The Destination Angler Podcast

Our destination is the pristine waters of the Blackfoot River in Montana, Part 1, with special guest, the acclaimed author and journalist, John Maclean, son of Norman Maclean, the literary genius behind the book, "A River Runs Through It."   The Blackfoot River is a place of rugged beauty and renowned trout fishing.   It's a slice of paradise that has captivated the hearts of Montanans for generat...

Our Destination is the world-renowned Provo River in Utah with expert fly angler, guide and artist, Walter Foster, Park City Trout Tales, and Fine Fin Art.     Only 20 minutes from Park City, the Provo is one of Utah's top trout destinations known for big browns and rainbows that'll rip line like there's no tomorrow.   Walter has been guiding clients on Utah's most famous lakes and streams for 27...

Our destination is the legendary San Juan River in Northern New Mexico with expert guide and fly angler, Rob Coddington, Duranglers Fly Shop, Durango Colorado.   The San Juan River is considered one of THE top tailwaters in America due to the sheer numbers and size of trout.   Rob played college baseball and spent his summers trout fishing in Jackson hole.   He and his wife moved to Durango 24 yea...

Our Destination is the St Croix River with Brian Maze, Amaazen Outdoors, Prescott, Wisconsin.   Come along with us as Brian chases Muskies on the fly.   The St Croix is one of the original 8 rivers protected by the Wild and Scenic River act.   With little or no development, the upper section offers a wild, remote, and unpressured experience for anglers.   Brian covers the St Croix from end to end...

Our destination is the Indian Peaks Wilderness area in Central Colorado with Erin Crider, Founder of Uncharted Outdoorswomen, Blackhawk, Colorado.   About an hour from Denver, Indian Peaks is a roadless wilderness crisscrossed by over 100 miles of trails on or near the Continental Divide with dozens of alpine lakes and streams for the adventuresome angler.    As a former private wealth advisor out...

 Our destination is the Middle Fork of the Salmon River with veteran fly fishing and adventure guide Guy Robins, Silver Creek Outfitters, Ketchum, Idaho.   Considered one of the most rugged and isolated adventure trips in the lower 48, the Middle Fork is famous for a 6-day, 100-mile float through the massive Frank Church Wilderness area.   Here you will find some of the most stunning scenery in th...

Our Destination is the rugged and remote Devils River in Southwest Texas with Kevin Stubbs, Expedition Outfitters, New Braunfels, Texas.   The Devils River is known for gin clear, spring-fed water that offers unmatched sight fishing for Smallmouth and Largemouth bass. A Texas native, Kevin has been guiding this area for 20 years. As a young man, he moved to Colorado to train bird dogs and fly fish...

Our destination is Rapid Creek in the Black Hills with Hans Stephenson, owner of Dakota Angler & Outfitter, Rapid City, South Dakota.   Steeped in history, the Black Hills are a small stream fly fishing mecca with great public access, wild trout, and a variety of water types including freestones, spring creeks, tailwaters, and mountain meadows.    Hans gives us a rundown of Rapid Creek, top fly pa...

 Our destination is fly fishing the wild and scenic Clarion River with trophy brown Trout hunter, Don Cameroni, Brown Trout Addiction Guide Service, Ridgeway, PA.   The Clarion River might just be the most underrated fly-fishing destination in the state.   Years ago, the Clarion was a mess, but starting in the 1980s, a massive clean-up effort began and today the water below Johnsonburg may be some...

Our destination is Cayo Cruz on the north shore of Cuba with Matt Sprecher, Alaska Steelhead Co.   Cuba is quickly gaining a reputation as THE place for fly-fishing for world-class Permit and Bonefish reminiscent of the Florida Keys 60-70 years ago.   Large schools of unpressured trophy fish and enormous flats mean fly fishing so good it borders on chaos.    About our guest, after dropping out of...

Our destination is fly-fishing the mighty White River in Northern, Arkansas with Chad Johnson, owner of CJ's White River Outfitter.   The White River below Bull Shoals Dam offers over 55 miles of quality trout water and is world-famous for Brown trout the size of your leg, including 38 lb. brown trout caught just a few years ago.     Chad grew up in Mississippi catfishing on the Perl River until h...

Our destination is fly fishing the wild and scenic Kern River with Guy Jeans, owner of Kern River Fly Shop, Kernville, California.    Emerging from the shadow of Mt Whitney in Sequoia National Forrest, the Kern flows 165 miles through some of the most beautiful country in California and is home to 3 native species including the world-famous Golden Trout.     Guy grew up as a surfer kid in Ventura,...

Our destination is the Maine North Woods with Nate Tower, owner of Heritage Waters Guide Service.   If you're looking for an off-the-grid, unpressured fly-fishing experience, then the Maine North Woods is it.   Encompassing over 3.5 million acres, these unspoiled waters are home to healthy, intact populations of wild and hungry native Brook trout and salmon.   After a life-changing trip to Montana...

