Captain Stephen Balogh

Head Guide

Stephen grew up in North Texas where he started fishing at a very young age on the numerous lakes and creeks surrounding his hometown. Instead of playing on the jungle gyms, 4-year-old Stephen could be found baiting his own hook and reeling in bass, perch, giant catfish and the occasional behemoth carp. His passion for fishing grew larger and larger through his early school years until college; it then exploded. Stephen attended the University of Arkansas where he studied Hotel/Restaurant Management, with the dream of one day owning a fly fishing lodge… He spent more time on the water than in class; whether it was an evening trip to night fish the White River or romping around Northwest Arkansas streams looking for smallmouth bass.

Stephen’s guiding career started in 2009 during his sophomore year of college at a private rod and gun club north of campus. Eventually, in 2011, Stephen made his way to guide in Unalakleet, Alaska and from there the addiction grew. Between 2012 and 2019, he guided out of Vail, Colorado where he has established himself as the go-to float fishing guide for both beginners and experts.

While Stephen loves trout fishing, he spends most of his free-time off on the pointy end of a panga in Mexico. His addiction to permit, and other saltwater flats fishing species, has allowed him the opportunity to host groups to some of the best permit fishing destinations in the world.

David Burgher

Head Guide

David was born and raised in Texas until he moved to Arkansas where he is a graduate of the University of Arkansas. He started guiding throughout college and the day after graduation, he began his 10-year guiding and fishing road trip. The driving force to which location will be next requires constant learning, whether it be rivers that focus primarily on dry flyfishing and entomology or more nymph focused, as well as many other techniques. Over the years David has also had several very important mentors who helped shape him into the angler he is today, which include Al Caucci, Chuck Farneth, Bob Lewis and Jeff White. His guiding career has led him to work in several states, including Alaska, Arkansas, Colorado, Missouri, New Mexico, New York, and Pennsylvania. He also spent 5 seasons in Chile, where he was the head guide for the last 2 seasons. David called Colorado home for nearly the last 9 years, guiding primarily on the Gunnison River from the lower pleasure park area to the Gunnison Gorge, with the majority on the Upper around the city of Gunnison. But when Covid came about in 2020, it resulted in David trying to figure out his next move, and since Chile’s borders were closed, it was no longer a wintertime option. Thankfully, it led him to team up with his best friend, Stephen Balogh. Stephen had already created a guide service, Riffletrip Outfitters, and it was a natural fit for the two to team up. This company enabled both to have their dreams come true and become lodge owners together and in 2021 The White River Trout Club.

Besides guiding, David is active in the competition scene and has been competing in fly casting, fishing, and guiding for years all over the Western US. He has taken top guide, floating and wading in several well know tournaments, has won 2 gold and 1 silver medal at the Go Pro Mountain Games, and silver in the Top Gun casting event in Salt Lake City. Fame and notoriety have never been the focus for David but the hard work, constant search of knowledge and relationship has resulted in him being in several magazines, the most notable being the cover of The Flyfisherman Magazine and an interview in Outdoor Life Magazine.

When David is not on the water guiding you can probably find him tying flies, working on creating the next hot fly or on the beach in Mexico chasing permit. When it’s time for personal fishing, Saltwater fishing is his true passion and he takes any possible chance to be on the flats.

Partner Guides

Though we do not have a direct staff of guides, we have a tight circle of professionals that we trust to give our clients the best fly fishing experience possible.