Podcasts about Smokies

In this episode, we sit down with Jamie Hanna, Amy Snitko, Chaseline Waldrup, and Bella Orr from Knox Girls Who Fly Fish to talk about what it takes to build a fly fishing community from the ground up. In less than a year, the group has grown from a handful of women fishing together to a thriving community with regular meetups, fishing days, an active social media presence, and a growing email list.We talk about the practical things that have helped them grow, including social media, word of mouth, local fly shop support, and creating events where people feel comfortable showing up even if they've never picked up a fly rod. We also get into fishing techniques, favorite waters, dream trips, local food stops, and a few painful stories about the fish that got away.Key Highlights:Social media and word of mouth helped Knox Girls Who Fly Fish grow quickly while keeping the community personal and welcoming.Local fly shops have played a big part in connecting women with the group, hosting events, providing speakers, and helping spread the word.Meetups aren't always about fishing. Fly box nights, brewery gatherings, speakers, food, and casual conversations give new anglers an easier way to get involved.Creating a comfortable place to ask questions helps remove some of the intimidation that can come with learning fly fishing.Dry-dropper rigs are a group favorite, with plenty of discussion about changing fly size, tippet length, leader setup, and experimenting until you find what works.Bow-and-arrow casting, Euro nymphing, and Tenkara all make an appearance as the group shares some of the techniques they enjoy using on East Tennessee waters.The conversation travels from small plunge pools in the Smokies to tailwaters like the Clinch and Hiwassee, along with dream fishing destinations including New Zealand, Patagonia, Belize, Italy, and Alaska.We finish with local places to eat after a day on the water and stories about big trout that came painfully close to the net.Whether you're thinking about starting a fly fishing club, trying to breathe some new life into an existing group, or simply looking for more people to fish with, there are plenty of ideas here worth borrowing.Share this episode with your fishing partners and anyone interested in building a stronger fly fishing community. Be sure to follow Southeastern Fly, sign up for the newsletter, and go fish!Resources:Visit southeasternfly.comSign up for our newsletterProduced by NOVA

Legendary Dolly Parton is gone. She died Tuesday at Vanderbilt-Ingram Cancer Center in Nashville, surrounded by loved ones, four days after she was admitted. The type of cancer was not disclosed. Team Dolly said she spent her life putting joy, laughter, hope, and integrity into everything she touched and that her generosity reached people she would never meet. She donated hundreds of millions of books through the Imagination Library. A girl from a two-room cabin in the Smokies who wrote "Jolene" and "9 to 5," and she still wanted to be remembered as the book lady. Pat and the crew take the news the way a lot of regular Americans are taking it: not as another celebrity recap, but as the loss of someone who felt like she belonged to the whole country. The quiet health fight. The nephew who had been asked years ago to record the goodbye. Flags at half-staff. And the part that landed hardest — she kept working, kept joking, and kept mailing books to other people's children until the end. Pat also covered: Day 74: Mitch McConnell still holding America hostage WNBA team Chicago Sky ban Enes Freedom from home games Trump wants Lake Ontario renamed “Lake America” after the Canada trade fight went nuclear Iran puts a $10 million bounty on Barron Trump Trump throws more gas on Ilhan Omar marrying her brother Did Dolly Parton represent something America doesn't make anymore? If a kid in your house ever got those books in the mail, what did that mean to your family? If you want unfiltered truth and commonsense analysis that cuts through the noise, hit subscribe and turn on notifications. 00:00 Pat Gray UNLEASHED! 00:40 Day 74 of the Government Claiming Mitch McConnell is Alive 02:48 R.I.P. Dolly Parton 06:38 FLASHBACK: Top 10 Dolly Parton Pet Peeves 12:11 More Updates on the War with Iran 15:55 Trump's Tweet on the Strait of Hormuz 17:33 Canada's Land Acknowledgement at Press Conference 20:44 China Continuing to do Business with Iran 21:52 CIA in Moscow??? 23:02 Iran Threatening Barron Trump?! 26:08 Volodymyr Zelenskyy Refuses to Hold an Election 31:02 Will Pat's Home Renovation ever be Completed? 32:32 Chewing the Fat 48:15 Jeffy the Bone-Headed Apologist 49:00 Kacey Musgraves Divides her Fans 50:02 Pat LOATHES the WNBA! 54:25 Zohran Mamdani's Grocery Stores are in Trouble 56:31 Kathy Hochul Bans Cooperation between Law Enforcement & ICE 1:00:02 Michelle Wu on the Somali Community 1:05:39 Fake Product Advertisements 1:08:18 Fake Celebrity Stories 1:12:14 50th Anniversary of Boston's First Album 1:13:47 Care International Donates $175,000 to El-Sayed's Campaign 1:14:36 El-Sayed Wants Reparations NOW! 1:17:09 Will Trump have Ilhan Omar Deported? 1:19:31 Sheriff Bob Fletcher at Minnesota State Fair 1:24:24 National Debt Hits $40 Trillion 1:28:26 Clarence Thomas Talks on Ted Cruz' Podcast Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Safety Edrees Farooq sent to hospital with an injury Who will be Tennessee's WR3? Recapping FanRun Night with the Smokies

Smokies GM Chris Allen joins the show BJ Edwards returns to the SEC The Top 5 at 5:00

Steve welcomes bigfoot/sasquatch/Sabe experiencer Brother Littlefoot from the hills of Western North Carolina. Find Brother Littlefoot on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@brotherlittlefoot2216/videosfor recordings of Sasquatch to human communication. You can also find his book “HE'S NOT HAIRY; HE'S OUR BROTHER!” featuring True Stories of communication with an entire Tribe of Sasquatch People, as well as a Field Guide to Sasquatch signs, sounds, and how to communicate on Amazon: https://amzn.to/3W2UvV1Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/missing-persons-mysteries--5624803/support.

A few moments with Appalachian hikers Daniel Farris and his wife, Raychel Pepperman, began hiking the Appalachian Trail on Feb. 22 at Springer Mountain in Georgia, the starting point. By the time they reached Philipstown two weeks ago, they had trekked 1,400 miles and resolved a marital dispute: Farris was walking too fast. "I understand that you're frustrated, but I can't go any faster," Pepperman said she told her husband. Farris slowed down. "The trail has been helpful for our communication skills," said Pepperman, a therapist in Chattanooga. "If one of us gets upset with the other, you have time to think about it while you're hiking, instead of just reacting." The couple is among the many hikers who stop this time of year at the Appalachian Market at Route 9 and Route 403, where they often occupy the picnic tables. About 10 miles of the Appalachian National Scenic Trail meanders through Putnam County, much of it inside Fahnestock State Park. About 3,000 people each year attempt to hike the entire 2,197.9-mile route through 14 states to Mount Katahdin in Maine, according to the Appalachian Trail Conservancy, and about a third succeed. Millions of others hike segments. When they stopped at the Appalachian Market in late July, Farris and Pepperman hoped to cover the final 800 miles by mid-September to attend a wedding in Nashville. To fellow hikers, Pepperman, 29, is known as "Chapstick" because of the lip balm she needed on the trail in February. Farris, 31, who sells outdoor gear, goes by "Mossman" because he likes to photograph moss. The market was also a refueling stop for Diver, 26, from Harrisburg, Pennsylvania. He declined to give his legal name but said his trail name was bestowed after he was seen dumpster diving near a shelter in Grayson Highlands State Park in Virginia. He said he was retrieving his hiking cap, which had been thrown away, along with dozens of empty pizza boxes. Diver said he is hiking the trail because "I wanted to spend as much time outside as possible." He just completed five years in the U.S. Air Force sitting at a computer doing "logistics and stuff." He loves drinking from the springs he encounters. "It's the best water you'll ever get," he said. "It's so cold coming right out of the mountains." Also resting at the Appalachian Market was "Sidequest McMurphy," who said his "government name" is Seth Harper. He's a 23-year-old Eagle Scout who just graduated from the University of Tennessee. When he left Springer Mountain on March 9, Harper's trail name was McMurphy because, according to his former scoutmaster, he resembles the rebellious R.P. McMurphy in Ken Kesey's One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest. Harper added Sidequest because "I tend to get sucked into lots of sidequests," such as several days in the reading room at Elmer's Sunnybank Inn in Hot Springs, North Carolina. "Every room has a copy of Leaves of Grass and the Tao Te Ching," said Harper, who plans to attend graduate school and teach history. Harper said he is hiking for the same reason that Henry David Thoreau went to live by Walden Pond: "because I wanted to live deliberately." Hiking across Route 9 on his way to Fahnestock, he said he was listening to the audio version of Alexander Hamilton, by Ron Chernow, which runs 36 hours. Resting at a picnic table, Amanda Edwards, 21, said the last time she did any real travel was in eighth grade, when her class visited Washington, D.C. "Since we passed Maryland, every step I take is the furthest north I've ever been," she said. After graduating in December from Georgia Southern University, Edwards said, "I wanted to do something hard, something I wasn't sure I could finish." Her trail name, "Jukebox," comes from her singing. Climbing Kuwohi Mountain in the Smokies, she sang songs from Sweeney Todd. Also known as Clingmans Dome, the 6,644-foot peak is the highest point on the trail. A few miles before reaching the Appalachian Market, Edwards crossed the lowest point, the Bear Mountain Br...

Joey, Nancy, and Karly took on a haircut challenge at Tennessee School of Beauty during Cuts for Kids. To everyone’s surprise, Nancy actually did a pretty good job, while Joey’s mannequin ended up with a much more questionable look. Joey discovered the stink-bait smell trapped in his truck has gotten so bad that it seemed to follow him out of the vehicle. Nancy reassured him the smell wasn’t actually on him, just stuck in his nose and beard. Hot Tea: Perez Hilton was hospitalized after a concerning livestream prompted viewers to call police. Travis Kelce is reportedly interested in making a country album. A Minnesota homeowner was arrested after creating a homemade spike strip to keep kids off his lawn. The show discussed a teenager who unknowingly bought stolen Civil War-era cannonballs and tried to take them through airport security. Listeners shared their own stories of buying stolen items without realizing it. Joey and Nancy reacted to Buc-ee’s suing an Ohio business called Beaver’s Mini Mart over its logo. Both thought the lawsuit seemed excessive, especially since the mom-and-pop store had been around long before Buc-ee’s arrived in the area. Lucky 7 for $50 to Farmacy Restaurant The crew mourned the closing of the original Nixon’s Deli on Bearden Hill. Sister Nancy delivered a dramatic eulogy celebrating decades of steamed sandwiches, pumpernickel bread, and local memories. Nancy shared a story about an Amazon driver who got stuck in her driveway, then refused to hand over her package because he had to complete the previous stop first. Listeners explained that delivery systems often won’t allow packages to be scanned out of order. What Makes You Special? I'm a witch! Tourists are getting way too comfortable around wild animals. There was another close call with a bison at Yellowstone, and people are always getting too close to bears in the Smokies. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Joey, Nancy, and Karly took on a haircut challenge at Tennessee School of Beauty during Cuts for Kids. To everyone’s surprise, Nancy actually did a pretty good job, while Joey’s mannequin ended up with a much more questionable look. Joey discovered the stink-bait smell trapped in his truck has gotten so bad that it seemed to follow him out of the vehicle. Nancy reassured him the smell wasn’t actually on him, just stuck in his nose and beard. Hot Tea: Perez Hilton was hospitalized after a concerning livestream prompted viewers to call police. Travis Kelce is reportedly interested in making a country album. A Minnesota homeowner was arrested after creating a homemade spike strip to keep kids off his lawn. The show discussed a teenager who unknowingly bought stolen Civil War-era cannonballs and tried to take them through airport security. Listeners shared their own stories of buying stolen items without realizing it. Joey and Nancy reacted to Buc-ee’s suing an Ohio business called Beaver’s Mini Mart over its logo. Both thought the lawsuit seemed excessive, especially since the mom-and-pop store had been around long before Buc-ee’s arrived in the area. Lucky 7 for $50 to Farmacy Restaurant The crew mourned the closing of the original Nixon’s Deli on Bearden Hill. Sister Nancy delivered a dramatic eulogy celebrating decades of steamed sandwiches, pumpernickel bread, and local memories. Nancy shared a story about an Amazon driver who got stuck in her driveway, then refused to hand over her package because he had to complete the previous stop first. Listeners explained that delivery systems often won’t allow packages to be scanned out of order. What Makes You Special? I'm a witch! Tourists are getting way too comfortable around wild animals. There was another close call with a bison at Yellowstone, and people are always getting too close to bears in the Smokies. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

What's up, Book Nerds!We finally got to record an episode together in the same room (yes... from a hotel room

