Sportsmen's Empire - Fishing

It’s that time of year where we here in Michigan can give thanks for how fortunate we are to have Salmon swimming in our Great Lakes! On this episode Lee talks with Bob Hinds and Quinn Knudsen of Central Coast Angling out of Traverse City, MI.  The boys talk about upgrades to the Central Coast Angling fleet, first mate Quinn coming aboard to share his knowledge and about how the salmon are startin...

Pennsylvania is home to more than 83,000 miles of streams, many of which hold respectable native trout populations.  In the past decade, many high rain events have devastated creek channels thus affecting food webs and trout populations.  In addition to weather, there are a number of point and non-point pollution sources that continue to impair cold water streams.  This week we interview fisheries...

We are approaching Memorial Day Weekend and mother nature is cranking up the heat!! Which means it’s time to hit the shallows for some bowfishing.  On this episode the boys talk about how they got started into bow fishing and what it all entails when it comes to equipment set up, boat rigging, where to find a variety of species of fish to target and more.  Bowfishing is a great opportunity to get...

Any angler with a competitive bone in their body has either entered a fishing tournament or at least thought they have what it takes to enter one at some point.  What does it take to truly be successful?  Are you really as good as you think you are?  I am joined this week by Ryan Petravicius who gives us all some great insight as to what he had to do and what mindset he had to be in, in order to t...

The first event of the Pro Walleye Series of the H2H fishing tournament wrapped up last week here on the Detroit River.  Lee brings on past guest and walleye professional, Joe Okada who finished in the top 8 to discuss his experience fishing the new format and how he had to change his plan of attack daily to move on to the next round day after day.  The event was extremely exciting to follow and J...

This week the guys have the "Show Me Fly Guy'', Tyler Dykes on to talk about fly fishing, but with a twist.  Tyler runs a blog that's all about his fly fishing journeys, fly tying, and much more.  The guys and Tyler talk about how he got into fly fishing and tying his own flies and some specifics about fly tying.  We also talk about how Tyler likes going after all fish with his fly rod and reel, n...

On this Episode, CJ is joined by Todd from Dakota Angler, a staple tack and bait shop in the Tri-State area. Not only does Todd run this mom n’ pop bait ship, he is also a full time meteorologist and hosts the 2 nd largest Ice Expo in the country every year. Todd is a wealth of knowledge when it comes to anything fishing, so you don’t want to miss this episode. The guys talk about some late season...

Think you need a big boat to chase salmon?  Not this time of year!  Ice is blowing out and melting around The Great Lakes region and that means it’s time to bust out the long rods.  Nolan Tokar joins the podcast to talk about his experiences trolling for salmon close to shore from his kayak.  This time of year requires safety and a well thought out plan before hitting the open water as water temps...

This week on the show Jeff discusses his experiences with kayak fishing.  We discuss different types of kayaks and the features each has that are good for fishing.  Jeff talks about all the factors that went into his decision to purchase each of his kayaks and what features he wishes his kayak had, now that he has been put a few seasons in fishing from it.  He also talks about how comfort plays a...

With snagging season under way in Missouri, the guys have Steve "Scuba" Horner on to talk about it.  Steve has been snagging for several decades and he gives the listener some of the basics behind it.  He talks about the different kinds of rods, weights and their different usage, how he targets different areas, and much more.  This 45 day season is always full of fun in our state, so get out there...

Jug fishing is one of the oldest and most efficient ways to catch catfish. Not only is it simple and cheap, but it's a great family activity and one of the easiest ways to fill the freezer. This week Paul Mccann jumps on the podcast to talk about his innovative Okie Flipper, a jug fishing method that is lightyears ahead of gatorade and laundry detergent bottles. Not only does Paul talk about his p...

When you listen to and meet our guest on today’s episode you’ll instantly feel like you have known the dude forever and will want to get out fishing with him just to see what he will do or say next.  Guest and friend of the show, Captain Donnie O’Bert joins Lee this week to discuss all about how he learned early on in his guiding profession that it is not all about catching fish all the time but m...

