“If there’s the most interesting man in the world, I think I’m the most lucky man in the world.” For nearly the past 50 years, Brian O’Keefe has been traveling the globe and capturing images of the sport of fly fishing. He has successfully created a lifestyle out of his combined passions for catching fish, travel, and photography. Lucky man indeed. 

In “Dory Stories with Brian O’Keefe”, we catch a glimpse into Brian’s origin story in the world of fly fishing photography. Armed with a Kodak Instamatic and a Stingray bike, young Brian would catch large bass on the lake near his home and take photos to share with his family as a way of proving that he was able to catch impressively-sized fish. “I took that little camera everywhere,” Brian recounts, “and that began my fly fishing photography hobby out of control”. Brian had his first photo published when he was just 16 years old.  The “goofy little hobby” has since evolved into a prolific and successful profession for Brian, and he has made a legendary reputation for himself in the world of fly fishing. “The cool thing is,” Brian says with a smile, “I still like taking fish pictures as much as when I was a little kid on my bike!”

“I literally have to fish. I go crazy when I don’t.” While Brian’s skills with a fly rod and a camera are undeniable, it is his genuine passion for fly fishing that makes him such a relatable, renowned, and well-respected figure in the angling world. Brian is an all-around legend with many fascinating stories from his life on the water. We are incredibly lucky and humbled to have him on our team at Eleven Angling.