Boone, North Carolina Project

Children in Foster care seem to have few positive influences in their lives and need an constructive outlet. Fly fishing has always been that outlet for me and I’d like the opportunity to share it with those who need it most.

Mentee

The Mayfly Project

Project Location

Boone, North Carolina

 

Year Project Founded

2018

Project Lead Mentor

Wynn Parrish

 

Mentors on this team

27

Children mentored to date

27

 

Children to be mentored in 2025

10

Local foster care partners

Crossnore School Incorporated

Local companies that support this project

High Country TU, Mountain Bound Fly Guides, Due South Outfitters, West Fork Anglers, GAP (Giving At Potlucks), and Speckled Trout Outfitters. Looking for further support of our project!

Apply to Mentor

For more questions about this project,
contact Wynn Parrish at:
info@themayflyproject.com

Mentor Application

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Teaching kids fly-fishing provides a set of life long skills and a passion for the outdoors that helps foster kids cope with life. It provides a forum for healing deep emotional wounds and provides our kids with a new starting point or a new lens to look at the world through.

Nils Petersen, Mentor

Boone, North Carolina Project

Project Mentors

Wynn Parrish, Lead Mentor

I was born in Canada and have been fishing as long as I can remember, but I didn’t pick up a fly rod until 25+ years ago while living in Colorado when I caught the fly fishing bug (pun intended). Fly fishing is in my blood. It calls to me. It brings me solace, joy, challenge, and balance to my life.

I now live in North Carolina and regularly fishing the rivers and streams in Western NC and East Tennessee. Married with three grown children, I am at the point in life where I wish to give back. The Mayfly Project is the perfect confluence of that desire and my love of fly fishing.

Nils Peterrsen, Mentor

The adventure began thirty or so years ago for Nils when his family moved from Western Kentucky to Western North Carolina. This move opened up the world of small stream fishing in the Southern Appalachians and a world of other fishy places like Montana and Idaho. In 1996 Nils Moved to Boone North Carolina to work for the North Carolina Wildlife Resource’s Commission on a short term research project. When the project was over, Nils began his career in Guiding at Foscoe Fishing Company. Through guiding he met his wife and they decided to settle down nearby in Linville North Carolina. In 2001 He began to pursue other interests in the home building industry as a master craftsman. In 2012, through some twists and turns, Nils relaunched his guiding career by opening his own guide service West Fork Anglers. He guides on local small streams and in East Tennessee on the Watauga and South Holston rivers.

Tim Davis, Mentor
I grew up on the other side of the Smokies in Knoxville, TN. I have always been a fan of the mountains, but it wasn’t until I moved to Jackson, WY that I fell in love with fly fishing. I guided for nearly 9 years, three of which were spent with Lillard Fly Fishing working with teenagers in the backcountry of Yellowstone. When I wasn’t rowing a drift boat, I was heading to the Winds in search of golden trout. Fly fishing’s impact on my life cannot be summarized in a paragraph. Friends, experiences, travels, etc. Now that I am in WNC selling rural real estate, I have been missing something. After hearing of the Mayfly Project, I quickly realized it was the perfect outlet to share my love of fly fishing and the opportunities it can bring.
Jeff Dean, Mentor
Jeff grew up in Texas hunting and fishing on his grandparents farm. He started fly fishing about 20 years ago and has been obsessed with it since. He spent over 10 years working for Dallas Fire/Rescue as a firefighter and paramedic until his wife took a job in Boone, NC. They moved out to Boone in 2010 and Jeff continued to work in the fire service with the Boone Fire Department. He was guiding on his off days from the fire department and in 2015, he took the leap and started working full time as a fly fishing guide. Jeff and his wife live in Valle Crucis, NC with their 2 dogs and their brood of chickens and turkeys.
Mark White, Mentor
Mark has been fly fishing the rivers of NC and TN for over 50 years. He has been blessed to fish many rivers throughout North America and particularly loves the rivers of Yellowstone National Park. Since his retirement from the business world he enjoys sharing his knowledge of Fly Fishing and the Outdoors with old and young alike. His favorite quote when ask why he loves Fly Fishing is “Trout Don’t Live in Ugly Places”.
Kelly McCoy, Mentor
I’m the owner of Rivergirl Fishing Co. in Todd, NC. We teach fly fishing, guide fishing trips, rent kayaks, canoes, river tubes and offer eco tours on the river! We are in our 18th year of business and loving every minute of it! Best fishes!
Jon Show, Mentor
Jon grew up fishing the lakes of Minnesota and the shores of New England with his family. He’s lived in North Carolina for 25 years and was a avid bass fisherman on Lake Norman until a friend introduced him to fly fishing a few years ago. He loves exploring the mountainous creeks of North Carolina and if he could choose to do anything it would be hiking into the hills and fishing small streams for wild fish, but he also loves chasing stocked trout with his friends on weekends in the spring and fall. He recently took up fly tying so he has something to do when he can’t go fishing. Jon lives near Lake Norman with his wife and two teenage children. He owns a small public relations agency that primarily works in college and professional sports.
Jason Smith, Mentor
Growing up in West Virginia, Jason spent many days fishing small streams with his dad in West Virginia, Pennsylvania, and Maryland. Those early trips fostered a deep appreciation for the outdoors and the peaceful rhythm of moving water. While still an active duty soldier, he turned to fly fishing in western North Carolina to reconnect with nature and find balance. It became both a passion and a form of therapy—mentally, physically, and even audibly. After all, the only place he doesn’t hear the ringing in his ears is next to a rushing stream! Jason retired from the Army in 2022 and is honored to mentor with the Boone Mayfly Project, sharing the peace and restorative power of fly fishing with the next generation.
Noah Fenerty, Mentor

