Frederik Jakobus "Jako" Lucas is the million mile angler. His passion for discovering how species can be caught and then sharing it (and the lessons learned) has few peers. His career is a relentless benchmark for angling/guiding adventures - paired with films documenting the journey along the way. He has been circling the earth since he left his native South Africa to work in a fly shop in London. He soon jumped to the Seychelles, and even lent a guiding hand there to the BBC when they filmed the iconic footage of Giant Trevally hunting Terns. His global angling has few peers , but more than just the fishing, it's the camaraderie and shared experiences of each conquest that drive him. His story is layered with lessons from the water and yes, the air - with a plane crash in Bolivia that he was fortunate to walk away from. As the force behind Captain Jack Flyfishing Productions, his work blends the physical demands of the outdoors with an instinct for storytelling that feels lived rather than staged. His journey has carried him across remote coastlines and flats around the world, where long days on the water and behind the camera have become part of the language he brings to each film.

His films—including First Gangsters of the Flats, featured in the Fly Fishing Film Festival, along with Black Sheep and Full Circle—reflect both accomplishment and evolution. His passion is invaluable to both adventurers and armchair anglers alike. Enjoy.

All films and episode summaries at HowardFilms.com

Speaking Tarpon --- Eizo Maruhashi went where no one had gone before in championship saltwater fishing: Past the language barrier to the podium. Japan’s pioneering saltwater fly angler was a bridge between Japanese tackle innovation and the golden era of tarpon fly fishing in the Florida Keys.

Champion and veteran FL. Keys guide Randy Towe starts us off and paints the picture. He joins us to talk about the man he met in his early days in Florida, the friendship and tournament pairing that dominated the late 90's in saltwater.

Who was Eizo? Where was he getting his training? What were the reasons for success and how did he communicate?

These are some of the questions circling around Florida before he suddenly stopped tournaments at the start of the new century.

Before he left, he won three straight Florida Gold Cup Tarpon victories with his guide Kenny Collette from 1997-1999. And the Don Hawley Tarpon Tournament in 1994, 1996 - 1999. And holds the world records for Trevally and Masu trout (and a potential tarpon record - story included) among other accolades in angling - and founded the angling retailer SABALO Fishing in Tokyo, Japan.

All episode guests at: HowardFillms.com

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On the 25th Anniversary of a legendary catch, it's time to hear about it in Jim Holland's words. He was in his mid-20s and Tarpon-obsessed. He and his father, Jim Holland Sr. flew across the country from Washington state to fish for giant tarpon. They had a wild dream, but just how exactly did it come true? And what happened after fate starting to go his way. For a kid, it would been training his whole life for it, it all came at once - on a mid May afternoon in 2001. For Jim and his guide Steve Kilpatrick one thing after another fell into place, and a fight with a legendary fish unfolded. All 202+ lbs. of her pulling hard against 20 lb. IGFA legal tippet like a truck rolling downhill.

Who was Eizo Mahurashi? In the late 90's a man from Japan showed up and caught all the tarpon. He kept winning and the questions kept coming: where did he learn to fish for tarpon from the other side of the globe? Does he speak english? What was his secret?

"Eizo" as he came to be known, went where no one had gone before. Past the language barrier to the podium. Japan’s pioneering saltwater fly angler - a bridge between Japanese tackle innovation and the golden era of tarpon fly fishing in the Florida Keys.

He won three straight gold cup victories with his guide Kenny Collette from 1997-1999. And the Don Hawley Tarpon Tournament 1994, 1997,1998,1999. And holds the world record for Trevally and Masu trout among others - and founded SABALO Fishing in Tokyo, Japan.

Full episodes guest directory at HowardFilms.com

Ami Vitale has taken her camera where few have dared to tread. In fact, some early film editors wrongly assumed her work was created by a man because of the bold fearless content. Once that old fashioned thinking was corrected, she went on to win worldwide recognition for her images and work from war-torn regions to the plains of Africa. While accolades and recognition are not what motivated Ami to take her famous images, the recognition helped build important awareness for those without a voice on a shrinking planet.

She has been recognized by National Geographic an "Image of the Year" as well as one of "the most compelling images of the 21st-century." Ami Vitalty's non-profit, Vital Impacts, has raised significant awareness and funds for projects around the world. And proceeds from photo print sales play a crucial role in sustaining grassroots conservation efforts worldwide. Her stirring images have documented the last male northern white rhino as it expired, orphaned elephants, looking for nutrition, and a way to survive, the methods to return of pandas to the wild, and the rescue of giraffes from rising water on an island in Kenya -- among others.