"You never know, but not making that effort will always cost you." In this episode, Tim sits down with Jason Tolleson (Senior Director of Government Affairs, HPBA) for an update on the two biggest regulatory stories in the hearth industry—the National Fuel Choice Bill and the EPA's coming NSPS revision. With Congress heading into its August recess, Jason also lays out exactly what retailers should be doing right now to build relationships with legislators before the midterm shuffle. In this episode, Tim and Jason cover: - Why HR 3699 is a race against the calendar—if the fuel choice bill doesn't clear the House and Senate by the end of this year, the whole effort starts over from scratch. - The three fronts HPBA is working with the EPA—clearing the certificate backlog, shaping test methods before the December 2026 draft rule, and challenging the five-year certificate requirement that treats wood stoves differently than nearly every other consumer product the agency regulates. - Why the August recess is the single best window to get a legislator or staffer into your showroom—and how one retailer, Danny from Smokies, followed up his DC fly-in by immediately inviting his state rep's office to visit. Don't miss this one if you've ever assumed a legislator's mind was already made up—because heating homes isn't a political issue, it's a human one, and the retailers who extend a hand now become the trusted source those offices call when the next rule or gas ban lands on their desk. --- This episode is a production of The Hearth, Patio & Barbecue Association and The Fire Time Network. You can learn more about the HPBA—and get involved—by visiting ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.hpba.org⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Get free access to The Fire Time Magazine every month by going to ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.itsfiretime.com/subscribe

Another great episode from the vault. Jimmy Tipton has lived his whole life in the Smoky Mountains and has been following dogs since he was old enough to walk. He has followed many different hounds but he has found Stephens Curs to be his breed of choice. He has had a lot of luck pursuing bears and coons in the rough mountains around his home.  Sponsors: https://conkeysoutdoors.com  Promo Code TREETALKINTIME5 https://www.facebook.com/groups/1420083161566245  https://www.facebook.com/p/Animal-Housing-Solutions-Inc  https://fullcrymag.com Merch: https://treetalkin.com/collections  Social Media: https://www.youtube.com/@TreeTalkinMedia  https://www.patreon.com/treetalkintime https://www.instagram.com/treetalkinmedia https://www.facebook.com/treetalkinmedia  

STRANGE Stories from the Smokies  - Great Smoky Moutains National Park Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/missing-persons-mysteries--5624803/support.

More Great Smokies - Mountain Mysteries and DisappearancesBecome a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/missing-persons-mysteries--5624803/support.

We officially made it to the end of Season One of What the Smut Are You Talking About Podcast and we honestly can't believe it.This week we're looking back at everything that made this season unforgettable. From our favorite romance books and hilarious author interviews to the behind-the-scenes chaos that listeners never got to see. We talk about the moments that made us laugh until we cried, the interviews that hit us right in the feels, and the incredible growth this little bookish podcast has experienced since relaunching earlier this year.We also spill some behind-the-scenes confessions, share our biggest recording mishaps (looking at you, Parker

SOUTHERN GOTHIC - TRUE Spooky TALES with Steve StocktonBecome a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/missing-persons-mysteries--5624803/support.

it's BOF Girl Summer! we're dropping a new (shorter) episode every Friday--except for today which is Tuesday--until we return with the next season of halachat. please forgive this late episode as we were traipsing around the Smokies last Friday. the liminal space resort stay may finally come to an end, but unfortunately the Jan-di, Elf Lord, Jun-pyo, Jae-kyung love rectangle does not. however, to ease our souls, the writers have sprinkled in about 2 minutes of uncle bl for those who celebrate. for the bread of this BOF sandwich, we discuss first KQ's inability to make any sense and finally how, no, Eden is not in charge of the lore. if you have questions or suggestions for the podcast, you can email us at oldauntiny@gmail.com

On this episode of Expanded Perspectives, the guys dive headfirst into a collection of strange encounters that blur the lines between folklore, the paranormal, and the truly unexplained.A witness near Big Bear Lake, California reports a terrifying encounter with a pale, four-legged humanoid that sprinted up a tree and leaped effortlessly through the treetops. In Tennessee, a hiker experiences what feels like an invisible shove while passing a historic cemetery, raising questions about whether the dead were offended by a careless joke. Another listener recounts witnessing six glittering, DNA-like spirals hovering above a freshly plowed field, accompanied by an unsettling bout of missing time.The strangeness continues with a report of a twelve-foot-tall "walking tree" crossing a northern Minnesota wetland, an encounter later connected to Ojibwe traditions describing spirit guardians of the forest. A childhood sighting of a shimmering, mirage-like humanoid leaves one listener wondering if they encountered a real-life Glimmer Man. Then, a Texas family shares a multi-generational mystery involving alien visitors, missing time near White Sands, cattle mutilations, and an unusual Air Force intelligence-testing program.Finally, a late-night commuter in rural Southern California comes face-to-face with a towering, stilt-legged "Not Deer" whose unnatural movements and monstrous proportions leave a lasting impression.From spectral encounters and strange entities to lost time, living trees, and impossible creatures, this episode is packed with the kind of listener experiences that keep us questioning what may be lurking just beyond the edge of our understanding.All of this and more on this installment of Expanded Perspectives!Sponsors:IQBAR: Right now, IQBAR is offering our special podcast listeners 20% off all IQBAR products, plus get FREE shipping. To get your 20% off, text EXPANDED to 64,000. Message and data rates may apply. See terms for details.Show Notes:Glimmer Man Book: Cloaked Beings That Move Among UsWant to Share Your Story? Email: expandedperspectives@yahoo.com Hotline: 888-393-2783 Want More Expanded Perspectives? If you want more Expanded Perspectives and help out the show, then join our Patreon. Just click this link or download the Patreon App and search Expanded Perspectives Elite Do you want to give the gift of Expanded Perspectives Elite? Just click this link or go to patreon.com/expandedperspectiveselite/gift

In this week's Monday Market Data Report, Mark Lumpkin breaks down one of the most competitive short-term rental markets in America: Sevierville.With more than 15 million annual visitors to the Great Smoky Mountains and over 13,000 active short-term rentals in the surrounding market, Sevierville has become the perfect example of the "Amenities Arms Race" that has transformed the STR industry.The data is eye-opening:• Hot Tubs → 94.8% of listings• Game Rooms → 77.8%• Fire Pits → 52%• Pools → 45%• Pool Tables → 50%These aren't luxury amenities anymore. They're the baseline.In this episode, Mark breaks down what amenities you need just to compete and which upgrades can still help you stand out from thousands of competing cabins.If you're investing in the Smokies, this episode is a masterclass in understanding what it takes to win in a mature STR market.Tune in for new Market Data Reports every Monday and expert guest interviews every Friday.

Teen Missing in the Smokies WALKS OUT After 11 DaysBecome a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/missing-persons-mysteries--5624803/support.

CreepGeeks Podcast Episode 361 INTRO  You're listening to CreepGeeks Podcast! This is Season 10, Episode 361 Booms, Tick Boxes, Bigfoot Campers, Erin Brockovich, Lochness Monster Drone and Crawl Space Cryptid Welcome to CreepGeeks Podcast! We broadcast paranormal news and share our strange experiences from our underground bunker in the mountains of Western North Carolina.  THIS EPISODE IS BROUGHT TO YOU BY BARLEY'S BITES Barley's Bites Barley's Bites is dedicated to providing top-quality, home-made dog treats for every doggo to enjoy. Our treats are made with fresh, healthy ingredients and no harmful chemicals, ensuring your pet receives the best possible nutrition.  Jack loves them, and the dog neighbors approve. Made in New Mexico! Thanks, Kristen and Dave, for sending Jack and us some tasty treats! Barley's Bites: Exclusive offer for CreepGeeks Listeners- Barley's Bites would like to offer all CreepGeeks Podcast listeners 20% off their orders with code "CreepGeeks" at checkout. Your favorite anomalous podcast hosts are Greg and Omi Want to support the podcast? Join us on Patreon:  CreepGeeks Paranormal and Weird News is creating Humorous Paranormal Podcasts, Interviews, and Videos!  Get our new Swag in our Amazon Merch Store:  https://amzn.to/3IWwM1x  Get Starlink for Rural Internet Access-  Starlink | Residential Hey Everyone. You can call the show and leave us a message!  1-575-208-4025 Use Amazon Prime's Free Trial! Did you know YOU can support the CreepGeeks Podcast with little to no effort? It won't cost you anything!  When you shop on Amazon.com using our affiliate link, we receive a small percentage.  It doesn't change your price at all. It helps us keep the coffee and gas flowing in the Albino Rhino!  CreepGeeks Podcast is an Amazon Affiliate CheapGeek and CreepGeeks Amazon Page's Amazon Page    Support the Show:  CreepGeeks Swag Shop!  Website- CREEPGEEKS PARANORMAL AND WEIRD NEWS Hey everyone! Help us out!  Rate us on iTunes!  ‎CreepGeeks Paranormal and Weird News Podcast on Apple  WARNING: This Podcast May Contain Bioengineered and Cell-Cultivated Food Products. Stanley Milford Navajo Rangers Book- The Paranormal Ranger: A chilling memoir of investigations into the paranormal in Navajoland https://amzn.to/3ZhzG8m  Interested in Past Lives or Past Life's Journeying- RC Baranowski. Past Life Journeying: Exploring Past, Between, and Future Lives Past Life Journeying: Exploring Past, Between, and Future Lives - Kindle edition by Baranowski, R. C.. Religion & Spirituality Kindle eBooks @ Amazon.com.  Over on our Patreon-  Patron's Messages-  Welcome, Patrons and new Patrons-  New Lake Shawnee Haunted Amusement Park Video is available! 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North Carolina artist creates 'Bluebirds of Hope' from glass shattered by Helene | Fox Weather  One Artist Picks Up the Pieces | Our State  Greg is pushing forward in his quest to own his own digital content. Greg celebrated his YouTube Channel's 15th birthday! Listener Messages- Dave in New Mexico-  You guys need to drink more water. The Brain is the Last thing to Hydrate. Hey y'all. I do not know if this is interesting enough for y'all or not, but, what is up with all these booms? South Carolina had one yesterday (and parts of NC heard it), and now Massachusetts.  https://youtu.be/DftmBX98WTY?si=GCWispPYuH2_GuBi  https://youtube.com/playlist?list=RDNSAKdZb-JzHDI&playnext=1&si=vy-3TE5uclTTMLP8  Last Episode FollowUp:  Aliens.gov website has launched. White House launches cheeky 'Aliens.gov' website -- as admin slowly releases UFO files: 'They walk among us'  Dead Vultures 33 black vultures found dead in Smokies, National Park Service seeks public's help   Vulture vomit is the leading theory for Kentucky's 1876 meat shower Missing Scientists- Jemez Mountains, Boulder through the Back Window? Los Alamos is close enough Missing scientist's shattered car sparks chilling mystery in remote New Mexico mountains | Daily Mail Online  Authorities say remains and gun found in Carson National Forest are one of the missing scientists. Weird: Manufactured Food Shortages Will Continue- Walmart Is Being Accused Of Significantly Hiking Up Meat Prices  Weird NEWS: Booms- Loud Boom Effect Bolides or Exploding Meteors? Sky Quakes? Military Craft? 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This week in national parks and public lands news, Yosemite is already dealing with major traffic headaches after dropping its reservation system, Arches could be moving toward a shuttle future, and Grand Teton visitors should prepare for a summer full of construction delays. We'll also talk about a new proposal to stop staffing cuts at public lands agencies, a major land donation at the Smokies, expanded hunting and fishing access at park sites, and a brand-new experience opening underneath the Lincoln Memorial. Join our mailing list at https://rvmiles.com/parkography 00:00 Headlines Preview 00:40 Yosemite Traffic Chaos 02:57 Arches Shuttle? 04:40 Grand Canyon North Rim Reopens 06:05 Grand Teton Construction Season 07:06 Hunting and Fishing Expansion 08:53 Bill to Stop Staffing Cuts 09:57 Smokies Land Donation 10:37 Lincoln Memorial Undercroft 11:44 Wrap Up and Mailing List

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Welcome back, Book Nerds! This week we're bringing the chaos straight to Nashville because we're talking all things Smutmas in the Smokies 2026 — the romance author signing event happening July 17-18 in Nashville, TN… and yes, What the Smut will officially be there as a vendor!We're joined by our Booksta bestie Jess from @thebookishclaus, the mastermind behind Smutmas in the Smokies, and y'all… this episode is packed with romance books, author event chaos, unhinged thoughts, and all the bookish shenanigans you expect from us.We dive into: The lineup of romance authors, narrators, and vendors coming to Smutmas Sports romance, forced proximity, fake dating, and favorite romance tropes Why Hallmark movies are elite comfort viewing Parenting feral children while surviving on caffeine and delusion Why people driving slow in the left lane should absolutely move over immediatelyJess also shares behind-the-scenes details about building a first-year romance book signing event, supporting indie romance authors, and creating a space where readers can discover new-to-them authors, narrators, and vendors.If you love: Romance books Bookish podcasts Indie romance authors Sports romance Forced proximity & one bed tropes Bookstagram chaos Christmas in July vibes…then this episode was made for you.Smutmas in the Smokies Details:

