The River Rambler

After a slightly longer than expected hiatus post cross country move the River Rambler is back and this week I'm joined by a trio. Isaac Sebastian, Anders Martinson, and Elijah Haak talk with me all about coercing each other to guide in Alaska, learing in the Arctic Circle, finding out you live next to Corey Koff, Isaac's Cuba experience, tarpon, their Alaska rigs, Sweden's hidden lake, salwater, and some entertaining guiding stories.

This week I'm talking with Josh Schwartz of Travel Creel. We talk about his childhood on Long Island and his grandmother introducing him to fishing, grief and his decision to enter the culinary world, working for David Bouley and NYC biking, his time at the French Laundry, his first fly fishing experience, his time in Italy, regaining free time and his rentry to fishing, his experience guiding, Baja and enchiladas, Chilean dorado, and forming Travel Creel and it's focus on a full experience. 

I'm joined by Mike Archer for this weeks episode and we discuss his initial start to fishing, a passion for music, his time guiding, aggressive tundra trout, bamboo and his journey to rod building, the benefits of knowing how to fix a rod, bamboo building's low barrier to entry, silk lines, the upcoming Sandy Clave, the "drudgery" of tapping ferrules, and so much more.

I'm joined by Justin Bailie for this weeks episode. We talk about his experience growing up in Oregon and his entrance to fishing, Alaska and bears, his journey to photogoraphy, river trips around the world while working for OARS, moving back to Oregon and opening Wild Coast Goods, his entry to spey, salmon and bamboo, and his jump back to landscape photography.

Thom Thornton is joining me this week for a conversation about his first rod and learning from everyond around, streamers, working as a woodchuck, MRIs and claustrophobia, soccer coaching, his start to steelheading, fly tying, competitive casting, baseball, dam removal, and so much more.

This week i'm joined by Nick Karol and we've got a great show for you. We discuss his start to fishing with his grandfather and commercial fishing, the rough-fighting Bulkley fish, his "love" of center pinning, attempting to reach steelhead zen, homemade monos, the importance of meeting and connecting with people, enjoying the moment, 40 inchers, his take on fly tying, his absolute passion for dry flies, and so much more.

This week I"m joined by John McMillan and Nick Chambers of The Deep Wade podcast, that's right, it's a crossover. We cover their starts to fishing, the local adapdations of both steelhead and fisherman, rebuilding runs and an over-reliance on hatcheries, their approaches to fishing and the desire for the Cobra Kai fish, the art of hook setting, snorkeling, classic westerns and so much more.

This week I'm joined by Mia Sheppard. We talk about her fishing journey and some particular bad influences, Little Creek Outfitters and her own endeavor, Juniper River Adventures, cooking and avocado transport, working on a cookbook, rowing, parenting and guiding, and bringing back the Sandy River Spey Clave.https://swingthefly.com/sandy-river-spey-clave/

This week I'm joined by Scott Baker-McGarva. We talk about growing up in BC, guiding on the Bow River, repping and the ever changing landscape of fly fishing products, the difficulties of teaching, mooching reels and chinook, his preferred rigs, dealing with aging eyes and so much more.

For the first episode of the new year I'm talking with Will Bush. We discuss growing up fishing, getting into coho, dry lines, deep wading, Spey-o-rama's humbling effects, lots of fly tying, brown water, and the sobering effects of jet boats.

Tis the season for a holiday treat and as such I'm joined by my friend Duncan Gasiewicz. We have a great chat about haning out in the Grande Tetons as a kid, fly tying and deer hair, how great the producer is, competition casting and competing with yourself, visual learning, long lines, wartime correspondences, tailing fish, Cuba, and so much more. Enjoy the holidays and hopefully the episode and we'll ramble on next year.

This week I'm joined by Brian Styskal. We get to talking about his introduction to fly fishing with his grandfather on horseback, racecars, reels, rods, lines, and gear hoarding, learing and the value of video, ice dams and fish genetics, inefficients fun, and we even contemplate golf amongst so much more.

This week I'm joined by Tom Larimer and we have a great discussion to help get our American listeners through their Thanksgiving gatherings. We discuss the fun of growing up in the midwest, exploring Oregon and it's pronunciation, "The Voluntary Beatdown," bears and their mental prescence, how he got started guiding, knowing when you're the problem, over mending, art, our uknowing connection to nature, and so much more.

