Pat Kelly is a fly-fishing guide, fly tier, and lifelong angler whose path has taken him from childhood fishing in Ohio to saltwater, carp, smallmouth bass, and eventually a deep obsession with muskie on the fly. After nearly two decades in the fly-fishing industry, he recently launched Warm Water Anglers, where he is now focused on guiding, education, fly tying, and helping anglers better understand the warm-water fisheries he has spent years exploring.
In this episode of Anchored, Pat and I talk about his early introduction to fishing, the evolution of his muskie flies using Bob Popovics’ hollow tying techniques, the growth of warm-water fly fishing, conservation concerns in Ohio, some of the major personal challenges that shaped his life, and what led him to finally step out on his own.
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