Meet The Team
Kaitlin Groundwater
Kaitlin began fly fishing at a young age chasing smallmouth bass in Virginia’s Shenandoah Valley. She furthered her fly fishing pursuits after college working at the Orvis Store in Woodbridge, VA where she taught several fly casting and tying courses. During this time she also taught several on the water fly fishing schools, instructing on both trout and bass fishing techniques. Kaitlin then headed West where she managed the Orvis Endorsed fly fishing lodge Madison Valley Ranch in Ennis, Montana and explored Southwest Montana’s finest trout fisheries including the Madison, Yellowstone, Big Hole, and Missouri Rivers. Kaitlin has since come back to her fly fishing roots and is eager to share her favorite Virginia streams with anglers of all skill levels.
Michael Hatfield
Fly Fishing Experience – 40+ years
Competitive Fly Angling
2002 ESPN Fly Fishing Challenge, Buffalo, WY – 3rd place
2002 ESPN Great Outdoor Games Fly Fishing, Lake Placid, NY – 12th
2003 ESPN Fly Fishing Challenge, State College, PA – 6th place
2003 OLN Fly Fishing Masters Eastern Regional, State College, PA – 9th place
2004 ESPN Fly Fishing Challenge, Eagle, CO
2004 OLN Fly Fishing Masters Eastern Regional, Wilmington, NY
2005 Au Sable Two-Fly, Wilmington, NY
2005 Orvis-Morris Cup Fly Casting Competition, Denver, CO – 8th place
2006 Michigan Qualifier – US National Fly Fishing Championships – Qualifier
2006 US National Fly Fishing Championships – Boulder, CO
2007 Michigan Qualifier – US National Fly Fishing Championships – 7th place
2007 US National Fly Fishing Championships – Boulder, CO
2008 Mossy Creek Invitational, Harrisonburg, VA – 1st (T)
2009 Orvis Riverrock Fly Casting Competition, Richmond, VA – 1st Place
2011 Project Healing Waters 2-Fly, Syria, VA Pro/Vet Division – 1st place
Past Competition Sponsors/Supporters – Galvan Fly Reels, Hodgman Products, BlueFlyCafe.com, Action Optics, Shelbyville Fly Rods, Cabela’s
Additional Experience 2008 to Present
Orvis Fly Fishing 101 & 102 independent instructor – Orvis Short Pump, VA
Orvis Woodbridge, VA, Trout School independent guide/instructor
Orvis Arlington, VA, Trout School independent guide/instructor
Fly Fishing Field Editor (2003-2010) – The Sportsman’s Magazine, Warsaw, VA.
Fly fishing seminars – conduct fly fishing seminars at sports shows and other
events in support of my principals and the sport of fly fishing.
Former VDGIF Outdoor Education Program Fly Fishing Instructor
Awards
President’s Volunteer Service Award (June 2009) President Barack Obama
Project Healing Waters Fly Fishing – Patriot Award Recipient (December 2009)
2010 Fly Fishers of Virginia Brent Golladay Memorial Award
Duber Winters
Duber hails from Southeastern Pennsylvania, where he grew up catching trout from mountain streams and smallmouth bass on the Susquehanna. His more-then-20-year career as a guide, Orvis store manager, author, and naturalist has equipped him with a wealth of knowledge about all aspects of both fresh and saltwater fly fishing.
Capt. Duber is an expert angler and fly-tier, a licensed captain, and a certified fly casting instructor. He spent more than a decade as a professional guide in Florida, where he led fly fishers of all experience levels to success landing saltwater fish such as tarpon, sailfish, snook, and permit-only species. In the Florida Keys, he joined the Orvis Company as a store manager and guide.
He later worked for Orvis as a sales manager in Richmond, Va. and then as store manager in Woodbridge, Va., and Arlington, Va.—all the while conducting multiple guided trips each year across the US and overseas. He has taught many fly fishers in the greater Washington, DC, region the basics in his popular trout and bass schools. He currently continues to work as an independent guide based near Annapolis, Md.
Capt. Duber’s work as a guide—and his own writing—has been featured in various books, newspapers, and magazines. He is actively involved in raising awareness about fly fishing and the environment through groups such as Project Healing Waters, Casting For Recovery, and a host of children’s fishing organizations. His extensive experience working for anglers of all skill levels, combined with his likeable personality and appreciation for the sport’s traditions, make him an ideal teacher and expedition partner.