Tom Loe grew up in Thousand Oaks, CA and married
his high school sweetheart Michele. Michele is well known as
the "CEO" of Sierra Drifters. Without her expertise Sierra Drifters would not exist. She is the
most essential part of Tom's fishing career and they have worked as a team
in the fishing industry for thirty years.
Tom spent twenty years offshore harpooning
broadbill swordfish and set lining rockfish as the owner/operator of
offshore commercial fishing vessels on both the Pacific and Atlantic
Oceans. He is currently a licensed Coast Guard captain and year
round fly-fishing guide residing full time with Michele on McGee Creek
overlooking Crowley Lake in the Eastern Sierra. Tom has had a maniacal
fascination with trout his entire life. He began tying flies at 12
years to assist him in financial support of his addiction to fishing.
Tom has created the Sierras most popular and imitated fly patterns and has
been inducted into the Fly Tiers Museum. He has logged over 2300
guide days in the nine years he has been a year round licensed guide.
Tom has developed unique methods of fly-fishing for trout
in the area. Tom pioneered guided drift boat trips down the Lower Owens
River and the “dip and strip technique” in 1998 after selling the
swordfish boat “Bandido” that same year. Sierra Drifters Guide Service
was founded and has been in operation since 1998 and to date has assisted
thousands of fly-fishers in pursuit of trout in the Eastern Sierra.
Tom spends 250 days a year
guiding on local waters with the Lower Owens River, Crowley, Pyramid and
Eagle Lakes being his specialties. He has perfected still water
nymphing and streamer techniques from his state of the art 24 foot flats
style bay
boat and 18 foot Willie drift boat. His marine background has aligned him
well in the guide business and he has revolutionized fly fishing still
waters in the Sierra.
Tom has been written
up in many newspapers and periodicals including the Los Angeles Times,
Orange County Register, Los Angeles Daily News, San Diego Union, Western
Outdoor News, and South West Fly Fishing. In 2004 he was named one of
the top 30 anglers in the west by Western Outdoor News publications. He has developed numerous
published fly patterns that are currently cataloged by Pacific Fly Group
and Umpqua and are sold commercially.
Newspaper Articles and
Press...
Scott and
Robin Okamoto Cover Fish/Western Outdoor News
One Fine Trip
from Western Outdoor News
Catch his drift from the LA Times
Into the backing from the Conejo Valley Fly Fisher
Catching
His Drift Fishing:
Tom Loe takes a new approach to the old, hard-to-access Owens
River. By Dave Strege The Orange County Register
The
Taming of Troutzilla from The Conejo Valley Fly Fisher
Client Comments and Stories...
June
26 and 27 Crowley Lake Ron Guidone
July 1st
Crowley Trip Harold Green
A trip worth taking
David Pracht
Hooked on fly fishing.
Toni Burnett catches the most fish.
Best fishing experience
ever for Michael Pouliot
Dad's 65th Birthday a
success for the Geiger family.
No Sweat Fishing from Judi Strada..."we caught 39 fish
without breaking a sweat..."
First Time for Edward Ragsdale...
a beginner's
first day.