Investing In the Sevierville/Gatlinburg Market The Sevierville and Gatlinburg markets continue to attract investors from across the country — but is now still the right time to buy in the Smokies? In this episode of Real Estate with Ryan, we break down what's happening in one of Tennessee's hottest vacation rental and second-home markets. From short-term rental opportunities and tourism trends to rising inventory, pricing shifts, and long-term investment potential, we're covering what buyers and investors need to know before making their next move. Whether you're considering a luxury cabin, overnight rental, vacation home, or long-term investment property, understanding the Sevierville/Gatlinburg market could help position you for success in East Tennessee real estate. Listen this Saturday at 11 AM on Talk Radio 92.3 FM / AM 760 WETR Also airing at 1 PM on News Talk 98.7 FM Listen anytime on Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, SoundCloud, Spotify, Apple Podcasts & Google Podcasts. Thinking about investing in East Tennessee real estate? Call 865-693-SOLD (7653) or visit RyanColeman.org Ryan Coleman Founder/Broker/CEO Hometown Realty LLC Voted Best of Knoxville 2017-2025 Proud Sponsor of the VOLS Dave Ramsey Top ELP YOUR TENNESSEE AGENT #RealEstateWithRyan #SeviervilleRealEstate #GatlinburgRealEstate #SmokyMountainRealEstate #ShortTermRental #VacationRental #EastTennesseeRealEstate #KnoxvilleRealEstate

Brian sits down at the mic after wrapping a long-form interview for Sasquatch Odyssey with researcher Natalie Smearman, and what she shared in that recording was too good to keep on one show. This episode brings her story over to Backwoods Bigfoot Stories in full. Natalie grew up in West Virginia thinking the Bigfoot stories were just something parents told kids to keep them out of the woods, and a local news report out of central Florida about a sighting in the Ocala National Forest cracked that assumption open. From there she spent years reading everything she could get her hands on, eventually buying herself a VIP ticket to the Great Florida Bigfoot Conference as a birthday gift to herself in the middle of a divorce.That weekend put her in front of Adam Davis, R.P.G., and Ken Gerhard, and from that point forward she stopped being a hobbyist and started becoming a field researcher.The bulk of this episode covers the November twenty twenty-five expedition Natalie took with Relic Films into Land Between the Lakes, the one hundred and seventy thousand acre stretch of Kentucky and Tennessee forest that has a documented reputation for high strangeness. Brian walks listeners through Natalie's pheromone bait experiment with Obsession for Men and dollar store dog toys, the singing in the cemetery that calmed down whatever was watching them, the bathroom growl that started a quiet truce in the dark, and the encounter on the second night that broke open everything. Three crawler creatures emerging from a bluish-white oval of light on the ridge line. A charge stopped by bear spray. Cameras and phones and thermals all dying at once.A massive Bigfoot walking out from behind Natalie's truck and disappearing into thin air, witnessed only by her. Martin Groves driving two squatches out of base camp with a stick. Jim hunkered down in his tent the next night while these things pushed in on the hard campers and left the soft tents alone.Brian also covers Natalie's work at the Emmaus Asylum in Missouri and the perfect track she found there, her experience at the Ocala postage stamp where the government bought up land next to a river that whoops and screams across at night, the filming work in the Smokies that turned into the documentary The Vanished with Adam Davis, and a long discussion of the rake creatures that came out of that ridge line at LBL.Natalie's view on these creatures has shifted dramatically over the last year of fieldwork, and Brian asks her directly whether what she's seen has changed how she thinks about the subject. Her answer is honest, and it's the kind of answer that ought to give every flesh and blood researcher something to chew on.Find Natalie on Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, and YouTube under Natalie S. Smearman. Relic Films Media is on the same platforms.Their talk show Beyond the Ordinary is on YouTube. Natalie will be at the Townsend Bigfoot Festival on May first and second, the Ocala Bigfoot Conference on June thirteenth, and the Gatlinburg Bigfoot Conference on July twenty-fifth. The Vanished will be streaming on Tubi, Roku, and Amazon. Brian's full long-form interview with Natalie is available on Sasquatch Odyssey.You can reach Brian directly at brian@paranormalworldproductions.com.Have you experienced a Bigfoot sighting, Sasquatch encounter, Dogman experience, UFO sighting, or any unexplained cryptid or paranormal event deep in the woods? We want to hear your story.Email your encounter to brian@paranormalworldproductions.com for a chance to be featured on a future episode of Backwoods Bigfoot Stories.Backwoods Bigfoot Stories is a paranormal storytelling podcast featuring real Bigfoot encounters, Sasquatch sightings, Dogman reports, cryptid experiences, and true scary stories from the backwoods.Follow the show and turn on automatic downloads so you never miss a chilling encounter from the forest. Listen with the lights off… if you dare.

Explorer and researcher Adam Davies joins Bigfoot Society for one of the wildest Tennessee episodes yet. Deep in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park, Adam shares firsthand investigations involving terrifying roars, unexplained rock clacks, phantom voices on remote mountain roads, fresh tree breaks, and witnesses who have carried their stories in silence for years.This episode dives into intense activity around Cades Cove, strange encounters near Townsend, and a chilling account from Land Between the Lakes involving red eyes in the dark and creatures moving through the tree line.We also spotlight the 2026 Smoky Mountain Bigfoot Festival, happening May 2, 2026 in Townsend, Tennessee. The 6th annual event is set to feature guest speakers, live music, vendors, food trucks, contests, family activities, and thousands of Bigfoot fans gathering in the gateway to the Smokies. Townsend has become one of the most exciting destinations in America for Bigfoot culture, and this year's “Bigfoot Birthday Bash” edition looks bigger than ever. Adam also opens up about why serious witnesses stay quiet, what he believes researchers are missing, and the hidden side of Appalachian Bigfoot reports that rarely gets discussed publicly.If you want credible encounters, deep wilderness mystery, Tennessee Bigfoot history, and one of the most compelling researchers working today, this is an episode you need to hear.Resources:Get tickets for the festival here:https://www.thebigfest.com/https://www.youtube.com/@adamdavies-explorer/videoshttps://www.youtube.com/@RelicFilmsMediaAdam Davies books:https://shorturl.at/fVyZqhttps://www.facebook.com/SmokiesBigfoot/The best interview about Adam's encounters with the Oregon portal: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/boaa924-adam-davies-john-carlson/id279245126?i=1000354032259

I took this episode from an article I wrote for Flying Snake magazine, which was published in December 2020 (Vol. 6, #18). Show transcript: Welcome to Strange Animals Podcast. I'm your host, Kate Shaw. The Great Smoky Mountains is a subrange of the Appalachian Mountains, which stretches from the middle of Alabama in the United States north into southeastern Canada. The Appalachians formed when the world's continents crunched together to form the supercontinent Pangaea. The southern Appalachians formed separately and later than the northern Appalachians, around 270 million years ago. The Appalachians were once as high as the Rockies or Himalayas, but by the time the dinosaurs went extinct, they had eroded down to the mountain cores. Sediment weathered from the peaks and filled in valleys. But during the Pleistocene, when massive glaciers covered the northern parts of North America, the weight of the ice pushed the North American plate down, causing the southern part of the plate to rise. Eventually the ancient mountains' roots were a thousand feet (300 m) above sea level again. Rivers that once flowed east into the Atlantic Ocean or west into the remains of the shallow Western Interior Seaway shifted their courses to flow northward. Streams that once meandered across the land now plunged down steep slopes and dug gorges into the rock. And over thousands of years, animals and plants retreating from the ice migrated southward along the mountain range. When the climate warmed some 11,000 years ago and the ice age glaciers melted, many cold-adapted species were trapped in the peaks of the southern Appalachians. One of the highest peaks is Mount LeConte, with its highest point, High Top, measured at 6,593 ft, or 2,010 meters. I hiked Mount LeConte on 7 May, 2016 when the weather in nearby Knoxville, Tennessee was a warm 82 Fahrenheit, or 27.8 Celcius, but there was snow on the mountain that morning. I wrote my name in it. A spruce-fir forest grows on the upper slopes, a remnant of forest that grew throughout the mountains during the last ice age. The climate at the peak of Mount LeConte is more like that of southern Canada than the warm, humid southeastern United States. The Great Smoky Mountains National Park was established in 1934 to protect the mountains along the Tennessee/North Carolina border. No one lives in the park's 800 square miles (2,072 square km), which receives up to 90 inches [2.29 m] of rain a year, some of it from hurricanes that sweep up from the southern Atlantic or the Gulf of Mexico. Large tracts of old-growth forest still remain in the park too. So as you can see, the Smokies are a biodiversity hotspot. In 2018, the park announced its 1,000th species discovered that is new to science, which by July 2020 had grown to 1,025. Overall, 20,000 known species live in the park as of 2019 and scientists estimate that up to 100,000 more are yet to be discovered. The Smokies are heavily forested, of course, but some mountain summits and crests have no trees. Instead, native grasses and shrubs grow. They're called grassy balds and no one is sure why they exist. The prevailing theory is that Pleistocene megaherbivores opened the forests for grazing, and after their extinction, the balds remained open due to bison, elk (wapiti), and deer. When white settlers moved into the area, they used the balds to graze cattle and other livestock. Remains of mammoth and mastodon, musk ox, ground sloth, and other megaherbivores have been excavated from various balds throughout the park. Amphibian enthusiasts call the Smokies the Salamander Capital of the World, with 30 known species. Largest of these is the hellbender, which we talked about in episode 14, a giant salamander that can grow nearly 2 ½ feet long, or 74 cm, and which lives in swift-moving mountain streams. It's most closely related to the Chinese and Japanese giant salamanders, which can grow over twice as long as the hellbender. Twenty-seven of the salamanders found in the Smokies are lungless, in the family Plethodontidae. Instead of breathing with lungs or gills, the lungless salamanders absorb oxygen through their skin. Of these, the red-cheeked salamander is endemic to the Smokies—that is, it's found nowhere else in the world. The red-cheeked salamander lives in forests in high elevations. It can grow up to seven inches long, or 18 cm, and is gray or black with bright red patches on its face. It spends the day in a burrow, then comes out at night to find insects in the leaf litter. But it's hard to tell apart from the imitator salamander, although the imitator only grows a little over four inches long, or 11 cm. The imitator has red cheeks but its body is patterned black and brown instead of solid gray or black. Sometimes its cheeks are yellow, too, while the red-cheeked salamander only ever has red cheeks. Another animal found only in the Smoky Mountains, although it may also be present in mountains outside of the park, is a species of jeweled spider fly called Mary-Alice's emerald (Eulonchus marialiciae). Mary-Alice's emerald has a metallic-green body and yellow legs, and the adults eat nectar. But the larvae eat spiders. Specifically, they parasitize spiders. After hatching, the larva goes in search of a spider, especially trapdoor spiders that live in burrows. When it finds one, it works its way into the spider's body and eats it from the inside out, eventually killing it. Then it pupates in the burrow and emerges as an adult spider fly. It prefers high elevations that are cool and moist. A less horrific animal found in the Smokies is the Carolina northern flying squirrel. It was one of the species whose ancestors migrated south along the Appalachians during the Pleistocene. Then, after temperatures started to warm, the cold-adapted flying squirrel migrated north again. Some populations remained on mountaintops in the Smoky Mountains and have been isolated for thousands of years, evolving into a subspecies of flying squirrel found only in high elevations of the Smokies. It's much rarer than the southern flying squirrel that lives throughout the southeastern United States, and prefers spruce forests instead of the hardwood forests that southern flying squirrels like. But the spruce forests are threatened by climate change, the introduced woolly adelgid insect that kills fir trees, and pollution in the form of acid rain and pesticides that travel to the mountains from other states and even other countries. The Carolina northern flying squirrel has a patagium of furry skin that connects its front and back legs. When it jumps from a branch, it stretches its legs out and uses the patagia to glide to a new perch. It's clumsy on the ground, though, and spends most of its time in trees. It mostly eats fungi, mushrooms, and lichens, but will also eat nuts, insects, bird eggs and even baby birds, and other plant material like tree sap and buds. Bobcats still live in the Smokies, but the cougar, or mountain lion, was supposedly killed off in the area by the end of the 19th century. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service removed the eastern cougar subspecies from the endangered species list in 2018, since it is supposed to be extinct. The last cougar in what is now the park was supposedly killed in 1920. But sightings continue in the Smokies, close to a dozen a year, and some sightings are compelling, like the 2002 report of a cougar crossing a road in the park, spotted by a veterinarian who treated captive cougars in his practice. Considering how seldom seen the bobcat is despite it being relatively abundant, it's possible that a small number of cougars still live in the park—either animals that have moved back into the mountains from elsewhere, or a relict population. The red wolf is native to the eastern United States and was once common in the Smoky Mountains, but was killed off by white settlers throughout most of its range. Where it remained in the wild, it interbred with closely related coyotes, until it was declared extinct in the wild in 1980. Fortunately, by then a captive breeding program was in place. Starting in 1991, 37 red wolves were released in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park in Tennessee, following the release of 63 red wolves into the Alligator River Natural Area in North Carolina a few years earlier. But the release didn't go well in the Smokies. Wolves are shy and need enormous territories with lots of game. Before long some wolves were leaving the park and attacking livestock. Others died of parvo virus, especially wolf pups. Worse, this was about the same time that coyotes moved into the area from the west. The wolves started interbreeding with the coyotes, and the coyotes also competed with the wolves for food. In 1998, the Fish and Wildlife Service ended the program and recaptured all but one of the wolves originally released into the park. The North Carolina release went better, with a population peak in 2006 estimated at nearly 130 wolves. But that program was suspended in 2015, and without management of the wild population, the number has dwindled. As of 2019, only 14 wolves remain in North Carolina—and that's the entire population of red wolves in the wild. But sightings of red wolves continue in the Smokies. The trouble is that the red wolf looks very similar to the coyote. It's taller and larger, with a more pronounced reddish shade to its coat, but even experts can have trouble telling the two species apart if they can't get a good look at the animal. Most likely people are seeing coyotes, possibly ones descended from red wolf/coyote hybrids born during the reintroduction program. The biggest mystery in the park is the occasional sighting of a Bigfoot-type creature. Most sightings are probably bears, though. An estimated 1,500 American black bears live in the Smokies, and while some bears get used to hikers and tourists, most are shy and seldom seen. A black bear keeping an eye on hikers or cars will sometimes stand on its hind legs for a better view, and would naturally look like a hulking humanoid if glimpsed. But other sightings aren't so easy to explain. In February of 2009, a photographer named Deb Campbell was hiking the Middle Prong Trail in the snow. The Middle Prong Trail passes three major waterfalls and many smaller ones as it follows along a tributary of the Little River. She had the trail almost completely to herself—she says she only saw one person the whole time. Later she reported, “[A]t some point I am photographing along the stream and I start to smell a gawd awful stench. Not really like anything I had ever smelled before. I look around, see nothing, listen intently…nothing. So I finish up at that spot and go further up the trail.” The smell receded behind her but the snow increased, so finally she turned around to hike out. Around the area where she smelled the stink earlier, she started feeling watched. She stopped long enough to secure her camera gear for much faster hiking in slick conditions, when she heard a deep growl that she described as “very low, not like a cat, almost guttural.” Needless to say, she got off the mountain as quickly as possible. The black bear doesn't truly hibernate since its body temperature remains normal instead of dropping, but it does find a den in cold weather and will sleep for long stretches. It may emerge from its den occasionally during the winter during warm spells, but for the most part it's asleep in its den from around November through March in the Smoky Mountains. But Campbell was hiking in February during a snowfall, with snow already on the ground. A bear would most likely not be out of its den in that weather unless it had been disturbed. And bears don't actually smell bad. During the winter hibernation most bears don't defecate at all. Any feces left in a bear's digestive tract harden to form a fecal plug. If it does feel the need to defecate near the end of the winter, it will do so just outside its den, but the fecal plug has very little odor. Even under ordinary conditions, unless a bear has been eating carrion, it will smell no worse than a dog that needs a bath. Not only that, black bears don't actually growl. They make grunty, huffing noises when warning people away or when males fight in the summer, and a frightened bear will moan, but they don't growl like a dog. It's possible that Campbell hiked past a bear that had emerged from its den early and had found and eaten carrion, possibly roadkill, and that she was so close to the bear without seeing it that she smelled its breath. That's almost more frightening than the thought of passing near a Bigfoot. The growl might have come from a different animal, a coyote or who knows, maybe even a red wolf. Or Campbell might have encountered a creature sometimes called a skunk ape due to its foul odor. The skunk ape is most commonly reported in Florida swamps, but sightings—or smellings—have come from many other states. The smell is sometimes described as that of rotting food and roadkill on a hot day. A bear or other animal that has been rooting around in garbage bins can pick up this odor, especially in hot weather, but it's hard to believe that a bear would be actively foraging so much in winter that it would smell like trash. January and February are the depths of winter in East Tennessee. The bears are hibernating, not foraging. Thanks for your support, and thanks for listening! This is what a couple of fighting bears sound like: [bear sounds]

