Fishing For a Living

Getting to 10,000 followers on Instagram wasn’t an overnight journey—and it definitely wasn’t easy. In this solo episode of Fishing For a Living, I break down exactly how I grew a fishing-focused personal brand to 10K followers, what actually worked, what didn’t, and the three principles that mattered far more than views or viral posts. This isn’t about hacks or gaming the algorithm. It’s about co...

Fishing For a Living—Episode with Drew Wilson (@drewlr)This episode starts the way a lot of good fishing days do—chaos on the water, chasing giant gar on a fly rod with LiveScope, missed net jobs, bad ideas, and a whole lot of laughs. But where it goes… is somewhere much deeper. In this episode of Fishing For a Living, I sit down with Drew Wilson—tattoo artist, self proclaimed low-brow angler, art...

One of the biggest swimbait brands in the world didn’t start in a shop, a factory, or with a business plan. It started with a piece of firewood . In this episode of Fishing For a Living , I go fishing with Kevin Brightwell , founder of KGB Swimbaits , to uncover the real story behind one of the most respected names in the swimbait world—a story that most people have never heard. Before KGB was kno...

If you’ve ever wanted to turn fishing into a living—but felt stuck, overwhelmed, or unsure where to start—this episode is for you. After leaving a stable six-figure career, I’m building a real plan to fish more, work less, and still support my family—without chasing hype or blowing everything up. In this episode, I break down my full 2026 business plan: how I’m using content, consulting, brand dea...

I planned to release a new episode last week. Instead, my second son came into the world MUCH EARLIER than was planned. Life doesn’t care about your content calendar—and that lesson alone sums up what this episode is really about. In this solo episode of Fishing For a Living , I break down the five biggest lessons I’ve learned so far since leaving my 9–5 to build a life around fishing, storytellin...

EPISODE 5 — KEGAN WARD | OZARK KAYAK So you think you want to start a kayak shop (or any outdoor retail business)…? Today’s episode of Fishing For a Living features Kegan Ward, the owner of Ozark Kayak, one of Northwest Arkansas’ most trusted paddle shops and outdoor outfitters—and a guy who knows these waters like the back of his hand. Kegan grew up right here in the Ozarks. And only a stone's th...

Today’s episode is raw, honest, and straight from the heart. We’re 29 days into the Movember Challenge—30 days of fishing, filming, podcasting, and showing up every single day to raise awareness for men’s mental health and suicide prevention . And while this journey has been one of the most rewarding things I’ve ever done, it’s also been one of the hardest. I’ve missed days. I’ve battled sickness....

What happens when you go all-in on fishing, content, and your own dreams? Bailey Eigbrett knows the answer—because he did it and is not only surviving, but thriving. Today’s guest is a creator, entrepreneur, tournament angler, and the founder of the Serious Angler Podcast Network , home to Serious Angler, Business From The Bass Boat, Lure Lab, and Kayak Fishing Weekly. What started as a small pass...

Today is all about Man’s Best Friend. For Day 25 of the Movember Challenge, I’m taking a moment to spotlight the one partner who shows up for me every single time—my dog, Midge. Never complains. Never asks when we’re going home. Always excited. Always loyal. And honestly, one of the biggest reasons my mental health stays intact. Whether it’s on a quiet morning launch, a long grind of a day, or the...

Grit. Hard times. Community. Redfish. Conservation. Purpose. In this episode of Fishing For a Living, Kyle sits down with a close friend—Simón Valencia, founder of Current Culture Fly, guide, community builder, cyclist, former social worker, dog dad and a man whose life story is as powerful as the waters he guides on. Simón's journey has geography written inside it—born outside the U.S., raise...

Today’s episode is simple: do what makes YOU feel alive—not what makes the haters comfortable. Earlier this week, I went out to Beaver Lake and caught striped bass on the fly using Livescope for the very first time. It was electric, chaotic, and one of the most fun days I've ever had on the water. And yeah… I already know some people are going to talk trash about how I did it. But here’s the t...

