Little Creek Outfitters is a professional, fly-fishing guide service that Marty and Mia purchased from John Ecklund in 2003. We take pride in being an outfitter that is deep-rooted in fly-fishing, conservation, stewardship, and soul since 1984. We carry on the tradition of providing anglers with a fun, genuine, and quality experience in the wilderness that will keep you returning year after year. We specialize in swinging flies for steelhead, with a two-handed rod, and throughout the year pick up a single hand too.
We run a first-class operation with super food and great camps. We work hard to make your experience fun, comfortable, and safe by paying close attention to details. Our guides have decades of experience running rivers and fishing for steelhead, trout, and bass. Your safety is important to us; we are trained in first-aid and CPR and carry first-aid kits. We also carry OUPV coast guard license and are swift water rescue certified.
We are family-friendly and encourage you to bring your kids and grandchildren.
We have a deep commitment to conservation and practice this on the river through catch and release techniques, recycling, and minimizing the use of plastic water bottles. Since the purchase of Little Creek, we have donated over $125,000 in trips to non-profits contributing to the conservation of wild fish and healthy rivers. In the last few years, our focus has shifted. We believe in working locally and keeping it local. With that said, we support community-based projects in Maupin, Condon, and the surrounding area. We support and encourage you to support the work of the Gilliam County Soil and Water Conservation District and the Gilliam – East John Day Watershed Council or the Mid John Day – Bridge Creek Watershed Council.
We also encourage supporting the Condon or Maupin Chambers of Commerce.
Little Creek Outfitters is a member of the Oregon Outfitters and Guides Association.
Marty’s background:
Born and raised in Oregon, Marty grew up on the banks of the Sandy River; With his dad as tutor, Marty landed his first steelhead at the age of five. His dad continued to hone and shape [perhaps unknowingly] Marty’s future by taking him fishing, seemingly every day, and instilling in him the instincts and techniques for pursuing steelhead. Much of his fly-fishing inspiration came from devouring books written by notable and insightful naturalists such as Roderick Haig-Brown and Bill McMillan and Trey Combs.
While still a young stripling in the 1990s, Steve Kruse took Marty under his wing and taught him the art of Spey casting. Perhaps it should come as no surprise that all these elements now manifest themselves as Marty’s unbounded enthusiasm for guiding. Backed up by over 2 decades of professional experience in the “field”— his style is almost missionary zeal for teaching others and sharing in the pure joy of rivers.
Marty is a top ambassador for Grundens and Rio
Mia’s Background:
Mia’s passion for fish and rivers started at an early age. She grew up in Tennessee where her parents would take the family hiking, fishing and camping outdoors in the Smoky Mountains.
Fly fishing caught her attention in 1996 as a past time from snowboarding. In 2003, she started her guiding career on the John Day River with the purchase of Little Creek Outfitters. Mia soon became efficient at casting both a single and double hand rod and went on to becoming a 3 time world champion spey caster. She is now recognized as one of the top women casters in the industry and has used her skills to raise over $18,000 for Casting for Recovery.
When she isn’t on the river, or being a mother, she is hiking the desert with her dog, hunting upland game birds or working to engage more women in the sport of fly-fishing through her company Juniper River Adventures.
Mia is a board Member for the Oregon State Marine Board and a member of the John Day/Snake River Resource Advisory Board
Mia is also a top ambassador for Grundens, Gloomis and Rio Products
Little Creek Outfitters operates under special permits issued by the Umatilla National Forest (Grande Ronde River) and the Prineville Bureau of Land Management (John Day River). The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) prohibits discrimination in all its programs and activities on the basis of race, color, national origin, age, disability, and where applicable, sex, marital status, familial status, parental status, religion, sexual orientation, genetic information, political beliefs, reprisal, or because all or a part of an individual’s income is derived from any public assistance program. (Not all prohibited bases apply to all programs.) Persons with disabilities who require alternative means for communication of program information (Braille, large print, audiotape, etc.) should contact USDA’s TARGET Center at (202) 720-2600 (voice and TDD). To file a complaint of discrimination write to USDA, Director, Office of Civil Rights, 1400 Independence Avenue, S.W., Washington, D.C. 20250-9410 or call (800) 795-3272 (voice) or (202) 720-6382 (TDD). USDA is an equal opportunity provider and employer.