Meet The River's Edge Fishing Team
Click on an Angler's name to learn more!
- Bio:I was born and raised in Monongahela, PA, but I have fished Presque Isle Bay in Erie for the majority of my life. I started fishing when I was extremely little with my Dad, but I didn’t start getting into the sport until a couple years ago. I started kayak tournament fishing last year, and it was a perfect fit, especially because of my competitive nature and love for fishing. Kayak tournament fishing has been so rewarding with all of the new friends and their constant support, fishing experiences, and bodies of water that I would’ve never fished before. When I’m not competing, I am most likely fishing in Presque Isle Bay or fly fishing on nearby creeks and rivers!
- Bio:Being born and raised in Monongahela, PA, I grew up fishing with my Dad and friends on the Monongahela river and other nearby bodies of water and have always enjoyed fishing more than any other hobby that I have ever been involved in. In 2013, at the age of 41, I bought my first kayak from The River’s Edge Canoe and Kayak Shop and started fishing local tournaments soon thereafter. Doing so, I have met some of the most grounded and skilled anglers and have been fortunate enough to win Angler of the Year in the Laurel Highlands chapter of Kayak Anglers in 2017 & 2018. Also, during this journey, my wife Becky and daughter Hannah have joined me in many tournaments and adventures in kayaking and when we’re not out competing, you’re likely to find us out on Presque Isle Bay in Erie or floating the Youghiogheny river chasing smallmouths! For the 2021 season, I will be using a Hobie PA-12 and a Hobie Outback to maximize my time and comfort on the water.
- Kayaks: Big Rig, Killroy DT, Cuda 14
- Affiliations: Kayak Anglers, MSKA, River Bassin
- Trails/Tournaments for 2015: Kayak Anglers, MSKA, River Bassin
- Favorite Fishery: Yough River
- Bio: Russell enjoy fishing anytime, anywhere. He enjoys tournament fishing usually teaming up with Joe Floriolli. Together they make team Buzzin and Grubbin. His favorite species in Smallmouth bass but he enjoys catching and releasing any fish that comes his way.
- Bio:A former mixed martial artist of the UFC, Adam Milstead aka “The Prototype” fought in both the heavyweight and light heavyweight division, competing against some of the best fighters and on the biggest stages in the world. In 2018 Adam retired from fighting and turned his sights to competitive kayak bass fishing. Originally from Southern Maryland, he grew up on the shores of the Chesapeake Bay fishing for Striper and Seatrout, then moving his attention to sport of Bass fishing on many of the reservoirs Maryland has to offer. After moving to Pittsburgh, he was introduced to the world of kayak bass fishing, starting his competitive career fishing with both Kayak Anglers of Western Pa and Laurel Highlands. From there Adam has secured not one, but two, back-to-back wins for AOY for the Laurel Highlands division and has since then competed on the national level for Hobie Bass Open and Bass Nation. His kayak of choice is the Jackson Coosa HD for paddling on the many rivers and creeks here in PA, but will be fishing this year in a Jackson Big Rig HD/FD. Adam will be competing in three national competitions this year, Hobie Bass Open, KBF and Bass Nation.
- Kayaks:Hobie Kayaks
- Bio:Vlad is also member of the Hobie Fishing Team and enjoys fishing from his 2020 Hobie Mirage 360 Pro Angler 14 and 2019 Outback. Vlad is a multi-species angler and has lived in Pittsburgh for over a decade. He loves the all the incredible fishing opportunities that Pennsylvania has to offer. Originally from California, Vlad grew up fishing in the saltwater and freshwater fisheries of the San Francisco Bay Area and Northern California coastline. His love of fishing was instilled in him by his father, who taught him the art and “science” of fishing (reading tidal charts, understanding seasonal patterns, etc.) which was crucial in finding and catching king salmon, striped bass, halibut, trout and sturgeon. Through his travels as a service member in the US Army and working for various companies, he has lived in many areas of the United States, such as Washington (state), Kentucky, West Virginia, Texas, Virginia and Wisconsin and has had the good fortune of fishing for multiple species. He is currently obsessed with catching Steelhead, Largemouth, Smallmouth bass, Walleye and Crappie.
