As a native of Hudson, Illinois, Thad has spent his entire life fishing and learning the waters of Evergreen Lake, home to a variety of fish, notably trophy muskies. He has 20+ years of guiding experience making him one of the top musky guides in the state. His skills and knowledge have been featured in publications such as Chicago Sun Times, Midwest Outdoors, The Pantagraph, Peoria Journal Star, and is a contributing writer for Musky Hunter magazine. Thad has been a featured guest on the television show, Illinois Adventures. Thad has won multiple awards and fishing tournaments across the state, including the Illinois Musky Alliance Award for Largest Release Musky in a Year.