Jake Petrasch
Property Manager
Jake Petrasch, full name Jake John Garrit Petrasch Jr., is the proprietor of Valley Anglers in the Mad River Valley, Vermont. This service provides expert guidance and top-tier fly fishing equipment, including rods, reels, wading gear, and various carrying solutions. The business name, inspired by the term "angle," reflects the art of fishing using a hook, aligning with his deep-seated passion for angling.
With over two decades of combined expertise in education, property management, site coordination, and fly fishing, Petrasch is also an ardent automotive enthusiast, a site coordinator, and a dedicated educator. His broad range of hobbies includes surfing, skateboarding, bike riding, hunting, and fly fishing in both salt and freshwater, alongside cherishing moments spent with his family.
In the academic realm, he earned a Bachelor of Fine Arts from St. Lawrence University in Canton, NY, in 2001, followed by a Master's in Middle-Level Education from Johnson State College in 2007. His educational journey also included a semester at the National Outdoor Leadership School, where he earned college credits through the University of Utah during the fall of 1996.
His career trajectory is diverse, covering roles such as teacher, property manager, and guide. In 2005, his combined love for teaching and fly fishing culminated in the founding of Valley Anglers LLC. Here, he merges his educational skills and passion for fly fishing, teaching clients of all skill levels about casting techniques, entomology, and knot tying.
He embarked on his teaching career in 2010 with the Counseling Services of Addison County as an Alternative Program Head Teacher/Behavior Specialist, focusing on students expelled or removed from conventional schooling. Later, he joined Harwood Union High School in Duxbury, VT, as a para educator, primarily supporting students in the Learning Resource Center and initiating an academic support program named Call Back. In May 2014, he took on the role of site coordinator at Montpelier High School, where he ran the school's Outing Club and co-taught a CrossFit program.
Since April 2018, he has been managing properties as the Head Landscaper/Property Manager at Integrated Property Services LLC in Warren, VT, overseeing around 50 properties and providing in-house diagnostics and essential maintenance.
His personal history is equally rich. He was born in Fort Worth, Texas, on July 20, 1977, and adopted ten days later. He grew up enjoying summers in Nantucket, where he was first introduced to many of his lifelong passions. In college, he met his future wife, Andrea, leading to their marriage in Stowe, Vermont, in 2005.
Fly fishing has been a significant part of his life, marking the start of his sobriety journey in the winter of 1999. He has also explored saltwater fly fishing extensively, with trips to Belize's Turneffe Flats and the coasts of southern Maine. He expresses his deep-rooted connection to nature through hunting, an activity steeped in family tradition.
His life is a testament to overcoming challenges and embracing passions, with sobriety being a central theme of his journey, one he shares openly with his children and peers. As he continues to navigate life's adventures, Jake Petrasch remains committed to "Hold Fast" to his values and the lessons learned along the way.