Slowly, over decades, Tennessee has been building a linear trail to give hikers and backpackers access to a part of the Appalachians that isn't the Smokies. Plus the local news for April 24, 2026 and the connection between stargazing and conservation. Credits: This is a production of Nashville Public RadioHost/producer: Nina CardonaEditor: LaTonya TurnerAdditional support: Mack Linebaugh, Tony Gonzalez, Megan Jones and the staff of WPLN and WNXP

Send us Fan MailIn Episode #56 of Season #4, I will discuss what tiny little insect is killing off the majestic and beautiful Hemlock Trees?One of my hobbies is to hike and near me is the Red River Gorge Geological Area.  I love hiking in this area but I do a tiny bit of hiking in Georgia, Berea, KY, and in the Smoky Mountains.  When you are in many of these mountainous areas you will see 70-90% of the Hemlock Trees dead or dying in some areas. What is killing them?It is a tiny tiny black bug covered in a white cotton looking protective layer, and it's name is the Hemlock Woolly Adelgid.  Your host is Tommy Fowler. I have a biology degree from the University of Kentucky and a high passion for the outdoors.  I am "The Amateur Naturalist".We will talk about:In tonight's episode, I will discuss when it was introduced and where it came from originally.I will talk also talk about the chemical and biological ways we might be able to control it and maybe someday defeat it._________________________________________________________________________*************   https://www.buymeacoffee.com/TommyFowler   **************One way that you can support this podcast is to "Buy Me a Cup of Coffee".  Not a real cup of coffee.  Just click on the Buy Me a Cup of Coffee and you can give a small donation to help me get some new equipment or to just stay on the air.  Many thanks in advance if you do._________________________________________________________________________My website:https://theamateurnaturalist.buzzsprout.com/2032491Also, be sure to visit Facebook and look for my site ... The Amateur NaturalistI would love to hear your ideas, see your pictures or hear your feedback.____________________________________________________________________You can help me out by:Please hit “download” on every episodePlease hit Followplease leave me a reviewdownload each of my episodesplease leave a 5-star rating    This helps me grow as a podcaster please tell 1-2 friends or family about this podcast_______________________________________________________________________You can support the people who support the Smoky Mountains, black bears  and wildlife by going to:Friends of the Smokies.          https://friendsofthesmokies.orgAppalachian Bear Rescue.     https://appalachianbearrescue.org________________________________________________________________________** Click here to get $20 off a paid Buzzsprout account to start your own podcast.  It's fun, start today!!https://www.buzzsprout.com/?referrer_id=2014700_________________________________________________________________________The short music intro and outro is:"Hickory Hollow" by Dan Lebowitz.  I love this music.  Thank you, Dan.This music is royalty free.Designer Mini Goldendoodle puppiesDesigner Golden Doodles offers the best quality mini and micro mini goldendoodle puppies.Support the show

Dana came to visit me for a zero day this week. The Smokies are over and a record I hoped to beat while I was there remains intact!! Even with a relaxing zero with my love, I still had to prepare for my return to the trail the following day, so there is always plenty to do; even on zeroes. i managed to record Dana's reaction to seeing me as well as a conversation I had with a young German couple   I'm using Polarsteps to record my AT thru-hike this year. If you'd like to follow my progress between episodes, as well as photos of my journey, please go to https://www.polarsteps.com/mightyblue and click on the follow button. I used my hike in 2024 on the South West Coast Path in the UK to help raise money for my absolute favorite charity, Parenting Matters, on whose board I've been privileged to serve for over a decade. You can learn more about the hike and the organization–and donate–by visiting Hike with Steve - Empowering Parents, One Step at a Time | Parenting Matters %. I hope you want to support this critical mission. Don't forget. Our entire series of videos from our Woods Hole Weekend in 2022 is now FREE and available at my YouTube page at Woods Hole Weekend - Trailer There, you'll find all sorts of tips and tricks that our guests took away from the weekend that helped them with their own hikes this year. Check it out. I often ask listeners for ideas on who to interview, and I'm sure several of you say, "I could do that. I've got an awesome story to tell." You're the person we need to hear from. If you'd like to be interviewed on the podcast, just register as a guest on the link below, and I'll be in touch. Come on the show! If you like what we're doing on the Hiking Radio Network, and want to see our shows continue, please consider supporting us with either a one-off or monthly donation. You'll find the donate button on each Hiking Radio Network page at Hiking Radio Network . Additionally, you can join our membership at Steve (Mighty Blue) Adams. It's worth checking out what is on offer for you there. If you prefer NOT to use PayPal, you can now support us via check by mailing it to Mighty Blue Publishing, 3821 Milflores Drive, Sun City Center, FL 33573. Any support is gratefully received. Additionally, you can "Zelle" me a donation to steve@hikingradionetwork.com. Or "Venmo" me at @‌Steve-Adams-105. They both work! If you'd like to take advantage of my book offer (all three of my printed hiking books–with a personal message and signed by me–for $31, including postage to the United States) send a check payable to Mighty Blue Publishing at the address just above.    

The Smokies are all but done, with glorious weather all the way with just one day to go. I think I was more concerned about them than I should have been, but it has been a pure pleasure to be hiking above the clouds at 5-6,000 feet all day long. This recap covers last Wednesday thru Saturday, when I navigated the perils of Newfound Gap, needing to get to Gatlinburg, yet stay in Cherokee. Happily it all worked out. Along the way, I chatted with a ridge runner, Houdini, who shared a few tips with me. It's been a great four days. I'm using Polarsteps to record my AT thru-hike this year. If you'd like to follow my progress between episodes, as well as photos of my journey, please go to https://www.polarsteps.com/mightyblue and click on the follow button. I used my hike in 2024 on the South West Coast Path in the UK to help raise money for my absolute favorite charity, Parenting Matters, on whose board I've been privileged to serve for over a decade. You can learn more about the hike and the organization–and donate–by visiting Hike with Steve - Empowering Parents, One Step at a Time | Parenting Matters %. I hope you want to support this critical mission. Don't forget. Our entire series of videos from our Woods Hole Weekend in 2022 is now FREE and available at my YouTube page at Woods Hole Weekend - Trailer There, you'll find all sorts of tips and tricks that our guests took away from the weekend that helped them with their own hikes this year. Check it out. I often ask listeners for ideas on who to interview, and I'm sure several of you say, "I could do that. I've got an awesome story to tell." You're the person we need to hear from. If you'd like to be interviewed on the podcast, just register as a guest on the link below, and I'll be in touch. Come on the show! If you like what we're doing on the Hiking Radio Network, and want to see our shows continue, please consider supporting us with either a one-off or monthly donation. You'll find the donate button on each Hiking Radio Network page at Hiking Radio Network . Additionally, you can join our membership at Steve (Mighty Blue) Adams. It's worth checking out what is on offer for you there. If you prefer NOT to use PayPal, you can now support us via check by mailing it to Mighty Blue Publishing, 3821 Milflores Drive, Sun City Center, FL 33573. Any support is gratefully received. Additionally, you can "Zelle" me a donation to steve@hikingradionetwork.com. Or "Venmo" me at @‌Steve-Adams-105. They both work! If you'd like to take advantage of my book offer (all three of my printed hiking books–with a personal message and signed by me–for $31, including postage to the United States) send a check payable to Mighty Blue Publishing at the address just above.  

