NATE MCDONOUGH: Nate was destined to be a world-class outdoorsman, fishing guide and designer of flies. There was really no other option for the young boy in diapers who spent his formative years being hauled from deer camps to steelhead rivers in his father’s pack-frame. Nate grew up in the shadow of his father, Pat McDonough, a 13-season Alaskan guide. After a childhood of bedtime stories that included tales of fifty-pound, fly-caught king salmon, giant mouse-eating trout, hair-raising floatplane rides and snoring brown bears, he willingly followed in his dad’s footsteps. Nate always knew Alaska would be at the end of his road, and 2011 marks his tenth year as an AK guide; he is now the head guide at Bristol Bay Lodge. In the off-season, Nate avoids office work whenever possible and as an outfitter, he guides steelhead fishermen and waterfowl hunters across much of Washington. You can follow Nate on The Nomadic Angler his personal blog.

—Bob White - Artist, Writer, Outdoorsman