If you’ve ever dreamed of fishing for a living , starting an outdoor business, becoming a full-time creator, or building a life on your own terms… this episode is the blueprint. In Episode 2 of Fishing For a Living , Kyle McCann sits down with four of the most respected names in fishing — Kevin VanDam , Kristine Fischer , Mark Daniels Jr , and Carl Jocumsen — to answer the question everyone asks:...

This Veterans Day, two fishermen came together for something bigger than fishing. In this special episode of the Movember Challenge & Fishing for a Living, I sit down with Jose Cinco—Army Veteran, storyteller, outdoorsman, and Relationship Manager for KastKing—to talk about mental health, purpose, and turning your passion into peace. We cover Jose’s journey from service to civilian life, how h...

Life can be as hard or as simple as the decisions you make. Today, I put that to the test — cleared the boat of everything except swimbaits and swimbait rods and hit the water with a simple plan: trust my gut, slow down, and fish with intent. A couple of solid bites on the Gracely Baits Commode proved the point—sometimes less is more. Whether it’s fishing, business, or life, simplicity creates cla...

Day 8 of the Movember Challenge is about gratitude—and how damn lucky we are to have this passion. Not everyone wakes up knowing what makes them feel alive. But for us, it’s fishing. The cast, the calm, the chaos—all of it. It’s our escape, our therapy, our reminder that purpose doesn’t have to be complicated. In this episode, I reflect on what it means to be thankful for the water, the chase, and...

Today’s lesson hit home. A 13-year-old named Clayton reached out and offered to handcraft me a glide bait. It showed up in the mail, and it’s one of the most beautiful baits I’ve ever seen — not just because of how it looks, but because of what it represents. In this episode, I talk about why I don’t see anyone as competition. We’re all running our own race, chasing our own dreams, and if I can he...

This one’s for everyone who’s ever looked at someone winning and said, “must be nice.” Day 6 of the Movember Challenge is about destroying the myth of luck. I sat down with former Bassmaster Elite angler Harvey Horne after a long day on Bull Shoals to talk about what it really takes to win—in fishing, business, and life. We dive into: How Harvey won nearly $200K on the Big Bite Baits Fighting Frog...

After a decade climbing the ladder in the outdoor and lifestyle industry—working with brands like Facebook, Smith Optics, Canyon, and illycaffè—I realized I’d been building someone else’s dream instead of my own. So I walked away. From comfort, from a steady paycheck, and from the “safe path.” In this first episode of Fishing for a Living, I sit on both sides of the mic to share how it all began—f...

Day 3 of The Movember Challenge —I’m fishing every single day this month to raise awareness and funds for men’s mental health and suicide prevention. Today’s challenge? One bait. One hour. One lake. One lesson. It’s about proving that just getting outside can change everything — even if it’s only for a few minutes. In this episode, I talk about: The mental benefits of being outdoorsHow fishing has...

Today wasn’t a win on paper — but it wasn’t a loss either. I fished a tournament on Beaver Lake and completely missed the mark. The bite changed, my plan fell apart, and I let stubbornness take the wheel. But that’s exactly what this challenge is about — learning through the losses, and finding gratitude in the grind. Day 2 of The Movember Challenge — I’m fishing every single day in November to ra...

This is where it starts. A fresh shave, a clean slate, and a 30-day commitment to raising awareness for men’s mental health and suicide prevention through Movember . For the next month, I’ll be fishing every single day, posting daily videos and reflections about life, mindset, and what it really means to take care of yourself—mentally, physically, and emotionally. This is my story, and maybe it ca...

It’s officially Movember—and this year, I’m going all in. For the next 30 days, I’ll be fishing every single day to raise awareness and funds for men’s mental health and suicide prevention through Movember . This challenge isn’t just about fishing—it’s about showing up, staying consistent, and taking care of your mental health one cast at a time. This short trailer kicks off the journey. Starting...

Imagine waking up every day, building someone else’s dream… while your own slips further away. After a decade in marketing for some of the biggest outdoor and lifestyle brands in the world, I realized I’d fallen into that trap myself. So I walked away—from comfort, from paychecks, from the “safe path”—to chase the one thing that’s always called me back: the water. I’m Kyle McCann, a fisherman, fat...