Derek Bechtel

"I grew up fishing, like every good kid should. From yearly family trips to the freestone banks of the Methow River to the smooth glassy waters of the Kamloops high alpine lakes in BC, I was raised to throw a fly rod whenever I had the chance. Fishing the Yakima with my grandpa was a regular occurrence growing up, I credit him with "hatching the bug" in my brain and fueling the fire to expand my knowledge of reading water, understanding the fundamentals of entomology, and building respect for the fish I love so much. Once I (finally) received my drivers license, no watershed was left untouched. I learned to throw a spey rod right out of high school and made it a priority to learn to utilize such an amazing tool for our Washington Steelhead that fill a very large place in my heart. I bring a "relaxed and fun, but still educational and driven" guiding style to the table for the Hatch, and work as hard as I can to show our guests the best possible day they can have."

Favorite 2hander- Sage 7130 VT2
Favorite 1hander- Scott 690 A3
Favorite WA Fish- Wenatchee Steelhead, Yakima Trout
Favorite One Liner- "Tugs, not Drugs"