Blane Chocklett Musky School - New/James Rivers

Blane Chocklett

  Guide, fly designer, author, Blane grew up fishing the small mountain streams near his home in Blue Ridge, Virginia. As a youngster, he started a guiding service and, in the late 1990's, opened Blue Ridge Fly Fishers in Roanoke, Virginia. Blane has worked for years to create fly patterns that have all the intricate nuances of flies with the strike-generating action of conventional lures. His fly patterns have revolutionized the fly shop industry! No other way to put it.

Over a decade ago, Blane returned to the river where he now owns and operates his guide service specializing in float trips for Musky, Smallmouth Bass, Stripers, Trout and many other species. Blane also hosts trips at home and abroad. He is the Southeastern Field Editor for Fly Fisherman magazine as well as a brand ambassador for some of the industry's top brands: Patagonia, Temple Fork Outfitters, Scientific Anglers, Costa, Yeti, Sightline Provisions, Renzetti, Adipose Boatworks and Hog Island Boatworks. 

Josh Trammell

Your host from Mad River Outfitters and Ohio Fly Fishing Guides.

Josh was born and raised in Northeast Ohio and caught the fishing bug early in life as he watched a neighbor fly fishing their backyard pond. At the age of 10 he started exploring all things fishing that Ohio had to offer.

From there he has gone on to chase steelhead and warmwater species across the southern shores of Lake Erie and beyond, always looking for that next opportunity.

Josh has also spent his last six summers guiding in the Bristol Bay region of Alaska for Naknek River Camp, where he also enjoys pursuing fish on two handed rods in his downtime.

While not on the water, Josh can often be found hovered over a vice somewhere whipping up all sorts of fishy flies. Josh enjoys sharing his passion with others and hopes they can catch the bug as bad as he’s got it!

Captain Austin Conrad grew up in oak hill– a town in Southern West Virginia– where he cut his teeth fishing for trout and smallmouth bass in the creeks and rivers of the area. 

Austin has spent the last 15 years in Virginia, fishing and guiding folks to wild trout, smallmouth bass, and musky. Austin spends a couple of months of the year in Bristol Bay, Alaska guiding clients to Silver Salmon, the world’s largest wild Rainbow Trout, and the other beautiful species of the region. 

Outside of guiding, Austin likes to spend time with his family and dogs and loves to cook a good southern meal. Captain Austin welcomes anglers of all experience levels in pursuing some of the finest freshwater predators in the South!

Braden Miller has been fishing the different waters throughout Virginia since he could walk. He takes great pride in being a well-rounded angler, fishing both fly and conventional gear for many species, not only here in Virginia but in many states across the country as well.

He is not only well versed in fishing the waters of the Southwestern & Western parts of Virginia for smallies but living in Central Virginia allows Braden to target a wide array of species such as largemouth, carp, shad, striper, and more on rivers closer to home. He feels at home rowing his raft and putting anglers on the fish as he does chasing them himself.

Braden looks forward to guiding anglers of all experience levels & sharing tips & techniques that he has learned from several of his mentors throughout the years.