About Gary Kell

Gary Kell The Fly Fishing Coach

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About Gary Kell

Gary Kell The Fly Fishing Coach

Over 50 year’s fly fishing experience

Taught 100’s of people of all ages

Fly Fishers International (FFI)

FFI Master Certified Instructor

Instructor for LLBean Schools

PA Licensed Guide

Trout Unlimited

Published author: “Allegheny Browns” – 2013 Fly Fisherman Magazine

Co-authored “Keystone Fly Fishing” The Ultimate Guide to Pennsylvania’s Best Waters – 2017 Headwaters Press.

The Full Story!

I was born and raised in Fairview Pennsylvania along the shores of Lake Erie. My first fishing experiences began at the family cabin on Promiseland Lake in northeastern Pennsylvania. A 10 foot cane pole , a bobber and a can of worms duped many a nice blue gill.

My passion, truth be known, obsession, is fly fishing. My adventure in fly fishing started on Fisherman’s Paradise, in 1967 while attending Penn State in the heart of some of the best fly fishing in the world. This journey has taken me across the country from east to west, south to north and most recently from the Bahama’s to Belize. Although the first half of the journey was in pursuit of trout, the later years expanded to include many warmwater and saltwater species.

After graduation from Penn State In 1970 a job with the US Forest Service in Montana and Idaho put me onto water’s I only dreamed of as a kid in northwest PA. In 1975, I moved back to Warren, Pennsylvania to continue my Forest Service career on the Allegheny National Forest.

Once back in PA I met a equally passionate fly fishing “brother”, Jerry Bremer. Jerry and I spent countless hours fishing, tying, seining and identifying insects, reading voraciously, expanding our knowledge in all the aspects of fly fishing. I owe much of what I know to the many great hours we spent together. Our travels took us all over Pennsylvania to fish or attend events and classes with the likes of Joe Humphrey and Lefty Kreh.

I have taught all aspects of fly fishing to 100’s of men and women of all ages!! For five years I worked for LLBean finishing as the principal instructor at the two-day "Introduction to Fly Fishing", Outdoor Discovery School in Front Royal, VA. For the last few years I have operated “Gary Kell The Fly Fishing Coach" and have prepared and taught dozens of fly fishing schools and given many private lessons. I also have been guiding off and on since I retired.

As a volunteer I am an active with both Trout Unlimited (TU) and the Fly Fishers International (FFI). I have spent many volunteer hours not only for TU and FFI but for Boy Scouts, Women in the Outdoors, local schools and other organizations, teaching a variety of subjects from aquatic insects to the double haul casting technique.

After 32 years in the US Forest Service I retired in 2003. Soon after, I became a Certified Fly Casting Instructor, and in 2009 achieved certification as a Master Certified Instructor. This is a rigorous accreditation program of Fly Fishers International (an international fly fishing conservation and education organization) that produces quality professional instructors. I also am a registered PA Licensed Fishing Guide.

As a Master Certified Instructor for the FFI I have organized and implemented several events at national fly fishing shows that include continuing education for certified instructors, testing candidates for certification, fly fishing/casting workshops, and presentations.

Each year I offer an 10 week intermediate fly casting class to improve presentation skills and for those considering becoming certified instructors.

I have developed over two dozen handouts describing in detail various aspects of fly fishing. I’ve written a couple newspaper articles in the local Warren Times Observer and was recently published in the 2013 Fly Fisherman, June-July magazine with a feature story about "Allegheny Browns".

Most recently I co-authored "Keystone Fly Fishing" The Ultimate Guide to Pennsylvania's Best Waters - 2017 Headwaters Press.

I currently operate Gary Kell The Fly Fishing Coach and provide a variety of fly fishing instructional services. Just give me a call!!