About the Guides at Tri-State Guide Service
Marty Shaffner
Marty has been guiding for the last 5 years, realizing, with the help of his patient and understanding wife Sandra, a dream of turning his passion for fishing into a full time career.He does float trips on the Watauga,South Holston rivers in east Tennessee for trout and the New river in both Virginia and North Carolina for smallmouth bass as well as wade trips in all 3 states we serve.Marty not only “puts you on fish” and teaches the skills necessary to become a better fisherman, but makes you feel at ease while instructing, and after a day on the water with him you feel like he is an old friend. He is on the pro-staff of G.Loomis rod company, Ross Reels, and Frog Hair tippet and leaders showing that major manufacturers believe in his abilities also. Marty looks forward to serving you for an unforgettable day on the water
Jeff Payne
Jeff has been involved in the sport of fishing all his life thanks to his father. He caught his first wild trout at the age of eight and has been hooked since then. He has been fishing the streams and rivers of North Carolina for trout and smallmouth bass for over 25 years now. When he joined Trout Unlimited in 1998 he became interested in the sport of fly fishing. This interest lead to his learning to ties flies and builds fly rods. He thoroughly enjoys all aspects of the sport. Through his Trout Unlimited Chapter, Jeff has taken many of his fellow members to streams to help them learn to read water, choose the right fly, and ultimately become a more effective angler. In addition he is interested in teaching children about fly fishing and conservation. Due to his love for the sport and the feeling of personal satisfaction he gets from helping someone else “catch the fish of a lifetime”, he will work hard for you and will do everything he can to help make you a better angler. He hopes to pass the love of the sport on to his clients with an enjoyable and educational day of fishing.