Into the Smokies this week for what feels like the end of the beginning. Cell service has been spotty at best, so getting this done a few hours late seems like a win! While recapping my own adventures, I also got the chance to sit down and chat with Doug and Laura, or Smokey and Candy Corn. I didn't get a picture of Candy Corn, but this is Doug. I'm using Polarsteps to record my AT thru-hike this year. If you'd like to follow my progress between episodes, as well as photos of my journey, please go to https://www.polarsteps.com/mightyblue and click on the follow button. I used my hike in 2024 on the South West Coast Path in the UK to help raise money for my absolute favorite charity, Parenting Matters, on whose board I've been privileged to serve for over a decade. You can learn more about the hike and the organization–and donate–by visiting Hike with Steve - Empowering Parents, One Step at a Time | Parenting Matters %. I hope you want to support this critical mission. Don't forget. Our entire series of videos from our Woods Hole Weekend in 2022 is now FREE and available at my YouTube page at Woods Hole Weekend - Trailer There, you'll find all sorts of tips and tricks that our guests took away from the weekend that helped them with their own hikes this year. Check it out. I often ask listeners for ideas on who to interview, and I'm sure several of you say, "I could do that. I've got an awesome story to tell." You're the person we need to hear from. If you'd like to be interviewed on the podcast, just register as a guest on the link below, and I'll be in touch. Come on the show! If you like what we're doing on the Hiking Radio Network, and want to see our shows continue, please consider supporting us with either a one-off or monthly donation. You'll find the donate button on each Hiking Radio Network page at Hiking Radio Network . Additionally, you can join our membership at Steve (Mighty Blue) Adams. It's worth checking out what is on offer for you there. If you prefer NOT to use PayPal, you can now support us via check by mailing it to Mighty Blue Publishing, 3821 Milflores Drive, Sun City Center, FL 33573. Any support is gratefully received. Additionally, you can "Zelle" me a donation to steve@hikingradionetwork.com. Or "Venmo" me at @‌Steve-Adams-105. They both work! If you'd like to take advantage of my book offer (all three of my printed hiking books–with a personal message and signed by me–for $31, including postage to the United States) send a check payable to Mighty Blue Publishing at the address just above.  

Episode OverviewIn this Casting Angles episode of The Articulate Fly, host Marvin Cash and Master Casting Instructor Mac Brown of Mac Brown Fly Fish tackle the science behind low-water trout presentation — the kind of technical adjustment that separates consistent anglers from frustrated ones. With drought conditions pushing Western North Carolina rivers to July-like flows in early April, Marvin and Mac deliver a timely primer on two interconnected concepts: Snell's window (the physics governing what trout can see through the water's surface) and the Rule of Six (a practical formula for calculating your safe approach distance). The conversation covers how to apply the 2.25x depth multiplier to size a trout's window of vision and then use that measurement to determine the minimum casting distance before the fish has already seen you. Mac also breaks down the grid-the-water approach — systematically working small quadrants across the entire stream rather than repeatedly targeting the most obvious foam line — and explains why the biggest, most visible foam lines are often holding the smallest fish. Marvin adds presentation mechanics to round out the discussion: reach-cast technique to keep fly line out of the target current, dry dropper rigging with terrestrials for flat-water conditions, weighted dropper management and the rationale for casting well upstream of a target fish to give an unweighted nymph time to sink into the zone. Mac closes with an observation on declining spring hatches in the Smokies — midges and micro caddis dominating where March Browns and Hendricksons once defined the season.Key TakeawaysHow to calculate a trout's window of vision using the 2.25x depth multiplier so you can size your approach distance before spooking fish in low, clear water.Why the Rule of Six (your height in the water in feet × 6 = minimum safe casting distance) becomes critical when summer-like flows arrive weeks ahead of schedule.How gridding the water in small quadrants based on fish depth forces you to cover the entire stream rather than over-fishing the obvious foam line.Why the largest foam lines in a run often hold the most small fish, and how to identify the compact, exclusive feeding lanes where big trout hold alone.When to use a reach cast to place your fly line in slower adjacent current, eliminating drag and keeping line off the heads of fish you're targeting.How casting well upstream with an unweighted or lightly weighted dropper gives the fly time to sink into the strike zone without a splash-down that spooks fish in flat, pressured water.Techniques & Gear CoveredThe episode centers on low-water presentation fundamentals: precise approach distances derived from Snell's window and the Rule of Six, systematic grid-casting across a run rather than casting to single obvious targets and the reach cast as a drag-reduction tool when fly line and target current are aligned. For rigs, Marvin and Mac discuss the dry dropper setup as the preferred configuration for flat, low-flow water — specifically terrestrials (beetles, ants, crickets, grasshoppers) as the dry fly indicator — paired with unweighted or lightly weighted dropper nymphs. Mac mentions that his guide trips have been running unweighted Pheasant Tails in sizes 16–18 given the near-absence of larger spring hatches, with size 20–32 midges and size 18 micro caddis making up the bulk of what's on the water. The conversation also touches on angler visibility and stealth — muted or camouflage clothing, avoiding bright colors, keeping the casting stroke in the horizontal plane rather than the vertical — as underappreciated factors that compound with technical presentation mechanics in clear, low conditions.FAQ / Key Questions AnsweredHow do you calculate how close you can approach a trout in low, clear water?Multiply the fish's depth in feet by 2.25 to get the diameter of its surface window, then multiply your own height in the water in feet by six to determine your minimum safe approach distance from the edge of the trout's surface window. In smooth, slow water that figure generally sits between 30–40 feet; anything closer in clear conditions and the fish has likely already spotted you and is preparing to bolt.Why does gridding the water produce more fish than casting to the best-looking foam line?In shallow freestone water where fish are feeding in the kitchen — riffles six inches to a foot deep — the window of vision is tiny, so each quadrant of the run needs tighter two-foot spacing. The big, four-foot foam line usually holds a crowd of smaller fish competing for the same food; larger fish stake out smaller, exclusive feeding lanes where there's enough food for one fish and they can defend it. Systematically working the whole grid with a back-to-front, close-to-far progression exposes those secondary lies that most anglers skip.When should you use a reach cast instead of a direct upstream presentation?Use a reach cast any time your target current and the adjacent current containing your fly line are running at different speeds. Dropping the rod tip to one side after completing the cast positions the fly line in the slower adjacent current, preventing it from dragging the dry fly unnaturally and keeping it out of the surface window of the fish you are trying to catch.How do you manage a weighted dropper nymph to avoid spooking fish in flat water?Cast well upstream of the target fish rather than directly at it, using enough distance that a lightly weighted or unweighted fly has time to sink to the strike zone before it reaches the fish. Reducing weight is Mac's preferred solution on currently low Western NC water, which is why unweighted Pheasant Tails in sizes 16–18 are the primary dropper choice on his guide trips right now.What are the realistic hatch expectations for Western North Carolina this spring?Mac reports that the classic March Brown and Hendrickson hatches that defined Western NC spring fishing for decades are largely absent this year. He notes this decline has been a long-term trend, cautioning anglers against planning trips around guaranteed hatch windows that no longer reliably materialize.Related ContentS8, Ep 21: Casting into Spring: Mac Brown Discusses Wild Trout Fishing and Upcoming ClassesS7, Ep 28: Warming Waters and Active Fish: A Spring Fishing Update with Mac BrownS7, Ep 60: Mastering the Drift: Technical Trout Tactics for Summer Success with Mac BrownS8, Ep 18: The Learning Curve: Mac Brown on Effective Teaching MethodsHow a Trout Sees: The Rule of Six & Proven Tactics for Stalking TroutHow Trout See Underwater: Snell's Law & Angler TipsLast Bite at the Apple: Trout Vision and ColorConnect with Our GuestFollow Mac on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.Follow the ShowFollow The Articulate Fly on Facebook, Instagram, Threads and YouTube.Follow our Substack newsletter for episode updates, tips and resources.Support the ShowShop through our Amazon link to support the podcast.Join our Patreon community to support the show.If you are in the industry and need help getting unstuck, learn more about our consulting...

The three days from NOC to Fontana Dam were my toughest section so far. I made it, but the difficulty shook my confidence a bit.  The walk down into NOC was a totally different story, for one specific reason, which you'll learn today.  Along the way, I met more great people and they shared their stories with me, including Sue Powell (Sweet Tears) and Henry Southall (Hot Tang).  With the Smokies next, this is going to be a another important week. I'm using Polarsteps to record my AT thru-hike this year. If you'd like to follow my progress between episodes, as well as photos of my journey, please go to https://www.polarsteps.com/mightyblue and click on the follow button. I used my hike in 2024 on the South West Coast Path in the UK to help raise money for my absolute favorite charity, Parenting Matters, on whose board I've been privileged to serve for over a decade. You can learn more about the hike and the organization–and donate–by visiting Hike with Steve - Empowering Parents, One Step at a Time | Parenting Matters %. I hope you want to support this critical mission. Don't forget. Our entire series of videos from our Woods Hole Weekend in 2022 is now FREE and available at my YouTube page at Woods Hole Weekend - Trailer There, you'll find all sorts of tips and tricks that our guests took away from the weekend that helped them with their own hikes this year. Check it out. I often ask listeners for ideas on who to interview, and I'm sure several of you say, "I could do that. I've got an awesome story to tell." You're the person we need to hear from. If you'd like to be interviewed on the podcast, just register as a guest on the link below, and I'll be in touch. Come on the show! If you like what we're doing on the Hiking Radio Network, and want to see our shows continue, please consider supporting us with either a one-off or monthly donation. You'll find the donate button on each Hiking Radio Network page at Hiking Radio Network . Additionally, you can join our membership at Steve (Mighty Blue) Adams. It's worth checking out what is on offer for you there. If you prefer NOT to use PayPal, you can now support us via check by mailing it to Mighty Blue Publishing, 3821 Milflores Drive, Sun City Center, FL 33573. Any support is gratefully received. Additionally, you can "Zelle" me a donation to steve@hikingradionetwork.com. Or "Venmo" me at @‌Steve-Adams-105. They both work! If you'd like to take advantage of my book offer (all three of my printed hiking books–with a personal message and signed by me–for $31, including postage to the United States) send a check payable to Mighty Blue Publishing at the address just above.  

Check out Sanctuary Treehouse Resort in Sevierville!See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Check out Sanctuary Treehouse Resort in Sevierville!See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Joey is wearing bright red shoes today because he sent his black ones back to Nike. He says they wore down too fast and they are under warranty, so he sent them back to either get a refund or a new pair. We gave away Hardy tickets with a Hardy Haiku. We read haiku poems about a Hardy song and whoever guessed the song correctly won! Nancy got caught watching some old people falling asleep during a meeting yesterday. She loves to watch and see if they will twitch and jump awake. Joey tests Nancy on the most popular misquoted movie quotes. Lucky 7 for $50 to Old South Candy Joe Exotic (Tiger King) stood us up! Karly had scheduled a call with him from prison, but he didn’t call us. Joey had to tell his wife that her favorite word, dadgumit, was based off of a phrase that takes the Lord’s name in vain. She had no idea and was shocked! What Makes You Special? We Own a Luxury Treehouse Resort in the Smokies! A TN couple that had been married for 70 years died only a few hours apart from each other. Nancy said that her grandparents did the same thing. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Joey is wearing bright red shoes today because he sent his black ones back to Nike. He says they wore down too fast and they are under warranty, so he sent them back to either get a refund or a new pair. We gave away Hardy tickets with a Hardy Haiku. We read haiku poems about a Hardy song and whoever guessed the song correctly won! Nancy got caught watching some old people falling asleep during a meeting yesterday. She loves to watch and see if they will twitch and jump awake. Joey tests Nancy on the most popular misquoted movie quotes. Lucky 7 for $50 to Old South Candy Joe Exotic (Tiger King) stood us up! Karly had scheduled a call with him from prison, but he didn’t call us. Joey had to tell his wife that her favorite word, dadgumit, was based off of a phrase that takes the Lord’s name in vain. She had no idea and was shocked! What Makes You Special? We Own a Luxury Treehouse Resort in the Smokies! A TN couple that had been married for 70 years died only a few hours apart from each other. Nancy said that her grandparents did the same thing. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

MOPs & MOEs is powered by TrainHeroic, the best coaching app on the planet. ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Click here to get 14 days FREE and a consult with the coaches at TrainHeroic to help you get your coaching business rolling on TrainHeroic. ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ MOPs & MOEs delivers our training through ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠TrainHeroic and you can ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠get your first 7 days of training with us FREE by clicking here.⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠To continue the conversation, ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠join our Discord!⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ We have experts standing by to answer your questions.In this week's episode we deep dive the fitness test used by Backcountry Search and Rescue (BUSAR). They are a non-profit 501(c)(3) organization comprised of members with extensive backcountry and outdoor experience, as well as specialized professional expertise from the NPS, Army, Navy, Marines and Air Force. Members also have experience in aviation, tracking, survival, firefighting, law enforcement, and medical professions.Their unique fitness test consists of the following: Burpee pack pullups - as many reps as you can do in 10 minutes with your SAR pack (~ 20 lbs.) - minimum 50225 pound trap bar deadlift - as many reps as you can do with good form in 1 minute - minimum 153 mile pack test with 45 pounds in under 45 minutes (USFS pack test), followed by additional 30 minutes up and over a picnic table with your SAR Pack (~ 20 lbs.) and a 45# kettlebell or dumbbellAndrew Herrington grew up a free range kid, shaped by Boy Scouts, wilderness, and hard less. A near-fatal rescue at 17 locked his purpose in for good. With nearly two decades in Smokies Search & Resuce, he became a master of survival. His specialties include land navigation, tracking, swiftwater, hunting, trapping, and wildland fire operations. A former backcountry ranger, hog hunter, and wildland firefighter, he blends instinct with experience. As founder and leader of the team, he trains others to think, adapt, and move. Known as an empathetic problem solver, he builds teams under pressure. He doesn't just solve rescues, he forges heroes.Greg Grieco learned early that standing still gets people hurt. As a former wildlife ranger in the Smokies, he tracked and trapped conflict bears relying on his photographic memory and encyclopedic mind to outsmart the beasts before they could cause more problems. A university of Tennessee football alum, Greg brings power, speed, and fearless momentum to every mission. He specializes in land navigation, rapid decision making, and reading terrain like an open book. When hesitation creeps in, he pushes that team forward.