- Kayaks: 2015 NuCanoe Pursuit and 2106 Jackson Kilroy DT
- Affiliations: Kayak Anglers of Pennsylvania
- Tournaments Placed: 1st Place - 2014 Pymatuning II tournament; 3rd tie - 2015 Yough River tournament
- Trails/Tournaments for 2015: Kayak Anglers of PA Trail
- Favorite Fishery: Lake Arthur
- Pro Staff positions held: Team NuCanoe, River’s Edge Fishing Team, Paxis Packs, Effect Baits
- Bio:Born in South Florida and raised in Western Pennsylvania, Bill have been a fisherman all of his life. Bill credits fishing for keeping him out of trouble while in his formative years. During his middle and early high school years, he lived in Northern Virginia and fished the drainage ditches and small pond around Dulles International Airport. Always a shore fisherman, Bill decided it was time to get off the bank and in a kayak in 2010. Bill has always made promoting the sport of kayak fishing a priority and has also made strides every year, with plenty more to learn. Bill loves chasing bass from his Bonafide kayaks and loves both rivers and lakes equally. Bill has finished in the top 15 in 2014 and 2015 Kayak Anglers of Western PA series and has several top 5 finishes in his six seasons of tournament fishing. He takes great pride in representing The River’s Edge Fishing Team at the Kayak Bass Fishing National Championship. In 2019, in his first NC, he made the Top 100 fishing Caddo Lake in Louisiana. In 2020 at the NC on Lake Guntersville, Bill was able to put together another Top 100 finish, stringing together three days with five fish limits for a 25 th place finish. Bill will be competing in several trail around Pennsylvania and Ohio this year. He has formed several important partnerships with the companies that believe in him. Whether it’s The River’s Edge, FISHing ONline, YakAttack or Bonafide, these companies are all vital to Bill in helping him fish competitively and helping him spread the word of the enjoyment and comradery involved in kayak fishing. When Bill is not in chasing bass from his kayak, he is walking the creeks and streams in Erie, PA chasing steelhead and brown trout with his custom centerpin rod and reel.
- Kayaks:Hobie PA 12 360, Hobie PA 14 360, and Crescent Litetackle
- Bio:A native of Northwestern Pennsylvania, Chad enjoyed spending his younger years fishing with his dad and grandpa throughout the native brook trout streams in Elk County. Chad began to start kayaking in early 2012. Chad entered his first kayak fishing tournament in 2014 by participating in the Kayak Anglers of Western Pennsylvania tournament on the Allegheny River, and he’s been hooked on fishing from the kayak ever since! An advocate for the growth of the kayak fishing industry, Chad is the current Tournament and Chapter Director for the Kayak Anglers of Western Pennsylvania and is a regular participant not only in Kayak Anglers tournaments, but in the PA BASS Nation Kayak Series and the Hobie Bass Open Series! Chad won the 2019 Kayak Anglers of Western PA Angler of the Year in 2019! Chad is a proud member of YakAttack Regional Fishing Team, Fishing Online Fishing Team, Bending Branches Regional Ambassador, Zman Pro Staff, and Gamma Pro Staff. Chad is the current River’s Edge Canoe and Kayak Fishing Team Manager. Looking forward to seeing everyone on the water! The water is always open! Join us!
- Kayaks:Wilderness Systems
- Bio:Mylo hails from Greensburg, Pennsylvania and is a proud member of the Kayak Anglers of Western Pennsylvania organization. Aside from bass, Mylo loves fishing the annual steelhead run along the tributaries of Lake Erie. In the spring of 2019, Mylo experienced a heart attack and a stroke, but his strong resolve saw him return to competition within three months! Mylo is married and the proud Dad of twin sons.
- Kayaks:Bonafide Kayaks
- Bio:Tony is a lifelong resident of the Kiski River Valley and has been an avid river angler since nearly the day he could walk. The owner of the regionally famous Tony’s Doghouse in nearby Avonmore, Tony keeps the team well fed with his gourmet dogs and candied bacon!
- Kayaks:Vibe Shearwater 125, Vibe Seaghost 110
- Bio:Born and raised in Western Pa right on the Youghiogheny River, so fishing was an everyday thing from the time I was able to cast a line with my Grandfather. At that time, it was fishing for anything with anything that I could find under rocks to put on a hook. But, as with anything, that has dramatically changed through the years. I got into Kayak-Anglers about 5 years ago after a buddy gave me his un-used kayak and I haven’t looked back. I am currently the Tournament Day Director for Kayak-Anglers of Western Pa and the Corporate Secretary in Kayak-Anglers. Everyone says that fishing the Events sounds Competitive, but being out there with your friends and enjoying what the Earth has given you and the time to relax, well, there is nothing better. I feel more comfortable in my Kayak than I feel anywhere else. I feel honored to do what we do and being part of The River’s Edge Fishing Team is the GREATEST accomplishment for someone who doesn’t ask for anything else in life but to enjoy every day as it comes! The People that I have met along the way have not just become great friends, they are Family. Being asked to be on the River’s Edge Fishing was a very humbling moment for me. I just love to have Fun and help other anglers any chance I get. Kayak Fishing is a Great Passion for me. I am honored that I get to Represent Neill and Evelyn doing something that I enjoy so much. Kayak Fishing has changed my Life, and I am better for it.
