Hi, my name is Skip Merkley, the owner of Fishing-n-Grinnin. Fishing has always been a big part of my life. I have fished throughout the United States, Canada, Mexico, and New Zealand. I reside in Talkeetna, Alaska where my wife and I raised our family for the past 25 years. Here I found some of the best fishing in the world. Its different than anywhere I had ever fished before.. Salmon… 5 different species to catch, Trout longer than the inseam on my waders. I felt as if I was in heaven, I am! Alaska has some of the coldest water I have fished in and has some of the strongest fighting fish that you can imagine. Amazing.
I was raised in Montana and started my endless quest of, ” Where’s the next big fish at?”, when I was very young. Truthfully I was surprised to learn I was not born on my Grandfather’s fishing boat. By the time I was in third grade I was down on the Yellowstone River fishing for Brown Trout..the parents were not impressed with me, something about not going by myself. Somewhere in that time frame I knew I wanted to become a professional guide. I still remember the name of the first guide I got to be around at the age of 11 while on a trip to Northern Canada. It was a magical time for me. And still is today. I have guided fishing adventures in Montana, Wyoming, Colorado, and Alaska. I want my clients to know that your trip is most important to me. With 40 years of experience in the field, your safety and well being are my priority while we still are having an incredible time fishing and enjoying all that Alaska has to offer. It’s that Fishing-n-Grinnin thing. I believe that a big part of my job is to remind everyone there’s a kid in all of us. Hope to see you this summer. Let’s go Fishing.