Fin & Fire with Jeff Mishler

Dec Hogan was part of a triad which influenced and defined steelhead fishing with a two handed rod as we know it today. In this episode of Fin And Fire With Jeff Mishler, Dec and I sit down for a chat during the 2025 Sandy River Spey and take a long "trip down memory lane" as Dec says, and rekindle a friendship 25 years in the making. 

Mia and Marty Sheppard are outfitters in Oregon and run a number of permits on various rivers. This allows them to diversify their programs and take advantage of prime time so their clients get the best possible experience.  In this episode of Fin And Fire with Jeff Mishler, Marty and I talk about his life path, the challenges of running the business, reconnecting with the spey community at the sp...

Heather Hodson is on a mission to change society's assumptions and stereotypes about fishing by inviting everyone into the fold. In this episode of Fin And Fire With Jeff Mishler, Heather and I discuss her angling past and efforts to change the world, one angler at a time.

A knife in your pocket is a personal thing.  It's a tool.  It's your persona. If it's a Benchmade knife it's also your legacy; it's going to be around a lot longer than you will be.  In this episode of Fin And Fire With Jeff Mishler I sit with John O'Connor, head of sales at Benchmade Knife Company and we discuss the brand, the market and how these quality knives remain in high demand. 

Dave Dozer and Olivia Elia share a workspace, ideas and their passion for cane, but the finished products possess their respective fingerprints. Distinction in this timeless trade comes naturally when you are passionate about the craft and embrace the fact that each rod requires about 100 hours of work. In this episode of Fin And Fire With Jeff Mishler Dave and Olivia share their stories and offer...

Madi loves to hunt.  Rifle, Bow, doesn't matter. What does matter to her is that the hunter practices often and understands the limitations of equipment and skills. She has many trophy experiences, but prefers to  procure protein for her family and friends over chasing horns. In this episode of Fin and Fire With Jeff Mishler, Madi and I share hunting stories and discuss rifle shooting techniques....

Kelly Warren is the Western Oregon regional Biologist for Ducks Unlimited. Kelly often works with local land owners to cooperatively design and develop thriving habitats for all wetland species. In this episode of Fin and Fire with Jeff Mishler we talk about the processes of teamwork required to transform acres into productive wildlife habitat.  We also share some duck hunting stories and a couple...

In this rapid fire episode of Fin and Fire With Jeff Mishler I sit with participants of the annual Flash Tying Challenge, a friendly tying competition with a crazy twist. The day was filled with great conversation and creative approaches to the past time we love. 

Marena Gray is the manager of The Custom Shop at The Meating Place in Hillsboro, Oregon.  She breaks down thousands of animals each season and offers some solid advice for hunters if they want to get quality meat back from the butcher. It all starts with what you do in the field.  

Calling mallards effectively requires practice, observations skills and creativity.  In this episode of Fin And Fire With Jeff Mishler, Mike and I sit down at DSD headquarters and dive deep into the process of improving your duck calling.  This podcast is much more than just another "How-To" lesson.  In fact, we break some molds and myths around the entire process of talking to ducks.

Where did our Chinook Salmon go?  The disappearance of this keystone species is a pressing issue affecting cultures and economies within the entire Pacific Rim. In this episode of Fin and Fire With Jeff Mishler, I chat with Dr. Will Atlas of the Wild Salmon Center, a man with his thumb on the pulse of the issue.  Will explains our current situation with salmon populations and what needs to change...

Bruce Kruk is the go-to expert for Swing the Fly Magazine when it comes to Spey Casting Techniques. His local waters are perfectly set up for utilizing the long line. In the this episode of Fin and Fire With Jeff Mishler, Bruce and I discuss the subtle differences between casting shorter Skagit style lines and more traditional Spey set ups.  As Bruce says, "long lines don't lie".