This week I'm speaking with Monte Clarke. We discuss his family's generations of adventure and growing up fly fishing, his surfing adventures and surfing in British Columbia, a bamboo obsession, hunting,and his experiences guiding on the Dean from boats to gear and bears.

This week I'm talking with Kara Knight. We discuss her fishing origins as an adventure guide on the west coast, the importance of a family atmosphere with guiding, competitive casting and her time in Sweden, having different fishing and casting rods, her more recent adventures in saltwater, the effects of competition on her fishing, and the head game that it is.

This week I'm joined by Zach Morris and Dalton Walker. We discuss our recent mid-river meeting, some brief life stories, jumping from gear to fly fishing, the unforgiveable act of low-holing, being a farrier for arabian horses, a need for new gear, widening beer horizons, and deadly murder-beavers.

The River Rambler is back from its September hiatus and I'm joined by Luke Kelley and Greg Fitz of Trout Unlimited. We start by talking about habitat restoration on the Olympic Penninsula, TU's cold water connection campaign, the importance and restoration of old growth log jams in rivers. We also discuss Luke's childhood spent fishing, smelly teen bedrooms, moving to Seattle and working with the Suquamish, and more.Trout Unlimited's "Restoring Rainforest Rivers" -www.youtube.com/watch?v=3gBRhRDk4ms 

This week I'm joined by Peter Harrison-Edge. We get straight to important discussions about smart mouthing, and then get to slightly more serious topics like his intro to fishing through Canadian television, building rods, learning from the pros, builidng a boat, canoe camp, the secret of accents, and be picked by the steelhead.

This week I'm speaking with Britt and Brian Davenport. We discuss their starts to fishing, meeting in a chat room, cutthroat, delta wings and tying the fly of the year, fly tying as a creative outlet, bears, wilderness vs the city, dog talk, and their continuing journey towards steelhead.

This week I'm joined again by Matthew DeLorme. We go into a deep dive about printmaking, including how he started work for Steve Duda's new book, his time getting back to Fine Art, what goes into a woodcut and handprinting, the dangers of printing big, and we even remember to talk about fishing, including some East Coast saltwater.

This week I'm talking with Steve Duda, author of "River Songs." We discuss both his fishing and writing backgrounds, old pick-ups, Writers on the Fly, learning to dance, creating and creativivity, dogs, Matthew DeLorme's woodcuts, excerpts from his book, and a great piece of advice, "When in Rome, write shit down."

This week i'm joined by Jake Crawford of The Steamboaters. We discuss his start to fishing, catching his first, being a river steward, his time in South America and learning languages, steelheaders' "sharing" culture and secretive nature, the wonderful word of bike polo and smashed orbitals, and the thrashing beluga of Oregon.

This week I'm joined by Travis Johnson of All Waters Angling. We talk about fishing with his dad, wrestling, guiding, his change to competitive casting and becoming world champion, the American Casting Association, his favorite rods, Alaska, instruction via Instagram, evening caddis fishing, his Frigate line of rods, loving insults, and the fun of things going wrong.

This week we continue our dam talk with Brian Johnson and Shane Anderson and we discuss the active removal of multiple dams on the Klamath River. We go over how it all got started, the speed at which both it is happening and the environment is recovering, some of the complications that have occurred, some minor field-work jealousy, the next steps, common misunderstandings about these dams, the incredible engineering know how going into it, and so much more.

This week I'm visited by Kirk Blaine & Jim McCarthy again as we discuss the continuing effort to get the Winchester Dam removed from the Umpqua River. We discuss the unfinished repairs and it's added danger to the dam, the State's seriousness and proposed action, the many violations the dam's owners face, the lack of Federal action despite the infractions at that level, the pitiful salmon returns on this run due to the dam, the speed at which removal can return the river to it's natural state, and what the public can do help.For more information please head to WaterWatch.org

This week I'm speaking with Frank Day and we talk about his fascination with nature from childhood, the many wonders of sculpin, his time in Japan, guiding, gyotaku prints, moody fish, the Alaskan tundra, fish camouflage, sonar, evolutionary adaptations, and so much more.

