Tom Nelson

Tom Nelson is known as the "Dean of Saltwater Fishing".

Over 5,000 students have attended his Saltwater Fishing classes at Highline, Bellevue and Green River Community Colleges and Salmon University.

He is the featured saltwater expert at the west coast Boat Shows, International Sportsman's shows and seminars in the Northwest.

Tom helped develop many of the techniques and lures used by West Coast sports anglers.

He has written numerous articles for various NW outdoor publications.

Tom's boat, a 24' North River Seahawk O/S named Salmon University, is one of the most recognized boats on Puget Sound and in British Columbia.

Basic Class: Downrigger Techniques
Basic Class: Fishing Vancouver Island

Advanced Class: Advanced Downrigger Fishing

Terry Wiest

Salmon University Webmaster and Instructor Terry Wiest is a native Washingtonian and grew up fishing the Cedar and Green Rivers along with the Puget Sound where he learned how to fish from his Dad.

An avid Salmon and Steelhead Fisherman, you can find Terry fishing all over the Pacific Northwest during all times of the year. Not only Steelhead and Salmon, but Lingcod and Halibut are also targeted species.

Terry is also very active with the Puget Sound Anglers and is now the Past-President of the South King County Chapter, serving in that capacity from 2004 thru 2006.

Terry has written articles published in Fishing & Hunting News, Northwest Sportsman, The Reel News and Washington/Oregon Fish & Game. He's also featured in the book "Pro Tactics for Steelhead and Salmon".

Terry is also the host of Steelhead University.

Advanced Class : Targeting NW Coastal River Salmon

Tom Pollack

Tom Pollack has been in the sporting goods retail business for over 45 years and is resident fishing expert at Sportco in Fife. Tom is more commonly known as "Mr. Moocher". He is an avid salmon and walleye fisherman. Tom has been fishing, crabbing and shrimping in Puget Sound since he was 10 years old.

He can be seen regularly lecturing at Sportsmen Shows, the Seattle Boat Show and local fishing clubs.

Tom is an active member of Puget Sound Anglers and the Western Walleye Club and is very involved with improving fishing opportunities in the Northwest where he serves on the Puget Sound Recreational Advisory Committee, Northwest Marine Trade Association Fishing Committee, and the Inland Warm Water Advisory Committee.

Tom is a regular contributor to various Newspapers for local fishing reports. Tom writes a monthly column for The Reel News. He is also in charge of the central Puget Sound service center for SCOTTY DOWNRIGGERS.

Basic Class: Mooching
Advanced Class: Crabbing & Shrimping

Terry Rudnick

Terry Rudnick is a freelance outdoor writer/photographer/speaker specializing in Pacific Northwest fishing, hunting and boating subjects. Since beginning his career more than 35 years ago, he has had over 1,000 articles and photos published in more than two-dozen regional and national publications.

Rudnick also is a book author. His first book, Washington Fishing, is the most comprehensive angling guide ever written about the state's freshwater and saltwater angling opportunities, and is now in its sixth edition. He also co-authored How to Catch Trophy Halibut, the complete guide to recreational halibut fishing along the entire West Coast. Both Washington Fishing and How to Catch Trophy Halibut have received excellence awards from the Northwest Outdoor Writers Association. A third book, Washington Boating and Water Sports, was published in the spring of 2000.

An enthusiastic and entertaining speaker, Rudnick has given more than 250 slideshows and seminars on a variety of freshwater and saltwater angling topics not only throughout the Pacific Northwest but to audiences in California, Utah, Colorado and Texas.

Rudnick works for Washington's Department of Fish and Wildlife and is responsible for organizing fishing events and activities for kids throughout the state.

Besides his more than two-dozen awards for writing and photography, Rudnick has received the national Silver Trout Award for Communications from Trout Unlimited and the Ken McLeod Journalism Award from the King County Outdoor Sports Council.

Basic Class: Jigging for Salmon & Bottomfish

Advanced Class: Halibut Fishing Techniques

Mike Perusse

Mike Perusse has over 25 years of on-the-water experience on some of the most famous salmon and steelhead fisheries in the world.

A longtime representative of G-Loomis and guide on the Nushagak River in Alaska, Perusse has a list of resources that filters through virtually every fishery from northern California to southeast Alaska.

Mike’s class will cover the fishery at Tillamook Bay, Oregon – Trask River, Wilson River Tillamook River and Nehalem River.  What to use and how, the choice of seasons, when and why!

Mike knows what's happening 24/7.

Basic Class: Tillamook Bay - Oregon Fishery

Join Josh Hughes to learn the "Ins and Outs" of trophy Sturgeon Fishing in the Northwest! From keeper sturgeon in the lower Columbia to huge over-sized sturgeon near the Bonneville Damn, Josh has nearly 15 years of experience landing these great eating and fighting fish.  From how to anchor your boat to how to rig your rods, you to will be an expert sturgeon fisherman after attending this seminar! 

Josh is a former guide in Alaska and Washington and currently represents Scotty Downriggers in the NW.

Josh will also teach the class on Columbia River Spring and Fall Chinook. He will be teaching techniques on “where, when and how to” target the massive runs of Columbia River Spring and Fall Chinook.

Basic Class: Northwest Sturgeon Fishing

Advanced Class:  Columbia River Spring and Fall Chinook

Anthony Warren

Anthony Warren was introduced to salmon fishing in the Puget Sound when he was a young kid. As his passion for fishing the saltwater grew, he started fishing the ocean and hasn't looked back. For years he has been fishing out of Ilwaco for salmon and bottom fish. When the craze for Albacore Tuna fishing hit the sport fishing fleet, Anthony was right there chasing these longfins. Anthony doesn't just fish for fun, he fishes to help stop hunger. You can find him on the team "Bad To The Bone" which fishes the Oregon Tuna Classic charity tournament. The success of the OTC spawned the first ever Washington Tuna Classic last fall and Anthony joined team Radius sponsored by Salmon University for this inaugural Washington event out of Westport.

No other fishery is as demanding on the gear and crew as Albacore fishing . In this seminar you will learn how to find the fish, different fishing techniques, proper care of the tuna and most importantly, how to get to the tuna grounds and back safely.

Advanced Class: Albacore Tuna Fishing off the Washington and Oregon coast

Paul Marander

Paul is General Manager for Outdoor Emporium in Seattle. Paul has spent many years in management in the marine trade industry and brings to our seminar many years of experience in the boating arena.

Paul will be presenting an in-depth seminar on how to use your GPS and fishfinders for safety and success in maximizing your catch. Paul will not only be able to guide you on the correct procedures on your own electronics but will also show you the most up-to-date features you can expect on the latest models of GPS and fishfinders.

Basic Class: GPS & Fish Finders