Grundéns Presents: Mia & Marty
The saying goes: “A couple that fishes together, stays together.” Nothing could be truer for Mia & Marty Sheppard, who – by all literal and physical means – wholeheartedly embody that slogan and so much more.
Mia & Marty are a couple who fell in love through fishing and have defied the odds of raising a family while being full-time fishing guides and business owners on Oregon’s famed Deschutes River. They have survived battling the challenges of building a guide service together, including navigating the changing state of steelhead returns and fisheries closures that vastly impacted their way of life and business.
In 2021, due to low volume runs, the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife closed the steelhead fishery which immediately devastated their business by having to cancel all booked trips that focused on the salmonoid species. Mia & Marty realized that to survive they’d have to adapt, so they began offering trout and multi-day river adventures, and even adventuring seasonally to the Bahamas to offer world-class bonefish excursions.
Today, along with their daughter, Tegan, and 22-years of guiding experience, Mia & Marty have proved the naysayers wrong by living the dream of owning a full-service guiding business while raising their family and overcoming immense obstacles along the way.
“I believe the secret to life is enjoying it and having some fun, and if you can have fun doing whatever you’re doing, you’re going to be successful at it.” – Marty Sheppard
Mia & Marty are a couple who fell in love through fishing and have defied the odds of raising a family while being full-time fishing guides and business owners on Oregon’s famed Deschutes River. They have survived battling the challenges of building a guide service together, including navigating the changing state of steelhead returns and fisheries closures that vastly impacted their way of life and business.
In 2021, due to low volume runs, the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife closed the steelhead fishery which immediately devastated their business by having to cancel all booked trips that focused on the salmonoid species. Mia & Marty realized that to survive they’d have to adapt, so they began offering trout and multi-day river adventures, and even adventuring seasonally to the Bahamas to offer world-class bonefish excursions.
Today, along with their daughter, Tegan, and 22-years of guiding experience, Mia & Marty have proved the naysayers wrong by living the dream of owning a full-service guiding business while raising their family and overcoming immense obstacles along the way.
“I believe the secret to life is enjoying it and having some fun, and if you can have fun doing whatever you’re doing, you’re going to be successful at it.” – Marty Sheppard
