Brett Hayes

Brett, a native Idahoan, was raised in Boise, where he resides with his family. A graduate of Boise State University, he has spent the past 30 years in the banking and financial institutions industry, most recently as a self-employed consultant and advisor to some of the largest banks and financial entities in the country.

The Henry’s Fork is the river that truly expanded his love of fly fishing. He first remembers fishing it in the summer of 1988, while in junior high, on a special trip with his father along Box Canyon and the stretch from Warm River to Ashton. He was hooked and eager to return. About 30 years ago, his family purchased property on the river and built a cabin that remains an important gathering place. Many of his fondest memories come from fishing the Henry’s Fork—and later the South Fork—with friends and family, where he also learned to row a drift boat.

Over the past 38 years, Brett has seen firsthand the dramatic increase in river use, along with the growing challenges facing this resource. His family has long supported the Henry’s Fork Foundation, and he looks forward to continuing that commitment—helping preserve the river for future generations while working alongside others who share a passion for fly fishing.