Hatch Finders Fly Shop begins a new legacy with owners James Mugele and Evan Keene. Longtime store owner Dean Reiner retires, but his passion for Flytying continues.

Hatch Finders Fly Shop has new owners, James Mugele and Evan Keene. After 24 years in business, founder and owner Dean Reiner sold the Fly Shop located at 5237 US Hwy. 89 South in Livingston, two weeks ago.

Dean Reiner with his daughter and business partner, Dandy Reiner.

“I opened Hatch Finders shortly after I returned from Vietnam and was discharged by the Marine Corps,” Dean Reiner told me. “I’ve been fishing since I was a kid, and I knew I wanted to open a fly shop, work for myself, spend the days tying flies, shooting the breeze with customers, and fly fishing on the river. I was lucky to have great customers that helped make my dream possible. Now it’s time to retire, and I was looking for someone to come along and say, “This is a great fly shop. I’d love to buy it from you.”

Although that’s not exactly what happened, it’s close enough.

James Mugeie, Evan Keene, and a group of buds spent a week last summer floating and fishing.

James Mugele and Evan Keene met for the first time in 2017 and have been close friends since. Their friendship has been forged on the Yellowstone as Outfitters and River Guides, and they spend every free moment fly fishing together. And now they are business partners.

And they can’t be happier.