Meet our Professional Guides

Natural Retreats, The Outfitters, South Fork Lodge is proud to employ the best guide staff on the South Fork of the Snake River.  Several of our guides have been guiding in this area for more than 25 years.  All of our guides are excellent and passionate teachers as well as superb boatmen and boat women.  You can rest assured knowing that you are in able hands whether you are a rank beginner or an angling expert with years of experience of your own.  The guides at Natural Retreats, The Outfitters, South Fork Lodge will do everything possible to ensure an on and off water experience that will make you want to return year after year.  We ask that if you have any questions about your trip, our waters or any other angling related inquires that you are comfortable calling us here at The Outfitters : 1 800.483.2110.

Brett Novik - Head of Guiding Services

Brett has been head-guide at South Fork Outfitters since 2005. He is originally from New York. In 1996 his passion for fishing and hunting brought him to Southeast Idaho where he started guiding for Spence Warner on the South Fork of the Snake River. During the Summer of 2001 he represented the South Fork Lodge as a guide on ESPN2's In Search of Fly Water.
Brett is also a certified Coast Guard Captain and spends his winters in Key West, Florida where he and Sue Talbot, run their Florida flats fishing business Ofishaly Hooked Charters

Eric Anderson

Eric is a very experienced fly fisherman and a great teacher. He first fished the South Fork in 1985 and has made annual fishing trips to eastern Idaho every year since. Eric has been fly fishing his whole life. His father was co-owner of the first fly shop in Boise, Idaho. Eric's father sold the business in the 1980's, but continued to organize destination fly fishing adventure trips around the world until his death in 1999. During the off-season Eric works as a Powder Cat Ski guide at Grand Targhee Resort in Wyoming. Eric and his wife Sarah, also an avid skier and fly fisher, reside in Teton Valley, Idaho.

Joe Bare

Joe Bare has lived in Idaho Falls & Swan Valley, Idaho throughout his life. Joe has been a American Fly Tyer since the age of 12. Joe made his fly creations official in 1992 by formalizing JB Creations, Professional American Fly Tyer which he has enjoyed now for 20 years. When not fishing in Idaho Joe enjoys rivers through out the west including: Montana, Wyoming, Utah, New Mexico and in the east an occasional tarpon trip too Florida. Spence Warner of South Fork Lodge hired Joe early on as a guide on the South Fork at the age of 19. By the age of 20 Joe was guiding 80+ days per year, full time for 10 years and eventually started working part time for Mike Lawson at Henry’s Fork Anglers

Dirk Burgard

Dirk is originally from Idaho Falls, Idaho. He learned to fly fish on the Henry's Fork while visiting his grandparents' cabin along the Buffalo River during the summers. Dirk ran his first guide trips in 1978 as a whitewater guide on the Snake, and started running trips for Spence Warner and the South Fork Lodge in 1979. Dirk has been a fixture in the Jackson Hole One Fly since its beginning. He was the One Fly Carmichael Award Winner in 1996 and has been the highest scoring guide in the contest seven times, including the summer of 2000. Dirk has fairly limited availability. Generally, he is available to guide from around July 1st until the end of September.

Chris Conant

Chris grew up in St. Louis and learned to fly fish on the Current and North Fork of the White rivers in Missouri. Chris has been tying flies and fly fishing since age ten. Chris first came out to the South Fork in 1999 and fished with guide Bill Danford. That day alone was enough to make Chris want to guide on the river some day. Chris began working for South Fork in 2006 and quickly learned the ropes with the help of Todd, Zach, Kenly and Brett. In 2007, he graduated from the University of Missouri and started guiding the next summer. Chris started law school at Mizzou in 2009, but still hasn't had his fill of guiding and will be back for 2010.

Ed Emory

Ed first fished the South Fork in the fall of 1987 and fell in love with the river. During the spring of 1990 he began guiding for Trout Creek Flies on the Green River in Utah and moved to Swan Valley to guide for South Fork Outfitters in the summer of 1991. Ed spends April through June on the Green and July through March on the South Fork. He is also licensed through Henry's Fork Anglers on the Henry's Fork and surrounding waters as well. With top 5 finishes in the Jackson Hole One Fly the past 5 years, we are proud to announce that Ed Emory has won his second "Top Idaho Guide" honor in this prestigious fundraising tournament.

