The Flylords team had the pleasure of catching up with last years Bachelorette winner, Garrett Yrigoyen. After receiving the “First Impression Rose” from Rebecca Kufrin, Garrett was able to win her heart on national TV. Now that the show has been over, they are happily engaged and Garrett is able to spend more time on the water. Being outside seems to be a major stress reliever and allows him to gain more respect for the environment. Read on to find out what he’s been up to and what his future plans hold.
Flylords: How would your fishing buddies describe you rather than the rest of your fans?
Garret: My friends call me GY or G, not Garrett. Some refer to me as a wildcard because they never know what I’m doing. They would say I’m outgoing, love to laugh and joke, and would do anything for any of them.
Flylords: When did you first pick up a fly rod?
Garret: I first picked up a fly rod in 2015. My friend and college roommate/teammate taught me the basics and got me on my first fish that summer. I began fishing when I was about 3 with conventional tackle.
Flylords: Has anyone ever recognized you on the water?
Garret: I’ve had one person recognize me on the water, it was kind of funny because he said: “oh my God, are you Garrett from the Bachelorette?”
Flylords: What does Rebecca think of your nomadic lifestyle?
Garret: Rebecca appreciates my nomadic style because it reminds her of her late father and how I’m different from a lot of people.
Flylords: Does Rebecca fly fish with you?
Garret: Rebecca “Becca” has fished with me twice but not with a fly rod, but I attempted to teach her in a pool once.
Flylords: Does she still have that large streamer you gave her from the first impression rose episode?
Garret: She does still have the streamer I gave her from the first impression episode. She keeps it on a duck decoy her dad carved
Flylords: When did you get into the fly fishing/hunting industry?
Garret: I just recently started dabbling in the fishing/hunting industry. I would love to a lot more because I feel like it is something I’m passionate about and would like to become a lot more educated and better at both.
Flylords: What else do you do in your free time to relax?
Garret: I honestly hate relaxing. I like being exhausted when I go to bed at night. Relaxing activities for me would be swimming, corn hole, ping pong, billiards, card games, marbles, and cribbage!
Flylords: Spiked seltzer or beer? Or does it depend on the situation haha..
Garret: It depends on the situation while choosing a spiked seltzer or beer. I’m more of a beer drinker especially after or during fishing, and spiked seltzer if I’m out doing something more strenuous like beach volleyball or Spikeball haha.
Flylords: What are your favorite species to target?
Garret: My favorite species to target are any type of trout. Mostly browns and rainbows.
Flylords: If you could fish anywhere in the world, where would it be and who with?
Garret: I’ve wanted to fly fish in the Pyrenees with my dad & brother for a few years now. We are Basque, the country/region is gorgeous. I know they have a ton of trout in there. There is something that gives me pure enjoyment and excitement every single time I see my dad & brother get on a fish because they are the ones who originally got me into it as a kid, we are essentially best friends and I feel like it’s a reward to see them do well on the water.
Flylords: Tell us your favorite fishing memory.
Garret: I have many favorite fishing memories but one in particular that makes me still laugh is this…My dad was teaching me and my brother how to read a stream and we had to get to the other side of the bank to fish this hole. The only way across was to walk onto a fallen tree that was just wide enough to get both feet on sideways. The stream was too fast and deep for a 6 & 12 yr old to cross without being swept away. My brother and I questioned it and my dad said “what do you have to be afraid of, here I will show you” he made it about halfway across before he slipped off the log and fell in the stream. He let the current take him down about 50 yards until it calmed down and he made it to the bank. We said, “hey dad, is that how we do it?” Haha. My brother and I made it across without falling in. We have a lot of great stories like that.
Flylords: Any plans for the future?
Garret: I always plan on fishing in Eastern Nevada with a great friend of mine. But I would love to make it up to Montana, Wyoming, Idaho, and Utah. I can also say that I have been looking into going to Roatán to go fly fishing for permits.
This interview was conducted by Flylords Team member, Collin Terchanik (@c_terch).
