Camille Egdorf McCormick
Camille Egdorf McCormick
Advisor
Camille Egdorf grew up immersed in the outdoor and fly fishing industry. Traveling between Montana and Alaska where her parents owned and operated two outfitting businesses, she was constantly surrounded by hunters and anglers. During the summer months, she would travel North to Alaska where her parents ran a guided trout camp on the upper Nushagak River. Then in the fall, she would travel back to Hardin, Montana where her parents operated a outfitting business located on the Big Horn, River. When she turned 18, she began guiding in Alaska and continued to do so for 7 years.
Camille now resides in Bozeman, Montana where she continues to work within the fly fishing industry. She has hosted and traveled to various destinations across the globe including Christmas Island, Argentina, Brazil, Guyana, Seychelles, Kamchatka and others. She has been featured in a number of films, including Red Gold, Providence and a YETI profile film called Odd Man Out. She worked for Yellow Dog Flyfishing Adventures for 6 years where she managed their Christmas Island and Alaska programs. Camille collaborates with a number of outdoor brands such as YETI, Scientific Anglers, Simms, Hatch Reels, Thomas & Thomas Rods, Costa Sunglasses, Adipose Boat works and others.
- Home water? Big Horn River, Montana and Nushagak River, Alaska
- What was the watershed moment when you knew you wanted to make your living fishing? I can’t recall a specific moment where I knew my career would be within the fishing industry. I was only 6 months old when I spent my first summer in Alaska at my parent’s trout camp so I guess I was born into it. I remember thinking about alternative careers while in high school but I think I always knew this is where I’d end up.
- If you could spend one day on the water with anyone, who would it be? I’ve always thought Jeff Bridges would be a cool DUDE to share a boat with.
- On the rocks or straight? Straight.
- If you could give one piece of angling advice to a younger version of yourself, what would it be? Be confident in yourself. The biggest thing holding you back is you.
- What’s in the cooler? White Claw, fresh bing cherries, sandwich fixings, chocolate and spindrift.
- What are you doing when you’re not fishing. I like to stay active so if I’m not fishing, then I’m likely doing something outside like working in the yard, hiking, camping and other outdoorsy things. I enjoy Crossfit so I frequent the gym often. I like to travel and that often times is associated with some type of fishing trip but seeing new places and cultures is something I always enjoy.
- Where would you most like to fish? There are many places I’d love to fish but I think my top two would be Iceland and New Zealand. I love freshwater fisheries so I tend to gravitate to them more.
- Stealth or bright lines? Depends on the situation. If I’m fishing an area where fish are sensitive and easily spooked I’ll use a line that isn’t as intrusive. For example salt-water or super clear freshwater. Otherwise, if I’m fishing dirtier water I don’t mind using a brighter colored line.
- Two Truths and a Lie. Ran out of food in Alaska so ate a porcupine. Raised and cared for over 10,000 quail on a bird farm. Survived a rattlesnake bite.
- Craziest experience on the water? There have been several memorable experiences while on the water but I think the one that stands out most is a GT eat I had while in the Seychelles. It was towards the end of the day when I spotted a GT tailing about 700 yards away on a flat of turtle grass. I was walking with Colin who was a cameraman for Confluence Films and I turned to him and asked, “Should we go for it.?” to which he replied, “Why not?” So we started running its direction knowing the odds of us catching up to it were low. Eventually we found ourselves in the area where we thought we last saw it and of course, it was nowhere to be seen. Feeling defeated we started to turn back when Colin happened to spot it about 20 yards away feeding along a small channel. I started false casting over my left shoulder (wind was strong to my right) and tried positioning myself so I could lay a cast just in front of it. My first cast was short, second was right on target. I started stripping and it was like waterworks as the GT turned and started chasing down my fly. Within seconds I started running out of stripping room so in an attempt to keep the fly in motion I began running backwards which I believe excited the fish even more. Finally the fish made one more swipe and caught my fly in its mouth. What proceeded from there was a combination of hooting and hollering, falling on my ass, laughing and back slapping. It was a crazy experience that happened in a matter of seconds but really felt like an eternity. I’ll certainly never forget it. If you want to watch the video, you can find it on my IG page: @camillegdorf