- Kayaks:Old Town Kayaks
- Bio:Shawn spends as much time as he can outdoors, hunting, fishing, and camping. He grew up wading the creeks and streams in Western and Northern PA fishing for bass and trout. He got back into fishing a few years ago and like a lot of people he started fishing from a canoe and then transitioned to a kayak. He started doing Kayak Bass Tournaments in 2016 and loves to chase smallmouth bass, especially on moving water. He enjoys meeting new people on the water and at events, and tries to promote and grow the sport. Shawn won the 2020 AOY in Kayak Anglers of North East Ohio and placed 2nd in AOY in Western PA and won his first tournament, The 2020 Steel City Classic.
- Kayaks:Bonafide Kayaks
- Bio:Aaron currently resides near his Titusville, PA childhood home after pursuing his career in Rock Hill, SC and Latrobe, PA. Fishing has always been a part of his life starting with the days of exploring every water accessible by bicycle for trout, bass, and panfish. After purchasing his first kayak in 2015 for solo fishing trips, he quickly found the community of like-minded kayak anglers through social media and accepted the challenge of Catch-Photo-Release tournaments. Aaron participates regularly with Kayak Anglers of Western Pennsylvania and other tournament series in Western Pennsylvania as well as Kayak Bass Fishing (KBF) Monthly Statewide Challenge Series. In 2018 Aaron had first place finishes in team tournaments on Presque Isle Bay and Kahle Lake as well as a second place individual finish on his home lake, Justus Lake. While excelling in finesse and light tackle bass fishing techniques, the choice of the stable Bonafide Kayaks SS127 for his main fishing platform allows Aaron to continually expand his tactics and equipment to be more versatile and competitive on new and diverse fisheries. Aaron is proud to serve on the Pro Staff for American made and veteran owned Tricky Phish Bait Company.
- Kayaks:Hobie Kayaks
- Bio:A native of Long Island, New York, Chris was introduced to fishing at a young age, but didn’t begin taking it seriously until he was in the United States Marine Corps. An avid fly angler, Chris’ life took a tragic turn when an accident at work robbed him of his ability to walk correctly. Saddled with the realization that his fishing days were in his past, Chris experienced a rebirth when he discovered that a kayak could be the tool that could get him back onto the water! A member of the Hobie Factory Fishing Team, Chris enjoys competing in events promoted by the Kayak Anglers of Western Pennsylvania as well as the Kayak Bass Fishing organization. Chris loves traveling to tournaments near and far, and has competed in events ranging from Texas’ Toledo Bend Reservoir, Kentucky Lake for the KBF National Championship and even right back here to Northwest Pennsylvania for the Northeast regional open on Lake Erie. New for 2021 Chris has taken on the roll as President and tournament director for the PA B.A.S.S. Nation Kayak Series, a local trail series that is partnered with BassMaster B.A.S.S. NationKayak Series aimed at getting local anglers onto one of the grandest stages of them all in our sport, the BassMaster Classic Kayak Championship. Aside from the lure of National level competition, Chris’ passion will always remain here in Pennsylvania, either on the big lakes like Erie or the flowing waters of the Kiski and famed Susquehanna Rivers. While Chris loves competing in tournaments, his most enjoyable times on the water are the ones where he gets to spend with his fiancé Tonya, as in his words; “she competes as well and is an accomplished angler in her own right, but just seeing her enjoyment makes it all worth it after a long week at work”. Chris firmly believes in the old adage, that there’s no such thing as a bad day on the water.
- Kayaks:Bonafide Kayaks - SS127, P127 and RVR119
- Bio:My love of fishing started when I was three years old and my grandfather would take me fishing with him. Whether we were on the bank or on a boat, I loved every minute we spent fishing together. I grew up in Pittsburgh and would walk down the street and fish the Allegheny River as often as possible. I also took a bunch of trips to Lake Erie with my uncle to go out for walleye or smallmouth. Fast forward to 2016 when a friend of mine took me kayak fishing. I loved being so close to the water, and being able to sneak up on bass. After a couple more trips in borrowed or rented kayaks, I was in the market for one of my own. Researching fishing kayaks online led me to the Kayak Anglers (KA) website where I discovered kayak bass tournaments and a local shop, The River’s Edge Canoe and Kayak. I bought my first kayak in early 2017 and got it ready for tournament season. In my first ever event, I took second place out of 125 anglers at Pymatuning. That was the beginning of a journey that is ongoing and I hope doesn’t end for a long, long time. Now five seasons and three kayaks later, I have competed in events across five different chapters of KA, introduced a handful of friends to kayak fishing, and spent four years as the membership director for KA. Starting in the 2023 season, I am now the Vice President, and will continue to try to bring new people into the sport. It’s an honor to be a part of The River’s Edge Fishing Team, along with such a great group of anglers and friends. And honestly, the best part of this journey is all of the friendships that have resulted from that one trip in a friend’s kayak seven years ago.
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