Adam Pate (Fly Fishing/Rafting)

Hometown: Spruce Pine, NC

Years Guiding: 5

Adam Pate is a bluegrass loving western North Carolina native. He grew up fishing the creeks and rivers in the Smoky Mountains of North Carolina and Tennessee. Adam has been a fly fishing guide for a little over 5 years and loves sharing his passion with young and old. His patience and extensive knowledge of aquatic insects and fish behavior makes him an ideal teacher on the water. A couple years ago, his dream of guiding in SW Colorado finally came true and he now calls Ridgway home. If he’s not in a creek or river waving a stick, he can be found kayaking, rafting, backpacking, rock climbing, or strumming his guitar.

Matt McCannel (Fly Fishing, Rafting)

Home Town: Delano, MN

Years Guiding: 3

I have fished all over the country for the last twenty years, and I find that every time I am out on the water I Learn something new. I enjoy teaching the art of fly fishing to people of all ages. During the winter months I teach fly tying classes and I am also a commercial fly tyer. I feel very fortunate to be doing what I love to do, every day.

Matt with a Gunnison River Rainbow - East Portal

Erin Eddy (fly fishing / rafting / kayaking)

Home Town: Ouray, Colorado

Years Guiding: 18

Erin Eddy is a 5th generation Colorado native. He grew up fishing the lakes, creeks and rivers of Colorado with his father in the 1970’s. Erin has been fly-fishing, rafting, kayaking,skiing and mountaineering in Southwest Colorado since he moved to Durango in 1986. Erin is a past State of Colorado EMT-I and a current member of the Ouray Mountain Rescue Team.

Black Canyon Gunnison Gorge

Jason Young (fly fishing, rafting, lead instructor)

Home Town: Salida, Colorado

Years Guiding: 17

Jason has been a professional guide in the industry as long as anyone on the staff. He specializes in training our Raft Guide Staff every spring and has been doing so with RIGS for the last 8 years.  He has more river miles than most of our staff combined and is certified in SRT & WEMT-I. His past work experience in the industry includes a Colorado State Parks River Ranger and Ski Patroller.  “JY” brings the necessary skills for Float Fish guiding in the Gunnison Gorge and a true understanding of customer service skills to be a an exceptional guide. Enjoy quality river time with a true professional!

Bill Sheppard » Co Owner

Home Town: Oregon & Colorado

Years Guiding: 26

Sheppard was raised in Oregon on the McKenzie River where his father was a pioneer outfitter. He has been guiding rafting and fishing trips in Oregon and throughout the west since 1984. By 1988 he had become an outfitter and owner of a fly fishing guide business on the Deschutes and McKenzie rivers. “I still go back and forth between Oregon and Colorado,” said Sheppard, who has been fishing in Colorado since 1992. “It’s that moment of peace when you take a minute to reflect and enjoy the beauty that surrounds you,” says Sheppard.

Tim Patterson » Co Owner

Home Town: Ridgway, Colorado

Years Guiding: 18

Patterson has led fly fishing, rafting and eco-tours throughout Central America, Mexico and the Southwestern U. S. since 1991. Patterson’s degree in Recreation Management from Prescott College set the stage for a career in adventure guiding and a passion for keeping tight lines on his home waters. “It’s not just about the fishing, it’s about the people,” Patterson says. “Our activities are kind of a metaphor for life. They can teach patience, strategy, versatility and adapting to conditions.”

Bill Brueggeman » Senior Guide

Home Town: Montrose, Colorado

Years Guiding: 22

I was born and raised here in Colorado and have been fly fishing for a bit more than 45 years. My father insisted that we fish with flies, having 3 boys and a girl, it was too much trouble to be hooking worms on our lines all day and a single fly would last a couple of hours at least! Much to my fathers delight my graduate work was in fisheries biology at Western State College in Gunnison Colorado (some of the worlds best fly fishing!). He would be visiting me at school most weekends during the Salmon Fly hatch in late May and early June. I retired from Colorado State Parks as a parks resource technician in 2002 and now at RIGS I teach the advanced tactics clinics, and guide occasionally.