Stacey Hill

Stacey grew up on the banks of the South Fork, literally. He started fly fishing at the age of ten and has been hard at it ever since. Stacey started guiding for South Fork Outfitters in June of 2002. He works part time for us and is available Friday through Sunday most every week. Stacey works full-time for the Idaho Department of Energy as an engineer. Stacey is an avid outdoors man and enjoys most any activity that includes fresh air. Stacy and his wife Melanie are the proud parents of three children: Chelsey, Dawson, and Madison.

Dan Hurzeler

Dan Hurzeler was born and raised in Idaho Falls. He grew up in a family of anglers. Dan was able to start fly fishing at the age of six. When Dan is not chasing trout, you can find him up north a bit from here looking for Steelhead near Salmon, Idaho. Dan is the president of Idaho Steelhead, Salmon Unlimited. Salmon Unlimited is Idaho's only organization working to restore the states Wild Anadromous Steelhead runs. Carp are another fish who hold in the waters south of the South Fork Outfitters, and Dan has an immense amount of respect for these large , strong fighting fish. In 2005 Dan, Kenly Bitton, and Brooks Montgomery started the Fin-Chasers, Carp Classic. The Carp Classic is a fly fishing only contest that has become a fund raiser for guides or other members of the fishing community in need of help.

Jonathan Lancaster

Jonathan is a New Jersey resident whose addiction to fly fishing began when he was eight years old. He learned to fly fish while chasing largemouth bass on the many ponds around his home. As he got older, he graduated to smallmouth fishing on the Delaware River and then finally to trout fishing on the limestone creeks of southeastern Pennsylvania. During his teenage years, he spent his summers in the West, sleeping in the back of a van and fishing throughout Montana, Wyoming, Utah, Colorado, and New Mexico. Jonathan has always gone where the fish are, and after graduating from The College Of New Jersey in 1999, he moved to Idaho and began guiding full time on The South Fork. In 2004, he returned to New Jersey to start a family; he now has a master degree in education and teaches high school English for ten months of the year. He spends the other two months in Idaho combining his love of teaching with his passion for fishing.

Lee Moore

Lee was born in Idaho Falls and spent his whole life living and fishing on the river. With instruction at an early age from his father, another South Fork local. Lee developed the skills needed to be a great fisherman at an early age. Working at the lodge as a teenager Lee was involved with guiding and fly shop operations under Spence Warner. Soon he was running the river and sharpening his rowing ability. Lee has been guiding the South Fork off and on since. In 1998 Lee signed with the Air Force and as a jet engine mechanic spent 9 years in North Dakota and over seas in several remote locations. An avid fly tier, he is very knowledgeable in fly types and river entomology as well as the timing of hatches on the South Fork and other local rivers. He enjoys coming up with new creations on the vise to fool trout. If you get a chance to fish with Lee you might find yourself fishing with a few of his "creations". In the off season he enjoys bird hunting, big game hunting, chasing other fish like small mouth bass and catching steelhead salmon the on fly. Lee is very patient and a good communicator, these skills along with a lifetime of fishing experience makes him a great guide for the seasoned veteran or the new angler looking to learn the skills needed to fish the South Fork of the Snake.

Sue Novik

Sue is a local girl, from Idaho Falls, Idaho. She started her guiding career in 1995 at Wapiti River Guides in Riggins, Idaho. She ran Idaho white water trips in drift boats and rafts on the Lower Salmon River, Hells Canyon of the Snake River, the Owyhee River and the Grand Rhonde River. In 1998 Sue focused her attention on fly fishing and began guiding for Drifters on the South Fork of the Snake River. Sue has been a guide at South Fork Outfitters since June of 2002. Sue has guided many clients over the years and is fierce competitor. She posted big fish in the 2004 Jackson Hole One Fly and won "Top Guide" honors at the One Fly Competition in 2006.