The February Room A Fly Fishing Podcast

If you fly fished on Christmas Island in the 80s, 90s, or early 2000s, there's a good chance you've heard the name "Moana". Moana is considered the patriarch of Christmas Island guides. Though he passed away in 2016, Moana has never been forgotten by those fortunate enough to have fished with him. We return to Christmas Island (CXI) to try to uncover Moana's memory and attempt to solve a 15-year-o...

Over the last 5 seasons, some amazing yarns have been spun in The February Room! We've decided to "Retie" a few of our favorites from the archives. During the Great Pandemic, Lauren enjoyed cutting it up with iconic fishing photographer Brian O'Keefe. Before O'Keefe became a household name throughout the world of adventure angling, he was a fishing guide on Oregon's Deschutes River. Brian's recoun...

Columbus, Hillary, Magellan...Goodhart. Though the latter may not appear in textbooks, when it comes to exploratory fly fishing, he is every bit the risk-taker as the other names on the list. Hammer (and rod) in hand, Dave Goodhart helped construct the first outposts on the legendary Ponoi in Russia, the taimen rivers in Mongolia, and the steelhead and trout streams of Kamchatka. Throughout his lo...

The hour was late in a one-star motel room in Idaho. Huddled around a wobbly table, the three of us stared into our half-empty beers. Our buddy Mike G., who had spent many years guiding and boating the wild rivers of the American Southwest, was prompted to share...“have you guys ever heard the legend of La Llorona”? This is one of the most terrifying ghost stories we have ever heard on our fly fis...

Brian Oakland had been battling a brutish permit for over an hour. Each time he managed to get the leader within an arm's reach of the guide, the fish turned away, peeling the gained line back out of the reel. At a sweltering stalemate in Ascension Bay, the deckhand seized the opportunity to catch some Z's. As the founder of Got Fishing, Oakland has led adventures across the globe and shares his i...

Lauren and Ashley arrived in the Florida Keys with little expectations and a boat-load of pent up angst. This was to be their first ever attempt at tarpon-on-the-fly. They had been warned of the challenges of pursuing the Silver King and few of their friends gave them much of a chance of actually landing on a tarpon on their initial foray. However, they had an ace-in-the-hole; A dedicated guide wi...

Throughout a lifetime spent in the fly fishing industry, Pete Vandergrift of Cheeky Fishing has adopted a set of rules to qualify the value of fishing memories. The parameters are pretty simple: go outside your comfort zone, overcome obstacles...and save the big one for your Dad! It's not always the biggest, baddest catch (though those don't hurt) that land a fish into his personal Top 5 Fishing M...

If there is a "Cult of the Outdoors" in Western Montana, then John Perry is one of the ring leaders. The longtime guide, outfitter, lodge operator and fly creator is responsible for a generation of young, educated Missoulians pursuing river-life. Because, John knows how to make the most of the river miles. Perry's clients become kids again and excerpts from his riverfront camps seem like fantasy.....

We're back! Has it only been a year since our mysterious absence? The rumors have abounded that we were kidnapped by bottom trawlers or became a pickleball power couple, but truth is, we've just been busy with life...and a little fishing. While Lauren was working and holding down the fort, Justin used the respite to search for an Oregon dinosaur. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.f...

To WATCH the whole story unfold, head to our YouTube Channel, @thefebruaryroom and enjoy our adventures with Mark Wackler of AK Fishology. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In preparation for this interview, we clicked the link to "Mending the Line" on the laptop. A captivating series of events unfolded in the opening scene. Then we were transported to a fly shop in Montana. Instantly, the hook was buried and it required the patience of a spring creek angler to hit "pause"...this was one of those cinematic events better experienced on the silver screen! We are honore...

We all know the risk of picking up hitchhikers, but we may be transporting nefarious passengers without even knowing it. Aquatic Invasive Species (AIS) are non-native plants and animals that have the potential to due lasting harm to our watersheds. Fisheries across the country have been permanently damaged by these critters, several of which have been traced back to maritime mishaps in the Great L...

Battered, bruised, and begging for more, Lauren returns from her first roosterfishing adventure in Baja! The stoke level is atmospheric as she shares insight into the pre-trip preparations that made all the difference in organizing and executing a successful saltwater adventure with her friends. No Lauren story is complete without a bad accent and we have one of those for you too! Learn more about...

