Tess Weigand splits her time between her home waters of Penns Creek in central Pennsylvania—where she still guides each spring—and Bozeman, Montana. A Penn State graduate with roots in organic agriculture, she has been guiding since 2018 and quickly found her stride as both a teacher and competitive angler. She has built her reputation on both technical skill and connecting people to the things she cares for most; wild rivers and her Newfoundland dog named Eight.

 

Tess is an inaugural member and current captain of the U.S. Women’s Fly Fishing Team, where she has represented the country in all four World Championships: Norway, British Columbia, Czech Republic, and the USA. A consistent top performer, she helped the team win bronze in BC and became the 2025 Individual World Champion in Idaho. Team USA also took home the team gold, the first country to unseat the previously undefeated Czech Republic.

 

On the water Tess’s guiding philosophy is about connection—to wild places, to healthy fisheries, and to the joy of learning. She thrives on helping anglers push their skills further, especially when it comes to advanced techniques or the bugs that tie it all together. A day on the water could mean a deep dive into the finer details of euro-nymphing, a beautiful float down a famous western river, or stalking the banks for rising fish. She believes fly fishing can be whatever you want it to be, but it should always be rooted in continuous learning, adventure, and ethical angling.