Jonathan Olch
Board Member
Jonathan Olch is the author of the highly acclaimed book on saltwater flats fishing, A Passion for Permit. This two-volume set, encompassing more than 1,200 pages, delves heavily into the scientific attributes of this game fish and outlines the global conservation measures necessary for its long-term protection.
Over a forty-year period, Jonathan has caught hundreds of Atlantic permit, including several other prized and closely related Trachinotus species, in 14 different countries. He is the holder of the current IGFA 20-pound tippet class world-record Atlantic permit, a fish caught and released on the flats of Key West.
Jonathan served as moderator of the Permit Panel discussion at the 6th International Bonefish & Tarpon Trust Symposium in 2017 and again at the 7th Symposium in November 2020. As a freelance writer, his articles have appeared in Fly Fisherman, Fly Rod & Reel, Salt Water Sportsman, TAIL Magazine, Fly Tyer, The Angling Report, The Orvis News, Flyfishing, and The Flyfisher.
An innovative fly tier, Jonathan became one of Umpqua Feather Merchants’ original contract fly tiers in 1983, and his fly pattern designs have appeared in seven different fly-tying books over the years.
Compulsively drawn to the steelhead rivers of Idaho and British Columbia, Jonathan is committed to the ongoing challenge of preserving wild steelhead and restoring the historic runs that define our heritage. These iconic fish deserve the opportunity to thrive without the intrusion and genetic dilution posed by hatchery fish. To witness wild steelhead in their natural environment is, to him, an awe-inspiring privilege.
Jonathan grew up in New England, where he learned to ski and explore the trout streams of New Hampshire. He attended the Roxbury Latin School in Massachusetts before receiving his B.S. in real estate from the University of Colorado and an MBA from the University of Utah.
He later competed as a ski racer for the University of Colorado and on western regional professional tours. Afterward, he raced cars professionally for seven years in multiple IMSA-sanctioned sports car series, including the Rolex 24 Hours of Daytona.
For several decades, Jonathan worked in real estate brokerage and land development around Park City, Utah, where he still resides with his wife, Victoria.
Over a forty-year period, Jonathan has caught hundreds of Atlantic permit, including several other prized and closely related Trachinotus species, in 14 different countries. He is the holder of the current IGFA 20-pound tippet class world-record Atlantic permit, a fish caught and released on the flats of Key West.
Jonathan served as moderator of the Permit Panel discussion at the 6th International Bonefish & Tarpon Trust Symposium in 2017 and again at the 7th Symposium in November 2020. As a freelance writer, his articles have appeared in Fly Fisherman, Fly Rod & Reel, Salt Water Sportsman, TAIL Magazine, Fly Tyer, The Angling Report, The Orvis News, Flyfishing, and The Flyfisher.
An innovative fly tier, Jonathan became one of Umpqua Feather Merchants’ original contract fly tiers in 1983, and his fly pattern designs have appeared in seven different fly-tying books over the years.
Compulsively drawn to the steelhead rivers of Idaho and British Columbia, Jonathan is committed to the ongoing challenge of preserving wild steelhead and restoring the historic runs that define our heritage. These iconic fish deserve the opportunity to thrive without the intrusion and genetic dilution posed by hatchery fish. To witness wild steelhead in their natural environment is, to him, an awe-inspiring privilege.
Jonathan grew up in New England, where he learned to ski and explore the trout streams of New Hampshire. He attended the Roxbury Latin School in Massachusetts before receiving his B.S. in real estate from the University of Colorado and an MBA from the University of Utah.
He later competed as a ski racer for the University of Colorado and on western regional professional tours. Afterward, he raced cars professionally for seven years in multiple IMSA-sanctioned sports car series, including the Rolex 24 Hours of Daytona.
For several decades, Jonathan worked in real estate brokerage and land development around Park City, Utah, where he still resides with his wife, Victoria.