This week I'm talking with Michael Papais. We have a great chat about family camping trips, Great Lake small mouth, information overload in spey, tying in hand and materials, beer, kids, winter water, knots, moderating the Spey Pages, and so much more.

This week I'm speaking with David Mcllvaney. We had a great discussion about Prime Ministers and canoes, aesthetic stimulation, working in Southeast Asia, cabin life and Mexico, discovering fly fishing at 50, Iceland, writing, squirrels and muskies, super tasters, and rodent viking funerals.

Today I'm talking with Wes Telyea of Snoqualmie Rod Company and we have a fantastic and broad conversation. We talk about him fishing as a kid and his grandfather, rod building, being a part of an ecosystem, cougars(not that kind), career changes, recreating the X-Files with your niece, and so much more.

I got the chance to talk to Kevin Feenstra this week and we had a great talk. Listen in as we discuss fishing as a kid, jumping into spey rods and steelhead, fly tying and sculpin, the Muskegon, photography, dogs and kids, his books, and the ever important winter heating.

The River Rambler is back after a Hawiian hiatus and this week I'm joined by Barret Aimes. We talk Tre-Fin Foods and how they started, fishing with his family from a young age, guiding in college, tarpon and saltwater, brook trout, Kamchatka, the benefit of teams, rod building, his time in Sweden, and meeting Tom Dorsey in high school.

This week I got the chance to talk with Rob Beckius of Two Hand Hardware. We chat about fishing with his dad from a young age, setting the hook and trout tendenciews, being an engineer, casting, my absurd nighttime habits, problem solving with magnets and 3D printing, rafting, hovercrafts, the importance of sharing information, and alternative uses for tennis balls.

On this week's episode I'm joined by long time listener, first time caller, Dave Zielinski. We talk all about his new "Cicada Madness," Jenny Cream Ale, learning to fly fish, loss, saltwater and snook, learning spey, how he got into building boats, stackable canoes, fly preferences, devotion to one type of fishing, crocodiles and many other predators, and so much more.

The River Rambler is welcoming in the new year with a visit with Kevin Cayouette. We talk about guiding at Camp Bonaventure, the fishing/chef cross section, his salmon addiction, boats and boat repair, ice fishing, the dynamics of canoe fishing, dog talk, quiet winters, fishing with kids, and maple syrup.

Hopefully the last episode of the year can bring you some extra cheer in your post holiday stuppor. I'm talking with Kirk Gilchrist of Tightline Films this week. We discuss his entrance to fly fishing as a kid, how fishing has been intertwined with his life, learning film and the beginning of Tightline Films, not know what "Monk" is, interupting dogs, his time in the Maldives, and Bruce Kruk.

This week I'm speaking with Dax and Leslie Ajari Messett. We get talking about how they met and their paths to fly fishing, glamping with incinerating toilets, the responsibility of conservation, guiding, dam removal, boats, fly tying(w/ visual aids on a podcast), free candy, Florida, and Nám.

I'm back from a turkey fueled break and I'm joined by Jacob Zirkle. We talk about growing up in Alaska, his fishing start, soccer, guiding and starting his own business, kids and family, learning spey, rods and the Asquith, and of course dog talk.

I'm talking with Tom McCoy on this week's episode of The River Rambler. We get to the important stuff right away talking about bourbon, and then move on to lighter subjects such as strawberry picking, dog & horse training, getting into fly fishing, learing spey, in river facial piercings, the fly fishing Caddy Shack, fishing with the Isle of Misfit Toys, and so much more.

This week I'm speaking with Fly Fishing Hall of Fame member, Will Godfrey. We talk about fishing buddies, fly naming conventions, fishing with his dad, a brown trout named Geronimo, becoming a guide, starting a business, the evolution of rods, becoming a steelheader, auctioneering, and so much more.

This week I'm joined again by Bryan Stinson of Riverwise Anglers. We discuss our last visit, guiding, coho, two raincoat days, home brewing, many soups, heavy tips and low water, winter fishing and leech patterns, and irish stouts.

This week I'm speaking with Jeff Putnam. We chat about his early start to fishing and his schoolhood fishing mentor, skipping school, guiding and teaching, picking up spey casting, adjusting to teaching different generations, Steve Godshall and rod collecting, casting video analysis, and the art of napping.