Noah grew up in Southern WV, where his love for the outdoors was shaped by the adventures of the nearby mountains. With a passion for exploring the unknown and appreciating the beauty of nature, he developed a deep connection to the outdoors. After graduating from West Virginia University in 2019, he settled in Sherrills Ford, NC, just steps away from Lake Norman.
As a novice angler, Noah immersed himself in fly fishing, learning the basics through The Wild Fly YouTube channel and finding inspiration in John Gierach’s novels. What began as a curiosity quickly turned into a lifelong passion. Now, Noah is thrilled to share his love for fly fishing with the next generation through the Boone Mayfly Project!

David Maynard, Mentor
Originally from Arizona, David moved to California the summer before his junior year of high school, where he met his future wife, Stacie. Their journey eventually brought them and their two sons to Mooresville, North Carolina, where they now call home.

A longtime trout fisherman, David recently developed a love for fly fishing and is excited to continue learning and growing in the sport. He holds a degree in Criminal Justice and spent nearly a decade working in juvenile probation. David is deeply passionate about coaching and mentoring youth and is excited to bring that same dedication to The Mayfly Project.
Will Lee, Mentor
Will was born in Mississippi, where he spent countless hours on lakes, streams, and the gulf fishing and enjoying the outdoors. He moved to Washington state in middle school, and his parents became foster parents over the next several years, eventually adopting Will’s little brother and sister through foster care.

Will joined the US Army after high school, serving 5 years as a combat medic in the 82nd Airborne Division. After finishing his time in the Army, Will moved to High Point and worked as a paramedic. He was eventually introduced to fly fishing, and fell in love with the sport.

Will is now in school to be a reissued nurse, and builds fly rods in his free time. He fishes regularly, and is an active member of Project Healing Waters.
Josh Horen, Mentor
A Maryland native, Josh grew up fly-fishing the Gunpowder River and the Catoctin Mountains, exploring forest streams with a three-weight and size 16+ dry flies. After graduating from the University of Maryland, he took his love of fly fishing with him to law school at Wake Forest University in Winston-Salem, North Carolina, where he currently resides for school. With a passion for the outdoors and strengthening community ties, Josh is excited to combine those interests by serving as a mentor for the Boone Mayfly Project!
Hayden Chamblee, Mentor
32 Year Old ,Hayden Chamblee From Anderson, South Carolina, Loves Anything To Do With Outdoors, Hunting Or Fishing. FLY FISHING Is His Biggest Passion, Hands-Down It Takes The Cake. Over The Past 9 Years Almost 10 Now, He Has Focused Solely On Fly Fishing And Honing In His Skills For The Sport. He Is Looking Forward In His Near future To Travel And Chase After Every Known Species Of Elusive Trout On His Bucket List. Hayden Is A Die Hard Fly fisherman, And Continually Looks Forward To The Next Adventure And And Leaving His Impression For Youth To Come.
Jason Ertter, Mentor
Jason is originally from South Carolina, but his heart was always in the mountains. Jason, his wife Danni and his 3 year old son Benjamin now live in Old Fort, NC and own/operate a yarn shop in Black Mountain, NC. Jason has always loved being outdoors and grew up riding horses, camping, hiking and exploring the mountains of Western North Carolina. He attended the University of South Carolina, and is a huge fan of all Gamecocks sports as well as the Philadelphia Eagles. Jason started fly fishing about three years ago, and was lucky enough to have a fantastic mentor. He is extremely excited to share his love of fly fishing and the outdoors!