Profile of a Fly Fisherman: Jeff Forsee

Jeff Forsee is an Ohio-born fly fishing guide, photographer, writer and globe- trotter who now calls New Zealand home. We’ve had the chance to team up with Jeff for a talk about his time in Mongolia, about guide life in general, and what it is that makes a life as a guide so appealing (to some).

Photos by PETER FONG, MARK PORTMAN, NICK REYGAERT, HILARY SMITH and JASON WHITING

Born: May 18th 1984 // Occupation: Fly Fishing Guide // Home country/home waters: Born and raised in Ohio, USA. Living in Wanaka, New Zealand. Social media platforms: https://www.facebook.com/jeff.forsee https://www.instagram.com/jeff.forsee/

When and how did you get started fly fishing?

Initially when I was quite young. We grew up camping and fishing during the weekends, holidays and Tuesdays. Tuesdays were known as “Fishing Tuesday” during my upbringing. Most of these outings were on a family friend’s property in rural southern Ohio. The property, affectionately known as “The Farm” had two absolutely classic bass ponds on it. Respectively dubbed “The Big Lake” and “The Little Lake.”

We did a lot of fishing as a family when I was growing up but every time, I trace it back to the beginning, I end up at the farm. Todd Hunt was my dad’s best buddy and the man that owned the property. He was also the first person I ever saw cast a fly rod. I have vivid memories of him out on the big lake at sunrise in a flat bottom john boat casting little cork poppers to largemouth bass and pan fish. It wasn’t long after that my dad bought a fly rod for my brothers and I to use.

At what point in time did you decide to become a guide – and why? I decided I wanted to become a guide in my mid-twenties. It was during a period of working as a commercial fisherman in Alaska and honing my skills as a fly angler. Having that kind of exposure to big and wild places as well as an introduction to world class fisheries and guides really inspired me. It was during that time that I recognized the appeal of the lifestyle and the potential of the job.

I used to watch guides get into float planes and fly off to spend the day with clients on rivers unknown as I was scrubbing the back deck of the commercial boat that I was working on. Fly fishing was really dominating my life at the time too so a change of career seemed like a no-brainer to me.

What is it about guiding in general that attracts you?

It’s the whole package but I think ultimately it comes down to lifestyle and fulfillment. Guiding has allowed me to spend untold amounts of time on the water observing my surroundings and practicing my craft. All while breathing fresh mountain air with the sun on my back.

It’s hard work at times but having the ability to take plentiful, quality time for myself and my family and friends is invaluable to me. Some of my most memorable experiences, enduring friendships and unforgettable adventures have come through guiding. I find it deeply satisfying to share the experiences that we seek with people who are as grateful for them as I am. It’s a privilege to do what I love for a career and I am very thankful for that.

What convinced you to travel to Mongolia to guide there?

It didn’t take much convincing but if I had to put it down to something I’d probably say, adventure. And taimen of course. I sought a position with Mongolia River Outfitters & Fish Mongolia specifically because of their approach to the fishery and the role they have played in taimen and river conservation in Mongolia. Drifting hundreds of kilometers through the world’s only taimen sanctuaries is definitely my cup of tea!

What is it about Mongolia and the fishing there that fascinates you?

They are both uniquely fascinating. Mongolia is a country steeped in history and rich in culture and natural beauty. Nomadic lifestyles are still the mainstay in most of the country so it’s a common occurrence to see nomads on horseback riding along the river banks or cutting hay for the winter ahead. The Mongolians are some of the friendliest people that I’ve come across in my travels. It’s been a real pleasure to work alongside such a hardworking and talented group of people.

I’m seven years into what is sure to be a lifelong obsession with the taimen. They are a remarkable fish that happen to live in a pretty remarkable place.

They are big, they are beautiful and in my opinion; connecting to one of them is one of the greatest challenges and experiences one can have in the sport of fly fishing. They are the largest salmonid on the planet and are extremely long lived with some fish living fifty years or more. They have a presence about them that demands respect.

I love the techniques that we use, the big rods and big flies. The predatory instinct in these fish is as exciting as anything I’ve experienced in fishing. It can be a pretty casting-intensive fishery which I really enjoy: It’s streamer fishing at is best.

Some days, fishing on the top is just as effective as fishing sub surface and the top water takes will absolutely blow your mind. Taimen fishing isn’t a numbers game so you truly appreciate each and every fish that you encounter. It’s also a fishery that keeps me on my toes. Some days the fish seem to throw themselves at you and others you’re left scratching your head. Just when I think I have it all figured out, I’ll go out and get skunked. I like that about it and as much as I want to know all of the secrets I actually hope that I never do.

