Cast Hope Guides
North Valley Region
Capt. Ben Thompson
Ben Thompson was born and raised in Northern California, where he grew up catching bass and bluegill before discovering fly fishing as a teenager. His passion quickly grew into a lifelong pursuit of trout, steelhead, shad, stripers, and other species. At 19, he spent an entire summer living out of his car in Montana, throwing dry flies at trout every day.
Today, Ben is a full-time guide on the Lower Feather, Lower Sacramento, and Lower Yuba rivers. He enjoys sharing his passion for fly fishing and tailoring each trip to his clients' goals, whether they want to learn, catch fish, or simply enjoy a relaxed day on the water.
Ben lives in Chico, CA, with his wife, Janell, and their sons, Noah and Luke. He feels fortunate to make a living doing what he loves while still being home with his family every night.
Ryan Williams
Ryan’s guiding career began back in 2005 on Putah Creek while working for Sweeneys Fly Shop in Napa. He never had a chance to stay guiding due to health issues and then college. But now, he’s back at it and as serious as ever. With 14 years of Nor Cal fly experience, he’s been pursuing fish here with a great passion the majority of his life. As an angler and guide, Ryan is constantly pushing his limits, studying new species or scheming up new ways to get to fish. He admits that Fly Fishing has absolutely consumed his life. In his off time, It's safe to say he’s preparing for his next trip in one way or another. Ryan loves the diverse fishing opportunities here in the North Valley and he is very proud to call this area his home.