For professional guide Pat Dorsey, fly fishing is a way of life. Pat’s enthusiasm for fly fishing is unmatched and his ability to share his knowledge with others is part of what makes Pat so unique. From the complexities of fooling large trout on tiny nymphs to dry fly fishing under the most challenging conditions, Pat loves to instruct and introduce anglers to the heart of the sport.
Pat hooked and landed his first brown trout with his father, Jim Dorsey, on the East River near Gunnison over 38 years ago. Pat’s family made annual pilgrimages to the Gunnison country fishing on the Taylor, East and Gunnison rivers. Family vacations revolved around fly fishing, the driving passion behind the Dorsey family going back to Pat’s grandfather, John T. Dorsey.
A native of Colorado, Pat has been guiding for over 20 years. He spends around two hundred days a year on the water, enjoying a unique quality of life both personally and professionally. “I am blessed to be able to make a living as a fly fishing guide and I will never lose sight of how fortunate I am to really love my job.”
In addition, Pat is Guide Director and partner in the Blue Quill Angler fly shop. He oversees and trains more than two dozen guides and helps to set the standard for integrity and professionalism in the Blue Quill Angler guide operation. Pat, also, writes the central Rocky Mountain stream report that monitors stream flows and conditions on the Blue, Colorado, South Platte (Cheesman, Deckers, Spinney Mountain Ranch, and Elevenmile Canyon), North Fork of the South Platte, and Williams Fork rivers.
Pat is proud to be a
Simms Guide Ambassador. “I cannot imagine guiding without Simms apparel; their gear is simply the finest and most durable stuff available.” Pat is also a member of the
Sage Fly Rods Advisory Team. “My favorite rod is the Sage TCX 9’ 5 weight. I feel confident putting this rod in my clients hands as I know we will get a quick hook-set with enough suppleness in the tip to protect light tippet.”
Pat is the
Southwest Field Editor for Fly Fisherman Magazine. You can find his articles archived here. In 2005, Pat authored the book,
A Fly Fishing Guide to the South Platte River, a complete how-to fly fishing manual for the entire South Platte River drainage. It encompasses a thorough look at each section of the river detailing the hatches and recommended fly patterns for each of the four seasons of the year.
Pat didn’t stop there, in 2009 he authored
Fly Fishing Tailwaters, a comprehensive book on how to fish tailwater fisheries. In 2010 a companion book to Fly Fishing Tailwaters hit the shelves,
Tying and Fishing Tailwater Flies, which is jam-packed with how to tie Pat’s favorite “guide flies”. This book includes 500 step-by-step tutorials, as well as, helpful tips and illustrations on how to rig and fish them.
Pat is an accomplished fly tier and has originated a number of very effective patterns such as the Mercury series, UV scud, Limeade, Cherry-Limeade, Paper Tiger, Top Secret Midge, Medallion Midge and the famed Black Beauty. Although Pat no longer has the time to tie flies commercially, he once produced over 28,000 flies in a year. Pat is a fly designer for
Umpqua Feather Merchants. Pat’s signature flies are available at the Blue Quill Angler.
Another one of Pat’s interests is photography. He produces many digital slide presentations used in his speaking engagements at fishing clubs throughout the United States. He is a Celebrity Speaker for the International Sportsmen’s Exposition in Denver and is very active in Trout Unlimited and the conservation of cold-water fisheries.
Pat is the proud father of three wonderful boys, Forrest, Zach, and Hunter. He also has two step children, Nicole and Michael Richardson. They, like their dad, enjoy fly fishing. Pat’s wife, Kim, is an avid angler and often appears with Pat at trade shows and other speaking engagements. Kim and Pat, also, host a yearly trip to Alaska Sportman’s Lodge each September.
