With fly fishing as a family heritage, Ray began fly fishing and fly tying at a very early age. Ray began commercial tying exclusively for the San Juan River as a teenager for a little bait shop in Aztec, named Handy Bait and Tackle. Ray and Wanda met in the mid 1980's and have been fly fishing and tying partners ever since.
While spending 22 years in the construction, ranching and horse businesses, Ray and Wanda continued fly fishing and developing fly patterns for the ever changing tail water below Navajo Dam. With the love of the sport of fly fishing and the San Juan River, Ray and Wanda's dream was to build a world class Fly Shop and San Juan Guide Service on the world renowned San Juan River.