Expert Guides

Wayne Richardson

Adirondack Retreats Proprietor

Papa Bear aka Wayne Richardson

Papa Bears Outdoors was founded on my love of our great outdoors first and foremost.

Since my youth I have had a passion for the outdoors that borders on psychotic and have spent countless hours in the woods or on the waters of our great planet. Along the way I have harvested some wonderful trophies and have become quite knowledgeable in the ways of the fish and game. This experience and the constant interaction with other like minded sportsmen, has allowed me a great deal of insight into what today’s sophisticated sportsmen seeks and demands from his gear. I believe that my inventions and products more than meet the needs and desires of modern sportsmen.

For over 40 years I have used my creative abilities to create numerous products related to the area of hunting and fishing. These products arose from the lack thereof and or improving on the shortcomings of existing products. I have invented, prototyped and field tested, under the most rigorous test conditions, these devices and feel that they are now ready to be presented to the public. My goal is to offer my vision, experience, and my products to all outdoorsmen and women on a global scale.

Rich Garfield

Fly Fish The Adirondacks

Richard Garfield, NYS Guide

My name is Richard Garfield, born, raised, taught how to fish and still residing in Northern New York. I’ve been fishing since the age of 3 years and still going strong at 45 years.  My entire fishing knowledge base is focused on The Northern Adirondacks and Northern New York. I moved to the Adirondacks at the age of 18, spent the next 23 years and more to continue, hiking, camping, fishing and exploring the waters and woods of Northern New York. I enjoy fishing small mountain streams, large rivers and still water reservoirs and I fish for nearly any fish that lives in the region, large or small. I am not a trophy fisherman, I enjoy the art of proper presentation of a fly to entice fish to feed. The quarry does not matter, from a 3″ brookie, 26″ brown, 14″ smallmouth bass, 10″sunfish to a 36″ pike, it’s all fishing.

I am a New York State registered guide #1235, licensed in 1992. As a guide, it is my practice, to be an instructing guide through out a booked trip, I feel a successful trip is one where the client leaves the water gaining a better understanding of aquatic insects and representative flies, reading of the water, casting techniques, line control, proper fly presentation, safety issues and more.

My long winter months are spent tying flies for the next season, ice fishing, cross country skiing, winter photography, snowshoeing the ADK mountains and snowboarding at Whiteface Ski Center.