We all know the old adage "If you want to get to know a guy, sit down over a Kinky Muddler"...we did just that with Tom Latourelle of Bespoke Bugs. A former custom furniture maker, Latourelle's background as a craftsman is evident in the design, shape, and movement of the flies that he creates for his clients. Tom was kind enough to invite us over to his house for a one-on-one glue sniffing sessio...

In the premier of the TFR Video Series, we drop the kids at school, skip work, shirk household chores and set course for a local trout stream in hopes of extending the summer hopper season just one more day! Watch this on thefebruaryroom.com or subscribe to our YOUTUBE channel. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Our first "vessel of freedom" was a used aluminum Willie boat dad bought off a guy in 1984. She served our family, friends, and clients for 30 years on adventures throughout the PNW. Between the gunnels, we tallied a catalog of euphoric experiences that spawned into lasting memories. However, the story of our old drift boat would've never been told had things gone just a little more sideways on he...

Brace yourself for inspiration!!! Meet Lydia and Lil D from Fly Girl Global, a worldwide network of young ladies united by their love of fly fishing. These angler-advocates advance the sport via international zoom meetings to tie flies, swap fishing stories, and organize efforts to clean up waterways across the globe. Thanks to Fly Girl Global, flyfishing’s future is so bright, we gotta’ wear shad...

Come March, a gathering of Missoula-based fishing guides resembles a scene from "Night of the Living Dead". Montana winters can grind a guide down, but Jason Brininstool has managed to keep a smile on his face. Jason flees for the tropics to work as a PADI Scuba Instructor or hosts trip to far flung destinations like Cuba and Columbia. Jason's positive attitude has attracted a cadre of loyal clien...

The problem with this podcast, like working at Baskin Robbins, is that we're constantly being introduced to new flavors of fly fishing that we yearn to sample. When we first heard of "The Crash", our smallmouth senses began to tingle and we went straight to the source for insight into a remarkable feeding frenzy that occurs on Wisconsin's namesake river. Kyle Zempel of Black Earth Angling Co. abid...

For many would-be female fly anglers, the pathway to the river is barricaded by dollar signs. The perception alone, that entry into fly fishing costs thousands in gear, inhibits many working moms, their children, and students from dipping into the budget to splurge on a new hobby. Enter Julia Mitchell and Temma Roby. These big-hearted friends founded "Rising to the Fly" in an effort to break this...

Welcome to the big show! Host, Lauren Karnopp sits with the Fly Fishing Film Tour crew, Cooper Nash and John Zynda, at the historical Wilma Theatre. The three discuss life on the road, fishing adventures, why you shouldn't put out a campfire with diesel, and the inspirational films that will most likely hit a theatre near you. Grab your popcorn, sit back, relax and enjoy the show. Learn more about...

We grab a paddle and dig into the language and circumstances surrounding Senate Bill 497, which caused a bit of a riffle among the angling and public access crowd here in Montana. Co-captained by Jason Brininstool, fly fishing guide, David Brooks, Executive Director of Montana TU and Land Tawney, President of Backcountry Hunters and Anglers, we’re led down a rocky run on a Class 5 case of modern M...

We're not being facetious when we say that sargassum is a serious threat to our shallow seas and could factor into your spring break plans. So what is it? Sargassum is a naturally occurring algae, a seaweed, that serves valuable ecological functions. But, over a decade ago, it began to show up in unnatural ways and the problem is getting worse. This year sargassum showed up early and often along t...

Who among us hasn't lost a spectacular fish they wish they could have back? I can recall every vivid detail of every brief encounter, from the final leap of the steelhead that spat my fly from across the river to the largemouth that suspended in air, then hocked the diving frog like a loogie. As a young man exploring one of Central Oregon's notoriously challenging streams, the unexpected took me o...

Do you count yourself among the rank and file of weekend warriors? Are you more interested in how your fly or lure appears to the eyes of the fish than how your appearance is perceived by other anglers? Is fishing still a youthful enterprise that recalls the carefree days of bobbers, earthworms, and quality time with family and friends? If you answered "yes" to any or all of these questions, then...