Capt. Nick LaToof
Fly Fishing & Light Tackle Guide
U.S.C.G. Merchant Mariner (OUPV 6‑Pack)
Colorado Guide & Outfitter
Wilderness First Responder
Roots in the Outdoors
Nick LaToof is a fifth‑generation Texan who grew up in the piney woods of Northeast Texas, where long summer days were spent playing sports and being outside. When Nick was in middle school, his parents bought some property “out in the country,” that had access to two ponds. These ponds were full of largemouth bass, bream, and catfish. Those early years built the foundation for a lifelong connection to fishing and the outdoors.
College and Early Adulthood
Nick would earn a scholarship to play football at the collegiate level. He punted for the Savage Storm of Southeastern Oklahoma State Univ. before finishing his career at Greensboro College in North Carolina. After college football and earning a degree in exercise science, Nick built a career as a personal trainer and strength coach, eventually moving to Nashville and later Southern California. The fast‑paced lifestyle of the fitness and sales world sharpened his work ethic but left him wanting something more grounded. That pull led him to Western Colorado — and back to the water.
Becoming a Guide
Picking up a fly rod in Colorado changed everything. The years to follow would have Nick traveling through Montana, Wyoming, and Colorado chasing trout. In 2021, Nick decided to make his passion a career. He attended SweetWater Guide School on the Bighorn River in Montana, followed by Colorado’s state rowing certification course later that fall. Those steps launched his professional guiding career and set him on a path that blends skill, patience, and a beautiful office in the outdoors.
Guiding in Colorado
From June through September, Nick spends most of his season deep in the Gunnison Gorge — a pristine wilderness fishery known for trophy trout and unforgettable overnight trips. Days are long, fish readily eat on the surface, and nights are spent under the wide‑open Western sky. Beyond the Gorge, Nick guides the legendary freestones of the Colorado and Roaring Fork Rivers, both home to world‑class trout and dynamic year‑round fishing. When he’s not rowing clients into fish, you’ll often find him exploring local reservoirs for bass, pike, and carp — or even ice fishing during the winter months.
Guiding the Texas Coast
When fall arrives, Nick returns to his native land of Texas to guide the shallow waters of the Galveston Bay complex. Redfish have become one of Nick’s favorite species to chase and he loves finding them in super shallow water. Nick grew up visiting the Galveston Bay complex each summer as a kid, on family vacations. They made sure to fish, along with enjoying the beach and the area’s local attractions. It wasn’t long after Nick picked up the fly rod as a professional that he would return to the Texas Coast in hopes of hooking up with one of these marsh predators. After several years of pilgrimages to the Texas Coast, Nick obtained his Captain’s License and began guiding clients in the shallow flats of the Upper Texas Coast. Nick’s home waters on the Texas Coast are East & West Galveston Bay.
