Austin, Texas Project

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Austin, Texas Project

Project Mentors

BRIAN HART, LEAD MENTOR

Austin, Texas

Originally from Spokane, WA and born into a long line of fishermen, Brian had a rod in his hand as soon as he could walk. It wasn’t until college though that he discovered fly fishing after a trip to Wyoming to visit a friend. After a day of catching dozens of eager brookies in the Bighorn Mountains, he was hooked for life. Relocating to Austin to be closer to his wife’s family, Brian has enjoyed the new challenge of catching bass on the fly. His love of fly fishing has instilled an equally fervent passion to protect these beautiful fish and to educate the rising generation in ways they can contribute to conservation.

VINCENT LECCA, MENTOR

Driftwood, Texas

Vincent was born in the Bronx, NY, I traveled to Texas in 1979, attending AHS High-school, completing College at University of Texas at Arlington in 1991.

Vincent is a Volunteer for Texas Parks & Wildlife (Area Chief), Angler Education Instructor Program for Kids of all ages, and disabilities for past 9 years. Vincent also volunteers his time with, Austin Angles Foster Home as a Fishing instructor, and Buda Tx YMCA Youth Outreach Programs with Fishing Education in mind. Vincent has also been a fly fishing guide and educational instructor for past three years with the Trout Unlimited Annual Youth Camp on the Guadalupe River.

Vincent has been fly fishing for past 10 years and is excited to pass on his passion of fly fishing with Mayfly Project in the Austin, Tx. area.

JUD CHERRY, MENTOR

Austin, Texas

Born and raised in the Adirondack Mountains, Jud tied his first buck tail fly at the age of seven, and grew up fishing the remote trout streams and lakes every year as soon as the ice broke. After attending college in upstate New York and the university of West Florida, Jud relocated to Austin, Texas where his focus switched from cold water to warm water fishing, and passed his love of fly fishing on to his daughter.
Jud joined the Mayfly Project in 2019 and is eager to share his love of fly fishing with the young future of this sport.

MELISSA WOLTER, MENTOR

Wimberley, Texas

A Texas native, Melissa grew up living between Austin and the Gulf Coast. She also lived in Oklahoma and northern Arizona before making her way back home. Melissa became a mother through adoption and now has 2 wonderful children. She works as an educator, a biologist, and a researcher specializing in inland fishes and mussels of Texas. She began fly fishing in 2019 and considers herself a lifelong learner. Melissa is looking forward to mentoring with the Austin Mayfly project and making a positive impact on the lives of people who’ve grown up with similar experiences as she has. She values the positive influence of the outdoors, especially within aquatic ecosystems, and can’t wait to share with others how special Central Texas is.

RILEY HAHN, MENTOR

Austin, Texas

Born and raised in Austin, Texas. I was first introduced to fly fishing by my grandfather while visiting our family cabin in the mountains of Wyoming each summer. I quickly became hooked; it has been my passion and #1 pastime ever since. I can’t wait to share the love of fishing and nature with others and hopefully inspire the next generation of anglers.

TOM HUNT, MENTOR

Round Rock, Texas

Tom was born and raised in Waco, TX. His aunt introduced him to fly fishing when he was 12 while she was visiting from Colorado. Tom lives in Round Rock, TX with his wife, Jess, four kids (ages 2, 5, 8, and 9) one yorkiepoo, and cat.
Tom currently works a biodefense consultant for the DHS Countering Weapons of Mass Destruction Office. In their free time, the Hunt family enjoys fly fishing (duh), biking, sports, hiking, and traveling. Tom’s loves sharing fly fishing and tying with anyone interested and has led the Austin project since 2019.

BEN WILLIAMS, MENTOR

Round Rock, Texas

Ben was born and raised in southeast Alabama, but migrated to Dallas, Texas, in 2011 and then settled with his wife and two young boys in Austin, Texas, in 2019. He grew up fishing for catfish with cane poles in his grandfather’s ponds, which evolved into spin fishing for bass as a young adult before he worked his way into a “healthy” obsession with fly fishing for anything that swims. He enjoys coaching his boys in sports and is also successfully passing on his love for fishing and the outdoors to them, and looks forward to mentoring and sharing that love with other kids as part of the Austin Mayfly Project.

GARY GEDDES, MENTOR

Austin, Texas

Gary is a lifetime angler and has been fly fishing for over 20 years. He pursues both fresh and saltwater fishing and fly tying. He is a Texas Parks and Wildlife Angler Education volunteer who enjoys teaching fly casting and ethical fishing. He serves on the board of Austin Fly Fishers and is a life member of Fly Fishers International, Trout Unlimited, and the Coastal Conservation Association.

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