Bluegrass Woods and Water
by Rick Straus
Step into the wild with Bluegrass Woods and Water, where fishing lines meet rifle sights and Kentucky’s outdoors takes center stage. From chasing stripers and trout to hunting whitetails and gobblers, we bring you the stories, tips, and traditions that make outdoor life unforgettable. Join us around the campfire with outfitters, hunters, and anglers from Kentucky and beyond.
Episodes
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Episode 17 - “Kentucky Black Bears: From Gone to Growing Again with Dr. John Cox”
Episode 17: Kentucky Black Bears — From Gone to Growing Again with Dr. John Cox Kentucky's black bears have one of the most remarkable wildlife recovery stories in the Commonwealth's history. Once nearly eliminated from the state, black bears have returned, established breeding populations, and...
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Episode 16: “River Giants: Trophy Striper Secrets from the Cumberland with Greg Cary
This week on Bluegrass Woods & Water, I sit down with my good friend Greg Cary, one of the best fishermen I’ve ever been around and someone I consider a true pioneer of trophy striper fishing on the Cumberland River. Greg has spent a lifetime learning this river and chasing giant striped bass. We...
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🦌 Episode 15 – From Velvet to Victory: Summer Whitetail Prep That Leads to Fall Success
🦌 Episode 15 – From Velvet to Victory: Summer Whitetail Prep That Leads to Fall Success 🍂 Deer season is almost here, and there's no better time to start preparing for success this fall! In Episode 15 of Bluegrass Woods & Water, host Rick Straus welcomes back Joe McDermott, Deer Program...
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Episode 14 - Chasing Gobblers and Trophy Stripers — Spring Adventures Across Kentucky
Spring in Kentucky means one thing — it's time to spend as much time as possible outdoors. In this episode of Bluegrass Woods & Water, I recap our annual Spring Classic Striper Trip on Lake Cumberland, where our crew put together one of our best trips ever, boating 37 stripers over four days.…
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Episode 13: Spring Gobblers in Kentucky — History, Hunting, and Opening Weekend at Turkey Camp with Zak Danks, Ruffed Grouse & Wild Turkey Program Coordinator, KDFWR
🦃🎙️ Episode 13 of the Bluegrass Woods & Water Podcast is all about getting ready for spring turkey season here in Kentucky. In this episode, Rick breaks down the history of wild turkeys in Kentucky — from near extinction to one of the greatest conservation success stories in the country — and...
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Episode 12 - The Science of Live Bait: Stripers, Oxygen, and X-Treme Bait Tanks with Damon Melcho
Rick breaks down a tough fishing trip to Lake Cumberland with Brian, Chris, and Paul where stripers were hard to find and bait was even harder to catch. Even local outfitters were seeing the same thing, with some trips cancelled due to poor fishing conditions. The episode then dives into the...
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Episode 11 - Inside Kentucky’s Southeast Fisheries System with Marcy Anderson: Stripers, Dams, and the New Oxygen Injection System
In this episode of the Bluegrass Woods & Water Podcast, Rick sits down with Marcy Anderson, Program Coordinator for the Southeast Fisheries District with the Kentucky Department of Fish & Wildlife Resources, for an in-depth conversation every Lake Cumberland and Cumberland River angler needs to...
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Episode 10 - “Looking Ahead to 2026: Kentucky Seasons, Striper Talk, and Catfish Pro”
Episode Description — Spotify 🎙️ In this episode of Bluegrass Woods & Water, Rick looks ahead to 2026 and helps Kentucky hunters and anglers start planning for the year ahead 🗓️🦌🎣 We break down Kentucky’s tentative 2026 hunting season dates, talking through what they mean for archery 🏹,...
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Episode 9 -Deer Biology, Seasonal Change, and Smarter Hunting in Kentucky with Kentuckys Deer Coordinator Joe McDermott
: 🦌 Episode 9: Deer Biology, Seasonal Change, and Smarter Hunting in Kentucky If you’ve ever wondered why deer suddenly change patterns during the season — not just where they go, but when and how they move — this episode is for you. In this episode of Bluegrass Woods & Water, we take a deep…
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Deer Camp Chaos, Tennessee Stripers, and Lake Cumberland Legends with Jeremy Morgan
This week on Bluegrass Woods & Water, Rick recaps one of the strangest Kentucky deer seasons in recent memory — from nocturnal bucks and odd post-rut movement to time at deer camp, hanging venison in the walk-in cooler, and finishing an 8-day brined venison pastrami. We break down three Post-Rut...
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Episode 7 - “From Rut to Rifle Season: A Kentucky Deer Camp and Conversation with a Legend, Tim Farmer”
The rut is on, rifle season is here, and we’ve got one of the biggest guests in Bluegrass Woods & Water history. In this episode, Rick sits down with Kentucky outdoor legend Tim Farmer for a conversation packed with stories, wisdom, and the kind of insight only Tim can deliver. If you grew up...
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Episode 6 From Field to Film — The Kentucky Afield Legacy
This week, Rick sits down with Chad Miles, the voice and vision behind Kentucky Afield TV — one of the most iconic outdoor programs in America. Chad shares his journey from growing up in Kentucky’s outdoors to capturing it through the lens — showing what it takes to tell the stories of our…
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Episode 5 – “From Data to Deer Tracks: Ethan Newman on Kentucky’s Outdoors”
This week on Bluegrass Woods and Water, we take a deep dive into the science and stories behind Kentucky’s great wildlife comeback. From the early days of whitetail and turkey restoration to the elk reintroduction that changed Eastern Kentucky forever, District Wildlife Biologist Ethan Newman…
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Episode 4 - On Duty with Lieutenant Ping
🎧 Episode 4: “On Duty with Lieutenant Ping” In this episode of Bluegrass Woods and Water, host Rick Straus sits down with fellow Alexandria native and Campbell County Camel, Lieutenant Jason Ping of the Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife Resources. They talk about life in wildlife law...
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The Rise of the Bluegrass Whitetail 🦌
Kentucky’s whitetail deer herd is one of the greatest conservation success stories in the country — but it wasn’t always that way. In this episode, Rick takes a deep dive into the rise, fall, and incredible recovery of the Bluegrass whitetail, exploring how biologists, hunters, and landowners...
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Hooked on Stripers: Kentucky’s Trophy Fishery
Lake Cumberland is home to one of the nation’s top inland striper fisheries — and it didn’t happen by accident. In this episode, I dive into the fascinating history of how stripers came to Kentucky, share my own striper journey across three boats, countless memories, and the mentors who helped...
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Welcome to Bluegrass Woods and Water
On the very first episode of Bluegrass Woods and Water, Rick Straus sits down with Hurley Combs Jr. of Lost Mountain Outfitters — one of Kentucky’s most successful elk outfitters. Hurley shares his story growing up in Hazard, how he got into hunting and guiding, and the journey of building Lost...
About this show
Step into the wild with Bluegrass Woods and Water, where fishing lines meet rifle sights and Kentucky’s outdoors takes center stage. From chasing stripers and trout to hunting whitetails and gobblers, we bring you the stories, tips, and traditions that make outdoor life unforgettable. Join us around the campfire with outfitters, hunters, and anglers from Kentucky and beyond.
Hosted by
Rick Straus