Dan Haesche – Head Guide (Fly Fishing / Rafting) )

Home Town: Ridgway, Colorado

Years Guiding: 10

I was born in Connecticut thirty years ago into a family of talented fishermen – none of whom fly fished. When I finally discovered the art-form in 1998 it was an instant realization of the new direction my life would take. Here in the San Juan Mountains I continue to develop my skills, knowledge and keen awareness of this sport. In sharing the passion & enjoyment fly fishing gives me I am able to create a fun atmosphere for learning with the most experienced anglers as well as the beginners.

RIGS Professional Fishing and Rafting Team Members

Co-owners Tim Patterson and Bill Sheppard started the business to provide the highest quality guided recreational activities in the region. Both Patterson and Sheppard have extensive national and international guiding experience.

Sheppard was raised in Oregon on the McKenzie River where his father was a pioneer outfitter. He has been guiding rafting and fishing trips in Oregon and throughout the west since 1984. By 1988 he had become an outfitter and owner of a fly fishing guide business on the Deschutes and McKenzie rivers. “I still go back and forth between Oregon and Colorado,” said Sheppard, who has been fishing in Colorado since 1992. “It’s that moment of peace when you take a minute to reflect and enjoy the beauty that surrounds you,” says Sheppard.

Patterson has led fly fishing, rafting and eco-tours throughout Central America, Mexico and the Southwestern U. S. since 1991. Patterson’s degree in Recreation Management from Prescott College set the stage for a career in adventure guiding and a passion for keeping tight lines on his home waters. “It’s not just about the fishing, it’s about the people,” Patterson says. “Our activities are kind of a metaphor for life. They can teach patience, strategy, versatility and adapting to conditions.”

Ridgway Independent Guide Service (RIGS) recognizes that water and access to water are the most important resources for the business. With this in mind RIGS received the first permit for guided fishing on the Uncompahgre Rivers. Additionally, we have acquired exclusive access to private water on the Cimarron & Uncompahgre River, as well as the regions finest stillwater fly fishing at Spring Valley Ranch and Double Diamond River Ranch. Begineers to Experienced Anglers have a wide range of quality waters to pick from with year-round access and diverse rivers, streams, creeks, and stillwaters.

Our Whitewater Rafting & Inflatable Kayak Trips are one of a kind adventure and another “first of its kind” trip for the region! RIGS is the only Rafting Outfiter on the Uncompahgre River and maintains quality permits on unique sections on the Gunnison River. Our Certified Professional Whitewater Guide Training Course is taught by some of the states top instructors and offers our guide staff the most qualified and intensive training in the region. In addition, our guides are required to be certified as Swiftwater Rescue Techs (SRT), which is the standard for saftey in the rafting industry. So, bring the family and friends and let the RIGS Team show you why Adventure in Southwest Colorado begins at RIGS Fly Shop & Guide Service!

WITH OVER 40 YEARS COMBINED GUIDING & OUTFITTING EXPERIENCE, RIGS OFFERS YOU QUALITY FLY FISHING & WHITEWATER RAFTING ADVENTURES IN SOUTHWEST COLORADO.

