The February Room A Fly Fishing Podcast

At a fishing lodge, many factors are in Mother Nature's hands. Weather and water conditions are subject to fluctuations, and there's certainly no guarantee that the fish will cooperate, so a successful lodge focuses on that which it can control, namely, the food! Montana Chef PJ Burgess has made a career out of catering to hungry anglers and shares some of her adventures and creative recipes just...

"A fisherman in a monkey suit walks into a bar"... This isn't the lead-up to a punch line, but an actual retelling of events from our guest, Michael Gibson. A former fly fishing guide and outdoor television producer, Michael is the Idaho Field Coordinator for Trout Unlimited and a champion for coldwater fisheries and public access. Plus, he's a helluva' good story teller, but may need to find some...

In the spirit of the spooky season, we track down an eccentric angler who shares hair-raising encounters from the woods and waters of the Wolverine State. Hang onto your ciders as James Lady waxes on his freaky experiences, including recordings of unexplainable vocalizations and video/photo evidence of strange beings...including another Michigan native, Kid Rock! --- Support this podcast: https://...

In baseball, a "5 Tool Athlete" can hit, field, run, throw, and hit for power. Brian O'Keefe is the fly fishing version of a 5 Tool Athlete, he can fish, cast, run a boat, take amazing photos, and tell great fishing stories. Brian has made fly fishing his life's work, and used his skills with a rod and camera to traverse the globe and fill fly fishing magazines, books, and short films with his ima...

If fly fishing is his mistress, Andrew Weiner's true love is books. This California-based angler makes his living selling books and saw a niche for a children's fable centered around fly fishing. Weiner paired with highly talented illustrator, April Chu, and the end result was "Down by the River", a charming story that follows three generations of a family out on a fly fishing adventure.  Andrew h...

Mental health is one of the biggest issues facing our country, and as another pandemic grabs headlines, the suicide rate continues to climb. Men are particularly at risk for mental health issues and this week's guest, Jennings Hester, has made it his mission to offer support. A former SEC football player turned fly angler and tyer, Jennings and his organization, Fighting the Good Fight, are taking...

Never underestimate the resourcefulness of a hungry young angler with an idea! Meet Matt Devlin, a former fishing guide turned filmmaker. When Matt and his buddy first conceived the notion of producing a fishing film on a shoestring budget, they circumvented the expense of purchasing a camera buy "renting" one from a box store with a 10-day return policy. From these meager beginnings, a new career...

Fly anglers can disagree on many things; the right pattern, the best rod, the most perplexing quarry...but we can all find common ground in support of the men and women who serve, and have served, our country. This week we have the great pleasure of speaking with Blain Tomlinson, a lifelong fisherman and Board Member of Project Healing Waters Fly Fishing, an organization dedicated to the rehabilit...

Simply put, custom rod builder, Tom Ralston, is a good egg! On a teacher's salary, Tom provides hand-built fishing rods to kids, neighbors, cancer survivors and military veterans, often for free or for a fraction of what his fine craftsmanship is worth. Fueled by old school work ethic, Tom's company, Americatown Custom Rods, is dedicated to putting something unique and truly "custom" in the hands...

These are trying times for Oregon's mighty Deschutes River. Multiple environmental factors threaten the river's native redband rainbows, steelhead, and salmon. Now more than ever, this watershed needs warriors to stand up and fight for her. Meet Elke Kirk, a First Nation's fly fishing guide who uses his platform to educate anglers on the importance of protecting and enhancing the river that has su...

At just 7 years old, Jessica Haydahl trekked off into her backyard, disposable camera in hand, determined to capture the natural world around her. Many years later, her interest in photography would mesh with her intimate knowledge of ice hockey and launch a career as an NHL photographer. Born the daughter of a Norwegian fisherman, Jessica's love of angling spurred a highly successful transition i...

We've all been there. Rendezvoused well before dawn, assessed the situation, reconfigured at the jumping-off-point....but here's where the story diverges from the norm...the Law arrives and suddenly, you're party to a crime scene-enlisted to play the role of superhero. This is the story of Drake Perry, an angler who would prefer to mind his own business and explore the unusual waters of the Ohio R...

