Meet the Team

Dave and Kelly Leonhard are Orvis Streamside’s owners. Dave has been a fly angler for 60 years and has taught fly casting and fishing to thousands of anglers. Dave Leonhard is a master casting instructor for Fly Fishers International, a life member of TU, a former director and charter member of the Adams Chapter of Trout Unlimited in Traverse City, Michigan, owner of Orvis Streamside in Traverse City, and owner/director of the Orvis Michigan Fly Fishing School.

Kelly is a lifelong fly angler. She is a regular in the store where she can spool a new line, or help you find the right waders. In addition, she handles the corporate intricacies of the store. Kelly is also an avid equestrian and cares for the family’s horses at their small horse farm south of Traverse City. When they can, Kelly and Dave love to fish Montana waters, grouse hunt Michigan coverts, and match the hatches on the Upper Manistee and Boardman Rivers.

Tyler Sarasin is Streamside’s store manager as well as one of Orvis Michigan’s highly talented instructors and lecturers. Tyler came to Streamside via Virginia, although he is a native Michigander. Tyler is not only a highly skilled trout angler, but also an expert fly tyer specializing in large modern articulated predator patterns. Tyler is in the store most days to answer any fly angling questions you may have about either trout, salmon, steelhead, smallmouth, pike, carp, or musky fishing.

Mike Sipkoski is one of our knowledgeable instructors at the Orvis Michigan Fly Fishing School who doubles in the store as an expert sales associate. Mike is a dedicated conservationist who has served on the local Trout Unlimited board for many years. His local knowledge about the Boardman River and Upper Manistee is a valuable resource for anglers looking for the best wadable water. Mike is always eager to help you find the right water. He often enjoys the similarities between fine nylon classical guitar strings and Orvis leader and tippet material at the end of a fly line.

Greg Miller is Streamside’s Head Guide and one of the region’s top river guides. Greg came to Streamside Orvis from the Detroit area after helping out the gang at the corporate store in Royal Oak. His executive experience, pleasant demeanor, and fly angling skills make him one of the most productive guides on Michigan’s top trout, steelhead, and salmon rivers, as well as one of Orvis Michigan Fly Fishing School's best and most experienced instructors. Greg’s experiences include fishing Alaskan rivers, Belize’s Savana and flats, and the streams of Montana, Idaho, and Wyoming.

Jim Craig is our lead instructor at the Orvis Michigan Fly Fishing School, as well as one of our most popular river guides. Jimmy is an FFI Certified Fly Casting Instructor and veteran instructor for the FFI and Trout Unlimited. Jim’s background includes guiding duck hunting in Tennessee, and goose hunting in Michigan. He is a “carp on the flats” expert and heads up many of the Orvis Michigan Fly Fishing School's specialty schools and classes. Jim’s fly fishing experiences also include fishing the streams of Montana and Wyoming, bonefish in the Bahamas and redfish in Florida, and hosts fly angling trips to Montana and Cuba for Streamside Orvis.

Mike Dunckley comes to Streamside with the passion for fishing that is highly contagious. His skills as a guide are rare and his sense of humor is exceptional! His eye for the for slot and feeding fish is obvious. Mike has fished all of our local watersheds since childhood and is available for both trout, salmon/steelhead, and instructional trips.

Phil Croff is a custom drift boat designer — his 12 foot 2-seater was highlighted in the Orvis catalog — and experienced river guide. He has a particular passion for hunting large, predatory brown trout late at night. Spending a day… or night… with Phil in one of his custom drift boats is a great experience. Phil takes pride in teaching his clients the finer points of fly fishing and sharing his lifetime of fly fishing experience. Phil brings his fly tying experience, craftsmanship, local knowledge and tenaciousness to each float trip. If you want a unique trip, in a unique craft, with a professional who is eager to share his knowledge… take a trip with Phil

Michigan native Jeff “Bear” Andrews caught his first trout on a fly rod at age 7 on Hunt Creek in Northern Michigan. Bear is a highly successful commercial fly tyer and fly designer for Umpqua Feather Merchants for 30 years, 1998 winner of the prestigious FFF Buz Busek Fly Tying Award, and author of Michigan Out Of Doors magazine’s “Fly Box” for 20 years.  He has fished throughout the U.S., Canada, Central America, and Europe and has earned 3 IGFA World records for brook trout. Bear joins the Streamside team guiding several northern Michigan rivers for trout, steelhead, smallmouth, carp, and salmon across northern Michigan and brings with him a vast knowledge of fly angling that he readily shares with his clients.


After a 40 year career as a PGA Professional managing golf operations, Don White was delighted to join the Orvis Streamside team and to further enhance his knowledge and experience in his life -long love of fly fishing. He is always ready to assist Streamside customers with whatever they may need whether it’s finding the right fly or the latest gear. Living in Northern Michigan for over thirty years Don has enjoyed time on many of the fine trout streams from the Black to the Boardman. As Don explained, “I’ve never thought of playing golf while standing in a trout stream, but many times I’ve wondered what’s hatching during a round of golf”.

Carter McMillen is Streamside's newest addition to classes, schools, and technical assistance in the store. His love for fly fishing started as a kid, fishing for bass and pike and really anything that would bite his fly. After working for Orvis in Jackson, Wyoming  and guiding in Wyoming on the Buffalo Fork of the Snake outside of Jackson Hole where he won Best of Jackson Hole "Fly Fishing Guide of the Year - 2023", Carter is now back in Michigan to teach fly fishing and share his love of the water with those who want to learn the intricacies of fly fishing and fly tying.