Kevin Sloan
Kevin Sloan started out as a fly fishing guide in Colorado and Montana when he was 19 years old. His first “real job” was doing product development for Orvis in the late 1990s. From there, he went on to lead several different ventures in the fly industry including the first e-commerce and content site. After a 15-year detour in the hunting industry as head of Sitka and CEO of MeatEater, Kevin came back to his roots as the founder of Skwala Fishing. He’s an artist with a fly rod (single or two-handed) and has caught just about every fish you can think of (and some you can’t), but he’s just one of us at heart. Kevin’s first to jump on the oars when you float with him and loves nothing more than grabbing a three-weight, stuffing a handful of flies in his pocket, and taking off on a local creek.
Things About Kevin
Why Skwala? "Because fly fishing needed a shakeup. There had been three dominant players in flyfishing apparel for almost 30 years. No one was really pushing to be truly innovative. Textiles and construction had changed dramatically over the prior decade, but the fly fishing industry was putting out the same old gear. I knew we could give people a better day on the water, one where comfort became an afterthought because you knew your gear would perform no matter what the weather threw at you. That was the whole foundation of Skwala."
Guilty pleasure fly: "Squirmy worm, what else? When the water is dirty you need to get dirty."
What aspect of your fishing needs work? "Spey casting is a continual journey. I’ve been casting two-handed rods for nearly 25 years, and I still think I should be better. As soon as I feel like I have it figured out, the conditions kick my ass, and my casting completely falls apart."
Worst fishing snack: "How about best. Are you really fishin’ if you’re not eatin’ fried chicken?"
Most overrated fish: "Largemouth Bass. Years ago, I caught one that was well north of 10 lbs while chasing stripers. It shook its head twice, and I leaned over the gunnel and picked it up. Clearly I’m in the minority of anglers worldwide, but I’ve never understood the fascination with them."
More Things About Kevin
Most underrated fish: "Pacu on dry flies. It’s like fishing for permit in a spring creek with hoppers; just picture that for a second. They’re also possibly the strongest fish, pound for pound, I’ve hooked in fresh water."
Favorite knot and why: "Bimini Twist. If tied right, it’s a beautiful knot that never fails, useful for all kinds of double line applications."
If you could fish with one person, living or dead, it would be… "Lefty Kreh. Though I got to spend a bit of time with him, I never got to fish with Lefty. He had an impact on almost everyone who met him. While it would have been great to have his help polishing my casting, just spending a day listening to Lefty spin yarns about the evolution of our sport—the places he and circle pioneered—would have been a day to remember."
What's the best part about fly fishing? "The constant discovery. New fish, new places, new people."
