Meet the Guides

Mike Allen

owner and head guide

Growing up in Illinois, Mike's early years were filled with many days spent along the local banks of the DuPage River, or pond hopping with a fly rod. He was lucky enough to have a father who put a fly rod in his hands at a young age, and in doing so Mike fly fished into his adult life. After military service he longed for something close to nature again, fly fishing would soon again fill this void.

In 1992, the Dupage Rivers Fly Tying Club became a mainstay in Mike's fishing and fly tying, and he has remained closely involved for the past 20 years. He now makes his home in the Fox River Valley, close to the His home waters of the Fox and DuPage Rivers, just two of the many watersheds in Northern Illinois that he has come to know and love.

Mike has fished all these rivers extensively over many years, and looks forward to sharing these truly special waters with you. He enjoys all kinds of fishing, but specializes in warm water fly fishing for native Smallmouth Bass, Carp, and Pike.

Captain Kurt Nelson

Owner and head guide

Kurt is a Coast Guard Captain Merchant Mariner OUPV Six Pack holder as well as commercially insured. Kurt Nelson grew up in Fox River Valley of Illinois,  in the western suburbs of Chicago. He was fortunate to have an excellent smallmouth and carp fishery in his home town. Kurt has been fishing the waters of Northern Illinois his entire life, while also venturing all around the Midwest in search of trophies. He has excellent knowledge of the fishing seasons and patterns in the area, and really knows how to find fish. He is hard working, knowledgeable, and passionate about fly fishing and the resources in our area. You will have a great time on the water with Kurt, and he will be sure to do everything he can to ensure you have a great time on your next day out on the river.

Chris Hurst

guide

Chris is a Plainfield, Illinois native and has been fishing his home waters of the Dupage river for decades. You would be hard pressed to find anyone who knows the Dupage river system better than he does. Chris is laser focused on getting clients hooked up on local river smallmouth, he is full of knowledge and expertise about one of the worst kept secret rivers in the area… He currently guides out of Clackacraft drift boat and is commercially insured.

captain Mike davis

guide

Mike is a Coast Guard Captain Merchant Mariner OUPV Six Pack holder as well as commercially insured. Mike has a great passion for the sport of fly fishing which has brought him to some amazing places across the world including Belize, Argentina, Bahamas, Florida Keys, Montana, and all of the great Midwestern smallmouth rivers. He currently guides out of his 15’ Stealthcraft Aftermath drift boat as well as his Stealthcraft Hooligan XL raft. Mikes been chasing the local river talent his whole life and is always chasing the next big fish!

MARK MESSER

GUIDE

Mark is an Illinois native who's father began him fishing at an early age. Smallmouth Bass have always been his favorite species to target, and he has chased them all around the Midwest from the Minnesota Boundary Waters, to Michigan, Ohio and Wisconsin. Eventually he found the fly rod and hasn't put it down since. With a background in ecological conservation and a passion for the great outdoors, Mark has a good working knowledge of how to find and catch these trophy fish, and he is excited to share this amazing resource with our clients.