Cleveland, Ohio Project

Cody grew up in a town east of Pittsburgh, PA and at the age of 12 began fly fishing with his Uncle . They would fish the small blue line streams of PA for trout after school and on weekends. At the age of 14 Cody’s parents were going through a divorce and this is when Fly fishing quickly became a healthy obsession and a way to truly relax while enjoying nature. He currently lives in Lakewood, OH, married and a father of two daughters. When Cody learned about the Mayfly project he immediately wanted to join in hopes to introduce more people to the sport of fly fishing and the benefits it has brought him over the years.

An Ohio native, Leslie grew up walleye fishing Lake Erie with her grandpa and going on fishing trips to Canada with her family. She picked up a fly rod in high school, which ingrained what she knew would be a lifelong journey. She has grown to really appreciate Ohio for its amazing fisheries, landscapes, and ecosystems. She majored in Zoology from Miami University and continued her passion for the environment and conservation through her career as a high school science teacher. She recently started a fly fishing club at Mentor High School and in her free time you can find her on the river or in the woods. She really enjoys sharing everything she appreciates with the youth and watching them grow as environmentalists themselves!

Chris grew up chasing fish in Western Pennsylvania. Grad school took him to Northeast Ohio where he met his wife and has called home for over 40 years. When he bought his first fly rod in the early 90’s, his life changed forever. With steelhead alley as his home waters, he ventures far and wide to find fish. He has fished in 15 countries and 22 states. He most enjoys saltwater fly fishing due to its visual nature. He is a co-instructor for “The Ethos and Practice of Fly Fishing”, a class taught at Hiram College where he and his partner have introduced fly fishing, conservation, and fly tying to students for the past nine years. He works as a management psychologist and is on the board of a nonprofit community mental health organization.

I was raised in Lakewood, Ohio and grew up fishing the Rocky River. I moved to San Francisco when I was 20 years old and spent the following decade cooking professionally in the bay area, as well as in Europe. I hung up my chef whites and went to guide school in Colorado, and subsequently left the restaurant industry to become a professional firefighter. I couldn’t be more excited to lend some of my life knowledge to new fishers.

 Jake was raised in a fly fishing family and grew up fly fishing all over the west, mostly in California and Montana. As a recent transplant to Northeast Ohio, he now stalks the banks of the Chagrin River in pursuit of steelhead. Jake can’t believe the beauty and incredible fly fishing opportunities in the area. Fly fishing has given him immense joy, breaks for reflection, and a deeper appreciation for the outdoors. Jake is committed to sharing the fly fishing experience. He has taught fly fishing to students in formal classes, friends, and, most recently, his two children. Jake is thrilled to share his love and passion for fly fishing as part of the Cleveland Mayfly Project!