The Open Fly Podcast

Chuck Ragan joins us to talk about his life as a professional musican and his budding professional guide career.

Sam from Free the Snake interrupts our useless banter to explain the growing momentum of the movement to remove the lower Snake River dams.  

Hilary jump starts her career as a tv star by partaking in shameless self promotion to our hard-earned audience. We stumble through an interview to get a few useful soundbites. We also talk about whitefish choking on bones, angry dragons, and how it’s just good to be out.

We talk mullets, living in a van down by the river, and getting the damn kids to be interested in fisheries conservation.  We make an attempt at redemption after our previous show with sound issues.

In an Open Fly first:  We talk about the lack of rain in WA.  The entire west coast is in a drought, and it’s having a profound affect on fisheries.  We dust off the recording equipment, battle some less than stellar performance from said  equipment, and put gether an important show for all who partake in outdoor recreation in the West.

Few people, fly fishermen or otherwise, have traveled like Jef Currier.  Hear a bit about his adventures around the world catching fish that most people don’t even know exist!

In an Open Fly first:  Rob Kramarz talks to us while staying on his game guiding a client in to some finnicky barracuda.  He still managed to give us one of our favorite interviews yet!  He passionately explains fishing in the Florida Keys for permit, tarpon, bonefish, barracuda and square groupers.  You won’t find a more authentic podcast interview. That  we know of at least....

Jess McGlothlin of Fire Girl Photography tells her story of finding her unique  niche in the fly fishing industry, then we bring on the founders of the Upper Missouri Waterkeepers to talk about getting their new organization off the ground!

We once again try diplomacy on the show.  We made the decision to allow Canadians on the show once again to see how that went.  End result:  A solid show with funny accents.

After our usual drivel and banter, Russ Schnitzer tells an enthusiastic tale of the conceptualization and production of his new film, "Wild Fish Works."

Shane Anderson, our first guest on show 1 and maker of the currently touring film “Wild Reverence,” joins us to tell about life after the film’s completion and its impact on the general public and fishing community. We also talk to two guides from Washington’s Methow River Valley to tell the story of a guide comunity banding together to overcome this summer’s natural disasters that have severely impacted the fishery and surrounding habitats.

Peter Vandergrift comes on to tell us of his journey from Alaska guide, to Montana guide, to the fly fishing industry business world.  Conservation this week dives deeper in to the Bristol Bay issues, and how the seafood industry is affected.

We are joined by Truckee guide Doug Oulette, as well as Donald Zimmerman from "Catch Snap Release" to talk about hoot owl closures on trout streams.  A topic that any trout angler should know about.

Kyle and Bil from Sportsmen for Browns Canyon come on for a great interview talking about one of Colorado’s most significant recreational areas.  Learn about the fishing, rafting, and hunting opportunities that are being fought for in the Arkansas River drainage.

Media company Blood Knots joins us to talk about their new conservation focused steelhead film, "Our Two Hands."  Then, Paul Conklin tells us about guiding successfully on one of the most popular destination fisheries on the continent.

We hear from Save our Smith about saving the Smith River in Montana from a proposed copper mine.  Then we go to the extreme other side of the planet to hear about fly fishing some of the world's most remote streams in the Himalayas.

We talk to Brandon Hoffner of the Henry's Fork Foundation, and author Chris Hunt about finding a balance between having enough voices to preserve the resource, and hitting the point of having too much attention.  

We discuss the importance of native fish in Oregon from the perspective ofThe Native Fish Society, and from guide Jeff Hickman.  From the recent isuesnative fish have faced, to how anglers, river stewards, and users of the resourcehave come together to give Oregon’s ESA listed fish a fighting chance.

Jasper Lament Ph.D joins us to tell about the Nature Trust of B.C. andall the good work they’re doing.  There is a lot to be learned from their focusedapproach!  Then, Joe Willauer comes on the air to tell about the realities ofguiding.  From his start just out of high school, and his growth in the followingyears, Joe has quite the journey to tell about!

Scott Hed from The Sportsmans Allians for Alaska joins us to give the up to date on the Pebble Mine issue in Alaska's Bristol Bay.  Then, Adam Franceschini, whose guiding operations span the entirety of North America, including Bristol Bay, tells us why Bristol Bay is now considered "home"for him. We also talk about some other things.

Chef, teacher, author, and jokester, Becky Selengut, comes in studio to tell us about taking out conservation mindset to the fish marketplace. Guide and world adventurer, Camille Egdorf, tells tales of growing up guiding in Alaska, and her new found love of traveling the globe in search of new fishing experiences! Brought to you by Streamtech Boats and Wetlander Boat Coatings.

We start off by trying to repair our relations with our brethren across the northern border, then move on to Maryland where stripers and other fish face a variety of challenges.  Morgan of CCA lets us in on what's going on there with commercial harvest, and combating it with angler restraint. Brian Wise joins us for Guide Stories to tell about his excitement in fishing some of Missouri's lesser known fisheries.  Big trout, big streamers, and western style rivers.  It made us rethink our preconceived visions of what happens in that part of the world.

"The Average Angler," Colin Archer, joins us to talk about fishing the Jersey Shore and the Upper Delaware.  Then, we get schooled on invasive species that plague our waterways, and what we can do to help.

Fish Not Gold joins us for an in studio to tell us how suction dredge mining, being mostly unregulated in WA state, is causing damage to critical fish habitat.  Then Derek leads us in to a segment to let boat designers tell their stories and what has motivated them to innovate new styles of craft for fly fishermen.

We get caught up on listener feedback, complete with a new backing track! Jason Schall, professional tournament angler, joins us to explain tournament angling and how it ties in to conservation.   Bob Triggs joins us for our third and final segment to tell of his guiding career, and why he has chosen to hang up the rods during the wild winter steelhead runs.

Rick Matney, a man with a larger than life personality, comes on to tell us about his around the world guiding operations, with focus on his outstanding steelhead fishery in SE Alaska.  He tells us how this is the fishery that fishermen dream about. Andrea Matzke from Washington Wild Rivers joins us on the second half to share her passion for saving the Skykomish River from a new dam project.  This one hits especially close to home because it is down the street up the road from The Open Fly studio.   We even left a teaser for the next show, and some outtakes

Cinda Howard joins us on the phone to surprise us with some of Arizona's best kept secrets.  Then we waffle on and on about nothing before Hans Figi from the Madison River Foundation joins us to talk about their work in keeping one of America's most popular fly fishing destinations preseved.

Hear about the forgotten region of Northern Colorado's wilderness and its fly fishing opportunities with Patrick Timmins.  Then, hear from world famous fly fishing expert and guide, high school graduate, the "Tim Tebow" of fly fishing, Hank Patterson.  There might be more in there too.... Listen in to find out!

First up we interview Gregg Martin who suffered spinal injuries as a smoke jumper back in 1985.  He has since taken to becoming a carp guru who gets to his holes with a modified off road wheelchair. Brian Kozminski joins us to tell his story of his guiding career in Northern Michigan. Lastly, we hear from the Utah Stream Access Coalition on how stream access issues can affect anglers all over.

Dave Henry joins us in studio for some great info on fishing in British Columbia

For our first show, we fire up the equipment for the first time and cut our teeth on learning how to do this podcast thing.  We shoot high and bring in two outstanding guests to start the show off with some great content! Hutch Hutchinson joins Derek for the guide stories segment to tell his experiences fishing in Alaska and more.  Shane Anderson of North Fork Studios comes on to tell of his journey in looking for ways to restore an icon of the West Coast through his film Wild Reverence.