This week I got the chance to speak with Matthew Sloat. He lets us know about growing up in western Alaska, the differences from California, resident Rainbows and Steelhead, hatcheries' effects on the food web, "The Blob," the never ending learning of fly fishing, tagging steelhead in kamchatka, and the massive taimen.

This week i'm talking to Michael Garrigan. We discuss "The River Wye," secret cigarettes and his slow pull to fishing, dogs, becoming a teacher, writing, poetry and painting, sharing your work, carp, alone time in the wilderness, Yellowstone, some dog-based interuptions and antics, and listen to some of his fantastic poetry.

I first fished the North Umpqua a dozen years ago, and I was way late to the game. It's been a river iconic in the steelhead community for at least a century, from before Zane Grey, to Frank and Jeannie Moore, to the present moment. And the situation in the present moment is unbelievable. After reading about it in emails and social media, I lined up a visit with Jim McCarthy of Water Watch of Oregon and Kirk Blaine of The Steamboaters and Native Fish Society. If you were upset by the social media posts, listen to the conversation, and get really mad. Then act. Sign the Native Fish Society petition, and then go ahead and write your state representatives and the governor, and ODFW. And call. And let them know that in the face of innumerable challenges to the survival of wild steelhead, a public and valuable resource that brings incalculable financial benefit to Douglas County, we are watching a small, select group bypass all meaningful regulation and oversight for their own benefit. Senators, ODFW, and the Governors contact is listed below. Jim and Kirk both volunteered their contact information for any additional information or any possible help someone can offer.Petition- https://nativefishsociety.org/action-alerts/ask-you-state-and-federal-representatives-to-stand-up-for-the-north-umpqua-riverhttps://www.dfw.state.or.us/agency/directory/contact_us.asp (https://www.dfw.state.or.us/agency/directory/contact_us.asp)https://www.oregonlegislature.gov/senate/Pages/SenatorsAll.aspx (https://www.oregonlegislature.gov/senate/Pages/SenatorsAll.aspx)https://www.oregon.gov/gov/Pages/share-your-opinion.aspxjim@waterwatch.orgkirk@nativefishsociety.org (mailto:kirk@nativefishsociety.org)

Another Tuesday means another River Rambler and this week I'm joined by Tom Mahan. We talk about growing up with a backyard fishing spot, firefighting, learning the many forms of spey, guiding, different fishing ideologies, Alaska's chinook and rainbows, jiujitsu and martial arts mindsets, muddlers and Swedish Fish.

On this week's episode I'm talking to Mike Kohler. We discuss his time fishing as a whipper snapper, accents, lobstering, getting into steelhead, dogs and kids, his introduction to spey, striper fishing, the benefits of night fishing, photography, observation and learning, and marine predators.

We've made it to triple digits and for the 100th episode I'm joined by Bill Pfeiffer. We discuss his time in Cuba, picky fish, parents, parties & food, Sculpin, Bill's Super Secret Fly and his incredibly difficlut fishing apporach, trout spey, law school, dogs, Zach Williams, and Bill's moose rivalry.

On this episode I'm talking to Alex Worth. He tells us all about his Mother's influence both in fishing and cursing, gross New Jersey fishing, catching his first steelhead at 10, Colorado and trout spey, conservation and conversations, the Klamath, some BIG fish stories, and we experience some canine difficulties.

On this episode Alice Gilibert, Elaine Gong, and Whitney Gould are going me and we have a fantastic chat. We cover how they all got into fishing, competitive casting, pace cars and medicine chests, competition nerves, The American Casting Association, spey casts vs Belgian casts, movie recommendations, Golden Gate Angling Club and Angling Foundation, and the host's absolute denial of being an East Coaster.

Dan Gates of the Grey Drake is joining me for this week's episode. We talk about the Nashville Network, fishing with his dad, skating, tying at expos, Yellowstone, the OP, conspiracy theories, The Grey Drake, Trout in the Classroom, conservation, trout spey, fish tacos, and Sasquatch.

On this week's show I'm talking to Mark Martin. We discuss how he started fly fishing, James Sampsel, the Middle Fork, hybrid trout, his internship turned job, starting his steelhead obsession, western fishing culture, home repair, and muddlers & drinKing.