Staff Profile: Managers Michelle & Kevin LaCroix
Soul Fly Lodge’s on-site managers, Michelle and Kevin LaCroix live with purpose and intent. Embodying the mindset and ethos of Soul Fly, they are also the liaisons to the Soul Fly Experience, helping each and every guest find their place at the lodge and in the Berry Islands. At the lodge, they are the full-time caretakers, hosts, operations overseers, and Jill-and-Jack-of-all-trades; undeniably integral to everything we do. Over the course of a stay at Soul Fly, guests will get to know Michelle and Kevin well, and experience first-hand their unique and thoughtful approaches and perspectives on angling, hospitality, and life. By holding steadfast to purpose and intent, Michelle and Kevin are led, in turn, to serendipity — this is how they met each other, and also how they landed at Soul Fly Lodge.
Born and raised in Switzerland, Michelle came to love nature from an early age, enjoying the beautiful mountains, lakes, rivers, and trails that her native country harbors. While simply being outside in the sun was often satisfying enough, Michelle also found a love for travel, and felt a calling to discover other cultures, explore new lands, and meet new people. This calling and curiosity for new experiences led her to yoga and mindfulness — something Michelle now practices daily. Michelle has studied Yoga on three continents, received an instructor’s certification, and has carried the practice through all of her jobs, incorporating it personally or leading sessions for coworkers. Today, Michelle teaches the weekly yoga classes at Soul Fly Lodge, which are open to all guests as well as community members.
Kevin is a Cape Cod native, and — like many of those who grow up there — spent nearly all his summer days in, on, and around the water. An angler since the age of four, Kevin has always been connected to the ocean, be it through fishing, snorkeling, diving, beaching, or boating. Leaving the Cape for secondary school and pursuing a budding hockey career, Kevin found an unexpected fly fishing mentor in a classmate’s father. The following summer, he got his own fly outfit and started connecting the pieces between his understanding of the waters of Cape Cod and his newfound passion of fly fishing. The most impactful experience on the water for Kevin came a few years later while anchored on a flat with his brother. There, the two witnessed a solo striped bass patrolling the shallow water and sightfishing instantly became Kevin’s angling calling. These days, when not at Soul Fly Lodge, he guides for Cape Cod striped bass, sightfishing on foot and on skiff, often using his own custom-made fly rods that are tailor-made for such scenarios. Check out Solstice Fly Fishing for more information on Kevin’s guiding in the States and his custom fly rods.
In pursuing these passions — travel and fly fishing — Michelle and Kevin both happened to find themselves at Key West’s infamous Sloppy Joe’s Bar in the fall of 2016, each with a traveling companion. If this coincidence wasn’t fate enough, the facts that the only open seats in the bar were at Kevin and his fishing buddy’s table, and that Michelle and her friend just missed their bus ride to Miami sealed the deal. The two met, and through broken English over rounds of drinks and chicken wings, their future was secured. Committed to each other, though living in separate countries for years, Michelle was finally able to join Kevin on Cape Cod in 2021, and the two married in the same year.
Their path to Soul Fly Lodge was equally as serendipitous. One morning during the summer of 2022, in pre-dawn light, Kevin ran into another fly angler and guide at a boat launch in southern Maine — it turned out to be Soul Fly Lodge co-owner Kyle Schaefer. The two hit it off, and batted fishing topics back and forth, eventually landing on flats skiffs. When Kevin inquired about Kyle’s new boat, Kyle said that he liked it so much that he had five of them… at his lodge in The Bahamas! A seed was planted, and that evening Kevin shared the details of this exchange with Michelle.
Not a week later, and Kevin and Kyle ran into each other once again under identical circumstances. This time, Kevin was ready for the conversation, and he asked about employment opportunities at Soul Fly Lodge. It just so happened that Kyle was looking for a management couple. The following spring, Michelle and Kevin flew to Great Harbour Cay to see the lodge, meet the staff, and get to know Kyle and Kitri. Soul Fly’s focus on community, sustainability, and a holistic angling experience beyond the number of fish caught — plus the staff’s infectious positivity and expertise — sold them, and in the fall of 2023, Michelle and Kevin returned again as the lodge’s on-site managers.
With several seasons now under their belt, Michelle and Kevin are completely immersed in the Soul Fly and Great Harbour Cay communities, and are critical components to the lodge’s success. They have been driving forces to our continued improvements in facilities, logistics, and the entire guest experience — essentially serving as off-the-water guides — and they’ve done it all with patience, compassion, and extreme dedication. Michelle and Kevin are motivated to constantly advance the Soul Fly Experience, and are excited by each and every guest that arrives at the lodge.
The next time you’re at the lodge, take the time to get to know these special individuals, and don’t forget to thank them for all their hard work – most of which goes unseen! We are grateful for you, Michelle and Kevin!!
Q&A with Michelle & Kevin
Fun facts about Michelle:
I love running or walking or hiking long distances, also adore sunsets over the water, and have an affinity for good coffee shops!
Fun facts about Kevin:
I not only love designing and building fly rods, but boats too; I’m currently working with a long-time Cape Cod boat builder to make the ultimate flat skiff for my northeast waters.
Fun facts about Michelle and Kevin together:
We have camped and fished all over Europe, with Sweden being one of our favorite places to go.
How do you suggest first-time guests prepare for their trip to Soul Fly Lodge?
We suggest that guests come with an open mind to enjoy everything Great Harbour Cay has to offer. The community, locals, scenery, and more have so much to offer beyond just the fish you're looking for.
Advice for first-time Bahamas or Berry Islands fly anglers?
We suggest learning from your guides and those at the lodge. It can vastly improve your knowledge and skillset by being a student of the game!
What are some must-do’s at the lodge or on Great Harbour Cay?
Go to Flo's Conch Bar on Little Harbour! It's one of those unique places you cannot find anywhere else in the world.
What makes the Soul Fly Experience unique?
Soul Fly's refined, casual family environment is what makes staying at the lodge special. All of our guides, house staff, and even the community accept our guests with open arms, making it a welcoming and safe place for anglers to make the trip as exciting or relaxing as they want.
Read more on the Soul Fly Journal:
