Shawn Saunders

Owner/Guide – All Tours

His passion for the outdoors and genuine love for helping people is likely why his successful guide career stretches nearly 3 decades.  Shawn often says that the southern Utah scenery never gets old and neither does the guiding business.  Another of his guide beliefs is that “a great guide should know when to be quiet”. His passionate yelling and screaming is proof he’s not burned out after 30 years of guiding and enjoys watching his clients land fish just as much now as way back then.   There’s always an itch to dust off the saltwater flies, but he’d rather chase his 7 children around because they bring the most joy to life.

Fremont River Guides has it’s 20 year anniversary in 2022!

Fun Facts about Shawn

  • Once upon a time he was a golf professional and still loves to play
  • Published two chapters in “25 Best National Parks to Fly Fish”
  • Regular television appearances in several TV shows over the years
  • The movie “A River Runs Through It” sparked his guide career
  • Plans to write a book about guiding experiences in the future

You gotta be tough to be stupid

Rick Walton

Guide - Fly Fishing

His obsession and addiction began when he was 5 years old pulling on Bass and Carp at Liberty Park in Salt Lake City. Rick chased trout in the eastern Sierras until his family moved to Pinedale, Wyoming where he learned to love the Wind Rivers. The pursuit of fins found him in Baja and the Channel Islands. From Utah to Alaska and Canada to Mexico, his angling knowledge has traveled well.

Ten years ago, southern Utah became home and he's happy as ever!

Fun Facts about Rick

  • Superstitious? Yep! No bananas please!
  • He's in his element at Panguitch Lake
  • High school football player & dyed in the wool KC Chiefs fan
  • Smooth hook-sets and rough roads
  • Loves hiking with his beloved yellow lab "Shasta"
  • Hobbies are tying flies, rustic wood working, gardening

You never know tell you throw!

Mark Rumsey

Guide - Fly Fishing, hunting, jeep tours, hiking, UTV

Better known as the "gentle giant", but don't let his 6'5 frame scare you.  Mark has a big following of clients who love his genuine nature and addictive behavior with fin & feather.  You might have to pull it out of him, but his deep knowledge of the outdoors, geological formations and life in general will get you coming back!  Mark's guide experience is nearing 20 years in southern Utah where he resides year-round.

Fun Facts about Mark

  • You'd never know he was a city boy from Las Vegas
  • Can train pointing dogs and find quail in the desert of Nevada
  • Self taught geology buff and loves to paint
  • Hobbies are painting, tying flies, exploring canyons and outdoors
  • Prefers getting lost anywhere he can with his two kids

Cocka doodle doo...

Kraig Robinson

Guide - Fly Fishing

Presenting a fly and puberty came about the same time for Kraig, at about 8 years old.  While throwing wet flies with a cane rod on his grandparents ranch in California at native steelhead on the Eel River, we're certain Orvis was considering him for their next catalog cover shot.

Kraig has been tying his clients boot laces for over 30 years now and still loves it, which is why he's as sought after a guide as anyone could hope for.

Fun Facts about Kraig

  • Retired contractor & certified McGyver
  • In the 80's he opened a fly shop in Provo called the "Fly Fishers Den"
  • Professor of Fly Fishing studies at BYU...yep
  • Hates to cook, but loves to eat

Fly Fishermen are born honest, but learn soon to get over it.