JASON MARQUARDT

JASON MARQUARDT hails from Candler, in western North Carolina. He is a writer, photographer, and fly fishing instructor. Jason has a passion for the outdoors, and spending time in wild places is a big part of his life, despite being and raised just outside of bustling Chicago. Before he was old enough to drive, Jason had memorized the small wild native brook trout streams of Wisconsin's Driftless area, along with those in neighboring Michigan. After graduating from high school, Jason’s love for teaching and fishing led him to get involved in an outdoor adventure-based summer camp in the Front Range of Colorado where he helped to develop and run a fly fishing program. An avid paddler as well as angler, he saw Brevard College as a place where he could pursue a degree in Wilderness Leadership and Experiential Education, while taking advantage of the area’s robust natural resource offering. He has lived in the Brevard area ever since, and now considers it home. Jason is also a certified Wilderness First Responder and licensed North Carolina fly fishing guide. He is an active member of NC Backcountry Hunters and Anglers, Outdoor Writers Association, and American Whitewater. When he isn't working, Jason can be found fishing or whitewater kayaking. He can be reached at Info@nativefishcoalition.org