Capt. Russell Tharin Biography: Florida Fishing Guide and Fly Fishing Instructor

Capt. Russell Tharin is a native Floridian that was born and raised on the St Johns River about 15 miles west of St Augustine, Florida. As a very young child Russell hunted and fished with his father and grandfather, Russell received his first fly rod in 1966 and found himself consumed with the joy of fly fishing.

In 1979 Russell enlisted into the USMC and received extensive training as a Marine Scout Sniper.

1988 Russell became a charter member and later, president of the First Coast Fly Fishing Club in Jacksonville, Florida.

1992 Russell became a member of The Federation of Fly Fishers and was certified as a Fly Casting Instructor, and now holds the designation as a "Master" Fly Casting Instructor.

Capt Russell is a member of The Federation of Fly Fishing, Guides Association, and is a board member of The Board of Governors of The FFF Guides Association.

Capt. Russell has also attended and completed the Joan Wulff Fly Casting Instructor Course, taught by Joan Wulff at the Wulff School of Fly Fishing. In 1993, Capt. Russell received his captain's license from the United States Coast Guard and began guiding. Capt Russell had fished the Gulf Coast, the Keys and up and down the east coast of Florida and Georgia.

In 1997 Capt. Russell moved to Amelia Island, Florida and created Discover Fly Fishing and Light Tackle Adventures, which provides some the most advanced methods of sight fishing in saltwater, fly casting and light tackle fishing.

1998 Capt. Russell was very proud to become an Orvis Endorsed Fly Fishing Guide.

2004 Orvis Endorsed Fly Fishing
Guide of the Year

2000 Capt. Russell was very proud to be sponsored by Ocean Outboard Marine and Mercury Marine as a member of their Mercury Pro Guide Saltwater Team. We are very grateful to be apart of this great team.

Capt. Russell was recognized as the "2004 Orvis-Endorsed Fly Fishing Guide of the Year" at the company's annual gathering in Bozeman, Montana. The Orivs-Endorsed Fly Fishing Guide of the Year is awarded based on the sum total of favorable reports filed directly to the Orvis Company upon completion of a guided trip. Each year the Orvis Company recognizes one extraordinary individual guide for providing a consistently world class fishing experience meets or exceeds standards set by the company. Capt. Russell received the highest ratings from among 1200 guides in the Orvis-Endorsed program. This award has only been received by one other saltwater guide in Texas and has never been received by any guide in Florida in the twenty years that the program has existed.

Capt. Russell has a full schedule and enjoys offering his services as a guest speaker, specialized in fly fishing, fly Casting and light tackle fishing redfish seminars, to clubs and organizations.

Best of all, Capt. Russell met and married the catch of his life, Janet. Janet booked Capt. Russell because he was an Orvis Endorsed Fly Fishing Guide for a fly fishing charter and they became best friends and soul mates for life.

We are a team and will be very happy to serve you.

Capt. Russell and Janet Tharin