dcc fly team

Leslie Holmes

Leslie returned to the Don Coffey Company family in May of 2022, after a lengthy sabbatical. He covers the Southeast territory representing G.Loomis Fly, Costa Del Mar Sunglasses, and Engel Coolers. He is originally from Northern Ireland and has been fishing since he was 4 years old in rivers, seas, and lakes. Leslie owned and operated Stone Falls School of Fly Fishing & Guiding Sevices in Castlerock, Northern Ireland before immigrating to Florida with his family in 2014. Leslie has been fortunate enough to fly fish all over the world from Ireland, the U.K, Australia, Canada, the Caribbean, the Bahamas, and throughout America, and has built up an extensive global network of contacts, clients, and "fly fishing family". Leslie has been fishing, learning and exploring the waters in the Boca Grande, Charlotte Harbor area since 2009.

He is a fully certified USCG Master Captain, and also qualified to teach in the following fly-fishing disciplines:

Fly Fishers International (F.F.I)
Master Casting Instructor (MCI) and mentor
Two-Handed Master Casting Instructor (THMCI) and mentor
Former THCI Committee Chairman
F.F.I Level 3 Examiner
Retired Casting Board of Governor (CBOG) for the F.F.I. and was involved amongst other things in developing the Educational Development Program.

In 2015 he was given the Mel Krieger Award. This award is a Fly Fishers International Board Award and is given by the FFI CBOG in recognition of those individuals who have made significant long-term contributions to the CICP by dedicating themselves to fly casting instruction, motivating students, and sharing their knowledge of teaching with others.

Game Anglers Instructor's Association Examiner (UK):

Single and Doublehanded disciplines (SPEY).

Advanced Professional Game Angling Instructor Certifications in both Single Handed & Two-Handed of which he is also a senior examiner.

He is a proud to be a Global Ambassador for G.Loomis Fly, U.S.A, and Ballistic Spey Lines Pro Staff.

Zach Epstein

Zach started guiding on the Kanektok specifically with a Spey rod targeting Kings, Coho, Chum, Leopard trout, and Grayling. He moved back to Oregon and started guiding the Sandy, Clackamas, North Coast, and all 90 miles of the Lower Deschutes for steelhead. Zach holds certifications in swift water rescue, a USCG Captains LIC, and a Deschutes River permit.

Zach has been with DCC since Dec 2021 and moved to Montana in Jan 2022, with his wife Nicole and two dogs Gus and Lucy.

Brent Hermanussen

Brent started fly fishing in High School as a low-risk activity in between Baseball seasons. After finishing his D1 College career at New Mexico State University with a Marketing Degree, he went back to Colorado and quickly started Managing Arbor Anglers (now Golden Fly Shop, in Golden CO). During his time at the shop, he hosted Trips to Baja Mexico in search of Dorado, Tuna and Roosterfish on the Fly, chased Redfish in the Louisiana Swamp, and chased Trout throughout the Rocky Mountains.

Brent joined the DCC Fly Team in 2019 and has made great partnerships with retailers in the Southern Rockies. Putting that marketing degree to work, he has been active in retailer's efforts to put out unique, regionally specific content that helps both the brand and retailer pull sales through the finish line. With the Marketing/Digital Content understanding, this helps round out the already strong DCC Fly Team.

Steve Spurgeon

Steve spent most of his life working in and around specialty retail. Working, managing, buying and then owning a skateboard/ snowboard shop. After that moving into a sales rep position for skateboard footwear and hardgoods companies. Steve Managed TCO fly shop’s Bryn Mawr, PA location where he managed the store as well as guided clients for trout fishing, ran beginner classes, hosted one on one casting instruction and worked with many clients involved in destination fishing experiences.

Steve fishes everything from smallmouth, steelhead and trout in the northeast as well as all the saltwater species ranging from striped bass, false albacore and tuna in the salt. Steve has fished steelhead in the PNW and trout in the Rockies, as well as smallmouth in the Midwest and flats species in Belize.

Steve has been with Don Coffey since May 2017.

Jake Zirkle

Jacob Zirkle came to DCC in July of 2016 with over 15 years of Guiding and running Alaska Fly Water Guides in Alaska. In his off season he would work and manage divisions of a Recycling Company in Anchorage before deciding to leave the fishing industry and pursue a full-time career in the Recycling Industry.

He moved with his wife and two kids to Washington and continued down his path to becoming a Branch Manager with TRI in Portland Oregon. During this time, he learned a lot, however missed the fishing and hunting industry.

Through many years of guiding and living in Alaska he had worked with many Reps at trade shows or fished with them on his home water. His now manager, Mike Perusse, called and asked him to come to work with Don Coffey Company. Over many phone calls, he finally decided to step into the repping industry and help with the Fly-Fishing expansion for DCC.

Over the course of the last 6 years, Jake has met with many industry people and began long lasting friendships and business relationships. During his career as a Guide, Metal Buyer, and now Regional Rep for one of the top agencies in the United States he has always treated his shops as family and works to better their goals and dreams to help them succeed.