Petosa's Guide Service, Sedro Woolley

In accordance with the famous maxim, Nick Petosa sees it as his duty to do more than just give his guests a fish—he wants to teach them a thing or two as well. To that end, the owner of Petosa's Guide Service leads his fisher-folk through the Skagit, Sauk, and Sol Duc rivers in pursuit of salmon and steelhead. All the while, he taps into the deep well of knowledge that has earned him a spot as co-host on Northwest Wild Country radio, speaking engagements throughout the area, and multiple assassination attempts by local fish. But it's on the water, not the lectern, where Nick's talents manifest most visibly.

Aboard his 21-foot custom-built jet sled or 16-foot Hyde Drift Boat, Nick charters his guests through the Northwest Washington waterways. He keeps his boats heated with propane and furnished with comfortable Tempress High Seats, and uses Edge Rods and reels from Shimano—equipment he stands by and relies on personally to land salmon and steelhead. Once the expedition has ended, Nick cleans and bags the fish so passengers can cook them at home without having to do the grisly prep work themselves or pay the neighborhood black bear to do it for them.