Local fishing guide Bernie Keefe has been helping customers bag big catches in Grand County for nearly 30 years and this year the readers of the Sky-Hi News selected his business, Fishing with Bernie, as the best outfitting business in Middle Park.

The gregarious and easy going Keefe, who hails from Westminster, first moved to Grand County in the 1980s. After a few years working various jobs he got his start in the guiding business after experiencing some car troubles.

“My truck broke down and I had Mike Garret rebuild it,” Keefe said. “He asked if I wanted to guide for him. Talk about a lucky breakdown.”

At the time Mike Garret owned a fishing guide business in Grand County, which Keefe purchased 25 years ago. Since then Keefe has developed a renowned local business and a reputation as one of Grand County’s fishing expert. He and his team of five other fishing guides stay busy throughout the summer months and work the ice holes from January through March. Keefe noted that prospective clients should look to book any excursions as early as possible, up to 11 months in advance.

Keefe’s laid-back demeanor and deep knowledge of local fishing holes makes trips with his guide service both fun and relaxing. Fishing with Bernie takes groups of one to three people out for multi-hour fishing trips on Grand Lake, Shadow Mountain Reservoir, Lake Granby or Williams Fork Reservoir. Guided fishing trips with Bernie Keefe and any of his other guides typically begin at first light and last anywhere from four to eight hours.

Fishing with Bernie also has the special distinction of being one of only two fishing services legally allowed to guide on Lake Granby.