Once you’ve decided to chase the “King of the underwater jungle” with small steel irons wrapped with fur and feathers there are a few things you need to know. Red Childress and I have teamed up to give fly fishers the best possible chance for success in boating a lifetime trophy. Red can put you in the backyard of every musky in a 30 mile stretch of the Allegheny River and I can help you set up and hone your fly casting and fishing skills.
Musky are not the only trophies you can pursue... the Allegheny abounds with large pike, rainbow trout, brown trout, smallmouth bass and walleye. They are all possible on the fly.
Need help gettng ready - never done this before? I offer great pre-trip refreshers & clinics where I can coach you on rigging, fly selection, distance casting big/heavy flies, two-handed strip retrieve and hooking, fighting, and landing big fish!! We can do a refresher on the lawn before your trip or instruction on the water during the first couple hours of your trip.
A 1 to 4 hour refresher, just before your trip, can be tailored to meet your needs whether it be casting, rigging, flies,or whatever! These sessions will be held at a local park. If your from out of town we can do it early the day of or the evening before your trip.
If you prefer on-water instruction I will accompany you on Red's boat for the first hour or two, providing assistance with everything from casting and stripping, to rigging, hooking, and fighting these magnificent fish. Please contact: gary@theflyfishingcoach.com for details.
Cost is $35/hr for one angler and $50/hr for two, up to 3 hours. A four hour refresher runs $30/hr for one angler and $45/hr for two.
Don't have the equipment, then sign up for at least a two hour refresher and you can use mine, including the flies, free.
For those of you ready to strike out on your own, the following tips should help you prepare. These tips were developed by combining 40 years of fly fishing experience with Red Childress's countless hours on the river chasing, watching, hooking, landing and releasing hundreds of musky.
Use a 9 or 10 weight system with strong butt section for fighting big fish
Saltwater outfits available today meet the needs of this fresh water fighter
Recommend an intermediate sink line for fishing streamers most of the time
Carry extra spool with a sinking tip or head for deep water presentations
In summer, carry extra spool with floating line for topwater & shallow clear water
Bring a backup rod - anything can happen.
Musky are not leader shy, in their world nothing much scares them!
Use short 2 to 6 foot, 20# to 30# test leaders - they cast big flies well
Use 4 to 6 feet leader including bite tippet on intermediate and floating lines
Need only 2 feet of leader on sinking lines - helps keep fly "in the zone"
Use wire bite tippets 8 to 14 inches long - 30 to 60 # test wire
Use the newer flexible knotable wire
If you don't like casting performance of wire try fluorocarbon 60 to 80#
Pre-tie leaders & flies with loops to make changing flies quick & easy
Musky are not selective - flies should catch their attention - look live & scared
Use big bulky flies, 5 to 8 inches or longer - big fish like a big meal
Once you’ve decided to chase the “King of the underwater jungle” with small steel irons wrapped with fur and feathers there are a few things you need to know. Red Childress and I have teamed up to give fly fishers the best possible chance for success in boating a lifetime trophy. Red can put you in the backyard of every musky in a 30 mile stretch of the Allegheny River and I can help you set up and hone your fly casting and fishing skills. 
