Our Guides

Captain Dave Trimble is the owner - operator of "On the Fly Fishing Charters". He has been running the bulk of Bowman Bluewater's charters for the past 7 years. Dave has a 100 ton U.S. Coast Guard License, and has run guided fly-fishing trips from Alaskas rivers to Panamas offshore banks.

Dave has logged over 700 days of shark fly-fishing, releasing more than 1,500 sharks on fly tackle in San Diego waters. He has the experience, skill and patience to show you a great day on the water.

Captain John Hendrickson is a native son of Pennsylvania. He has spent the better part of his thirty years casting the fly at everything that swims from Lake Erie steelhead to Florida tarpon. He has lived and fished in Colorado, where he guided on some of the finest trout waters in the US.

John now calls San Diego, California home, where he can be found sight casting to tailing carp, or chasing down the west coast’s greatest saltwater game fish, the mako shark. John is also the manager of the San Diego Fly Shop. John joined Bowman Bluewater in 2007 and has become a top fly fishing guide for carp, bass and mako sharks.

Capt. Lou Fodor ("Old School Lou") - Growing up on the beach 20 miles north of Mission Bay, there wasn't any doubt the ocean was going to be a lifelong passion. Building his first boat at age 24, he started commercial fishing. Receiving his captains license in 2004 has given "Old School" the opportunity to give back 30 plus years of of local fishing knowledge. "Sharks are my specialty / makos my passion". Loves to teach the novice young and old. Spend a day with "Old School" and you'll feel the passion!

Dave Kwak began fishing at the age of 8 on Midwest rivers and lakes. Since moving to San Diego in 1991, he expanded his fishing to encompass Western-style ocean fishing. Shortly after arriving in San Diego, Dave earned his U.S.C.G. 100 Ton Master license while fishing Long Range fishing boats out of San Diego. Combining his personal inland water experience with his intimate knowledge of Pacific fishing, Dave is an effective and efficient angler and guide. Fishing out of a center console, Dave brings you the best of both worlds – a more personal fishing style combined with the thrill of larger game fish.

Capt. Michael Sergeant has been seriously addicted to all forms of fishing for most of his adult life. As a member of the first wave of guides on the Green River in Utah in the early 80's, he logged hundreds of days on the oars of a driftboat. Since that time, he has guided on many of the rivers of the Rocky Mountain West, along with establishing the guide programs at Seven Lakes Lodge and Three Forks Ranch in Colorado. Mike has made San Diego his home for the last six years. He fishes fly and light tackle from his flats skiff daily on San Diego Bay, targeting Sand Bass, Halibut, Corvina, Croakers and Bonefish, among numerous other inshore species.

Jeff Solis is the co-owner/operator of Solis on the Salt, a company that specializes in guiding clients on San Diego and Mexico beaches. He was the founding owner of the San Diego Fly Shop, and was one of the local pioneers of effectively fly-fishing the surf in the early 1990s. He has guided extensively in Colorado, all over Baja and along southern California’s coastline. Jeff has published several magazine articles on fishing in the surf and salt. He has appeared on television shows such as Adventure Guides, and has had several flies featured in magazines and offered through the Umpqua Feather Merchants. Jeff is currently working on a book on fly-fishing Southern California’s Beaches.

Scott Donaghe is the co-owner/operator of Solis on the Salt, a company that specializes in guiding clients on San Diego and Mexico beaches. He is a native San Diegan who grew up fishing the local beaches, bays, lakes and creeks in this region. Scott has been fly fishing for anything that moves for over 20 years, and has more than 10 years experience as a saltwater fly fisher and fly tier. Scott spends several weeks in Baja every year catching, photographing and writing about the fish in Baja’s Pacific surf and the Sea of Cortez. Scott is also a freelance writer and photographer with articles and images published in California Fly Fisher and Southwest Fly Fishing Magazines.

Capt. John Grim is a native of San Diego and a retired dentist. He has been fishing the local waters over 50 years. Capt. John operates a 22' center console boat from Sun Road Marina in San Diego Bay, which allows him to take clients to most areas quickly and comfortably. He not only guides the hardcore flyfisher, he provides instruction for the novice angler. Families with young children are tutored and encouraged to find and catch that special "first fish". The Bowman Bluewater crew is happy to have John on the team.