The Staff of Hunter Banks

    To guide you through all the products that we carry, our highly qualified employees are available to advise you on equipment, fishing techniques, and fishing locations throughout Western North Carolina and our various travel destinations. All of our employees have a different background and a different specialty - but together we are able to offer the best service of any fly shop in town. We will be glad to start you on your path to fly fishing or just help you along the way.

Frank Smith
Owner

Frank is the owner of Hunter Banks. He is an avid fisherman and you can often find him in the shop helping customers. When away from the shop, you can find Frank fishing for trout in Kamchatka and Argentina, chasing a variety of fish in Jupiter Florida, or stalking bonefish on the flats of the Bahamas.

Shane Buckner
Shop Manager

Shane is the shop manager for Hunter Banks. Born and raised a few miles up the road, Shane has fished many of the rivers in our area. With his local knowledge, he tailors the shop's inventory for the WNC angler. He also offers fly tying classes and enjoys teaching beginners the nuances of fly tying.

Thomas Weldon
Information Manager / Guide

Thomas is a recent Wofford College graduate that has joined our ranks. Having been in the area for 6 years now, Thomas has cultivated his passion for the sport. He manages our inventory, marketing efforts, and brought you our new website. He also is second to our head guide and teaches many of our instructional classes.

Steve Newsome
Saltwater Specialist

Steve is a native of Asheville. After fishing for trout during his youth, he has converted himself into a seasoned saltwater flyfisherman. He hosts our saltwater excursions and can also answer any question you may have about saltwater flyfishing.

Forrest Marshall
Head Guide

Forrest is a native of WNC and has been with Hunter Banks since graduating from UNCA. He spends about 250 days a year on the water - he say's he pursuing a master's degree in trout psychology. He is equally at home chasing the finicky trout of the South Holston and Davidson rivers or stalking the wary fish of the WNC backcountry.

Matt Shanor
Shop Staff

Matt is the newest addition to the Hunter Banks team. He came to us in the Fall of 2007. You'll often find him helping customers in the store or honing his fly fishing skills on local streams.

 
Smoke
Official Greeter

Smoke is one of our veteran employees and serves as the offical store greeter. He is responsible for making our customers feel welcome in the store. He loves to see you come and he hates to see you go.

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