The Drive is LIVE from Smokies opening day More Hoops and Baseball talk The Top 5 at 5:00

In this gripping episode, we sit down with an all-star lineup of paranormal voices: Laura from the Midnight in the Mountains Podcast, Jason York from AFK Discussions, and Brooks Rinish from the East Tennessee paranormal team The Smokies Unforgotten Spirits.Together, we dive deep into one of Tennessee's most haunted and mysterious locations — Elkmont Ghost Town, nestled deep within the Great Smoky Mountains National Park near Gatlinburg.Once a thriving early 1900s logging community and exclusive mountain resort for the wealthy, Elkmont was left to slowly fade after the creation of the national park. Today, its decaying yet eerily preserved cabins, the infamous “Troll Bridge,” and historic homes stand as a haunting time capsule of Appalachian life — and a hotspot for intense paranormal activity.From shadowy air entities and dark figures to chilling encounters with Black-Eyed Kids, aggressive spirits, and even reports of Bigfoot, Elkmont has earned its reputation as one of the most active locations in the Smokies.But this episode goes far beyond the legends. The guys open up about a terrifying personal experience they had in the ghost town — an encounter so powerful it has haunted them ever since and may have left a lasting impact on their lives.Join us for a wild, unforgettable night at Elkmont Ghost Town and discover the lingering effects this abandoned place continues to have on those who dare to investigate it.Got a mind-blowing paranormal encounter, cryptid sighting, UFO experience, or any high-strangeness story that still gives you chills? We want to hear it—and we want YOU on the show! Become a guest on Let's Get Freaky and share your true story with our growing freaky community. Drop us a line at: letsgetfreakypodcast@mail.com Or slide into our DMs on socials: Facebook, Instagram, X, TikTok, or YouTube → @tcletsgetfreakypodcastEverything you need in one place: https://linktr.ee/letsgetfreaky

In this episode, a single spark in the Smokies becomes a vivid mirror for the soul: two matches, a raging wildfire, and the reminder that a small flame can change everything. Drawing on Paul's charge to Timothy, we follow a compelling narrative of recognition and renewal — learn how to acknowledge the spark God's given you, fan it with His presence and Scripture, warm it through community, and fuel it with gifts and vision. With scripture, real-life imagery, and clear next steps, this episode invites you to take your next step and let your faith burn brighter for others.

Today's episode of Backpacker presented by The Trek brought to you by Topo Athletic, is the horniest. Goda Latvys, known on trail as Freyja, has been hiking more or less non-stop over the last 5+ years, and in the process, writing in vivid detail about her many sexual conquests, which is the central theme of today's conversation. When I say x-rated, please do not take that lightly, as the subject matter is highly explicit sexual content, and most definitely not intended for young audiences or anyone who is uncomfortable with vivid adult themes. You have been warned. We wrap the show with the news of a fella who thru-skated from Mexico to Alaska, a conspiracy theory we don't believe in but wish were true, the triple crown of cookies, a sex story from a reader that is certifiably insane, and yet another entry into the heated debate of whether you'd rather encounter a bear vs. a man in the woods. Topo Athletic: Use code "TREKWINTER15" at topoathletic.com. Mountainsmith: Use code "TAKEAHIKE" for 20% off at mountainsmith.com. [divider] Interview with Goda Latvys Goda's Trek Author page Goda's Website Time stamps & Questions 00:05:32 - Reminders: Apply to vlog or blog for the Trek, listen to our episodes ad-free on Patreon, and subscribe to The Trek's Youtube! 00:07:38 - Introducing Goda 00:09:00 - Excerpt #1 00:11:30 - Can you describe some of your fetishes? 00:14:15 - Do you ever use false names or dramatize anything? 00:16:11 - Tell us about your encounter with Vegas 00:19:25 - Do you have an OnlyFans? 00:20:35 - Where are some of the craziest places you've had sex? 00:22:40 - Excerpt #2 00:27:00 - Excerpt #3 00:28:15 - Excerpt #4 00:30:55 - What are some of the typical reactions you get? 00:33:55 - Freyja's hitchhiking stories 00:39:45 - How do women receive you on trail? 00:40:44 - Excerpt #5 00:43:30 - Who's your ideal type? 00:46:55 - What does your family think? 00:48:20 - How do you handle when people get frustrated about what you write? 00:50:55 - How do you fund your hiking? 00:52:45 - Tell us about the situation with the cigarette 00:56:00 - Do you ever fear for your safety? 00:57:36 - What are your hot takes? 00:59:45 - What do your friends think about your life? 01:00:20 - Tell us about sex cults 01:01:50 - What story do you get the most feedback about? 01:04:08 - Tell us about your trail family 01:07:44 - What leads you to turn down a hitch? 01:09:03 - Tell us about almost dying in the Smokies 01:12:50 - What has been the best trail for hitchhiking? 01:13:18 - Do you have any tips for sex while thru-hiking? 01:15:07 - Tell us about rope play 01:17:15 - Do you have a higher pain tolerance than usual? 01:18:50 - Are you attracted to women? 01:21:08 - What was it like to quit your first thru-hike? 01:23:50 - What got you into thru-hiking? 01:26:20 - What happened with the starfish? 01:28:10 - Tell us about bikepacking in Ghana 01:30:25 - Do you have any fears? 01:31:20 - How did you accidentally cross into Chile? 01:35:00 - What advice would you give to someone interested in starting to thru-hike? 01:37:27 - Peak Performance Question: What is your top performance-enhancing or backpacking hack? Segments Trek Propaganda: Man Skateboards From Mexico to Alaska on the Continental Divide: "It's Honestly the Worst Way To Thru-Travel" by Anna McKinney Smith QOTD:  What's a conspiracy theory you don't believe in but wish were true? Triple Crown of cookies Listener Voicemail Mail Bag 5 Star Review [divider] Check out our sound guy @my_boy_pauly/ and his coffee. Sign up for the Trek's newsletter Leave us a voicemail! Subscribe to this podcast on iTunes (and please leave us a review)!  Find us on Spotify, Stitcher, and Google Play. Support us on Patreon to get bonus content. Advertise on Backpacker Radio Follow The Trek, Chaunce, Badger, and Trail Correspondents on Instagram. Follow Backpacker Radio, The Trek and Chaunce on YouTube. Follow Backpacker Radio on Tik Tok.  Our theme song is Walking Slow by Animal Years. A super big thank you to our Chuck Norris Award winner(s) from Patreon: Alex and Misty with NavigatorsCrafting, Alex Kindle, Andrew, Austen McDaniel, Bill Jensen, Brad & Blair Thirteen Adventures, Bret Mullins aka Cruizy, Bryan Alsop, Carl Lobstah Houde, Christopher Marshburn, Clint Sitler, Coach from Marion Outdoors, Eric Casper, Erik Hofmann, Ethan Harwell, Gillian Daniels, Greg Knight, Greg Martin, Griffin Haywood, Hailey Buckingham, Jackson Storm, Jason Kiser, Luke Netjes, Matty in AZ, Patrick Cianciolo, Randy Sutherland, Rebecca Brave, Rural Juror, Sawyer Products, The Saint Louis Shaman, Timothy Hahn, Tracy 'Trigger' Fawns A big thank you to our Cinnamon Connection Champions from Patreon: Bells, Benjy Lowry, Bonnie Ackerman, Brett Vandiver, Chris Pyle, David Neal, Dcnerdlet, Denise Krekeler, Jack Greene, Jeanie, Jeanne Latshaw, Lloyd Harris, Merle Watkins, Peter, Quenten Jones, Ruth S, Salt Stain, Sloan Alberhasky, and Tyler Powers.

Send a textIn Episode #55 of Season #4, I will discuss some acid loving plants.  Specifically, acidic soil loving plants such as some trillium plants (4), some ferns (2) and some blueberry plants (2).  Plants such as these grow in and around the Appalachian Mountains, the Appalachian Foothills to the mountains and some call it the Appalachian Plateau.One of my hobbies is to hike and near me is the Red River Gorge Geological Area.  I love hiking in this area but I do a tiny bit of hiking in Georgia, Berea, KY, and in the Smoky Mountains.  You will see these plants in many of these areas if there is an acidic soil to sustain the plants.Your host is Tommy Fowler. I have a biology degree from the University of Kentucky and a high passion for the outdoors.  I am "The Amateur Naturalist".We will talk about:In tonight's episode, I will discuss 4 trillium plants, some ferns, and some blueberry plantsI will talk about why the soil is probably acidic._________________________________________________________________________*************   https://www.buymeacoffee.com/TommyFowler   **************One way that you can support this podcast is to "Buy Me a Cup of Coffee".  Not a real cup of coffee.  Just click on the Buy Me a Cup of Coffee and you can give a small donation to help me get some new equipment or to just stay on the air.  Many thanks in advance if you do._________________________________________________________________________My website:https://theamateurnaturalist.buzzsprout.com/2032491Also, be sure to visit Facebook and look for my site ... The Amateur NaturalistI would love to hear your ideas, see your pictures or hear your feedback.____________________________________________________________________You can help me out by:Please hit “download” on every episodePlease hit Followplease leave me a reviewdownload each of my episodesplease leave a 5-star rating    This helps me grow as a podcaster please tell 1-2 friends or family about this podcast_______________________________________________________________________You can support the people who support the Smoky Mountains, black bears  and wildlife by going to:Friends of the Smokies.          https://friendsofthesmokies.orgAppalachian Bear Rescue.     https://appalachianbearrescue.org________________________________________________________________________** Click here to get $20 off a paid Buzzsprout account to start your own podcast.  It's fun, start today!!https://www.buzzsprout.com/?referrer_id=2014700_________________________________________________________________________The short music intro and outro is:"Hickory Hollow" by Dan Lebowitz.  I love this music.  Thank you, Dan.This music is royalty free.The Fresh Patch Podcast - Where Good Pets Get It. Welcome to the Fresh Patch Podcast where we talk about everything, from dog...Listen on: Apple Podcasts Designer Mini Goldendoodle puppiesDesigner Golden Doodles offers the best quality mini and micro mini goldendoodle puppies.Support the show

