Mac Brown

Mac Brown has called Bryson City, North Carolina home since 1987 — and in the nearly four decades since, he has become one of the most respected and accomplished figures in American fly fishing. What began as a deep personal passion evolved into a life's work that has touched thousands of anglers and helped shape the sport in the southeastern United States and beyond.

In 1987, Mac founded Mac Brown Fly Fish, becoming the first full-time fly fishing guide service in Western North Carolina — a milestone that helped open the region's rivers to a new generation of anglers. That pioneering spirit carried forward in 1993, when he played a key role in establishing the first Delayed Harvest on the Upper Nantahala River, a conservation effort that continues to benefit the fishery today.

Teaching has always been at the core of Mac's identity. He served as Associate Professor at Western Carolina University, where he built a collegiate fly fishing program from the ground up. Students from that program have gone on to represent the United States on the world stage as Fly Fishing Team USA World Champions. He is also the author of Casting Angles, a fly casting handbook endorsed by FFI.

His expertise extends well beyond the classroom. Mac earned his rowing certification in 1990 while working with the Nantahala Outdoor Center and brings rowing experience dating to 1990 to his guided river trips. He has navigated waterways across the globe, leading destination trips to remote fisheries worldwide.

The accolades reflect a career of remarkable breadth. Mac was named Field & Stream Angler of the Year in 1999 and was inducted into the Southern Fly Fishing Hall of Fame in 2017. His teachings and adventures have been featured in Fly Rod & Reel, Fly Fisherman, Outdoor Life, Field & Stream, ESPN, and numerous television programs. He serves as a National Advisor to Scientific Anglers and Temple Fork Outfitters.