Partner/Guide

Bucko, also known as "BuckWild," hails from Newport Beach in Southern California, but his heart has always belonged to the waters of Northern California. Growing up, Bucko's family would embark on the long drive from SoCal to Castella, CA, just 45 minutes north of Redding in the Mount Shasta area, situated right on the Upper Sac. It was here, surrounded by the breathtaking landscapes, that Bucko's passion for fly fishing took root. In 2009, he made the life-changing decision to move to Dunsmuir. His wife, Terra, eventually joined him after she graduated from Long Beach State.

Determined to turn his passion into a profession, Bucko delved into the world of fly fishing guiding. His journey led him to Clearwater Lodge Guide School, where he completed training and spent four fulfilling years honing his skills and becoming a versatile guide capable of navigating any river. Bucko then joined another start up outfitter, quickly becoming one of the top requested guides for the Lower Sac, Upper Sac, McCloud, Fall River, and Hat creek during his five-year tenure.

Driven by a desire to better serve his clients, Bucko, alongside Jason, decided to embark on a new adventure by starting 530 Outfitters.

Known for his easygoing personality and patient demeanor, Bucko is the ideal choice for both beginners and seasoned anglers eager to learn new techniques. His infectious enthusiasm ensures that every client, regardless of skill level, will have an enjoyable and rewarding fly fishing experience.

On his days off, you can usually find Bucko tubing down the Upper Sac, snowboarding, relaxing, getting bent or enjoying the outdoors that Northern California has to offer.

Warning: If you get beers with Bucko, he may take over the dance floor.

Partner/Guide

Jason Lozano found a passion for fishing at an early age, growing up in the central valley of California, camping and hiking the western slopes of the Sierra Nevada mountain range with his family. The desire to spend time outdoors only grew as time went on, and with the unwavering support of his parents, Joe and Sherie Lozano, Jason fueled his fire and began guiding fly fishing trips at 18 years old on his then-local stream of Putah Creek.

From there, Jason shared his time between guiding and working at a fly shop before moving to Chico, CA, where he began his first run at guiding full time in Northern CA. Jason never misses an opportunity to give praise to the family, friends, clients, and professional guides that helped him along the way. Mike Costello, Lonnie Boles, Ernie Dennison, and a few others were all instrumental in helping Jason launch his guiding career.

After just shy of a decade of sharing the North State's rivers, lakes, and streams with his clients, many of whom Jason still guides today, he took a different fork in the journey and became a sales rep in the fly fishing industry. Covering CA, AZ, NV, and HI, Jason traveled from shops to lodges and trade shows, representing many of the industry's leading brands including Scott Fly Rods, Hatch Reels, Idylwilde Flies, Airflo/Echo, and Oakley.

Fast forward to more recent times, Jason returned to guiding part-time in 2019. His plan was to close the loop and end his professional career in the rower's seat, sharing his experiences and stories with anglers of all levels. In 2022, Jason moved to Redding, CA, to pursue his passion. When he's not guiding, Jason spends time with his amazing life partner, Steffanie Jackson, and their special hunting dog, Gunner, camping, fly fishing, chasing waterfowl, and visiting their large family spread out throughout Northern CA.

“I have been blessed to know, meet, and work with some of the best guides in America, and I can honestly say that there are only a few around that have the fire and passion for our sport and our waterways like Jay.

There are a lot of people who take others fishing as guides. There are not many people who do it with the consistent passion, drive, and love that Jason Lozano does.” - Hogan Brown HGB Fly Fishing

530 Outfitter

Lozano’s top mentor, Mike Jones, found Sam MacDonell on the Russian River in Guerneville California back around 2008, when he was only about 10 years old. The kid couldn’t see over a steering wheel, even if he was sitting on a phone book and wearing high heels. But, he was out there by himself, swinging flies for chinook with an old fiberglass Fenwick, from his own pram, in the dark at 4am on a weekday, before school… That isn’t normal. So, Jones decided Sammy was his next prodigy.

By 14 Samsquantch was wading some of the toughest steelhead rivers in California and Oregon with us, as an equal, firing lasers with a Spey rod, playing by our self-imposed rules with levels of enlightenment that had taken us twice as long to understand and appreciate. Lozano and Miller took him under their wings after Jones left us all way too soon. Jones had taught him a lot already, but we gave him all of the secrets that Jones had given to us, but didn’t have time to finish with Sam. He would've found them on his own anyway, which would have probably annoyed us more than just sharing them with him. Plus, Jones made us promise we would. 

Sammy started guiding in Alaska at 22, swinging for chinook, mousing for rainbows, wogging for Coho and chasing his true love, steelhead, every autumn. When the northern rivers finally freeze over in late October, he returns to our fall favorite, California’s Trinity River. When the rains come, he’ll be chasing the ghosts of the coast the rest of the winter. If you want to catch up with him, you’ll have to move with the seasons, and the fish. It will be worth it though, because wherever he is, that’s the place to be, because that’s where the fish are. The big bad ones. The ones we all dream about. Whether it’s swinging with the Spey rod for steelhead, floating the Lower Sac for giant rainbows, or chasing hatches in the smaller rivers of Northern California, he’ll be on ‘em. And if the rivers are blown out, he’ll be at the bench tying the finest steelhead flies you’ve ever seen, preparing for the next mission.

An avid angler and hunter, Sammy has already spent more time in the outdoors learning the craft than most can hope for in a lifetime, and he’s just warming up. His passion, enthusiasm and dedication to being in the wild is absolutely infectious. He doesn’t have any quit in him. He will make you want to fish harder and more often, and no matter what the fish decide to do, you’ll come away with a greater appreciation of fly fishing and you will be a better angler after every day on the water with him. Promise.

530 Outfitter

A NorCal native, Adam grew up walking from his family home in Red Bluff to the pond just down the way to throw a lure from Grandpa’s tackle box for bass after school. He continued his obsession with the outdoors as he enjoyed learning to fish bigger water as a driver’s license allowed.

The obsession of catching and shooting game led to the inability to pursue any other lifestyle. At nineteen, while working through college at Chico State, Adam had the privilege to step into the guide life at the Llano Seco Mallard Ponds. Shortly thereafter, he began guiding King Salmon on the Sacramento River, along with striper, shad, steelhead, trout and sturgeon.

Meanwhile, Adam and his high school sweetheart, Nicole, married and pursued their love of entrepreneurship and freedom to be outside together. Now, each of their three children spend a majority of their time outside with their dad. Joey, the oldest, can often be found with a fly rod in hand, practicing his cast in the front yard, or as Adam’s deckhand on gear trips and alongside him in the duck boat.

Guiding has given Adam a life in the outdoors, sharing the magic of God’s creation with those that wouldn’t normally get to see it in its glory for themselves. The beauty, calm and pristine nature of the outdoors provides insight, peace and understanding that all can pursue and enjoy. The memories made outdoors are the memories Adam loves to help create.

It would be hard to find someone else with as much passion, knowledge and intimate understanding of the Sacramento and Feather Rivers for fish and ducks as Adam.

When not in the boat, Adam enjoys the backcountry with his bow, spending time at the in-law’s family cattle ranch and taking his family into the great outdoors.