Who I Am

John O’Bryan

I am know by Jesus. I am a husband, father, grandfather, author, photographer, fly tyer and fly fisherman… in that order. 

I’ve been married to my wife Kelly, aka Dream Crusher, for 35 glorious years. She is my best friend and mother to our four kids. You will see many of our kids and grandkids in my photography. They also figure heavily in much of my writing.

I’ve been writing for 30 years, but until recently have had no outlets other than friends and family. People find my writing funny, sarcastic and sometimes even poignant. I hope it’s like nothing you’ve ever read and that you enjoy it.

I have a degree in photography from the University of Idaho and have worked as a news, outdoor, portrait, wedding and expedition photographer. I am never without a camera and have taken over 500,000 in my career… some of them are even pretty good.

I grew up in Ketchikan, Alaska chasing Dolly Varden and King Salmon, but never on a fly.  I moved  to the Fall River in California and fished the river hard, but never with a fly rod.  It wasn’t until I took my daughter on a fly fishing trip on the Stehekin River in central Washington state that I saw the error of my ways.  It was a glorious trip that changed the relationship with my daughter and my relationship to fishing.  I went from a gear fisherman to an avid fly fisherman and fly tyer in one weekend.