"How do we get these rods in angler's hands?" That was the question Marty asked, when, circa 1980, one of his fishing buddies began building rods out of a clandestine material designed for incognito aircraft. Not only was the SR-71 born, but the fishing world changed forever with the introduction of carbon fiber, aka, graphite, as the fundamental material in rod blanks. For our 20th episode, we ha...

If you ever find yourself swimming at night in the shark-infested waters of South Africa, you might just bump into Juan Coetzee, returning from one of his solo missions for the elusive garrick. Known amongst the tight-knit fly fishing community surrounding Cape Town as "The Oracle", Juan possesses an unnatural "fishyness" and may just be hiding gills beneath that Irish beard. --- Support this podc...

On May 17th, 2020, Matt Churchman was breaking down a riverside camp with friends and family. Big brown trout were on his brain when he walked down by the river and encountered a different kind of big brown. The next few seconds would change the life of everyone involved. This is a story of survival, bravery, friendship, and inspiration that you don't want to miss! --- Support this podcast: https:...

While on a DIY foray to Mexico for permit, via bicycle, George Hill stumbled into the right bar and found the right guy pouring drinks...a bartender with a boat and an eye for the whereabouts of these elusive fish. George Hill has an eye too, for seeing the intricacies of the natural world, and the elusive fish he loves to pursue, and expressing this with oil on canvas. --- Support this podcast: h...

Austin, Texas is home to many talented, eclectic individuals and Alvin Dedeaux is no exception! Alvin wears many hats-husband, father, former frontman, fly fishing guide, brand ambassador, and innovative fly tyer who created a highly effective bass popper from a discarded flip flop. Enjoy the ride as Alvin guides us across his home state of Texas, throughout the West, and to the Seychelles...lets...

How did you celebrate your last birthday? Did you try to catch an Alaskan salmon for each year that you've been on this earth? That's what Greg Munther did. If you live in the Northern Rockies and hunt and fish, you've likely heard of Munther, and we are very fortunate to have this revered traditional outdoorsman and conservationist in The February Room! --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm...

There are two kinds of fishing guides in this world-those who have lost their boat, and those who will. Meet a card-carrying member of the former club, Jon (Bon) Hazlett, a steelhead angler and world-renowned spey caster/instructor from Medford, Oregon. Jon has seen some ridiculous events transpire over his long career as a steelhead guide...the tug is the drug! --- Support this podcast: https://a...

Perhaps this guy has spent too much time mountaineering in the thin air? We hear life on Antartica can mess with your head? Maybe double-digit trout in New Zealand still haunt him? Join us as we peel back the onion that is Brooks Montgomery, a name that is synonymous with the fly fishing industry, adventure-angling, and a relatively un-fishy town in Idaho that still considers him an outsider. ---...

Imagine owning 360,000 acres of private trout water...that's right, 360,000!!! Well, Chilean angling pioneer, Cristian Dufflocq, along with his brother, wake up to this dream daily, in a fly fishing paradise called Estancia de los Rios. In this episode, Cristian takes you to this Patagonian wonderland, reflects on the memorable people he has fished with over his career, and recalls the monster fis...

Hip hop/rap artist, David Alexander has lived a wild life and his adventures in the outdoors are no exception. Tune in as David (aka The Dirtball and former band member of the Kottonmouth Kings) remembers noodling catfish, poaching the campwater, and the time his buddy accidentally hooked way more than he bargained for! --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/lauren-karnopp3/support Learn more...

A lifelong angler and Alaska resident, Linda Leary has managed to blend her love of fishing with an entrepreneurial spirit! Linda realized a dearth of comfortable, functional, under-wader wear for women in the fly fishing industry, and Fishe Wear was born! A well-traveled angler, Linda shares some of her adventures abroad and on her home waters of the Last Frontier. --- Support this podcast: https...

A Missoula OG (original guide), Jay Dixon sits down with our host and reflects on his 30-year career as a guide and outfitter. Dixon's Outdoor Adventures, as the name implies, is more than a guide service, as Jay tends to push the boundaries on his Montana escapades. Over three decades of running wild rivers, there have been more than a few harrowing incidents that he and his clients have managed...

Here's the gist...we know a guy who has a really good beer named after him. His name is Al. Al is a Cheesehead but has called Montana "home" for a quarter-century. Al ties a fly called "Army Man" and fishes with some interesting friends, including Les Claypool, the frontman for Primus. --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/lauren-karnopp3/support Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megap...