The funny thing about fishing in Mongolia is that if taimen didn’t live there, people would travel all the way there just for the trout fishing. The dry fly fishing in Mongolia during the peak of the summer is about as good as I’ve seen anywhere in the world. The lenok, Amur trout and grayling are scrappy, beautiful and for most anglers pretty exotic fish.

Amur pike exist in one of the rivers that we fish too. So you have two apex predators in the same system. I remember watching an angler catch a large taimen right where a big slough entered the main river. He released it and then caught a pretty respectable pike at the bottom of the same slough. I can only imagine that those two fish have had some sort of Alien vs. Predator encounter with one another at some point.

Can you tell us a little about what makes the river you’re guiding on so special?

I guide on two rivers in Mongolia and ever since the first time I floated down them, I’ve said that I would travel all the way back there to do it again even if they didn’t have a single fish in them. Lucky for us, that’s not the case. They scenery is remarkable and consequently parts of the rivers have taken on names like “The Cathedral Pool” and “The Temple.” The rivers really lend themselves to fly fishing too so they’re a real pleasure to fish.

Every mile of river that we operate on is located within a special protected area known as a “Taimen Sanctuary.” These areas are designated by the Mongolian national government. Which is pretty neat because it essentially makes them “certifiably” special.

Decades of work has gone into protecting these rivers and the fish in them by way of establishing a permitting system, anti-poaching units, progressive fishing regulations and development and extraction regulations. Taimen are a red-listed species and simply don’t live in a lot of places in good numbers anymore but that’s not the case in Mongolia. Continued conservation efforts and a proud and hardworking local community ensure that these healthy and intact ecosystems remain as some of the finest taimen habitat on the planet.

So far, what’s been the most memorable experience while guiding in Mongolia?

That’s a tough question to answer, I’ve been lucky enough to make a lot of great memories up there over the years. But I do have a bit of a soft spot for when fortune rewards the dedicated. One particular scenario was a twoweek long trip where a spate of tough fishing rolled into a pretty significant multi day blowout from heavy rains. Each day we’d wake up to a muddy river and go out there and give it our best. After a couple of days of pulling big flies through a few inches of visibility and getting nothing in return your hope starts to dwindle.

But the water cleared marginally on the last day of the trip and even though we didn’t touch a fish before lunch we still fished hard through the afternoon.

My buddy Ross was fishing, and he made some sort of gesture that maybe something fishy had just happened. I asked him and he was unsure. This was no time to let an opportunity slide past us even if it was unlikely so I rowed my boat back up to where it happened. Ross put another shot in there and almost instantly came tight.

We ended up landing that fish after a pretty nerve-racking battle and measured it at 55in. I’ve never been so emotionally charged by a fish in my life. It was the combination of tough conditions, hard work, lots of appreciation and a truly remarkable fish. That wasn’t just a memorable guiding moment but probably one of my most memorable moments on the water to date.

In what ways is fly fishing in Mongolia different from fly fishing in your home country?

New Zealand and Mongolia are vastly different fisheries but there are parallels between the two which probably attest to what I appreciate in a fishery.

Big, challenging fish, few people, adventure and world class scenery.

Trout fishing in New Zealand definitely has its nuances but it is more or less a fairly traditional trout fishery. And although taimen are just big trout, fishing for them is pretty much the antithesis of traditional trout fishing. 8, 9 and 10wt rods, big flies and explosive surface takes are the day to day.

It’s not at all necessary to catch taimen but I often find myself throwing as big of a fly as myself and my equipment can handle. Sometimes, flies as big as a fish that you might catch back home. I get a real kick out of seeing fish chase down a fly as long as my forearm.

If you had to give a fellow fly fisherman three good reasons to travel to Mongolia to fly fish – what would they be?

Adventure. No trip to Mongolia is the same and it’s definitely not a float down your local. There is typically lots of travel involved, four wheel drives, mud, camels, rafts, military check points, nomads, horses, vodka, the list goes on. You feel like you’re the first person in the world that’s ever been there.

Culture. The Mongolians have been living a very traditional lifestyle in a pretty far flung corner of the world for a long time now and it shows in everyday life. From sleeping in a ger to watching a wrestling match and eating khorkhog (Mongolian BBQ.) Day to day life is vibrant in the land of the eternal blue sky.

Fishing. To put it simply, taimen fishing is the ultimate. The trout fishing is as good as it gets. And there is the possibility of catching a fish the size of a Labrador with each and every cast that you make.