Episode OverviewThis fly fishing podcast episode delivers a timely late-winter transition report from Southwest Virginia, covering the critical window when musky season winds down and pre-spawn smallmouth bass fishing kicks into gear. Host Marvin Cash reconnects with guide Matt Reilly of Matt Reilly Fly Fishing — a USCG-licensed captain and specialist in smallmouth, musky and other predatory game fish in the New River system — for a frank assessment of where conditions stand and what anglers should be targeting over the next several weeks. Recent snowmelt pushed water temperatures down, but a sustained stretch of warm days (highs in the 60s and 70s with some approaching 80°F) has temperatures climbing back through the mid-to-upper 40s, signaling that pre-spawn smallmouth are beginning to stage out of their winter holding water. Matt also previews his spring striper run program, opening dates on his guiding calendar, and his expanded mountain trout program through associated guides in southwest Virginia — a fishery he argues is underutilized by visiting anglers drawn instead to the Smokies or Virginia's tailwaters. For serious anglers planning a spring trip or looking to understand how temperature history shapes fish location in early season, this report is essential listening.Key TakeawaysHow water temperature history — not just current readings — dictates where pre-spawn smallmouth will be holding after warm early-season spikes followed by cold snaps.When to start streamer fishing for pre-spawn smallmouth: once morning temps consistently hit 50°F, a mid-column baitfish presentation becomes reliable; mid-to-upper 40s can work with slow retrieves and long pauses.Why fishing smallmouth through the winter gives you a positional advantage in early spring, since you can track fish as they move from deep winter holds to staging edges.How to locate early pre-spawn fish: upper ends of winter pools, lower ends and tail-outs, spreading throughout the river once temps push past 50°F.When to book spring guide dates proactively rather than waiting for newsletter announcements — late-notice cancellations open dates that never get widely publicized.Why the southwest Virginia mountain trout fishery is an overlooked destination for visiting fly anglers focused on the Smokies or regional tailwaters.Techniques & Gear CoveredThe episode is technique-focused on early pre-spawn smallmouth streamer presentations. Matt details the adjustment between cold-water (mid-40s) and warming-water (upper 40s into 50s) approaches: in colder conditions he recommends a slower mid-column retrieve with extended pauses and suspension, explicitly advising against immediately defaulting to dumbbell-eyed patterns bouncing on the bottom. Once morning temps reach 50°F, he transitions confidently to a standard baitfish-profile streamer fished mid-column. The conversation also touches briefly on the striper run, which typically runs mid-April through mid-May and requires constant monitoring given how quickly fish can move through.Locations & SpeciesThe primary fishery discussed is the New River in southwest Virginia, with contextual references to the broader regional mountain trout waters of the same area. Target species include pre-spawn smallmouth bass (the dominant focus), musky (wrapping up the season with a couple of remaining guide trips), striped bass (spring run, mid-April to mid-May) and wild mountain trout in the higher-elevation tributaries and streams of the Mount Rogers area. Conditions at time of recording reflect post-snowmelt recovery, with water temps north of 40°F in most stretches and some reaching the upper 40s — the threshold Matt identifies as the beginning of productive pre-spawn streamer fishing. The episode also notes the absence of any cicada brood emergences in 2026 (the only such year in the next 13), which Matt acknowledges will simplify the spring guiding calendar compared to recent years.FAQ / Key Questions AnsweredHow do water temperatures affect pre-spawn smallmouth location on the New River?In the mid-to-upper 40s, smallmouth are staging at the edges of their winter holding areas — look for them at the upper ends and tail-outs of winter pools. Once temps push past 50°F, fish spread throughout the river and become more actively feeding. Temperature history matters significantly: if fish have already experienced 52–53°F water during an early warm spell, they may have already moved even if a cold snap has pulled temps back down to the mid-40s.What streamer presentation works best for pre-spawn smallmouth in cold water?In the mid-40s, Matt favors a slow mid-column presentation with long pauses and extended suspension rather than bottom-bouncing dumbbell patterns or active retrieves. At 50°F and above, a standard baitfish-profile streamer fished mid-column is his go-to — at that temperature threshold he has enough confidence in the bite to commit fully to that style unless conditions clearly dictate otherwise.When does the striper run typically happen in southwest and south central Virginia and how predictable is it?Matt's striper program generally runs from mid-April through mid-May, but stripers can appear one day and be gone the next, making it a "wait and see" fishery that requires staying closely tuned to conditions. He monitors fish presence actively and adjusts guide bookings accordingly, making early contact with him the best way to position for a slot during the run.Why is the southwest Virginia mountain trout fishery underutilized by visiting anglers?Most visiting anglers traveling to the mid-Atlantic and Southern Appalachian region default to Tennessee's tailwaters or the Smoky Mountains, and don't end up in southwest Virginia even though the wild trout fishing there can be exceptional from late February through summer. Matt notes he's fielded consistent demand for these trips and has recently channeled that interest to associated guides who specialize in the mountain program — guides he describes as more skilled at it than himself.How should anglers approach booking with a guide like Matt Reilly given limited availability?Matt recommends direct outreach rather than waiting for newsletter announcements of open dates — by the time a cancellation makes it into a newsletter blast, competition for the slot is higher. Spring and summer prime-time top-water smallmouth dates tend to book first; fall dates (especially early October) are typically the last to fill and often have more flexibility.Related ContentS8, Ep 2 – January Fishing Forecast: Weather Patterns and Musky Tips with Matt ReillyS7, Ep 19 – Weathering the Winds: March Fishing Insights and Pre-Spawn Strategies with Matt ReillyS7, Ep 99 – Winter's Approach: Matt Reilly's Tips for Catching Musky in Low WaterS6, Ep 33 – Southwest Virginia Fishing Report with Matt Reilly (Pre-Spawn Smallmouth)S7, Ep 1 – Winter Fly Tying and Pre-Spawn Tips with Matt ReillyConnect with Our GuestFollow Matt on Instagram.Follow the ShowFollow The Articulate Fly on Facebook, Instagram, Threads and YouTube.Follow our Substack newsletter for episode updates, tips and resources.Support the ShowShop through our Amazon link to support the podcast.Join our Patreon community to support the...

Nancy got stuck in a rolling roadblock for the first time yesterday. She got stopped on an entry ramp to Alcoa Hwy and then could only drive 5mph all the way to the airport. Nerd News! A new study found that houseplants do not clean the air in your home, contrary to popular belief. There’s a new app that will alert you if someone is wearing smart glasses that take photos and videos. The screechy sound that scotch tape makes is actually from mini sonic booms. Hot tea: Megan Moroney and Ella Langley are the first country female artists to top the Billboard Hot 100 and Billboard 200 simultaneously. Jack Hughes, the Olympic hockey player, says he will be getting his teeth fixed soon. Brantley Gilbert now has his own non-alcoholic beer. We gave away Dollywood gold season passes by having a rollercoaster scream off. Whoever can hold their scream the longest wins! Joey’s spring break vacation is at risk because now both of his kids have the flu. He drove all around Knoxville yesterday to get them all xofluza, a flu treatment and preventative pill. Lucky 7 for $50 to Old South Candy We spoke with Sergeant Nolan Ogle from the TN Army National Guard about the recent hiker rescue in the Smokies. He was the medica that got lowered down from the helicopter on a cable to get to the hiker. We played our new game called Hear Me Out. Joey and Nancy put on noise cancelling headphones so they couldn’t hear Karly. Karly then gave them country music lyrics that they had to guess. What Makes You Special? I Am a World Record Karate Board Breaker See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In this episode of “Why I Teach,” Dr. Kimberly D. McCorkle, Provost and Senior Vice President for Academic Affairs at East Tennessee State University (ETSU), sits down with Dr. Kevin E. O'Donnell, Professor of English and recipient of the 2024 Stephen L. Fisher Award for Excellence in Teaching from the Appalachian Studies Association. With more than 30 years of experience teaching literature, composition, and environmental writing, Dr. O'Donnell shares insights on storytelling, writing pedagogy, the impact of technology in the classroom, and the power of honesty in writing. He also discusses teaching The Anthropocene Reviewed by John Green, Appalachian literature such as Serena by Ron Rash, and his upcoming book, The Woodlands of the Mind: Rambles Through Campus Forests. Find out more: ETSU Common Read: https://www.etsu.edu/provost/common-read.php ETSU Festival of Ideas: https://www.etsu.edu/festival/ ETSU College of Arts and Sciences: https://www.etsu.edu/cas/ Podcast Transcript:  [Music] Dr. Kevin O'Donnell I love John Green's writing for one thing. It's really accessible. His voice draws you in. He starts with these quirky topics. He'll be writing about Super Mario Kart. Within a few pages, he's talking about community and luck versus skill, and these bigger issues. Dr. Kimerly D. McCorkle Hi, I'm Kimberly McCorkle, Provost and Senior Vice President for Academic Affairs at East Tennessee State University. From the moment I arrived on this campus, I have been inspired by our faculty, their passion for what they do, their belief in the power of higher education, and the way they are transforming the lives of their students. This podcast is dedicated to them: Our incredible faculty at ETSU. Hear their stories as they tell us why I teach. In this episode, we will sit down with Dr. Kevin E. O'Donnell, Professor of English and recipient of the 2024 Stephen L. Fisher Award for Excellence in Teaching from the Appalachian Studies Association. A native of Northeast Ohio, Dr. O'Donnell earned his Ph.D. from the University of Wisconsin, Milwaukee and has taught at ETSU for more than 30 years. His courses include Advanced Composition, American Literature, Literary Nonfiction, and Environmental Writing. He's the author of numerous publications, including Seekers of Scenery: Travel Writing from Southern Appalachia, co-authored with Helen Hollingsworth. This year, he looks forward to the release of a new book, co-written with his ETSU colleague, Dr. Scott Honeycutt, titled The Woodlands of the Mind: Rambles Through Campus Forests. Enjoy the show. Dr. O'Donnell, welcome to the show. I start my podcast with the same question for every guest. Take me back to your first day as a faculty member at ETSU, and looking back on that day, what is one piece of advice that you would have given yourself? Dr. Kevin O'Donnell Well, it's a great question. I have to think back and see if I can remember 30 years. It's half a lifetime ago, you know. But if I could give myself advice, I would say, young Kevin, trust the process. With writing, it's so challenging. You get papers from the students, especially in the first-year classes on the first day. And they've got all kinds of issues, and the first thing you see are the problems when you read them, and you want to fix everything. But just trust the process. You know, if they've got 15 weeks, if they get four or five good writing experiences, including revision and feedback, and over the course of 15 weeks, you can do a lot. Yeah. Thank you. Reflecting on your 30-plus years in the classroom here, how has your approach to teaching literature and composition changed over the years? Dr. Kevin O'Donnell Yeah, that's kind of a related question. I don't think my philosophy has changed, but a lot of the technology has changed. I mean, I kind of developed the belief in grad school that you learn to write by having an audience, writing for audiences. But 30 years ago, typically, students would print one copy, and if you were lucky, you could circulate it, do some group work and stuff, but you couldn't publish it. And then with the development of the internet, making easier access to the internet available, I started publishing my students' work on the web, and then they started publishing their own, and you get it out in front of an audience a lot more. And that's great for writing pedagogy. And then multimedia, doing this kind of stuff, like the Whisper Room over in... We were talking about that earlier over in the Innovation Commons. Yeah. I've had my students doing that, so that's part of writing now, I think, is multimedia. You can't just think of it as words on a page. Typically, anything, it's words on a screen, and then the spoken word component, recording. So that's changed how I teach a lot. I'll have my students do an audio piece and then post it on YouTube, say. That's what they did last semester. They must enjoy that. Dr. Kevin O'Donnell The response to it was great. Dr. Kimerly D. McCorkle   How do you see the connection between storytelling and how we understand our environment, culture, and region? Dr. Kevin O'Donnell Yeah, storytelling, I mean, it's... You could argue that all understanding is narrative. Like, people understand things in terms of people in places doing things, which is character-setting-plot, you know? So with the Environmental Studies minor, there's a required course that's environmental writing. We get students who are being trained in science, like biologists, who take that minor, and they come in and read some environmental literature, and you've got these science writers using narrative to make sense of the science. So I think it's a crucial component. Dr. Kimerly D. McCorkle Which literary work or author has been especially rewarding for you to teach over the years, and why? Dr. Kevin O'Donnell Yeah, I love that question. There's been a lot of them. I'm teaching a book this semester, a 2008 novel by Ron Rash called Serena, which is a super well-written, super fun novel, but it takes place in Haywood County, North Carolina, in the 1920s when the Smokies were being logged. So it's set against the backdrop of this huge natural resource extraction story that shaped Appalachia, the logging of the great Appalachian forest. But it's also really dramatic. It's got these tightly written chapters. There's some great villains and some shocking murders, and it's a great book. And Ron Rash is coming to our literary festival in April. Dr. Kimerly D. McCorkle Fantastic. Dr. Kevin O'Donnell So students are reading that novel, and I've taught that four or five times over the years, and it's a great, great book for an environmental writing class. Dr. Kimerly D. McCorkle Is he a regional author? Dr. Kevin O'Donnell He's at Western Carolina. He's down in Cullowhee. He's probably about ready to retire, but he grew up in upstate South Carolina. And yeah, he's a great writer. Dr. Kimerly D. McCorkle It must be great for students to connect to a book that's about the region. Dr. Kevin O'Donnell Yeah, and a lot of students didn't know the story that it tells, and people know the area, recognize places where scenes take place. Yeah, so it's great. That's a good one. Dr. Kimerly D. McCorkle Earlier this year, you presented an outstanding lecture to kick off this year's Common Read, The Anthropocene Reviewed by John Green. What about that book resonated with you, and why do you think it was a good fit for ETSU's campus community? Dr. Kevin O'Donnell Yeah, I think it was a great fit, or it seems to be getting a good response from students. And part of it, for 15 years or more, I was a fan of the Vlogbrothers. They do their YouTube science stuff. And the format is, it's basically the essay format. You've got two, 3,000 words. I love John Green's writing, for one thing. It's really accessible. His voice draws you in. And he starts with these quirky topics. Like he'll be writing about Super Mario Kart. And within a few pages, he's talking about community and luck versus skill and these bigger issues. And so I like that they're inviting, these essays are inviting and they draw you in. They're really accessible. You can read one in 15 minutes. And the five-star review format is kind of fun. Like that, my students want to write those. You give that as a writing assignment. Here's an essay, you're going to make it ostensibly a review of something. That you're going to give five stars. So your job is to evaluate. Students like it. So I think it was a good choice. I'm excited about him. Dr. Kimerly D. McCorkle That's great, yeah. I know, as you said, a lot of students are excited. They've connected to his work for a long time. Students who've said he taught them what they know about history, for instance. As you know, we are excited to be able to welcome John Green to campus in just a few days to speak at the ETSU Festival of Ideas. From your experience, how does engaging with an author and hearing them talk about their work deepen students' connections to a text compared to just reading it in a classroom? Dr. Kevin O'Donnell Yeah, I think it's a big deal. It can change your relationship to the text. It sure humanizes it, you know? One thing about reading, even if you're reading for a class, reading seems like a really solitary activity. You go to your quiet space and you're sitting by yourself. But then these students are going to come together and see hundreds of other people who have also connected with the same text and see the author. It just makes it very visceral, the sense of how social reading is, even though it feels solitary in some ways it is, but it's a deeply social act. And I think one of the things I'm excited about is it's fun seeing other people who are excited about writing that you're excited about. Dr. Kimerly D. McCorkle Right, yeah. Feels like you're in a community of readers when you watch an author talk about their work. Dr. Kevin O'Donnell Right. Yeah, yeah. Dr. Kimerly D. McCorkle As I mentioned in the introduction, you have a book coming out this year. Will you please share a preview of The Woodlands of the Mind and a bit about what inspired you and Dr. Honeycutt to write the book? Dr. Kevin O'Donnell Yeah, thanks for asking about that. So it was really inspired by the ETSU campus. We've got, well, you know about University Woods south of the railroad bypass there. We've got 30 acres of, couple dozen at least ancient oak trees up there. And it's a really special place. And Scott Honeycutt and I, for years we'd been taking our students over there to do classrooms and to do awareness stuff and to do walks. And back in 2018, I think it was before COVID, we wrote a small grant and brought an author to class, author to campus rather, Joan Maloof, who is a biologist from Maryland who's also written some very good books, including one that Scott and I are fans of called "Among the Ancients" where she goes around and visits different old, remnant old growth forests and writes about them, but also writes about regional history and natural history. So we brought her to campus. It turns out she's the founding director of the Old-Growth Forest Network. And long story short, she came to campus, did a public nature walk with people over in the woods and then did a talk in the evening at the old East Tennessee Room and generated a lot of excitement, which led to us forming an ad-hoc committee to see if we can get the University Woods to be part of the Old-Growth Forest Network. As a community forest, Dr. Noland, our awesome president, was very supportive of this. So long story short, later that spring, Joan came back on her own dime for a dedication ceremony we did where Dr. Noland spoke and read a little poem on some other people, and we designated it as a community forest. So that experience, Scott and I to look around and it turns out a lot of universities have often old-growth remnants, which are rare attached to their property, partly because of the history of universities and land use, especially in the East. So we started learning about these places. So we thought, well, no one's written about this. So we've selected 15 places from Rome up to Maine, some small colleges, some bigger schools, like Virginia Tech and Penn State. And we split them up and we went around and wrote, kind of inspired by Joan Maloof, these travel essays with history, natural history, and we package them together and sent our proposal to the University of Georgia Press, and the editor called us back the next day and said she wanted to publish it. Dr. Kimerly D. McCorkle Congratulations. Dr. Kevin O'Donnell Yeah, thanks. Dr. Kimerly D. McCorkle Look forward to reading it. Dr. Kevin O'Donnell Awesome. Dr. Kimerly D. McCorkle What books do you have on your to-read pile and do you have any favorite books or authors that you'd recommend for consideration for future common reads at ETSU? Dr. Kevin O'Donnell Right. Yeah, my to-read pile is pretty big and half of them I never get to. I own a lot of books I've never read. I'm glad to hear that it makes me feel less guilty. But something about owning them, I hope that maybe I'll soak up. I don't know. And even better if you put them on your bedside table to look at you, yes, yeah. Dr. Kevin O'Donnell Yes, one I was thinking about that I read recently is Beth Macy who is, she wrote a book called Dopesick that the Hulu miniseries starring Michael Keaton was based on, was pretty much directly from that book. And it's a great book. But more recently in the fall, she came out with a book called Paper Girl. It's sort of a memoir she tells about growing up underprivileged in rural Ohio and then goes back there now and finds a version of herself and to look at how kids don't have the same opportunities, basically, young people. And in the process she's also talking about being a journalist and how people respond or don't respond to journalism and conspiracy theorizing has sort of moved into the vacuum where journalism has moved out of and which sounds all serious, but it's a fun book and it got a lot of attention in the fall. That one, she lives down at Roanoke. Dr. Kimerly D. McCorkle Interesting. Dr. Kevin O'Donnell We should get her up here. That would be a good one. But my dream author would be Elizabeth Kolbert. She's a New Yorker magazine writer who probably about 10 years ago she published a book called The Sixth Extinction which won the Pulitzer Prize for general nonfiction which is an amazing book. It's about the planet that is currently undergoing a major extinction event, which is a grim topic. But she writes these essays where she goes around and talks to people and they're really engaging. She's the best science writer I know and she's a best seller. I think there'd be enthusiasm about her. She's got a new book, which is a collection of her New Yorker essays. So Elizabeth Kolbert--I don't know if we could get her. I don't know if she does campus visits but she'd be a good get. Dr. Kimerly D. McCorkle Great suggestions. Dr. Kevin O'Donnell Yeah. Dr. Kimerly D. McCorkle Finally, what impact do you hope you've made on your students? Dr. Kevin O'Donnell Gosh, that's a big one. Been thinking about that a lot now that I'm 30 years into this. I would hope when my students leave my class they understand that good writing is about honesty. Because I think students come in and when they're supposed to do academic writing they feel like they need to adopt this persona that's the voice of authority. And they don't feel confident in that authority. So they put on a role. And that, as much as anything, leads to tangled sentences and unclear writing. But if you can be honest about your relationship to your material and your audience, and in a simple way, not like deep profound, doesn't have to be deep profound honesty, but that's honesty is what good writing is about. That's, I would hope students would leave my class with that understanding. Dr. Kimerly D. McCorkle Dr. O'Donnell, it's been a pleasure speaking with you. Thank you for your thoughtful reflections on teaching, literature, and the Common Read experience. Thank you for the way you engage your students with literature. I'm looking forward to adding your new book to my reading list this year. Thanks for listening to "Why I Teach." For more information about Dr. O'Donnell, the College of Arts and Sciences, or this podcast series, visit the ETSU Provost website at etsu.edu slash Provost. You can follow me on social media at ETSU Provost. And if you enjoyed this episode, please take a moment to like and subscribe to "Why I Teach" wherever you listen to podcasts. (soft music)  

