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"I have had the good fortune to have worked with literally hundreds of fly fishing and casting teachers both here and abroad. Brant, a good friend, is absolutely one of the best, in knowledge, communication skills and his unusual ability to empathize with learners." — Mel Krieger |
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Raised in southern Idaho, Brant Oswald started fly fishing at an early age, primarily wading in small mountain streams and float tubing on "no name" desert reservoirs. He started tying flies commercially in his teens, and after discovering Silver Creek, he became fascinated with hatches, imitative flies and technical angling on spring creeks. Brant attended college at the University of Oregon, and in addition to a BA and MA in linguistics, he acquired lots of experience in fishing for coastal species like steelhead, salmon, striped bass, and shad. After graduate school, Brant moved to San Francisco in 1983 to become the director of the Orvis West Coast Fly Fishing Schools. In 1985, he left the Orvis schools to join Mel Krieger as co-director of Mel’s school program and sales manager for Club Pacific, a fly fishing travel service. In 1987, he left the Bay Area, and after an extended fishing vacation, he settled in Livingston, Montana. After a stint of substitute teaching, commercial cooking, technical writing, and guiding, he joined the staff of the Yellowstone Angler in 1989. He worked there full-time as a manager until the end of the season in 2004. As a licensed Montana outfitter, he continues to guide on area waters, teach fly casting and fly fishing clinics, and tie flies on a custom order basis. He also returned to university teaching as an adjunct instructor at Montana State University in 2005. Brant was a columnist in both The Angler's Journal and Wild Trout Journal, and has been a recent contributor to Big Sky Journal, Fly Fishing Retailer, Wild on the Fly, and Tight Loop and Flyfisher, both Japanese fly fishing magazines. He also published his first online article on the Virtual Flyshop. Brant has been active in local conservation groups, serving on the board of directors and as board president of the Joe Brooks Chapter of Trout Unlimited from 1989 to 1992. He served on the board of directors of the Park County Environmental Council from 1993 until 1999, including three years as board president. He recently finished seven years of service as the conservation group representative on the Governor's Upper Yellowstone River Task Force. |