Joe Warren
Joe is one of the founding directors of CFFR since 2000. He accepted Christ as his personal savior at a young age in the guidance of his mom. Joe has always wanted to create a ministry in Christ but was not sure just how. His passion in angling, especially fly fishing opened the door as a tool for evangelism. Sharing the same desire with Lee Clark, a former board of director, they worked together to develop a team to begin the camp in 2000. The rest is history.
Joe has fly fished and tied flies for most of his life and is known to dabble with writing freelance fly fishing articles, and has authored a couple of tying books. He enjoys chasing freshwater and saltwater fish. His fly fishing pursuits can be found on www.flyfishpursuit.com
Mike Leon
Fishing has always been a big part of my life. My father, two older brothers and I used to travel to the Ruby Marshes in Eastern Nevada for 100+ fish days. After graduating from eighth grade, my best friend introduced me to fly fishing while backpacking in the Desolation Wilderness area. After that experience, fly fishing became my passion. I have fly fished for many different species of fish throughout the PNW. I was also blessed to be able to experience fly fishing for bonefish and trevally on Christmas Island. I was introduced to CFFR in 2006 and have been attending ever since. The last ten years have been with my son, Mitchell. Now that he has graduated from high school, I felt it was time to give back to the organization that enabled many fond memories and spiritual growth with both my son and other fellow Christians.
Matt Holmes
I was a little freckle-faced Texas boy with a grin on my face the size of my home state as I reeled in that first fish, an 8 inch bluegill caught on that two-toned green Zebco 202 that I was so proud of. I was the one really hooked that day and I would go on to spend my childhood chasing bass, bluegill, perch and whatever else I could find in the bayous, lakes and ponds of my boyhood. I got my first fly rod around the age of ten and graduated to slinging poppers at those bass instead. Now the freckles have all blended together and I'm just an old kid, a PNW transplant and still slinging flies at whatever swims our waters, Fly fishing has since become a part of who I am and I've been very blessed to have been able to fly fish all across the Western U.S., Canada and Alaska for the past twenty years. Fly fishing is a special way to enjoy and interact with God's creation and I enjoy sharing my passion for our great sport by teaching it to others. CFFR is a great way to give men and boys a glimpse into this beautiful addiction as well as an opportunity to introduce them to the One who created all of this for us to enjoy. I've been blessed to serve on the board of CFFR for many years as well as to bring my own son's to camp for years where we've enjoyed learning and growing together.
Marc Williamson
I am a life-time resident of Oregon. I was educated at Reynolds High School, received an Undergraduate Degree at Linfield College, a Masters at The University of Portland and Continued Graduate work at Portland State University. I accepted the Lord shortly following the birth of my daughter. Since that time I have developed a relationship and a desire to follow Jesus. Throughout my career as an educator (spanning more than 48 years), as a Teacher, Principal, Assistant Superintendent, and Professor of Education at Warner Pacific College my love and passion for teaching has continually grown. Throughout all those years I learned many lessons, one of which (perhaps the most important) that all learning must be relevant and fun. Following my retirement, I guided and taught for a local outfitter. I found teaching fly fishing, fly casting, and fly tying a great opportunity to give back, and share my passion. I love to see people get excited about fly fishing and I know the joy of learning is a powerful motivator. I began fly-fishing at a young age. My father, (my best friend), purchased a JC Higgins fly rod outfit for me. The purchase of that outfit began a life-long love affair with fly-fishing. I got my start in the fly fishing industry in 1983 at Stewart’s Custom Tackle. At that time, I taught fly tying classes from beginning to advanced. I instructed fly fishing seminars. In those seminars, I did in-store demonstrations on knot tying, entomology, reading streams.
I authored my first book last year…The Art and Science of Angling with a Fly and a Rod. I currently do presentations to fly fishing clubs and sportsman shows I co-instruct a two fly fishing schools at Clydehurst Ranch in Montana. I am a long-time member for the IFFF
John Heitz
When I was around ten, we were camping and fishing at a lake in the Sierras. I saw a man fly fishing for the first time. I was fascinated with the beauty of the line arcing back and forth over the water. He explained what he was doing and gave me a fly. I immediately started using it in the creek feeding the lake. I got rises right away, but I was the one that got hooked!
Life happened and I lost contact with the magical sport I had discovered and loved. The need to feed a growing family of four consumed me. Then a coworker invited me to Camp in 2004. My passion was rekindled and I have been attending ever since.
My hope is for others to discover a passion for Jesus through the fellowship of like-minded men and the joy that is fly fishing!