OUR
GUIDES
VIDAL GONZALES
My name is Vidal Gonales and I am the owner of The Uncivilized Outdoorsman LLC. I grew up traditionally in Santa Clara Pueblo being raised by my single mother, great aunts, and grandparents. Santa Clara Pueblo is an indigenous tribe based in northern New Mexico and has deep cultural roots in the southwest extending to places like Chaco Canyon and Mesa Verde. My passion and love for fly fishing started when I was going through a very tough time in my life. My outlet became fly fishing to escape my trials and tribulations. When I was not fly fishing I was thinking about fly fishing and when I was fly fishing I was fully immersed in my cultural landscape. I learned to read the water, the seasons, the time of the day, and the various hatches that occur while fly fishing and being out on the water. I not only want to craft a fly fishing adventure of a lifetime for you but I also want to give you the opportunity to learn about our deep New Mexican culture and roots. Book a trip with us and it will be a memory of a lifetime!
JAMES GARCIA
James Garcia is our guide and community coordinator and you will most likely be organizing your trip through him. James is from Jaconita, New Mexico and now lives in Truchas, New Mexico. During James’ free time he is usually getting wood or hay, hunting, fishing, or working on his house and property. His passion for the outdoors began as a kid while hunting and fishing all over New Mexico as his ancestors did for ages. James is a member of the Truchas Land Grant and an heir of the Jacona Land Grant. New Mexico Land Grants were granted to settlers by the Spanish and Mexican governments to encourage settlement in New Spain. These lands are very important to the land grant members because of the deep cultural connection that they have with the land that provides their families with firewood, food, and other resources that members depend on for their day to day lives. James’ enthusiasm for fly fishing and the outdoors is guided by his roots and heritage.
TRESTON CHEE
Treston Chee is Díné and was raised on ancestral homelands on the Navajo Nation. He has a dedication to story-telling that connects conservation and the outdoors to the livelihoods of Indigenous communities. Tied by himself, his fly box contains tried and true originals meant for the waters in New Mexico. As he enjoys fly fishing in New Mexico, he is also a professional photographer and filmmaker in the southwest. Fly fishing with Treston in New Mexico is fly fishing to remember a story or create one of your own.
WHITESUN YAZZIE
Meet Whitesun Yazzie, a lifelong resident of New Mexico hailing from a small town called Pinehill. He is Chiricahua Apache and Navajo. From a young age outdoor recreation, particularly fishing, has had a big influence on him. Family camping trips and fishing trips had sparked an interest in recreation as well as conservation that he continues to embody. Whitesun is employed with Rio Grande Return, a non-profit, focusing on riparian restoration in the mountains of New Mexico. He hopes to bring his traditional knowledge to the company and assist with influencing people to exercise conservative fishing. Having grown from a traditional household, he has a great respect, appreciation, and awareness for the land and people. Throughout his fly fishing journey he has picked up an eye for identification of aquatic insects and invertebrates.
ZACK GONZALES
Zack Gonzales is a Fly fishing guide from Santa Fe, New Mexico. Currently residing in Chimayo, northern New Mexico is near and dear to his heart. His family established roots in NM during the early 1700’s and Zack has been fishing these waters since he was 4 years old. Educational work is a legacy in his family and passing on the traditional environmental knowledge of New Mexico is what ignites his passion for guiding. “Northern New Mexico is one of a kind. We have been blessed to live in an area that has sustained life for thousands of years. There are signs everywhere of ancient hunting and fishing in our area, Its a privilege to fish these waters, and I feel it is my duty to teach my clients about the traditions of trout fishing. It serves as a reminder of the importance of honoring the natural world and the spiritual and cultural heritage tied to it.”