Big Wood River Working Group Members

Kent is a 61-year-old recently retired diagnostic radiologist from Buhl, Idaho with prior academic and private practice experience after having been an Air Force flight surgeon. He has been flyfishing for 26 years and adventuring in the outdoors his entire life.

Email: r.kent.sanders@gmail.com

Ryan has worked with the Wood River Land Trust for 6 years and develops and manages river restoration projects in the Big Wood River basin. Ryan also has 18 years of experience in fisheries management and monitoring with state, federal, and tribal agencies. Ryan considers the Big Wood River the common thread that connects the communities of Wood River Valley and advocates for simplified rules and year-round fishing to increase recruitment of anglers and create awareness of the need for restoration projects in the basin.

Email: ryan@woodriverlandtrust.org

Greg is a 71 year old retired farmer. He has lived in Idaho his entire life. Greg hunts and fishes every chance he gets. He is a fly fisherman and archer that splits his time between his family farm north of Rupert, Idaho and the family cabin on the Board Ranch in Ketchum.

Email: camcam@pmt.org

Dirk has lived in and been fly fishing in the Wood River Valley for over 20 years, and has 10 and 12 year old boys who also enjoy fishing. He has fly fished on 3 different continents, but holds the Big Wood dear, recognizing it as the lifeblood that runs through our community. He sees serving on the committee as impactful to help preserve, maintain, and improve the Big Wood ecosystem and fishery for his children’s generation and generations to come.

Email: dirksunvalley@gmail.com

James is a lifelong Idahoan that grew up in the Magic Valley and has fished the Big Wood River his whole life. He is a two-time president of Magic Valley Fly Fishers fishing club and is currently on the executive leadership board of the club. He has been flyfishing for 40 years and works part-time guiding and working at the fly shop at Picabo Angler. He has previously worked as a technician for IDFG doing steelhead research. He currently works at Glanbia in the IT department.

Email: paraadams@hotmail.com

Ed Northen lives in Hailey, Idaho where he pursues his passions of fly fishing and environmental stewardship. He is a former flyfishing guide, certified casting instructor and advocate for rivers. He has been involved with Trout Unlimited for 21 years, serving as president of the Hemingway Chapter, Idaho Council Chai, and National Leadership Council chair for Idaho. He has headed up a fish rescue program on the Big Wood River in cooperation with IDFG for 16 years. He also served as a Fire Captain and Paramedic for 34 years. When he is not standing in the water pursuing trout you will find him pursuing other interests of hiking, trail running, cross country skiing, and writing poetry.

Email: apilgram@cox.net

Bob is a retired Sun Valley ski patroller and guide on the Big Wood and many of Idaho’s remote wilderness rivers. His previous career with USFS included time as a forester, smoke jumper, trail and fence builder. He feels the Big Wood River is one of the largest economic drivers for recreation and survival in the valley. He loves that any kid (or adult) in the valley can peddle a bike to the river and fish it.

Email: bdjost@msn.com

Tim has lived and fished in the Wood River Valley for 50 years. Having witnessed the transition of his local river stretches to fly-fishing and catch-and-release only, he understands the impact these regulations have on traditional harvest. Tim advocates for the inclusion of subsistence fishing considerations within these restricted sections to ensure the river remains a resource for all members of the community.

Email: Eastasinwest@gmail.com

Amanda Bauman is the Executive Director of Project Big Wood. An Idaho native with roots in agriculture, she has worked as a wildland firefighter and fly-fishing guide in the Wood River Valley, bringing a strong connection to the landscape and its resources. At Project Big Wood, Amanda guides community-driven, science-based efforts to improve the health and function of the Big Wood River. She participates in the working group to contribute local knowledge, field experience, and a focus on long-term river and fisheries management.

Email: amanda@projectbigwood.org

Mike McKenna is the executive director of The Chamber of Hailey and the Wood River Valley. Mike is also a professional journalist and author, including writing the award-wining fishing guidebooks, Casting Around the Eastern Sierra and Angling Around Sun Valley.

Email: mike@valleychamber.org

Chad is the General Manager at Picabo Angler in Picabo, ID, located near the banks of famed Silver Creek. Originally from upstate New York, Chad first visited the Wood River Valley over twenty years and ago and vowed to eventually make it his home.

The Big Wood River and Silver Creek were the first rivers Chad fished upon visiting the western US, and they remain his home waters. Chad’s love of wide-open spaces, clean water, and wild creatures has led to his involvement with conservation organizations such as Trout Unlimited, Ducks Unlimited, the Henry’s Fork Foundation, and the Bonefish and Tarpon Trust. In the past, he has spent time working with Trout Unlimited in both a volunteer and professional capacity. Chad holds a BS Degree in Fisheries Biology from Mansfield University in Pennsylvania.

Chad has been a full-time fly-fishing, waterfowl hunting, and upland hunting guide, and is an accomplished freelance photographer and writer. Chad enjoys nothing more than helping customers at Picabo Angler and helping anglers have the best experience fishing the Big Wood River, Silver Creek, and other local waters. He resides in Picabo with his three Springer Spaniels – Trico, Snook, and Jax.

Email: chad@picaboangler.com