Guided Trips

In conjunction with my partner site, www.steelheadschool.com, I am pleased to promote the guide services of Dfishinfool, Don Mathew's - for whom I guide as well. Don has put together the premier guide service for Steelhead Alley, recruiting guides that know the streams and the fish, to give his customers the best guide experience possible.

You simply can't beat the concept - the best Steelhead Alley guides working together for a common purpose - to promote their love of the sport!

No competitiveness, no egos, no infighting - just fishing

Don's group of guides was carefully chosen from the area's best local talent. Each of us is self-employed, but we work together.  Experience taught us that by combining forces and working together we can provide our guests with a better trip. This team concept gives us the advantage of networking to find the most productive fishing areas. We are in constant contact with each other via cell phone.  Only guides who live up to our high standards are considered to join our group.

Come enjoy a day with us

Prices and Packages

Reservation Form

Trip Preparation Tips

Don "Dfishinfool" Mathews

330-565-5457

e-mail:  dfishinfool@aol.com 

Hyde Boat Pro Staff member,  Founder and Owner of Dfishinfool's Guide Service, Steelhead School Instructor, Instructional speaker,  Outdoor writer, NY  Guide License # 4348,  2008 Pennsylvania Guide License # 198,  2008 Guide Permit holder Lorain County Metro parks, Insured, CPR Certified, First Aid Certified, Water Safety Certified, Fly and Tackle development and field tester for several industry leaders,  B.S.A. Fly Fishing Merit Badge Counselor,  Fished Ohio Steelhead since 1976, Over 20 yrs experience guiding hunters and fishermen, 11 years of guiding experience on "Steelhead Alley"

Hello my name is Don Mathews and I am the owner of Dfishinfool's Guide Service. I was born and raised in NE Ohio. I currently reside in Garrettsville, Ohio with my wife Erma and daughter Ashley. I grew up in a fishing family. I was very fortunate to have a father who introduced me to fishing and the outdoors at a young age. I spent my youth working on charter boats on the Great Lakes and accompanying my father on his endless list of fishing destinations. As I got older I spent a few years guiding bear hunters and fishermen in the Quebec wilderness. About thirty years ago I caught my first Steelhead, or Lake run bow as we used to call them. I still remember the day as if it were yesterday. The beauty and fight of this new silver fish left me in awe. I have been hooked ever since. In my pursuit of Steelhead I have fished all over the Great Lakes and Pacific West Coast. Let me tell you there is no place like home here on "Steelhead Alley". I feel very fortunate to have a Steelhead paradise in my back yard. In 1997 I made the decision to leap into guiding Steelhead fishermen and I have been having a blast ever since!! Lets go fishin!

Mark DeFrank

724-317-8582

www.defranksflies.com

Mark lives in Southwestern PA.  He is located just a stones throw away from several famous trout streams.  Mark is a fly fishing addict who has dedicated his life to fly fishing.  He has done it all from owning a fly shop to commercial fly tying.  He has been helping me guide steelhead anglers since 2001.   Mark relocates to the Alley in the busiest parts of the spring and fall.  Although Mark is not local talent he knows the streams as well as any other.  When not guiding steelhead anglers you can find Mark matching the hatch on his home waters in Pennsylvania.  He is a master fly tier with 35 years experience, 18 of which are commercial and competition tying.  He holds several prestigious awards, and routinely instructs many satisfied novice, intermediate and advanced tiers.  Mark is an instructor at the Steelhead School. His latest contribution to Steelhead Fishing is being listed in John Nagy's newest Steel Head Guide 4th edition. Mark has 5 hot patterns published in the book, with his Blue Steel Caddis being honored in Nagy's NEW Dirty Dozen.  Mark is a fly tying prodigy and one of the best fly tiers I have ever known.  He has an easy going way about him and I'm sure you would enjoy his company on the stream.

 Jeff "Steelhead Caddy" Novak

e-mail:  steelheadcaddy@aol.com

www.extremesteelheading.com

330-984-7406 

Jeff Novak  hails from Southington, Ohio. His website is called Extreme Steelheading and that sure describes Jeff.  I have seen him do some extreme things to catch a fish.  Jeff isn't a internet personality.  He is the first to admit he doesn't like the internet.  I can remember hearing him brag more than once that he lands his fish with a landing net not the internet.  We consider Jeff to be the jokester of the crew. He is sure to entertain you during your day of fishing. He has a  motto "I don't wear a watch or a ring!" Fishing for Steelhead has become a year round pursuit for Jeff. He used to bowl, shoot archery, hunt, golf, and ski. Now he pretty much just fishes  and he does it well. He has a knack for catching fish when others get skunked. That is probably why he has so many repeat guests. Jeff can cast a flyrod like few others.  He has taught hundreds of first timers. On the rainy days you can't fish, you can find Jeff at his fly bench tying the perfect flies he uses. He is a fly innovator and has developed some of the best patterns we use on the Great Lakes region. Jeff has a passion for fly fishing but he feels right at home with the spinning rod also. Jeff carries a current NY guide license and fishes from Pulaski, NY, to Cleveland, OH, but will readily admit one of his secret spots on our Ohio streams is where he considers home. Jeff also is doing trout fishing trips in Pennsylvania during the summer months.

Jeff Novak is probably the best Steelhead fisherman I have ever known.

 Dick Keagy

www.ohiosteelheader.com

ph. 330-544-8818 - cell. 330-646-8150

Dick Keagy lives in Niles, OH, with his wife Judy.  Dick is a retired tool and die maker.  We jokingly call him the "Old Man" of the crew. For a old guy "grinning" he sure is full of energy.  You can find him on the stream on those nasty days when nobody else fishes.  Funny thing is he is usually catching them. Dick is a patient teacher and you will come away a better fisherman after a day on the stream with him.  Dick is quickly becoming my busiest guide. He is available to guide seven days a week and he's usually out fishing on the days he doesn't guide.  Dick knows the Ohio and Pennsylvania streams very well. Dick is a excellent fly tier.  He is at home with spin or fly gear.  Give me a call to spend a day on the stream with Dick.  You will have a great day.  I guarantee it.!!

Travis "Trout" McAllister

330-399-2746

Travis is a local fishing addict.  He lives to fish.  His friends call him "Trout".    It seems like everywhere I would go, there would be Travis, or on occasion his guests standing there fighting a fish.  Travis has been dabbling with guiding fishermen as a hobby for a couple of years now. We needed help keeping up so I approached Travis about guiding with us - about the same time he gets laid off from his factory job at Kraftmaid.  So he has decided to make the plunge into the world of being a fishing guide.  Travis is now available to guide you seven days a week.  He may be young at 24, BUT he meets all of the requirements to guide the Alley.  He is local and knows our streams very well.  Think about it, do you really want to hire a guide who lives three hours or more from the stream and needs a GPS to find his way around? Travis has been Steelheading Ohio and Pennsylvania his whole life.  He knows every hole and rock that holds fish on the Alley.   He is experienced with fly and spinning techniques.  He will bring his beautiful original hand tied Steelhead patterns on your trip.   He is pleasant to fish with and has a calm easy going way about him and is a patient teacher.  Yet he approaches his fishing with much enthusiasm.  I'm excited to welcome Travis to our team.