Scales N Tales

Ever tried roasted peanuts mixed in with your Diet Coke? Joining me from the deep swamps of Florida, Bret hops on the podcast to share his journey in this crazy fishing scene. We talk about how he first got into airbrushing, what ultimately led him to start building baits, and the real reason he stays so motivated and inspired to keep pushing forward. Bret’s an awesome guy with a big heart, always...

It feels like it’s been a while since I’ve had the chance to really nerd out on media talk with a guest—so who better to join me than Caleb Tacia? He’s the guy behind the camera and edits for Jon B, and there’s a good chance he’s been the brain behind some of the big Instagram reels you’ve seen floating around. Caleb didn’t follow the “traditional” filmmaker path—he skipped college and put in real...

Maybe one of the best trophy anglers coming out of the state of Pennsylvania, Mike Colfer joins us for an episode breaking down how he finds success. From exploring new lakes to explaining how he uses his sonar and, of course, how he gets those fish to commit, Mike shares it all. We also touch on his background in the trout scene and what eventually pulled him into the swimbait world after coming...

For the second time ever, SNT was joined by a guest from Down Under. Tanna comes on the podcast to talk all things Australia fishing. I think as U.S. anglers, we only see limited content from Australia and assume it’s all about Murray cod—at least I did. Tanna shares insights about the barramundi scene and how it’s the local fish for him. He tells some crazy stories about chasing big barra, and of...

A fellow Northern Midwesterner jumps on the podcast—Isaac, a young hammer from the great state of Wisconsin. He’s located in a pretty unique spot, with the ability to fish Wisconsin or Minnesota waters fairly easily. Being a true river rat, we obviously had to talk about what it’s like fishing the ‘Sippi in the wintertime, and how crazy that fishery can be all year round. Isaac's socials: IG:...

In my opinion, anywhere you look in the swimbait scene, your eye will pass over some form of artwork—and I’d bet that a handful, if not the majority, of that art was created by Kyle. With over 10 years of creating swimbait artwork and showing no signs of slowing down, GoonieWolfe has been bringing people’s ideas and visions to life. Whether it’s representing their brand, designing merch, painting...

Making his fifth appearance on SNT—which is definitely a record—Dr. Wieker returns for his yearly check-in. We talk about his last few months in Arizona, how he got on some wild bites, and how he’s already kicked off musky season with a crazy run since the opener. He shares his thoughts on moving to a new city and his plans for breaking down the local fishery. We also dive into his signature musky...

Way back in 2023, for episode 44, Curran jumped on the pod. Now, 145 episodes later, he joins us once again. A lot has changed for him since that first appearance—new boat, new setups, and plenty of fish stories in between. We talk about boat ownership and what it’s been like transitioning from his older boat to the new one. We also dive into his recent soft bait fishing and his early experience t...

If you couldn’t already tell by the guests joining me for episode 188, this one is anything but serious. Marshall joins us after his recent trip to Japan, and Nole returns for the first time since December 2024. We catch up on what they’ve been up to lately and what they’re looking forward to as they head to Minnesota in the next few days. I’m especially excited to see Nole get his first Northern...

What happens when you get two Northern Michigan guys together—one who takes smallmouth fishing seriously, and the other who’s combined his knowledge of smallmouth forage and engineering to create the first line-through bait based on the delicious goby? JP is an awesome guy who saw a hole in the market and wanted to cater to his fellow northern anglers, creating the Godzilla Goby. In a short amount...

Fresh off a double-digit high, Everett joins us for episode 186. We break down his introduction to swimbait fishing and talk about how the bass culture in Alabama still hasn’t fully embraced the swimbait game. While others may be falling behind the curve, Everett has picked up the slack and run with it—getting dialed in with the full size Shat and the Defiant Baby Bird Crawler. We also touch on hi...

The man behind Swimbaits All Day (SBA), Seb, joins me for an episode to talk about his introduction to swimbaits and, of course, the story behind starting his clothing company. Sebastian explains the hardships of launching the brand and what it’s been like to grow from zero followers to where they are now. He made a few bait sacrifices to kick-start the company’s funding, and I think the return he...