She has made an effort to live her assignments, and allow for time in the field, sometimes even years…and not just drop in and drop out with a snapshot. Her philosophy is to fully understand her subject, species, and community to allow her photographs to share an essential truth and a depth of understanding to benefit all.

Ami's website: Amivitale.com

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All episodes and films: Howardfilms.com

LESS IS MORE: This was the unpopular stance by a young biologist named Dick Vincent in the 1970’s regarding wild rivers when seasonal / supplemental fish stocking was expected.

But the wild West was in Vincent’s DNA and he wasn’t backing down. Born in Bozeman in June of 1940, Richard “Dick” Vincent grew up fishing the waters of the Madison and Clark Fork rivers alongside his father and grandfather. Raised in a family of ranchers, Dick’s affinity for the outdoors was complemented by a growing interest in biology. “I grew up on it and it was the love of my life, it was the best river on the planet,” says Dick, recounting his early years on the Madison.

Soon, he would bring truth to power. Today, the Rockies are considered a model for rivers around the world - with their ability to maintain a healthy fishery year-round, and reproduce naturally. It was a battle to get there, and It was truly how the West was won.

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Stuart C. Apte. The fisherman, the myth...The Boxer. Apte was born near the water in Miami Florida in 1930. No matter how far he roamed after that, he always made sure that water was gonna be part of his life. He became the gold standard for modern saltwater flyfishing. Among his 44 world records, his Pacific Sailfish and Dorado records still stand. He was a constant friend and fishing partner to Joe Brooks and baseball. Great Ted Williams. The friendships were a testament to his devotion to the sport and to them. A boxer by trade since his teens, and a fighter pilot trained for the North Korean conflict, his aggression could be offputting at times. But for those who understood his passion, it was a lesson in how to succeed on the water (He introduced the renowned "down and dirty" fish tactic"). Today, he just wants to see the fish swim forever. He is a stalwart member of the BTT.: The Bonefish & Tarpon Trust. Since its founding in 1997, he has recruited captains and supported science in the study and conservation of tarpon, bonefish and permit. He was inducted into their circle of honor during a list of luminaries that changed the sport. He was long down, killing, tarpon and record chasing years ago. And while he's a bit mellower today, he is 95, he never slows of talking about his favorite fish and wildlife. It has blessed him.

When you know, you know. April Vokey knew at early age that fishing and the outdoors were going to be central to her life. Live from Australia at April's Eastern HQ (BC Canada the other) we discuss a busy life on the water and off. The pro steelheader's and outdoor adventurer story was lit during her childhood ventures with her parents in the outdoors. Fast forward to a burgeoning guiding career and growing media outdoor presence, then a car accident propelled April's focus - on what and where she was going - with that mission, and helped her reflect on how she might change her path using both role models and gut instinct. Soon she was guiding, writing, leading and learning everywhere possible, and she climbed the ladder of the sport she loves. Early on she found ways to support her self through restaurant shifts, waitressing and cocktail work at the casino, that ultimately overlapped with her dawn trips to the river for steelhead. And with her casino makeup still on, she got to the water at dawn. There were new and noticeable photos from then and he steelhead chases - it all added unexpectedly to her media platform growing base. And she kept at it. Now a married mother splitting her time between hemispheres, she has built a life and her brand from guiding, fishing, exploring and sharing knowledge. Her podcast "Anchored," and it's investigative cousin, "Into the Backing" as well as her Master Class series provide a growing archive of knowledge and legacy in the field and stream. In the end, it's all just a brief respite in between her ventures out the door to find new species and new adventures. More at Aprilvokey.com

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Bill knows best. The man on the bluff breaks down what swims beneath - and above: He's seen UAP's out there too. We travel to Montauk, NY to hang with the man who arrived pre-internet, amid giant blitzes, and no-sleep anglers. Bill Schulken made his truck into the cliffside outpost to see it all. One of the most dynamic anglers we've ever met. This former marine from Queens (via UPS - yes, the "King of Queens was this guy). He went his own way to commit his life every year to being there 24/7 to see where the adventure takes him. Note: we have a cameo in the episode from another passionate angler who drives up beside us while we're on the cliffs. It's an outdoor experience that's personal and candid (he shares the personal challenges) and valuable to anyone who wants to know what is being seen on the quiet point - that was once the center of the saltwater world. These chats were inspired by the moments between takes where we often discovered longer conversations and new topics that we did not have time to share at length in our feature films. Bill was in Running the Coast (HowardFilms.com) during the height of the striped bass population. What memories....Thanks for jumping in with us.