Matt Davis is following his passion.  He loves to hunt and create the best American made upland gear available today. In this episode of Fin And Fire with Jeff Mishler I discover what makes Matt tick.  Where do his ideas come from? What does a day in the life look like?  Final Rise is a quality line of products and Matt tells his story while we share a common love for chasing upland birds.

What makes one boat manufacturer stand out from the others?  Two things come to mind.  On-the-water performance and customer service. In this episode of Fin And Fire With Jeff Mishler, Joe Koffler dives into the details of his family business and the commitment of offer a quality product with the option to customize the details. 

Jim Akenson spent half of his career studying the ecosystem of the Frank Church, River Of No Return Wilderness and the role of predators there.  He is at the epicenter of the Oregon Wolf Management Plan. In this episode of Fin and Fire With Jeff Mishler I sit with Jim at his home in Enterprise, Oregon and dive deep into the controversy of wolves on the landscape, the role of hunters and how to sus...

Once Big Horn Sheep were all but exterminated in Oregon, restoring the population was more of a challenge than anyone imagined, for a number of reasons.  In this episode of Fin and Fire With Jeff Mishler, Vic Coggins takes me through his 47 year career with the State of Oregon and the processes involved to maintain a sustainable population of this iconic Big Game animal.

For Todd Moen, a lifetime of chasing anglers around the globe with a camera on his back and a passion for editing, created a library of the best fly fishing films available.  He's committed to this lifestyle. His success is proof of his talents.  In this episode of Fin And Fire With Jeff Mishler, I sit with Todd in his Oregon home and talk fly fishing, best trips, worst trips and share our thought...

Jon Covich has been committed to the fly fishing industry for decades. Besides representing some of the industry's top brands, Jon is a travel liaison for Fly Water Travel. Exotic destinations are his specialty.  In this episode of Fin and Fire with Jeff Mishler, Jon and I discuss his the arc of his career and his favorite international destinations. 

Ted Fry is Raptor Archery and Raptor Archery is a reputable source for quality traditional archery gear. Ted's lifetime of outdoor experience fuels his passion to create traditional gear and teach others the joys we experience in the woods while carrying a bow. This long conversation is filled with life stories and discussions about the sport we love. It is one of my favorite podcasts.

Levi Day loves to hunt and fish.  He has shaped his life around those two activities. And after two decades of teaching, Levi took a job with Pheasants Forever and Quail Forever.  Levi Day is committed to bringing young professionals into a field needing fresh, qualified and committed personnel. A membership base is critical to sustain support, but so is a passionate research and management commun...

It's never too late to improve your outdoor skills and in this episode of Fin And Fire With Jeff Mishler, shooting instructor Eric White takes me through the process of correct gun fit, gun mount, sight picture, stance, foot placement, establishing lead and trigger pull. And in the process, I realize I have been practicing what I thought were good fundamentals, incorrectly.  And that your instinct...

Derek DeYoung's view of the world he paints is manifested through vibrant color pairings, accentuated features, and a viewpoint pushing the realms of a first person perspective. In this episode of Fin and Fire with Jeff Mishler, Derek and I discuss his professional path and processes to create his highly sought, vibrant work.

If you want to be the best angler possible, you should understand fly line design. In this episode of Fin And Fire With Jeff Mishler, I sit down with Chris Walker at the Rio Products factory and go deep into the process of designing modern fly lines and broach the subject of the holy grail of all lines.  

To succeed in the industry of fly fishing, Brian believes one must be open to change when presented with options. In this episode of Fin and Fire with Jeff Mishler, Brian and I sit down at his home in Idaho and revisit a lifetime of opportunities and experiences  that helped create his, "life well lived". 

When you pick up a Burkheimer and cast it, there's a quality that's hard to describe but otherwise known as "The Burkheimer Feel".  In this episode of Fin and Fire with Jeff Mishler, Kerry and I sit in his rod finishing room in Washougal Washington and continue a conversation we started 20 years ago. The secrets to building a Burkheimer might surprise you.