Podcast

Episode Show Notes In this episode of Hunting with a Fly, Rick Kustich sits down with Vince Tobia of Cattaraugus Creek Outfitters to talk about...

In this episode, our stillwater guru, Phil Rowley, sits down with Chris Callanan from Outcast Sporting Gear to talk about inflatable watercraft for lakes....

What does it really take to film fly fishing at the highest level? In this episode, Todd Moen of Catch Magazine joins us to share the story behind some of the most iconic fly fishing films ever created—from steelhead rivers in the Pacific Northwest to remote destinations across the globe. We dig into Todd’s early production days filming for Fly Fishing the World, surviving a plane crash in the Bahamas, and how he eventually built Catch Magazine into one of the most respected visual storytelling brands in fly fishing. Todd also explains why steelhead may be the hardest species to film, how music shapes his editing process, and what most people never realize about the amount of work required to capture a single unforgettable fish on camera.

Today, we’re digging into dries and dry dropper fishing beyond the basics with Jason Randall. We talk about better drifts, longer leaders, strike detection,...

What happens when a family helps shape the history of drift boats for nearly a century? In this episode, Jeff Helfrich joins us to share stories from the early days of McKenzie River drift boats, how his grandfather Prince Helfrich helped evolve whitewater boat design, and what it’s really like navigating technical rivers like the Middle Fork Salmon and Rogue River in wooden boats. We dig into the transition from plank boats to plywood, the origins of the McKenzie-style drift boat, and why certain whitewater rapids still give experienced guides butterflies. Jeff also shares incredible stories from the Frank Church Wilderness, including flash floods that created entirely new rapids overnight, how drift boats handle technical water, and why these wilderness river trips remain some of the most unique fly fishing experiences in the country.

Today, we take a look back at 50 years of Henry’s Fork Anglers with Mike Lawson and hear about some great stories from the...

Some of the best water you’ll ever fish is the water most people never reach. In this episode, Christiaan Pretorius joins us to share stories from a life spent guiding and traveling across some of the wildest fisheries on the planet—from Seychelles GTs and Kamchatka rainbows to giant Golden Dorado deep in the Bolivian jungle. We dig into what makes remote fisheries so special, the tradeoffs between helicopter access and earning it on foot, and why the journey itself often matters just as much as the fish. Christian also shares lessons from decades of global travel, how pressure changes world-class fisheries over time, and why the best trips are ultimately about people, culture, and connection—not just catching fish.

How does one of the largest free-flowing rivers in the United States end up back on the table for major development projects? In this episode, Margaret Stern from the Susitna River Coalition returns to the podcast to share what’s happening right now across Alaska’s Susitna watershed—from a proposed hydroelectric dam to a massive access road that could permanently change the region. We talk about why the Susitna remains such a unique and accessible wild river system, how local communities are organizing around conservation, and why public comments matter more than most anglers realize. Margaret also shares details on the coalition’s river cleanup efforts, citizen science projects, and practical ways anyone—whether you live in Alaska or not—can help protect these fisheries for future generations.

Episode Show Notes Dry fly fishing can look simple from the outside. Match the hatch, make a clean cast, and watch the eat. But once...

Today, we’re digging into what’s happening right now across Alaska, from the fight over West Susitna and Alaska public lands to bycatch, mining, and...