Mike Frank is an excellent fisherman with a vast knowledge of how to catch some really nice fish right here in town. I have been trying to catch fish on the Saluda River for years by fishing off rocks with a spinner reel or fly rod with all kind of lures, flies, and baits, but never had much luck. Mike took me on a long trip down the saluda river by kayak from noon till about 8:30pm and we had a blast. One of the kayaks we used was able to split apart in the rear so that you could slow down, it also had handles and foot support to allow you to stand up and cast. The beginning of the trip was up river where I caught a beautiful rainbow trout, which is my profile picture, and had many other bites. Mike tied on every fly that I used quickly and efficiently so that time was not wasted. He also provided knowledge about the fly I was using, which was very interesting! The whole time we were fishing Mike was taking pictures with his water proof camera, so that you cant lie about the size of the fish, jk. We then floated farther down river watching turtles, blue herrings, otters, and much more wildlife living peacefully all around us. Kayaking and fly fishing go hand in hand because they are both very therapeutic ways to enjoy nature with disturbing it too much. Farther down river Mike hooked me up with some streamer flies that are used more for bass. He took me to this perfect spot where I was catching striped bass one after the other. They were not giants like in some of his pictures, but they fought just the same. We then went down near the Riverbanks Zoo and caught a couple more trout. It was getting late so we decided to put on our headlamps and do some night fly fishing which was very fun and adventurous. I caught a couple more stripers and then we called it a day. When we docked at the river walk behind New Orleans restaurant Mike loaded up the kayaks and then gave me a small tackle box full of the flies we used and more. About a week later Mike sent me a cd with all the photos he took so that I can remember the fun we had. Fly fishing is great, but when you have a guide that ties on all your flies knowing that they will most likely work and who takes you to his special spots, it becomes a very enjoyable experience with no aggravation involved. I highly recommend Mike Franks fly fishing tours because he is a very friendly guy who knows how to catch some fish and his rates are totally worth it! read more

I had the pleasure of fishing with Mike this past October for Stripers. Mike and I had corresponded and talked a bit prior to booking a trip. To put it simply, Mike is a wealth of information on fishing the rivers in Columbia. The first day we fished out of a super comfortable inflatible drift boat. With no motor you are able to carry on a great conversation with no negative impact on the river. I learned about the area, the history, the river and the habits of the excellent local striper population. If you are new to fly fishing, Mike is the "go to" guy. The boat is great to fish out of and his casting tips are invaluable. He doesn't just put you on the fish, he makes certain you are you are getting the most out of your casts. You can also jump out and wade fish. The second day we we fished out of Freedom Hawk 14' kayaks. I have kayaked for years and fished out of sit on top kayaks and have paddled touring kayaks on long trips. You need to visit the Freedom Hawk website to see some videos on this boat. It is the most stable kayak I have ever paddled. You can actually STAND UP in it. It has pontoons that deploy that make for a terrific fishing platform. If you are reluctant to get in a kayak to fish out of fear of tipping, this is your boat. It would be very difficult to tip this boat over. Standing vs. sitting makes all the difference in the world for site fishing. The boat has a deployable anchor to allow you to jump out and wade. Both days we got stripers. A first for me and quite a thrill on an 8 wt fly rod. I learned a bunch about the flies (all tied by Mike and available from his site), the rivers in Columbia as well as the other rivers nearby. To sum up: great guide, friendly with a weath of information who loves what he does, first rate equipment. This is an ideal trip for anglers of all levels. I am booking for early May to catch some stripers coming back up river! read more

My wife surprised me for my birthday with a gift of fly fishing lessons from Franks Fly Arts and we had a blast! First off....we caught fish! When I was a kid I hated going with my dad all day long and never catching anything, so in my mind fishing sucked! We went with Mike and had a great time. He met us the day before our outing and spent a great deal of time teaching how a fly rod works and how to cast. Man can that dude throw out some line, it is pretty cool just watching Mike cast line farther than you thought possible. If you are a beginner Mike is very, very, very, patient and his teaching style makes a new task fun and enjoyable. If you already know fly fishing, look out! Once you get Mike going on the technical aspects of fly fishing it you could be miles down the river before you can get a word in. He is very passionate about fly fishing and his knowledge of the sport is impressive. Once we got on the river Mike doesn't just let you go on your own. He helps you pick the best spots to cast, provides ongoing casting tips and educates you on why we were doing what we were doing. Mike knew where the fish would be and allot of fishermen know that! We caught fish because Mike creates his own flies and these flies give you the competitive edge! So here is the deal, when you look at the cost for a trip with Mike it might seem high but like with anything else you want value for your hard earned dollars and with Franks Fly Arts you truly get what you pay for. The trip down the river was just gorgeous, we caught FISH and Mike enhanced our experience at every turn by pointing out points of interest, cool plants and historical markers along the river. We would defiantly love to do it again! Bryan Buskard read more

Mike is the best fisherman I have ever known. He taught me to fly fish and to tie, and we've had some pretty amazing fishing trips! The best one was in Washington DC, where we went fly fishing for catfish in one of the ponds by the Jefferson monument. Yes, I said fly fishing for catfish! Yes, I said on the Mall in Washington DC! Talk about a talented fisherman... He even had an article written about him in the City Paper when he was there... "A Tour Bus Runs Through It." I can't recommend his trips enough! read more

My son and I had a great time on the river fishing with Frank's Fly Arts. Michael Frank is very knowledgeable about fishing, the river and the outdoors in general. He has everything you need, he knows where the fish are and he will even teach you to cast a fly rod. I've been on other chartered fishing trips and Frank's Fly Arts was by far the best. A great way to experience the rivers that run through Columbia. read more

My buddy and I had a great time. I hit the trifecta...3 rainbows, 5 stripers, and 3 small mouth. Mike was really great. He put us on the fish, had all the equipment we needed and took some great photos. He even stayed in touch after our trip and emailed pictures. He gave us updates on fishing opportunities and options on future trips. read more

Michael Frank is a great guy with a wonderful personality. He is enthusiastic, knowledgeable and passionate about fly fishing. He is also patient and a great teacher! We have taken two trips with him and caught several striped bass. We had a great time and will do it again! read more