Spring is in the air and water temps are rising! If bass weren't on your mind already, they will be after this episode. Today John is joined by bass guide and lake Eufaula record holder Bill Wright. Bill has been bass fishing for over 60 years and in the early 2000's came up with a better way to fish a Carolina rig. On a fishing trip with bass legend Jimmy Houston, the two coined the phrase "Okie...

March madness is coming up just around the corner.  The upsets, overtimes and high pressure situations play out in the next few weeks.  If you like this style of excitement and you like to watch competitive fishing, you MUST check out H2H Fishing (pronounced Head 2 Head Fishing).  Matt Tratz and Andy Cleveland join Lee on the podcast today to talk about where the idea originated, the breakdown of...

Grab a pen and paper and hold on tight! Fishing guide Dusty Keener takes us to school on everything Crappie fishing. Dusty grew up fishing and has been guiding full time for over a decade on Oklahoma's beautiful Lake Eufaula. John and Dusty go through the entire year and cover every aspect of where to find fish and how to catch them. Not only do they talk about water temperature, depth, jigs, stru...

Dave and JP are avid anglers, as any listener would know.  They're also amateurs, which they're not afraid to admit.  However, only one of the two would be eligible to fish in the new Bass Pro Shops U.S. Open which was just announced by Outdoor Legend Johnny Morris, and his iconic Bass Pro Shops brand.  Our two hosts dive into the pluses, minuses, schedule, and rules for the new series...as well a...

Making a living in the fishing industry is something can vary and look quite different across the board.  Some are business owners, guides, professional angler, tournament winners, YouTube stars, engineers and or just a model employee at your local outdoor equipment store.  In my opinion, if you are making a living in the outdoors and love what you are doing you are crushing it in my book!  Drake...

We are off and running here in 2021 with the podcast and a new episode for you to enjoy.  Not everyone chases fish during the hard water season so it is a great time to work on your boat or start looking in the market for one to purchase.  Eric Long from Long Line Charters joins us for this episode to tell us all about a $3,000 boat he purchased and fixed up for an affordable price.  When looking...

It's official, it's ice fishing season. Todays guest, Steve Weisman hops on the podcast to discuss the current  ice conditions on the major Iowa lakes. He relives his past couple trips to the lake and talks about the strategies that he used to to get on the pan fish a perch. He also talks about the process he goes through when the fish are not biting and how he changes his presentation.  Steve als...

Happy holidays everyone!  On this episode of the podcast Joe Bricko, owner of JT Outdoor Products stops on by to chat.  It has been almost 2.5 years since we last spoke with Joe and JT has grown significantly since then.  Joe and the team have come up with some very unique and innovative rods that separates them from the competition like the new 9 ft 2 snare rod.  We discuss where Joe came up with...

Christmas will be here before we know it.  A new fishing sonar for the boat or ice may be on your list this year.  Joe Testa of Freshwater Therapy rejoins the podcast to talk about his experience with Garmin’s Livescope sonar.  As technology becomes more and more advanced and more expensive it seems the learning curve becomes slightly longer.  Joe shares with us how to cut the learning curve of Ga...

Behind every good photo there is a person trying to tell a story by freezing one moment in time.  How you take that photo can be the difference between a great story and a forgettable one.  I would think a great photographer is trying to make sure you always remember their story or at least the way they would like to tell it.  Brian Eavey joins the podcast to tell his story about how he got into f...

In this episode Chad LaChance joins the show.  Chad is the host of “The Fishful Thinker”. We start off by discussing his love for archery and rifle hunting. We then jump to fishing and cover his background as a fishing coach and how-to asses situations as a coach. Chad shares the story of deciding to focus on fishing and turn that into a living and TV show. We then talk about cooking, game care, a...

There are a few spots and locations throughout the United States that are deemed or self proclaimed to be “Walleye Capital of the World”.  One lake on that list is undeniable, in my opinion.  A body of water so rich and a considered a “factory” for producing consistent large numbers and size of walleye is, Lake Erie.  Having grown up near the shores of this historical body of water I can attest to...

Arctic Grayling are a historic fish to us here in the state of Michigan as they used to inhabit the cool waters of the Au Sable River and other streams up until the early 1900’s when they rapidly disappeared completely.  These fish were the only native salmonid to Michigan streams and could be easily identified by a sail like dorsal fin and blue slate colored body.  Arctic Grayling were so abundan...