Cameras Off / Outdoors

I've known Tom a long time. He was an enthusiastic first participant in my experiment of fishing films and believed in the mission. Mini may not realize that he was a well respected fishing guide in the Florida Keys on before he was TV host. He went on to create his own TV series, Saltwater Experience , and he's been in media and angling ever since. We begin our story back in the 1980s as...

The art of angling. This is the story of a journey across the planet with a passion for fish, an artistic eye and big fishing dreams. Long before he was chasing giant fish across the globe, Christiaan Pretorius was representing South Africa in international competition at just fourteen years old. Since then, his journey has taken him from the remote wilderness of Kamchatka, Russia—where he spent m...

You may have heard the name, but do you know the man? In this down to earth conversation with the legend of television at 85, we look back at it all. The man, the myth, with the signature orange cap —Mr. Bill Dance. Before he became a household name on television, Bill built one of the most dominant tournament careers in fishing history. He is credited with catching the the first bass in B.A.S.S....

Records, Reefs and Road Trips. Carl Navarre Jr. joins us on the Tarpon Diaries series on CAMERAS OFF to tell it like it is - and what it was. Truths about early Keys and Homosassa flats a few myths busted. A rare opportunity to get a fresh perspective from the kid who was raised by a legend to understand the outdoors. Navarre is Chairman Emeritus of Bonefish & Tarpon Trust and is uniquely qual...

The fish whisperer is back on CAMERAS OFF/ Tarpon Diaries series . Champion angler and friend Captain Mark Krowka revisits the program - And, this time we're giving extra attention to Tarpon and strategies used on the flats and in tournaments. And then a little something beyond. Hint: The Navy scrambles jets when it's in the neighborhood. The fish whisperer shares his thoughts on the silve...

Frederik Jakobus "Jako" Lucas is the million mile angler. His passion for discovering how species can be caught and then sharing it (and the lessons learned) has few peers. His career is a relentless benchmark for angling/guiding adventures - paired with films documenting the journey along the way. He has been circling the earth since he left his native South Africa to work in a fly shop...

Speaking Tarpon --- Eizo Maruhashi went where no one had gone before in championship saltwater fishing: Past the language barrier to the podium. Japan’s pioneering saltwater fly angler was a bridge between Japanese tackle innovation and the golden era of tarpon fly fishing in the Florida Keys. Champion and veteran FL. Keys guide Randy Towe starts us off and paints the picture. He joins us to talk...

On the 25th Anniversary of a legendary catch, it's time to hear about it in Jim Holland's words. He was in his mid-20s and Tarpon-obsessed. He and his father, Jim Holland Sr. flew across the country from Washington state to fish for giant tarpon. They had a wild dream, but just how exactly did it come true? And what happened after fate starting to go his way. For a kid, it would been train...

LESS IS MORE: This was the unpopular stance by a young biologist named Dick Vincent in the 1970’s regarding wild rivers when seasonal / supplemental fish stocking was expected. But the wild West was in Vincent’s DNA and he wasn’t backing down. Born in Bozeman in June of 1940, Richard “Dick” Vincent grew up fishing the waters of the Madison and Clark Fork rivers alongside his father and grandfather...

Stuart C. Apte. The fisherman, the myth...The Boxer. Apte was born near the water in Miami Florida in 1930. No matter how far he roamed after that, he always made sure that water was gonna be part of his life. He became the gold standard for modern saltwater flyfishing. Among his 44 world records, his Pacific Sailfish and Dorado records still stand. He was a constant friend and fishing partner to...

When you know, you know. April Vokey knew at early age that fishing and the outdoors were going to be central to her life. Live from Australia at April's Eastern HQ (BC Canada the other) we discuss a busy life on the water and off. The pro steelheader's and outdoor adventurer story was lit during her childhood ventures with her parents in the outdoors. Fast forward to a burgeoning guiding...

Bill knows best. The man on the bluff breaks down what swims beneath - and above: He's seen UAP's out there too. We travel to Montauk, NY to hang with the man who arrived pre-internet, amid giant blitzes, and no-sleep anglers. Bill Schulken made his truck into the cliffside outpost to see it all. One of the most dynamic anglers we've ever met. This former marine from Queens (via UPS - yes, the "Ki...