Our destination is Twin Bridges, Montana otherwise known as trout mecca, with author, expert fly angler, and bamboo rod builder, Jerry Kustich, founder of Sweetgrass Rods.   Some of the most fabled trout streams in the world converge on Twin Bridges—the Ruby, the Big Hole, the Beaverhead, and the Jefferson.   Jerry has fly-fished these rivers for 30 years while building over 15,000 fly rods for Wi...

Our destination is northern Michigan and the wild and Scenic Manistee River with Brian "Koz" Kozminski, owner of True North Trout.   Nestled in the Huron-Manistee National Forest, the Manistee flows over 200 miles where anglers can tangle with big Browns, epic hatches, and superb Salmon and Steelhead runs.   Koz has been fly fishing these rivers for over 30 years, but at one time, was tending bar...

Our destination is Intricate Bay Lodge on Lake Iliamna, Alaska with backcountry fly fishing guide and professional photographer, Abe Blair, Manager of "The Outpost".   Lake Iliamna is the 8 th largest lake in North America and boasts the largest sockeye salmon run in the world, not to mention a dozen of the finest rainbow rivers in Alaska and plenty of bears.   Abe grew up in Oregon where he disco...

Our destination is the grand and rugged Wind River Range in central Wyoming, with backcountry guide, George Hunker, Sweetwater Fishing Expeditions, Lander, Wyoming.   The Winds stretch 100 miles north to south, encompassing 3 wilderness areas, and are absolutely loaded with remote alpine lakes – over 2,000 – and the largest Golden Trout in the West.        As an Orvis-endorsed guide, George and hi...

Today our destination is the 12 States in the Western Native Trout Challenge with trout challenge completers, Ben and Oliver Sheridan, Phoenix, Arizona.  Previously a guide on the Upper Delaware, Ben decided to tackle the Trout Challenge to spend time with his teenage son, Oliver.  After 3 years and thousands of miles, Ben has completed all 3 levels of the trout challenge, netting an impressive 18...

Our destination is the Soque River in northern Georgia with Stephen Tomasovich, better known as Big T, owner of Soque River Outfitters, Clarkesville GA.   Just an hour or two north of Atlanta, the Soque is loaded with big Rainbows, is easy to wade, and offers excellent year-round angling.    A competition angler, Big T shares how to size up a stream, make the right adjustments, the tricks big trou...

Our destination is the Kamloops and Cariboo regions of British Columbia with world-renown Stillwater expert and award-winning author, Phil Rowley.  With over 20,000 lakes, British Columbia is a veritable wonderland for the Stillwater angler.    Phil has been fly fishing these lakes for 40 years and has appeared on numerous TV shows, written books, and articles such as The Orvis Guide to Stillwater...

Our destination is Western North Carolina and the world-famous Davidson River with competition angler, author, and fly designer, Kevin Howell, owner of Davidson River Outfitters.  Nestled in the Pisgah National Forest, the Davidson is known for great public access, beautiful scenery, and large, weary trout requiring light tippets and an ultra-stealthy approach.  Kevin has been guiding these waters...

Our destination is beautiful Belize for the ultimate challenge on a fly rod – Permit!  With celebrated guide, Wil Flack, owner of the Belize Permit Club.  Belize is a top destination for Permit with over 250 square miles of flats and the world's second-largest barrier reef.   A British Columbia native, Wil's has fished all over the world and has been living and guiding in Belize for the past 15 ye...

Our Destination is the legendary North Fork of the Shoshone River with expert fly angler, guide and outfitter, Tim Wade, owner of North Fork Anglers in historic, Cody, Wyoming.  Rated as a Top 10 river to fly fish in the northern Rockies, this freestone steam flows through some of the prettiest scenery in the West.  Known for prolific hatches, tough wading, and large hard fighting trout averaging...

Our destination is the alpine lakes of Central Idaho, and our guest is John Heckel, Regional Fisheries Biologist for Idaho Fish and Game.  Idaho boasts the largest intact wilderness area in the lower 48.  And the Lost River drainage is home to dozens and dozens of remote and rugged alpine lakes chock full of hungry trout.  John is an avid outdoorsman who loves chasing trout, upland birds, and big...

Our destination is spectacular Seneca Creek in West Virginia with guest, David Thorne, head Coldwater Fisheries Biologist and stream Habitat Coordinator for the State.  You may not think of West Virginia as a trout fishing mecca, but this state is loaded – over 5,000 miles of trout streams – and Seneca Creek may just be the crown jewel.   Listed on the Trout Unlimited 100 Best Trout Streams, Senec...