Meet Jeff Ditsworth | Owner, Pescador on the Fly

We had the good fortune of connecting with Jeff Ditsworth and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Jeff, we’d love to hear more about how you thought about starting your own business?
I’ve been an avid fly fisherman and have traveled for business for 10+ years. Back in the day when I first started fly fishing, I almost always brought a fly rod with me on my trips, pretty much everywhere I went. There are places to toss a fly almost everywhere. You can get into trout, bass, panfish, carp, and when you get to the ocean, it gets really interesting. I started bringing 4 piece fly rods with me, and that got to be a pain. When you are flying in a suit, and bringing a 30 inch fly rod tube hanging off your brief case, it just wasn’t easy. I found a company that made a 7 section rod, and I thought I was in heaven. There was an issue with these rods, they were awful to cast, they felt like a telephone pole. One day, I decided to see if I could pair a great blank with the right components and try to build an incredible travel rod. After years of R&D, and we found the perfect combination, Pescador on the Fly was born.

Alright, so for those in our community who might not be familiar with your business, can you tell us more?
I’m a huge fan and supporter of so many companies in the fly fishing industry, but I wanted to do something different. I wanted to give a HUGE portion of our revenue to Trout Unlimited, which I would argue does more for trout fishing than any other organization. I feel we are doing that, we are giving more than 10% of our SALES back to TU, significantly more than any other fly rod company. Next, I wanted to bring a higher quality selection of gear to people at a lower price point. We do this by keeping our overhead VERY low. We also do this by going direct to the angler.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
It’s so hard to pick a go to place in Colorado, but I’d head straight from the airport and drive up the mountains to Silverthorn, CO. I’d stop in town for a breakfast burrito, and then head north until I found an empty parking lot along the Blue River. There are so many great holes to find fish on the Blue River.

Next, I’d head to the Frying Pan River to find the football shaped rainbows…I love that place too!

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
I’m an avid reader, and have a number of mentors. We could spend a lot of time going through the 2-3 dozen books I ready over and over to learn the countless items necessary to start a business. It’s also VERY important to know what kind of business you want to start. I only wanted to start a business that could provide people with incredible fly fishing gear at a reasonable price, and build a consistent revenue source for my family. My mother and father are huge supporters of my entrepreneurial spirit, but my wife has also been a huge supporter. Choosing to start a business takes more than just yourself, it takes the support of your entire family.

Website: https://pescadoronthefly.com/

Instagram: @pescadoronthefly

Facebook: @pescadoronthefly