St. Petersburg, Florida Project

Relationships are one of the keys to success in life, for them to learn this skill through fly fishing that would be highest of achievements

Brian Clark

Mentor

Project Location

St. Petersburg, FL

 

Year Project Founded

2019

Project Lead Mentor

Scott Russell

 

Mentors on this team

8

Children mentored to date

20

 

Children to be mentored in 2025

8

Local foster care partners

Salvation Army (Multiple group homes)

Local companies that support this project

Andy Mill, the IGFA, Greys USA, Scientific Anglers, and Leonza Machielse Studio

Apply to Mentor

For more questions about this project,
contact Scott Russell at:
info@themayflyproject.com

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So…being a mentor with TMP allows a fly fishing geek like me to both spend time talking about a sport I love and teach foster children a great way to just relax and take a break from their daily struggles?  Sign me up!

Scott Russell Lead Mentor

St. Petersburg, Florida Project

Project Mentors

Scott Russell, Lead Mentor
Scott was raised in the Tampa Bay area and whether he was windsurfing, boating, wakeboarding, or fishing, you would probably find him on the water somewhere during his free time. Although he loves all types of fishing, fly fishing is his passion/obsession. When not running his financial business or on the water, he enjoys volunteering at his church and in his community, including serving as a small group youth leader. Scott and his family are very familiar with the struggles many foster kids face. The Mayfly Project has provided him the perfect opportunity to combine his desire to help foster youth with his passion for fly fishing.
Tim Elms, Co-Lead Mentor
Tim was born and raised in Denver, CO. He started fly fishing with his brother for trout in the Rockies. In 2018 Tim and his wife moved to St. Petersburg, where he now fly fishes for all kinds of salty and freshwater species. You can usually find him fishing for snook, bass, and tarpon all over town in ditches and ponds. Tim is an avid member of Suncoast Fly Fishers, and currently writes articles for their newsletter and is their web designer. Having grown up in a large family, Tim loves working with children from all kinds of backgrounds.
Christie Russell, Mentor
Christie was raised in the Tampa Bay area and has never found a reason to leave, especially since she thinks anything north of Florida is just too cold. When not managing IT departments and projects, she loves the outdoors and in particular, boating. She can often be found with her daughter sunning on the bow of their boat while her husband and son are casting off the stern. Although fishing isn’t her thing, helping others, particularly children, is. The Mayfly Project allows her to use her organizational skills to help plan the outings and to make sure they keep the most important thing in mind, having fun!
James Davis, Mentor
James started fishing at age 6 on piers and jetties. Fished condominium lakes for bass, carp and catfish. James’ journey led him into commercial salmon and dungeness crab fisherman. He was also a party boat deckhand. 18 years fly fishing in salt waters. He enjoys sharing his knowledge and experience tying flies, fly casting, wade fishing, beach fishing.

I enjoy seeing the excitement on the kids faces as they’re tying ant pattern flies, using markers to add their own color flare on the flies. Treasured moments listening to them come up with ways to conserve, and to be better at fly fishing. It is truly amazing to see these kids personally grow from the first day of introduction to the end of the program.———James

Jack Collins, Mentor
I am an engineer that loves fly fishing and have fished for many years. I tie my own flies and believe there is no better fishing experience than catching a fish on your own creation. I was so excited to share my knowledge with foster kids with the hope that they would also experience the same peace and satisfaction of fly fishing.
Greg Clark, Mentor
An Ohio native (Go Buckeyes!), U.S. Army veteran, TU member, and business consultant, Greg grew up with a love for the outdoors that included spin fishing in the trout waters of Pennsylvania while camping with family in the summers. He started flyfishing 30 years ago, now a passion of his, and has been fortunate to live in places providing plenty of nearby opportunities for freshwater and saltwater flyfishing – Boise, ID and Dunedin, FL.
Greg knows just how blessed he was with loving and caring parents who created very positive memories of the outdoors and fishing for him as a child and is looking forward to sharing and creating some lasting flyfishing memories for mentees in the St. Petersburg, FL Project!
Jim Williams, Mentor

Jim Williams is the V.P. for Fund Development at Goodwill Industries-Suncoast, Inc. where he directs the philanthropic and volunteer activities. His department generates support to help Goodwill carry out its mission of “transforming lives through lifelong learning and the power of work”.
A Floridian by birth and resident of St. Petersburg since 1975, he is married to his beautiful bride Sue. They have three wonderful children and six fantastic grandchildren. He is a Past President for The Gulfport Multipurpose Senior Center Foundation, past officer and current board member for the Charitable Gift Planners of Tampa Bay and serves as the volunteer music director for 30th Avenue Baptist Church where he was married in 1978.

Mandy McGarry, Mentor

Mandy is a Florida native but didn’t grow up fishing. When working as a civil engineer she joined her local fly fishing club to pick up a new hobby as a form of stress relief and mindful meditation. Since then she has become a passionate angler and fly tier. There is nothing like catching your first fish and as a mentor for the St Petersburg Mayfly Project she looks forward to sharing that experience with the kids.

David Redd, Mentor

Born and raised on the west coast of Florida, I have sent a large portion of my life on the water. I got my love for fishing from my father, although he was not a fly fisherman. I was fortunate enough to find Suncoast Fly Fishers fly club and became an avid member. Some of my greatest experiences in life have been centered around fly fishing and because of that, I am passionate about teaching others the joy and peace of fly fishing and being in nature.