Mike was born and raised on the banks of one of North America’s premier river systems. The mighty Columbia river system offered a variety of fisheries, which fueled Mike’s desire to explore waterways and the quarry within. Mike’s exploration up the Columbia river system lead him to the University of Idaho. While guiding steelhead and salmon trips on the Salmon and Snake he managed to attain a degree. Once finished with college, the pull to the Last frontier was to strong. Mike arrived in the late nineties and spent time guiding and exploring many south-central rivers but the Kenai would become home. Mike and his wife Jennifer reside in the headwaters of the Kenai, in the small community of Cooper Landing.