Episode OverviewMac Brown joins host Marvin Cash for this Casting Angles episode of The Articulate Fly, a fly fishing podcast focused on practical instruction and technique refinement. With winter weather keeping many anglers off the water across the mid-Atlantic and southern Appalachians, Mac and Marvin discuss how to use this downtime productively by organizing gear and preparing equipment for the upcoming season. The conversation covers essential off-season maintenance tasks including line cleaning, wader re-treating, fly box reorganization and boot cleat maintenance. Mac shares his custom tippet management system that prevents fumbling for tippet in freezing conditions and emphasizes the importance of getting fly weight systems dialed in before prime fishing returns. The discussion also touches on the transition from winter's deep freeze to early spring fishing opportunities, with Quill Gordon hatches beginning as early as mid-February on National Park streams and post-spawn streamer fishing on tailwaters like the South Holston and Watauga. This episode provides a comprehensive checklist for serious anglers to ensure their gear is ready when weather breaks and fishing conditions improve.Key TakeawaysHow to organize fly boxes by weight and technique during the off-season to streamline on-water efficiency when the season begins.Why washing and re-treating waders now prevents cutting into prime fishing time during peak spring hatches.How to create a reliable tippet management system using elastic and clear tubing so you never struggle to find the tippet end in cold conditions.When to expect the earliest hatches in the southern Appalachians, with Quill Gordons appearing in mid-February on National Park streams.Why the first warm day after extended cold spells consistently produces excellent fishing as water temperatures rise from the mid-30s.Techniques & Gear CoveredMac emphasizes moving away from traditional split shot systems because mashing lead onto tippet significantly weakens the tippet when wet, instead favoring organized weight systems built into flies. The discussion covers comprehensive line cleaning protocols for multiple setups, particularly for lake fishing applications where having several lines ready prevents last-minute scrambling. Mac details his custom tippet management method using elastic and clear tubing (similar to New Zealand strike indicator material) that keeps 2 inches of tippet exposed and prevents the frustrating search for the tippet end when fingers are numb. Boot maintenance receives attention with the recommendation to install fresh 5/8-inch sheet metal screws using an eighth-inch driver to maintain traction. The episode also addresses seasonal gear rotation, including moving chemical hand warmers, nitrile gloves and other cold weather gear in and out of fishing kits as conditions change.Locations & SpeciesThe episode references winter conditions across Charlotte, Swain County and western North Carolina, where snow and single-digit temperatures have kept guides off the water for nearly two weeks. Marvin mentions an upcoming post-spawn brown trout streamer trip on the South Holston and Watauga Rivers near Johnson City, taking advantage of warming trends with temperatures reaching 60 degrees. Mac discusses early-season opportunities on National Park streams in the Smokies, where Quill Gordon hatches begin in the second or third week of February—some of the earliest dry fly action in the country. The conversation also touches on Mac's

This week we revisit a show that featured The Lil Smokies from Montana and Emily Scott Robinson from Telluride to eTown Hall. The Lil Smokies have graduated from 'up and coming' to 'fully arrived' - they showcase their hyper-melodic brand of song-strong Bluegrass music. Emily Scott Robinson shares the stage with her sultry voice and plays a 'spooky' tune with Nick, Helen and The eTones. Also, Christina Carlson, from Urban Peak in Denver, talks to Nick about youth and homelessness.     That's all this week, on eTown!   Visit our Youtube Channel to see artist interviews, live recordings, studio sessions, and more! Be a part of the audience at our next recording: https://www.etown.org/etown-hall/all-events/ Your support helps us bring concerts, tapings and conversations to audiences while fostering connection through music, ideas and community. If you'd like to support eTown's mission to educate, entertain and inspire a diverse audience through music and conversation, please consider a donation: https://www.etown.org/get-involved/donate-orig/.  

What if the camera didn't just catch a creature, but the doorway it came through? In this episode, Tony sits down with Travis Carpenter to revisit the night his father, Scott Carpenter, filmed one of the clearest portal manifestations ever recorded. From that moment on, everything changes. They unravel Scott's groundbreaking DNA research suggesting Bigfoot's supernatural origins, the eerie connection between metallic “door” sounds and portals, and the possibility that East Tennessee's ancient mountains are dotted with thin places, geographic points where spiritual war bleeds into the physical world. By the end, it's not just about a portal in the Smokies, it's about realizing we live on a battlefield where those doors are opening again. Please pray for Tony's wife, Lindsay, as she battles breast cancer. Your prayers make a difference! If you're able, consider helping the Merkel family with medical expenses by donating to Lindsay's GoFundMe: https://gofund.me/b8f76890 Become a member for ad-free listening, extra shows, and exclusive access to our social media app: theconfessionalspodcast.com/join The Confessionals Social Network App: Apple Store: https://apple.co/3UxhPrh Google Play: https://bit.ly/43mk8kZ The Counter Series Available NOW: The Counter (YouTube): WATCH HERE The Counter (Full Episode): WATCH HERE Tony's Recommended Reads: slingshotlibrary.com If you want to learn about Jesus and what it means to be saved: Click Here Bigfoot: The Journey To Belief: Stream Here The Meadow Project: Stream Here Merkel Media Apparel: merkmerch.com My New YouTube Channel Merkel IRL: @merkelIRL My First Sermon: Unseen Battles SPONSORS SIMPLISAFE TODAY: simplisafe.com/confessionals GHOSTBED: GhostBed.com/tony CONNECT WITH US Website: www.theconfessionalspodcast.com Email: contact@theconfessionalspodcast.com MAILING ADDRESS: Merkel Media 257 N. Calderwood St., #301 Alcoa, TN 37701 SOCIAL MEDIA Subscribe to our YouTube: https://bit.ly/2TlREaI Reddit: https://www.reddit.com/r/theconfessionals/ Discord: https://discord.gg/KDn4D2uw7h Show Instagram: theconfessionalspodcast Tony's Instagram: tonymerkelofficial Facebook: www.facebook.com/TheConfessionalsPodcas Twitter: @TConfessionals Tony's Twitter: @tony_merkel Produced by: @jack_theproducer OUTRO MUSIC Joel Thomas - Missing YouTube | Apple Music | Spotify