Mill House Podcast

I’ve always had great affection for being in John Donnell’s presence. When I first met him over 30 years ago he was affable with a heart felt care for how well he was received... It’s important for him to be liked and loved he is, by all. Many of us came to know John though Flip’s “Walker's Cay Chronicles,” as he was a guest on the show more than any other. When I asked Flip about his good friend,...

Justin Rea has had a remarkable life on the water. His mother, Beryl, was a fishing guide in Bishop, California when she handed her three year old son a fly rod. Little did she know that gift would pay huge dividends over the next 48 years.  At age 31, Justin moved to the Keys and started to chase bigger and faster animals than what swam in the local creeks and small rivers of Bishop. Justin would...

Brad Waitman is the owner and operator of the Igiugig Lodge that sits on the bank of Lake Iliamna, located in the Bristol Bay Area of Alaska. In my mind, it’s the greatest fishing lodge i’ve ever visited. It is world class not only because of its access to some of the world’s extensive, legendary fishing, but because of Brad’s work ethics and the quality of his prideful lodge. Here’s the beauty, h...

Over the course of the 17 years that I fished tarpon tournaments in the Florida Keys the man to beat was always Rob Fordyce and who ever was on his bow... Tarpon tournament fly fishing is a team event with an angler and guide. The teams with a strong guide and a strong angler were always tough, but some guides have the ability to just find more fish than other guides and inspire, teach, and calm a...

Hal Chittum has been pushing the boundaries of greatness his entire life. Everything he’s ever engaged with he’s exerted limitless focus with an innate ability to understand the exacting process it took to succeed. I was first exposed to this when I entered his Islamorada store in the early 90’s and wanted to buy everything I saw. It was a fly fisherman’s wonderland! The door and handles of my tac...

In 1959 at 11 years of age, Tom Greene caught his first snook and never looked back. Throughout the 60's and 70's, every bridge from Jupiter to Miami was stacked with big snook on the right tide, and when he could - Tom Greene was there. He was the bridge gargoyle watching the shadow line for hours. Over time he became one of the most prolific snook fisherman in South Florida. Every snook fisherma...

Tim Borski is radically distinctive and without equal in many ways. His presence and demeanor commands attention in a low key wonderful way, his humor is flawless, always finding its mark. His attention to detail strays until the stars are in align then his genius awakens. For all the years I’ve known Tim, he’s chased his passions with outstanding success. He’s written for and has been profiled by...

In 1964, in the small Florida Keys fishing village of Islamorada, a tournament was born, The Gold Cup, which would become the most prestigious fly rod Tarpon tournament in the world. All the great fly guides and anglers made it the most prized possession they could attain in their fishing. Over the next 57 years the names on the perpetual trophy were the famed celebrities of the sport. Ted William...

Richard Stanczyk has had a large life as a captain, angler, and business owner. His impact is nothing shy of remarkable. His relationship with Swordfish was a game changer. At one time everyone thought these denizens of the deep could only be targeted in the dead of night. Richard helped evolve this quarry so they could be successfully caught while the sun is high in the sky. Today Richard’s son,...

Since the inception of this podcast, many people have commented, messaged, and emailed us asking for Andy’s story. We were hesitant about doing this interview as we want to the focus to remain on our incredible guests and not ourselves. Thanks again to Nathaniel Linville for taking the helm and conducting the interview. Hope you all enjoy. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adcho...

Dale Perez is in his 54th year as a fishing guide. He was born to compete with a life filled of sports, but gravitated to baseball where he eventually played in the big leagues with the St. Louis Cardinals, Chicago White Socks, and the Minnesota Twins. Sliding into second base he tore the ligaments in his knee and a new career in fishing was born. He was always driven to high standards and as a ta...

Fly Fishing in the Florida Keys, especially Islamorada is rich and packed with history. Ever since Joe Brooks put the Purple Isle on the map for light tackle fisherman, there have been people that have impacted and helped shape Islamorada and the flats fishing guide community as we know it today. Billy Knowles is one of those people. There is arguably no other person living as connected or importa...

