Meet the Guides

Our River Guide services are available through the West Branch Angler from April 1 through October 31st of each season. Hunting guides are available according to the New York hunting seasons. The rivers that make up the Upper Delaware River System are challenging and offer excellent fly fishing, but you have to be on top of your game to consistently catch the wild trout that inhabit these major rivers. Whether you've fly fished the Delaware River System before or not, the best way to make the most efficient use of your fly fishing time is with one of our Professional Orvis Endorsed River Guides. They are experienced, knowledgeable fly fishermen who are courteous, and friendly - in other words they are real pros.

John Miller

NYS Guide License #3400

John grew up in the Catskills Mtns. in upstate New York. He began tying flies and fly-fishing at an early age, perfecting his skills on the Esopus, Kaaterskill, Plattekill, Beaverkill and Schoharie Rivers. His knowledge of aquatic entomology and proper photographic techniques have enabled him to capture stunning photos that have appeared in various articles and books. John has been a guide and fly-fishing instructor for over 15 years. He mastered his skill of Entomology at the Delaware River Club with colleagues Al Caucci and Bob Nastasi. He also guided in West Michigan for Matt Supinski at The Gray Drake Lodge. In late spring and summer you’ll find him as a guide for the West Branch Angler on the Upper Delaware River System and in the fall, winter and early spring on The Lake Erie Tributaries guiding for Steelhead Alley Outfitters. He has also been an Orvis endorsed guide since 2002.

John Dembeck

NYS Guide License #0189

John's philosophy is to learn as much as possible about the fish and environment every time out; and to pass that knowledge on to you. John grew up on the Delaware River and caught his first trout on a fly in 1964. Commercial fly tying helped him pay for college afterwards he worked as a marine biologist for an environmental consulting firm which is how he arrived in the Lake Ontario region. This opened up a whole new fishing world populated with giant salmon and steelhead. John fell in love with the area and decided to raise his kids there and established a fishing business in 1983. John has guided on the Great Lakes tribs, the Finger Lakes and the upper Delaware ever since.

Gary Henderson

NYS Guide License #3427

Gary has been fishing the Delaware River system for over 30 years. He is a main stem, and east branch dry fly specialist and enjoys fishing the waters many don't. If you are looking for a unique experience fly fishing some of the largest trout on the system Gary is your guy.

Joe Hendrick

NYS Guide License #1408

Joe grew up in Spencerport, New York, fishing Oatka Creek and Spring Brook in one direction and Lake Ontario tribs in the other. When he moved to Schenectady in 1983 to teach at Schenectady high school and Schenectady Community College he sampled the rivers and streams of the Adirondacks, and Catskills and decided the place to be was on the Delaware rivers. It is a scenic, ever-changing, technical puzzle loaded with big native fish. What else does a fly fisherman need. Guiding adds another dimension to the puzzle. Just because the fish are in front of you doesn’t mean you can catch them! He takes great pride in showing off this beautiful fishery and sharing what he has learned about it. Joe retired from teaching in 2011 and spends even more time fishing and guiding, playing bluegrass, and building mandolins.

Jeff Church

NYS Guide License #2126

After guiding for 13 years at Al Caucci's Delaware River Club, Jeff came to work for WBA in 2008. Prior to discovering the Upper Delaware system, Jeff guided out in Alaska on the Alagnak River and led many remote float trips throughout Western Alaska and Katmai park. He has also guided anglers for salmon and steelhead, fall and winter throughout the Great Lakes tributaries, and in Connecticut on the Housatonic and Farmington Rivers for trout. When he is not matching the hatch here on the Upper Delaware, he enjoys chasing bonefish on the flats of Andros in the Bahamas or doing an annual fall float on some remote Alaskan River. He is a member of The Henry's Fork Foundation and is very active in FUDR here on the Upper Delaware.

Dustin Mason

NYS Guide License #5281

Practically raised with a rod in hand, Dustin has been fly-fishing for the better part of his life. He grew up fishing the Pennsylvania tributaries to Lake Erie for Fall and Spring run Steelhead, where he has also been guiding for the past several years. While pursuing a degree with a focus in Outdoor Leadership from the Parks & Resource Management program at Slippery Rock University, he was first introduced to the Upper Delaware River System in 2006, working for another fly-fishing outfitter in the area. Returning every Spring, he has logged over 150 days a year on the water each season, both as a fisherman and guide, sharing his experiences and passion for the sport with his fellow fly-fishermen. Technically self-taught, he gives all credit to careful observation and a passionate determination to learn and understand the many different rhythms of the natural environment in which our targeted species thrive.

Scott McClintock

NYS Guide License #6464

Scott developed an interest in the outdoors at a young age growing up fishing, hunting, and backpacking in Pennsylvania. He started fishing when he was around 8 years old when it became an ever growing passion. Although Scott’s primary fish target is trout, he has fished for muskie, pike, walleye and bass with fly rod providing him with experiences that has honed is ability to find stock and present flies to fish. Fishing Pennsylvania, Ohio, Montana, Idaho, Michigan, Alaska, North Carolina, and New York waters has given him diverse experiences and enabled him to develop key techniques over the years. The last 15 years Scott has taken many people to southwest Montana, Idaho and Yellowstone country providing them with educational, successful, and enjoyable experiences on the many well known and not so well known streams of that region. The Henry’s Fork in Idaho is one of his favorite western destinations.

In the fall and winter he guides for Steelhead on Steelhead Alley, late spring and early summer with us on the Delaware, then he guides in Montana, Yellowstone country, until late summer.

Mark Malenovsky

NYS Guide License #2736

Mark Malenovsky is a Licensed New York State Fishing Guide who offers over 30 years of experience fishing the waters of Long Island, the Delaware and the rivers in the Catskills. Mark encourages catch and release and supports the conservation of our natural resources. He is certified in CPR, First Aid and Water Safety. He is a lifetime member of Trout Unlimited. and a member of the New York State Outdoor Guide Association, the Long Island Beach Buggy Association and the North Carolina Beach Buggy Association.

Mike Lane

NYS Guide License #3187

Mike has always been an outdoor enthusiast. While spending several years in Wyoming and Montana Mike was actively fly fishing every stream he could find when not instructing skiers. After moving back to New York, Mike has fly fished central New York steams, Adirondack streams, the Catskills, Pennsylvania streams, remote Canadian Lakes for giant Northern Pike and the northeast tributaries of Lake Ontario in pursuit of salmon and steelhead. He is an accomplished fly tier, certified FFF fly casting instructor and is honing his skills as a two handed (spey) casting instructor. Mike is a licensed NY Guide and has spent the last 12 years guiding on the Delaware River drainages. Mike believes in teaching, instructing and encouragement no matter what your skill level is. If you want to have a fly fishing experience to remember and an opportunity to catch these magnificent wild trout, Mike is willing to teach you.