Musky Fool is one of the most unique fly shops we have visited on Fly Shop Tour, dedicating their entire shop to a single species: the muskellunge. Based in the Madison, Wisconsin, area, the shop sat in the middle of musky country and carried some of the best big-fly materials, rods, reels, and gear. The community they built, their online presence, and their dedication to a specialized form of fly fishing seemed like a recipe for success. So on August 31, when owners Dan and Jenn Donovan announced they were closing, we, like much of the fly fishing community, were left heartbroken and in shock.
Now, just over a month later, we are thrilled to report that Musky Fool is back. The outpouring of love and support for the Musky Fool crew led to Ben Traves, owner of Salt Fly Pro, discovering the shop and its incredible story. Traves jumped on the opportunity to continue the Musky Fool story and purchased the shop, securing its place in the Madison area.
In the near future, Ben Traves will be reopening Musky Fool to serve the local community while running muskyfool.com to reach anglers across the country. We’re excited to see what this next chapter of Musky Fool brings, and even more excited to celebrate this win for fly shops and small businesses across the country.
Stay tuned as the next iteration of Musky Fool comes to life.