After his family fled Havana, Cuba, Joe Rodriguez was born on Miami Beach in 1971. His father left early on and throughout Joe’s childhood his mother played multiple rolls as a provider, roll model, and care taker of the family. Joe soon met life-long friend, Rob Hammer, and together started to explore and fish the waters off South Florida, breaking records and creating names for themselves. He la...

Tim Carlile was born in San Diego, CA in 1949. His father, Cliff, introduced him to the outdoors at a very young age, and like many others, found a way to pursue a career out of his passion. Tim, following in his father’s footsteps, became a fishing guide out of Sugarloaf Marina in the Florida Keys from very early on. He recalls his first trip was at age 11 years old! Tim is now 72 years old and s...

Tim Mahaffey, without question, is one of our sport’s greatest anglers of all time. His tournament success is astounding having won six of the major invitational bonefish tournaments and all three major tarpon tournaments. His three tournament guides consisting of Mark Krowka, Rick Murphy, and Duane Baker systematically honed their skills and methodology to target success against the top anglers i...

Every once in a while, amidst your life travels or daily routine, you will meet someone special. Someone who embodies integrity, passion, loyalty, and work ethic. They not only make you feel good when you are in their presence, but they make you a better person. Doug Kilpatrick is one of these people. He has been a brother ever since I met him and I deeply cherish our friendship. Ever since Doug w...

In the Permit world, Kathryn Vallilee is a force to be reckoned with. In 2020 she set two incredible world records. With Capt. Nick Labadie she caught a 9.5 pound permit on 4 pound test and a 22 pound permit on 6 pound test with Capt. Brandon Cyr. She capped the year with a 3rd place finish in the IGFA permit tournament against a 19 angler field. 18 men and her! Too, against her husband, Nathaniel...

Paul Tejera is one of my closest friends on and off the water. His enthusiasm for life is second to none. He'll dive head first into anything that just appears to be fun and then he'll excel at it. Tennis, Golf, Snowboarding, Kite Boarding, Surfing, and Softball, but his fishing prowess is world class! Having won 6 tarpon tournaments (Paul is one of only a handful of guides to win all three major...

In all sports there are a handful of extremely talented, smart individuals who move the bar, inspiring others to chase that glass ceiling. In doing so they show the world the impossible is attainable. John O'Hearn has been "That Guy" for a long time now. He is the Dali Lama on the water. His cerebral intelligence is second to none. Along with his demeanor a day on the water with him is cherished l...

Willy Benson grew up in Sugarloaf Key washing boats for old time guides after their day on the water. He was a marina kid soaking in all the information those salty guides would give. Soon after, Willy rocketed onto the flats of Key West like a comet shooting across the horizon, blowing rooster tails like contrails off a jetliner. His insatiable desire made Benson aggressive on the water, challeng...

A few years ago I was making a presentation in a Miami fly shop when a man came to me and introduced himself. “Hey Andy, I’m Norman Duncan.” Oh my God, I thought, here he is! I was so excited, really. Here was one of the disciples. Flip Pallot, Chico Fernandez, Little John Emery, and Norman Duncan were as important as anyone in South Florida to initially grow the sport of Saltwater Fly Fishing. Th...

Over the last 12 months we've had an open door to some of the mostprolific men and women in fishing. In each interview we've had theprivilege of listening to profound stories that have helped forge oursport to where it is today. This week we visit with one of the most remarkable people i've evermet, and one of the most significant men in fishing, Hall of Fame member,  AlPflueger Jr. Pflueger's fis...

For the last 50 years Bob Branham has chased his chosen fish, Bonefish, over the shallow flats and edges of Biscayne Bay and the Florida Keys. You can't count out all the great permit and tarpon he's captured over the years, but Branham is a bone-fisherman! Albula Vulpes is his DNA. He knows where they're going to go next before they know where they're going to go next. Aside from his fishing geni...

In this episode, we chat about ethics on the water, IGFA rules and regulations, and address an important comment a listener wrote in about being a hypocrite when promoting the great outdoors.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Neal Beidleman is no ordinary man. Raised in Aspen, CO his heart had a big outdoor spirit. Pain became a close companion as he started chasing high mountain summits and running 100 mile races. His job is even abnormal - as an aerospace engineer he designs deployable antenna structures for NASA and holds over a dozen patents on designs and devises he has worked on over the years. This guy is what y...