A lifelong, self-proclaimed fishing addict, from northeastern Illinois’ Lake County, Chris Willen has been fishing since he was three years old. Starting out as a boy on a bike with his fishing rod, Chris would make the short trek to the lake closest to his family home. Before school, after school and pretty much any time in between Chris had a fishing rod in his hand and a small hand-me-down rowboat.   

Bike rides to neighborhood lakes evolved into more specific pursuits, and Chris has spent the last five years focused primarily on pursuing Muskies.  Cutting his teeth on the local musky lakes near his home, Chris was and is a lake specialist. His introduction to the Musky Country Outfitters team exposed him to the world of river musky and fly rods kicking his quest for knowledge into overdrive.  In the relatively short span of a couple seasons Chris has become a world-class fly angler and he can’t wait to share his knowledge with anyone willing to listen.

Chris' passion for fishing and dream of making fishing a fulltime career drove him to put the lakes of Illinois behind him and head to the big woods of northern Wisconsin to work with Musky Country Outfitters. He has spent the last two seasons under the influence of the MCO crew that he now considers his extended family.  Hundreds of days on the water have honed his skill to a remarkable level for someone so recently converted to the fly game.

Predator Fly tying is another art that Chris has become well acquainted with during his time with MCO.  When he’s not on the water you can find him at the tying desk keeping the guides stocked with flies or completing custom orders.  Every fly that comes out of the vice has much thought and time behind it and nothing makes him happier than seeing one of them lodged in a big toothy critter's mouth.  Always learning and innovating, Chris has elevated his tying skills to a professional level and will be the primary tier of Primo Tail brand predator flies- scheduled to be launched in 2012.