Watershed Ambassadors
Our Watershed Fishing Apparel & Co. Ambassadors are carefully chosen for their passion for fishing and the outdoors, their commitment to conservation, and their alignment to our company values and visions. They are champions in their chosen specialties, they are well respected within the fishing community, and represent a wide array of species within our watersheds. We are proud to have them represent our brand and be members of the Watershed Fishing Apparel & Co. family.
Ben Thornton - Woodstock, New Brunswick
Ben Thornton is an avid fisherman from New Brunswick who spends as many days on the water as he possibly can. Whether it is fly fishing for small mouth bass and brown trout on the Mednuxnekeag River in the spring, casting for salmon on the Miramichi or Restigouche, or trolling for his favorite species, the Muskie, on the mighty St. John, Ben is all in when it comes to fishing. Owner and operator of his own fishing guide service, Ben Thornton Fishing, Ben is always ready to take anyone out for a day on the water. Spending time in the boat with Ben is as informative as it is entertaining.
Ben Thornton Fishing | Facebook
Kelty Carey - Saint John, New Brunswick
Kelty Carey’s fishing journey started at a young age when his grandmother introduced him to an old rod she had collecting dust in the shed. After many hours spent with his grandmother, driving him around to different honey holes, he developed a passion for fishing. As he got older, he started to target the allusive brown trout. Soon after hooking his first couple of browns, he started to understand how important the conservation of our watersheds truly is. Conservation is what makes the fishing world go round. Protecting our fish and waters is the only way people will be able to enjoy catching these creatures for years to come. Kelty is excited to be a part of the Watershed Fishing Apparel & Co. family.
Martin McNally - Fredericton, New Brunswick
Fishing has been a passion of Martin's as long as he can remember and tournament bass fishing has also been a passion for nearly as long. He competed in his first bass tournament over 40 years ago as a young boy while being paddled around Harvey Lake in a canoe by his Dad.
Martin's love for fishing has evolved into more than just a past time. He is currently the president of the Fredericton Anglers Club, where he has been Angler of the Year twice and Sportsman of the Year in 2019. Along with his fishing partner, Paul Alward, they have won 6 tournaments and placed respectfully in all events they have fished. Martin is also also a member of the Saint John River Management Advisory Committee.
Martin is now dabbling with making his own tackle, both lead weights and soft plastics, under the business name, Wolastoq Custom Tackle.
Wolastoq Custom Tackle | Facebook
"I am proud to have become Watershed Ambassador for the Watershed Fishing Apparel & Co. Our team will represent the company at all tournament events fished and will work cooperatively to promote and further develop and improve the brand. We will also continue to encourage the practice of catch and release and the protection of our waterways so that the resource can continue to be enjoyed for generations to come." -Martin McNally
Ryan and Theo Thompson - Fredericton, New Brunswick
Ryan and Theo Thompson are from Fredericton, NB. They consider themselves multi-species recreational anglers. Most of their time is spent on the Wolastoq waterways.
They are a true testament to the community that surrounds all things fishing and have gained many of their skills and knowledge from fellow anglers who want to pass down the sport and love of fishing. Theo has taken to all this in an incredible way. What began as a perfect setting for speech and behaviour therapy has turned into an almost obsessive activity. The pair spend
every available weekend out on the water. Including ice fishing in the winter months.
Their love and respect of nature finds them often giving back by doing shore
clean ups in areas they use. Always leave it cleaner then when you found it! No fishing line left behind!
Theo's infectious smile and excitement over the catch as well as his love for all the experiences nature gives us can be seen on their Facebook fishing page: Theo’s Fishing Adventures | Facebook
Gregor Wilson - Miramichi, New Brunswick
"Growing up on the Miramichi, it was all about fishing in my family. My aunts, uncles, grandparents and cousins all fished for many years along the mighty Miramichi. The man who influenced me the most was my father. He’s taught me his ways over the past decade and how important it is to enjoy nature. I started fly fishing at the young age of 9 years old and haven’t stopped. Only at the age of 16 did I realize how important it is to protect our rivers, woodlands and communities. I am now a student at the University of New Brunswick obtaining a Bachelor of Science degree in Environmental Natural Resources and majoring in Wildlife Conservation!"
Paul Melanson - Saint John, New Brunswick
I got introduced into fishing at a young age from my granddad buying me my first tackle box, that I still have to this day!! Lets fast forward few years. I really ramped it up, fishing with my Dad and our friend Kendall at the Reversing Falls in Saint John, New Brunswick chasing world class striped bass! This is where I become very dedicated to catch and release and the proper handing of theses fish! Conservation is key to a sustainable fishery. I have appeared on Strike Back Sportfishing TV and Backwater Casting as a co host as well, I appeared on Fishing Canada fishing the New Brunswick Sturgeon. I decided I wanted to fish competitively and started fishing smallmouth tournaments in New Brunswick. Realizing how much I loved it I bought my first bass boat in 2022. With couple top 10s and 1 podium (2nd), I look forward to what the future brings! I am currently teamed up with fellow Watershed Fishing Apparel & Co. ambassador, Kelty Carey, for the 2023 NBSFA tour.
Remember take a kid fishing!
Tight Lines Paul Melanson
Darrin Moran - Moncton, New Brunswick
Born in Nova Scotia and now residing in New Brunswick, Darrin Moran has fished for most of his life and most of that time has been out of a Kayak. He has been active in the promotion of kayak angling as a sport in the Maritime provinces for over 25 years. While he favors warm water species such as smallmouth bass and chain pickerel, his love of fly fishing for native brook trout is what got him into fishing in the first place.
"Finding and getting to secluded out of the way spots is the preference, regardless of the species being sought after, and being in a kayak makes it that much more personal and intimate."
He has long been an avid supporter of conservation, catch & release as well as the education of all anglers towards the species that can found in our great Provinces. It’s not about the size of the fish in most cases, it’s about the species itself. Using light gear for perch or panfish can be just as fun as using Heavy action rods trolling for musky. He has worked to share his knowledge with others to increase the awareness of kayak angling and water safety. This is a fantastic sport which needs to be experienced if for no other reason than to spend a day on the water.
Over the years he has been involved in many of the kayak fishing tournament events in both Nova Scotia and New Brunswick and is proud to represent the East Coast. He now finds himself as a cast member of the locally filmed Hook & Paddle TV series from the kayak tournament series of the same name.
Darrin has been fortunate over the years to have several sponsors which have enabled him to get out and test products, such as Streamside rods and reels, Old Town Kayaks, to name a few and he is now proud to include Watershed Fishing Apparel to that list