ever meet. These included: George Kesel, Jim Cox, Dustin Manville, John Herzer, Terri Raugland, and Brad Thompson. With their help, Tom became a well rounded seasoned fly fisherman, prolific fly tier, and rod builder. He also worked at Kesel’s Four Rivers Fly Shop/Blackfoot River Outfitters. Here, anglers (no matter what their skill levels) were treated with the utmost amount of respect and courtesy. This is the most important principle that guides Tom today.
If it weren’t for the patience and generosity that was extended to him from these mentors when he was a beginner, he would not be able to guide with the amount of success and high standards that he has now. Tom gets a great amount of fulfillment spending time on the water with other anglers, and is more than happy to pass knowledge onto others as freely as it was passed on to him.
After taking several saltwater fly fishing trips to Florida and The Bahamas, Tom was ready to take on the final frontier of fly fishing. He moved to Santa Rosa Beach, FL in 2005 where he worked at a local fly shop for a year before deciding to start guiding. Tom had spent the last ten years learning, honing his angling skills, traveling, and posturing himself to finally achieve his destiny of being a guide. Since then, it’s been a wonderful ride!
What amazes Tom is that every single time he goes fishing, he sees something new (fish behavior, water conditions, weather, etc). Applying that new knowledge is very rewarding to him. In other words, Tom is not a guide or angler set in his ways. There have never been any silly questions asked on Tom’s boat and suggestions are not quickly discounted. His laid back demeanor and dry sense of humor will quickly put you at ease, so that you can enjoy your day on the water. No matter what type of trip you may want to do (redfish, tarpon, bonito, speckled trout, etc.), Tom will enthusiastically work to make that trip a fun, productive, and positive experience for you.
Capt. Clint Hood
Captain Clint Hood is an Auburn, Alabama native who grew up hunting and fishing the waters around Alabama,Mississipi,and the Florida Panhandle. Fishing and Duckhunting are both obsessions for Clint , Feb – Oct he can befound along the gulf coast patterning the local fish ,Nov – Jan you can bet he will be in a rice or bean field somewhere in the Mississippi Delta with a hot cup of coffee ,good freinds ,and a wet dog . “The only thing that rivals a group of pintails cupped up in the decoys is a tarpon screaming off drag.”
Clint is an advocate of getting kids involved in the outdoors, donating his time to Ducks Unlimited’s Greenwing program ,and the CCA kids tournament at Grayton Beach.
United States Coast Guard Licensed Capt , a member of the Florida guide association, a key influencer on Columbia Sportswear’s pro staff, Clint’s career as a professional guide and captain is really taking shape. Fishing the better half of his 27 years, he is experienced all all types of waters. Fishing year round he witnesses the ever changing fish patterns. This allows him to know when and where they will be on the next trip. Captain Clint Hood provides a safe, enjoyable, and productive fishing experience for the most advanced angler, to the beginner.
