Expectations (Year around trophy musky fishing effective Jan.1, 2007)

What to expect:

NOTE:  ALL MUSKY/PIKE AND TROUT TRIPS ARE CATCH AND RELEASE ONLY.

Most Allegheny River trips usually consist of launching from the Kinzua Dam Tailrace and fishing south to the town of Tidioute. Our home waters regularly yield some of the largest muskies, pike, walleyes and trout in the state. Red Childress will guide you through this scenic waterway on his 21 ft. jet boat as it winds through 30 miles of the Appalachian Plateau. Red's clients have caught and released many citation fish during his 15 years of guiding on the Allegheny River. He specializes in trophy musky, trout and pike.  As late fall and winter approach, air temps and local weather will dictate whether we cast, troll or do both.  Red's knowledge of seasonal "river" fish location and his obsessive focus on catching them sets him apart from most anglers.  He does not launch the boat hoping to catch something, he expects it to happen each and every trip. 

We will customize your trip to fit your needs. Since our Northern section of the river is greatly influenced by the outflow of Kinzua Dam, summer water temps rarely reach 73 degrees with 70-72 degrees being the norm. Water temps in the Southern section will be a bit warmer maxing out in the mid-70's during August.  Some of our best days on the water are under the cover of darkness as the clear waters of the Middle Allegheny can provide you with an awesome night bite for trout, walleye and muskies. Summer trips usually begin well before sunrise or end well after sunset depending on your schedule. Running and gunning is the primary technique but if active fish are present, we will never leave fish to find fish. 

We take the utmost pride in making sure your trip is a learning experience as well.  As we all know, there are days when the fish will not cooperate. Rest assured your trip will be filled with tips and tactics to help you become a better fisherperson long after your day with us is over.  If we fish with our clients, we will always fish last.  In the case of us hooking a fish, we will hand the rod over immediately, if you wish.  Paying us to catch your fish is unprofessional and our position on this matter is quite simple: If there is a fish to be caught, it will be caught by our clients.......NOT US!!   

Chautauqua Lake and the Allegheny Reservior (PA) trips are usually good for walleyes and muskies anytime of day. Red will be the primary guide on Tionesta Lake and those trips will be for muskies only.  Professional walleye angler Charlie Brant will be your primary guide on the Reservoir and Chautauqua Lake.  Chautauqua Lake has an awesome reputation for being one of the best walleye and musky lakes in the Northeast. Very expansive weed beds provide you with a multitude of opportunities to catch the fish of a lifetime! As for those of you who would prefer trolling, that is fine as the lake consistently produces 30 pound muskies while trolling multiple lines. Since New York State has very stringent laws protecting their muskies, the season is relatively short running from the third Saturday in June to the end of November.  We require a quick photo and release. Those parties interested in musky fishing should contact us ASAP as our calendar fills very quickly.

New for 2008:  For those of you who want the ultimate challenge, we have decided to offer a multitude of fly-fishing opportunities ranging from dry-land instruction to on-the-water coaching.  Local fly-fishing guru and Warren resident, Gary Kell will assist you in all your fly-fishing instruction.  Gary has worked for LLBean as their principle instructor at the two-day introduction to Fly-Fishing Outdoor Discovery School.  In 2003, he became a Certified Fly-Casting Instructor through a rigorous testing process sponsored by the Federation of Fly Fishers (an international fly fishing conservation and education organization).  He is also a registered PA licensed Fishing Guide. Interested in gaining knowledge in fly-fishing, please visit Gary's site at......TheFlyFishingCoach.Com  Please read our fishing reports board for updates.