If you're a fisherman in the Florida Keys, chances are you've heard of Mark Krowka - especially if you are looking for tournament wins or records. But many people have not. And the gold standard keeps a pretty low profile - enough to sneak up on a few UFO's (true story) in the pre-light AM when scouting the flats. Mark Krowka's prolific 63 championship tournament wins, 10 IGFA worl...

A truly great guide is a combination of things. A friend. A coach. An ally. A steward of the resource. And, of course, the person that knows where the fish are. Checking all these boxes made Paul Dixon one of the top guides in fly fishing. He spent a lifetime figuring out not only where the fish are, but how best to share them with others. He has been recognized for his efforts with The Izaak Walt...

Greg Myerson rocked the fishing world in 2011. As the news spread, he was one of the last to know. The most famous record in fishing, the IGFA's heaviest Striped Bass mark brought the world to his door. And while he was happy to welcome it, there was more to the story than just the fish. This episode defies typical description. It is in many ways an audiobook of a life that breaks convention f...

Matt Miles wasn't looking for accolades when he was recognized as guide of the year by Orvis. He was more concerned with following the fish. He's been on his own path since going his own way after high school. He headed west with his snowboard to see if he could make a life out of the sport. But life had other plans. And a chance meeting with a fishing guide, sparked his natural gift and started h...

Brian O'Keefe's life begs the question, what does it take to live a life of adventure? Can a passion be sustained year after year? What sacrifices are required? Brian O'Keefe has spent seven decades answering that question. As one of angling's north stars, one could measure their days against his skills, air miles, fish catches and most of all, his stories . He's stood across f...

BONUS EPISODE: "Clark Kent Syndrome" PART II of Mic Drop. This short call with Hall of Fame angler Mike Iaconelli before our trip to Philadelphia adds insights into how he started bass fishing (without permission) and survived as a pro in an outdoor sport with more ways to fail than succeed. His personality helped: He was the face of ESPN's competitive fishing In the early 2000's...

Meet Hall of Fame angler Mike Iaconelli, where it all started - in Philadelphia on his home waters. Discover another side of one of America's most famous competitors (and celebrators) as we fish our way up the Schuylkill River. The story is about a lot more than bass. It's about family, finding your own way, and not giving up… "Ike" became the face of professional Bass fishing as...

BILLY: BACK ON THE BEACH. After a glass of bourbon, and a walk-through, the last 50 years in Part I, it was time to hit the beach. The other side of Montauk's lone year-round shore guide, Bill Wetzel, is on the water. Things begin somewhat calmly in the sand and the dunes in the afternoon. By the time we meet again that night in a Fall rain, blasting through potholes and dunes on back roads, a...

PART 1/2: : Part 1/STUDIO + Part 2/SHORE ("Bill Between Casts") When Bill "Billy" Wetzel got his license, he knew exactly where he was going. The point of Montauk. And he has been there ever since. Studying the water. Walking its shores. And ranting into his Instagram live feed in the middle of the night (for any one lucky enough to be awake) to keep himself awake on the ride home another drive ho...

He's one of the faces of fishing, but do you know him? As a kid in Carolina, Oliver White discovered his life required water. He built a plan around exploring his world as a guide, and eventually a globally active angler. Still, there's a little more to the man behind the beard and the hat, and those well-lit images you'll discover. We float down the Snake River in Idaho, chatting abou...

What a ride. A candid conversation with Andy Mill: After a life running at full speed with a commitment to testing himself through competition, Mill takes a moment for a philosophical break to look back and ahead. Mill's life as USA's best downhill Olympic downhill skier, and TV producer, were his first chapter before finding his real footing as a fishing ambassador, champion angler (14 to...

Bob Popovics (1948-2024) passed suddenly in 2024, due to injuries sustained from a hit and run accident near his Shady Rest Restaurant in Bayville, NJ. We honor his life and legacy with this podcast. Bob stated that one of his proudest moments in his life, was his famous Tuesday Nights (a fly fishing event built on saltwater fly tying, food and drink - and word of mouth) at his house in Seaside He...

Note: the episode will air here Tuesday, January 14, 2025. (recorded December, 2024) The unexpected loss of friend, outdoor ambassador and fly tying craftsman Bob Popovics prompted this unplanned early episode of Cameras Off. We honor his unprecedented life through the candid stories of his closest friends - sharing laughter and reflection inspired by his memory. Stories include a look back at Bob...