We had the good fortune of connecting with Tyler Vanosdell and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Tyler, what is the most important factor behind your success?
For me I feel that my success and the success of my brand comes from the ultimate desire to HELP my clients. When you are passionate about what you are doing, the customer can see and feel that. And more often than not when someone is working their passion they tend to have less ego and less emotional insecurities. So the experience for the customer becomes one of ultimate gratitude.

Alright, so for those in our community who might not be familiar with your business, can you tell us more?
There are a couple of things that set me apart from other fly fishing businesses here in San Diego. One was that I do not take people on a boat, I am walk and wade only. That makes it more accessible to everyone and lets my clientele know that you can do this on your own when ever you want. The second thing that makes me different is how I charge for time. Most fishing charter businesses charge for a half day or a full day. I charge by the hour with no minimum, which gives the client more control of their time and makes it affordable for those with lower incomes. Which in turn broadens my clientele base. Since Covid my business has seen a shift. The educational aspect for new fly anglers has exploded. I spend much more time instructing for people who are putting a fly rod in their hand for the first time. Some of my proudest moments is taking a fly angler from zero information to putting a fish in their hand. But to get to where I am today took a lot of work. And there is still plenty of hard work ahead, but it is my hard work, I own it! There have been plenty of challenges along the way and sometimes it is hard to put one foot in front of the other. But if you keep the faith, keep moving, and ask others for help you can make it through it.
What would I want the world to know about me and my brand? I would want them to know that we are a beckon of help when you want to fly fish in San Diego!

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
So I have a best friend visiting from out of town, where will we go and do?
Pick up from the airport – 1st go the Aero Club Bar, get a quick drink, maybe place some pool
Dinner – Set the tone right with Enoteca Adriano for some good Italian food in Pacific Beach.
Night cap – End that evening at Latitude 32 Bar and Grill. Last few drinks and then call it a night.

2nd day – 1st start with a small breakfast at Leilani’s Cafe for some real Hawaiian food.
Get the breakfast to go and drive up to Kate Sessions Park for unbelievable views of San Diego.
Take them fishing for sure.
Lunch – OB Nooble House
Sunset dinner and beers – Fathom Bistro, Bait, and Tackle

I could just keep going……

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
My business/brand has had a lot of help from many individuals. My wife Dana was the first one to say, “why don’t you start your own business?!” With our her support and opinions we would not be where we are today. When starting my business I ask friends and family for help where they new more about particular sunjects than I did. Gary Allard was one of the first people I asked for help, his professional photography was needed to show potential clients what it looked like to fly fish in San Diego. After that we needed a logo, I went to my friend Jason Bailey, whom I had worked with in the past. His skills in graphic design created the logo I wanted and I get compliments on it often. There are two business that need a shoutout, The Fly Stop and Stroud’s Tackle. These 2 shops are the only fly fishing oriented shops in San Diego and they both do a great job for their clientele. Last but not least I would like to give a shoutout to my in-laws Susan and Paul Collins. They gave me encouragement to take a risk and go for it. There are more, just not enough time…

Website: www.missionbayflyfishingco.com

Instagram: Mission Bay Fly Fishing Co.

Facebook: Mission Bay Fly Fishing Co.

Youtube: Mission Bay Fly Fishing Co.

Other: tvanosdell@gmail.com 619-929-2013

Image Credits
Gary Allard

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