River Rafting Guide

• FT & PT Available, May-August. Great pay & fun work environment. 
• Guide Training available, if not Currently Certified 
• Review Training Dates and Confirm Online, Pre-registration required.
• Includes: Colorado State River Guide Certification, First-Aid & CPR. 
• SRT Certification available for additional cost. (non-employee’s welcome) 
• Pay for performance – ROL minimum qualifications – Training schedule
• JOB DESCRIPTION: Guiding a raft with clients:
• Assess clients, read type of people and constantly assessing them for nervousness, ability, strength/weakness, physical, medical conditions.
• Lead, inspire, and instill confidence.
• Interact with clients.
• Show interest in clients, communicate with clients, informing on and off the river.
• Manage time and trip to ensure boats/people are off the river (before dark), within company schedule requirements. 
• Read body language, assess state-of-mind of clients.
• Manage group behavior, so that it is appropriate to activity. (safety, briefing, prevention)
• Instruct general rafting skills to clients both on and off the water:
• Use verbal and visual demonstrations, so that the guide is confident that clients can understand and follow instructions on the water.
• Demonstrate paddle strokes (forward, back, stop, rest)
• Demonstrate control of raft (turns, weight distribution, crew position, sitting in raft)
• Explain safety instructions (foot entrapment, flipping, wrap)
• Demonstrate and explain self-rescue skills (swimming in whitewater position, throw bag rescue, extended paddle rescue, getting back into the raft)
• Maintain safety of raft and equipment:
• Ensure safety equipment is carried and used according to company operating procedures (helmets, wet sox,, wetsuits, PFD, throw bag, repair kit, pump)
• Know how to maintain, care for, and inflate raft.
• Know exit/access points on the river for getting on and off the river, as per company’s emergency procedures.
• Know river signals. (hand, paddle, whistle)
• Demonstrate working knowledge of company and personal raft guide safety equipment (throw bag, karabiner, pulley, knife, flip rope, whistle, prussic)
• Follow company procedures for storing and placement of safety equipment on raft (spare paddles)
• Demonstrate river rescue skills:
• Pre-requisite skills include river-crossing skills, rafting skills, knowledge of ropes and knots, life saving skills (approaching a panicked person), river confidence. Additional skills include the following: 
• oPerform self-rescue; demonstrate water confidence on Class III water.
• Correct a flip.
• Set up a system to unwrap a raft. This may include working with static ropes, knots, anchors, pulley system (z-drag), knowledge of ropes and what they are used for; advantages and disadvantages.
• Throw a throw bag to a client (from bank/ from raft). This may include retrieving a person, throwing accurately, informing person in water, , knowing when and when not to use it, making assessment about river conditions, clients’ ability and condition, potential hazards (strainers, state of river bank, keeping self safe)
• Apply river rescue skills to rivers on which company operates.
• Prioritize actions and manage a river rescue; people & equipment
• Demonstrate river swimming skills. This includes: rescuing people, swimming from one side of the river to another, using current and eddies, avoiding hazards (foot entrapments, strainer, sweeper), assisting people who are stuck.

Fly Fishing Guide

FT, PT, May-September, instruct anglers on regional waters, great pay/fun
Prior Experience Necessary.

Kayak Instructor

FT, PT, May- September, Trip Leader needed for inflatable kayak day trips. May combine with Rafting Guide position. Prior Experience Necessary.

Reservations Agent

Description: This position is designated to enhance and increase the volume of guided trips booked at RIGS, as well as to administer RIGS protocol for “client follow up” as it relates to: Past Clients, Trip Inquiries, Client Response, Data-Base Building, and Vendor Contacts. Excellent communication, organizational and computer skills are essential.

Responsibilities: Reservation Agents are required to familiarize them selves with all RIGS guided trip products, including Whitewater Rafting, Fly fishing, Gunnison Gorge and Multi-Day Adventure Trips.

The following is a list of focus areas pertinent to the Reservation Agent position: working knowledge of in-house Reservation System, Daily inquiry response and follow-up, Client check-in and registration, Database building, Travel agency/concierge solicitation and notification, e-collateral templates and email blasts, Web placement monitoring, Updating and posting new online “specials and discounted offerings, Calendar of events management and distribution.

Employee will need to posses the knowledge and managerial skills necessary to oversee all aspects of the RIGS operation in the event one of the owners is unavailable. These responsibilities include, but are not limited to, the following: trip departures, retail sales, inventory control, guide and employee assignments and shuttle assistance. *We will make every effort to keep our reservation agents primarily dedicated to reservation management.

Training: A minimum of 40 hours “in-house” training must be completed in order to familiarize ones self with the RIGS operating system and review office/trip protocol. An additional minimum of 10 hours of training will also be required for “product location and familiarization.” Employee will be responsible for possessing an excellent working knowledge of all RIGS operational trip locations and will be required to visit, both personally and by formal introduction, each location. *After the combined 40 hour training period, we will access your working knowledge of all systems, to determine if further training is needed.

Duration: Seasonal Employment, April 20th – October 1st, annually. *Full-time and Part-time available, may include weekends. Variable shift times and dates available.

Pay scale: In accordance with experience level. (Range: $12.00 to $16.00 per-hour.) *Pay-scale during the training period is: $10 per-hour.

Benefits: An additional bonus will be earned, based on volume of trips booked, of 1% of trip cost (base rate only.) Annual estimated bonus wage: $1200.

Shuttle Driver

FT & PT, May – September. Clean Driving Record Required. $10-$15 per-hr, dependent on availability and experience.