Jeff joins us from New York to talk about some serious trophy hunting. Arguably one of the most dedicated guys doing it in the state, we discuss his previous years of success and what he'd like to accomplish in 2025. Since recording, he has caught a handful of big fish, and it sounds like it has been the result of a few of the things he breaks down for us in this episode. Jeffs social's: I...

Geoffrey might just be the most subscribed big bait YouTuber out there. With what feels like a trillion trips to Japan—and another one happening as you're listening—he joins us to talk about his recent experience at Keep Cast, the massive (and mostly bass-focused) fishing expo in Japan. Geoff breaks down how the event operates, from the sheer scale of it to the uniquely fair way Japanese cultu...

Kevin Rogers from the NPFL joined us to talk all things swimbaits. He’s got a wall of baits that would put most of us to shame. We dove into how he incorporates big baits into his tournament game—and how they’ve started to overly dictate his approach. I asked him about his process for practicing ahead of events and how throwing big baits helps him locate fish on any lake in the country. He also sh...

By now, it’s no surprise that a lot of well-known people are into fishing, and it seems like more and more are starting to find their way into the swimbait world. Chase is no exception—he grew up fishing and is now fully immersed in the swimbait scene. He shares a few stories from his time on tour and how he now focuses on family and swimbait fishing when he’s home. One story centers around a part...

Marsh has been in Japan for almost a month since recording this show, but you know he had to jump on before leaving. We recap his October trip to Japan, what he’s been up to since last July, and everything he planned and prepped for this latest visit. We also touch on a few Japanese traditions that some in the U.S. might find unusual. But as a visitor, it’s all about respecting the culture and sho...

Getting to speak with someone who shares my love and passion for bowfin (dogfish) is always a pleasant surprise. Hunter joins me on this episode as we discuss his introduction to bass fishing, his quick entry into swimbait fishing, and how he’s found success with it while also learning more about the waters he fishes. On top of that, we dive into his history of competing in the tournament bass sce...

It seems like the next big thing in the swimbait scene is starting to hatch. Snook fishing—and saltwater or brackish water swimbait fishing in general—has been taking off over the past 3-4 years. Anthony has been a part of this movement since almost the beginning, and he hasn’t let up since, helping to mainstream the snook swimbait fishing scene in Florida. From spillway fishing to canal fishing a...

For the first time in what feels like forever, we have a  Washington State angler  on the show! Mike joins us to talk about his entry into the swimbait scene and how he isn’t afraid to fall back on conventional tactics when the situation calls for it. He also shares the story of his  crazy experience last season , landing a handful of truly memorable fish—all within a  very short time window . Mik...

What do you call a 6.5-inch, 2.5oz mutant-looking crawfish? I call it the dweller. Callum joins the show to share the story behind the dweller and dweller jr., diving deep into why these abnormally large crawfish profiles can trigger bites from otherwise tight-lipped fish. He also gives us an early look at what to expect from the tetre—a soft glide bait featuring a beast hook system that’s sure to...

It’s been way too long since my good friend Kyle from Throwback Baits has been on SNT. Kyle was one of the first builders we interviewed back in 2022. Fast forward nearly three years, and his growth has been remarkable. We talk about the upcoming  Wake Walker Lite  bait, their new  soft bait , and he even hints at a few other projects in the works! I hope to see you guys at the  TB Event in June —...

It's not often I get to talk with someone who got to experience the California crawfish fishing era along with the trout swimbait era. Jason had gotten to expect them both, while not at the peak of crawfish soaking it still was a crazy time. Jason also dives into the stories of his five biggest fish and his PB at 16.25 pounds. Jason's socials: IG: jay_saberon YT: Fishing with Jay

It's always special when I have a guest who is just as passionate about capturing trips with their camera while also fishing big baits. It's a relationship many don’t dive into much, but when I have the chance to speak with someone who geeks out over media as much as I do, I take full advantage of the episode. Garritt has a different spin on filming than most, ditching the newest and clearest came...

Have you ever met a builder with a more fitting last name? Konnor Kraft is the man behind Hand Krafted Baits. Konnor and I talked about what it was like growing up in the Great White North, battling harsh winters while trying to become more familiar with bass fishing at a young age. We discussed how he got into carving and his journey as a painter. I also asked if we can ever expect resin baits fr...