First luxury fly fishing, hunting lodge in Northeast Ohio opens in Conneaut | Local News

Covered Bridge Outfitters & Lodge, a luxury fly fishing and hunting destination, opened Oct. 1 at 999 Middle Road along the Conneaut Creek in Conneaut.

One of the founders and partners, Jason Morris, told the Cleveland Jewish News that opening Covered Bridge Outfitters & Lodge fills a hole in the fly fishing and hunting community of Northeast Ohio as the first luxury experience in the region. Other founders/partners include head guide and operator John Fabian; Matthew Friedman, chairman and CEO of Bear Diversified; Brandon Duber, managing partner of Bentoff & Duber Co., L.P.A.; and Brendon Breen, business development executive at Cyrid Media, as well as several silent partners.

“All of us are avid anglers,” said Morris, who lives in Moreland Hills and is the co-founder of IQubed Advisors, a specialty advisory firm to the background screening industry. “We all travel the country and the world to fly fish. Cleveland has the best fly fishing in the world, in my opinion, but no upscale lodge experience. We all came to that conclusion together, and John Fabian approached us about a piece of land and we decided it would be something we wanted to invest in to create that luxury lodge experience here.”

As part of its amenities, the lodge offers ORVIS-endorsed fly fishing guides to facilitate fishing excursions in private waters; guided hunts; dining offered by local private chefs; outdoor gatherings, including nightly fire pits and entertainment; high-end equipment for fishing or hunting; and a concierge experience with white glove service for every guest – all along 135 acres. The lodge also features rooms and facilities developed in partnership with Cleveland-based architecture, design and interior decoration firm Paskevich and Associates and led decorator Jesse Sawby.

“This is the first lodge of its quality and kind in the area that offers all of these services and experiences,” Morris said. “We’re not looking to host people to just fish. We’re looking to create an experience. We can’t control the weather, the fish coming up and down the river or what makes a good fishing day, but we can control what makes a great experience.”

Patrons to the lodge will have access to the privately-owned portion of Conneaut Creek, which is situated near Lake Erie’s tributaries. The Northeast Ohio region is known for some of the best fishing in the United States, Morris said, with visitors traveling from all over the United States to catch and release the steelhead trout that call the river home. Recently, the lodge hosted anglers and hunters from Texas and Boston, with most of November already booked out.

“I am in a position now where I only invest and work on projects I love,” he said. “People have been coming to Cleveland to do this for years, and people in Cleveland don’t even know we have this resource. We’re seeking to change that.”

It’s that passion for fishing that Morris enjoys most, he said. He was first exposed to the sport by his zayde, who would often take him on Lake Erie to fish.

“I hear all the time that Jews don’t fish or hunt, but I grew up on fishing on Lake Erie with my grandfather,” he said. “I cherish those memories, which got me into the sport. I credit my grandfather for showing me the way. Fly fishing has been a passion of mine for a very long time and I am excited for other people to get into it.”

And Covered Bridge Outfitters & Lodge is only the first piece of the puzzle, Morris said.

“We’re already looking to heavily expand operations,” he said. “So far, the reception has been great and people are loving it. As we prove our concept, we plan on making many more land and lodge purchases into the future, and not just in Ohio.”

To learn more, visit cbolodge.com.