Joe Fitzgerald is a recent 5 Rivers alum who's had a packed year post-grad, traveling across North America filming and photographing some of the best fishing the continent has to offer. Most recently, he's been on the road with the Fly Fishing Film Tour as a content creator, documenting their long haul from stop to stop.

Before that, Joe was busy working on a film called "The Kids Are Alright," which highlights the TU Costa 5 Rivers Ambassador Summit and the next generation of anglers and conservationists.

In this episode, we catch up with Joe about everything he's been up to, reflect on lessons learned, and brainstorm some ideas for the future of Emerging.

Also, we announce the winner of the Costa sunglasses giveaway — tune in to see if it’s you.

Made by angles, for anglers. Born in a fishing cabin in Iceland, Himbrimi Gin was first crafted to keep cold hands warm on the river. Now available in multiple countries, Himbrimi remains true to its roots donating 5% of all profits to nature conservation efforts in Iceland as "a gesture of gratitude". Once you’ve got a bottle in hand, take a look at the label decorated with trout, flies, and the iconic loon. 

Listen in to hear about the distillery process, the fly fishing connection, and more!

Find Himbrimi here  

What began as simple, raw fishing clips with “Dad” has grown into a full blown lifestyle for the Iorg family. Now traveling the country with professional filmmakers, they’re taking fly fishing to the next level- blending adventure, family, and cinematic storytelling. 

In this episode of Emerging, we sit down with Eli, Axel, and Isla to talk fly fishing, filmmaking, and what it means to live life the way it should be. This was their first podcast appearance so there was a lot to talk about. Eli shared stories of his past fishing in Alabama, Isla shared with us how she catches all her HUGE brown trout, and Axel chimed in with some behind-the-scenes knowledge from their YouTube videos.  

Listen in to get a inside look at one of the most genuine and fishy family in America 

Instagram 

Youtube  

Family Business 

Thank you to Trout Unlimited and Costa Sunglasses for making the Emerging Podcast and the TU Costa 5 Rivers program possible. 

In this episode of Emerging, we sit down with Ellen Bogucki—5 Rivers Club President, former Fish for Change participant, and now intern. Ellen shares powerful stories from her time with Fish for Change, an organization dedicated to uniting youth from around the world through fly fishing, conservation, and community. From unforgettable moments on the water to the lessons learned about leadership and connection, this episode explores how one program can change lives for year and years.

Thank you to Trout Unlimited and Costa Sunglasses for making the Emerging Podcast and the TU Costa 5 Rivers program possible. 

In this short episode of Emerging we check in with an old friend Parker Cahill who has recently dove into a new endeavor with trout unlimited. Parker Cahill is a true TU success story. From growing up in a local Trout Unlimited chapter to becoming a leader in the CSU 5 Rivers club, he’s now making an impact as a project manager in Steamboat Springs. In this short episode, we dive into Parker’s journey, his love for the outdoors, and how he landed his current role.

The mission of Casting for Recovery is to support women who have been affected by breast cancer. CFR hosts wellness retreats centered around fly fishing to help women connect with each other, with nature, and with themselves—through shared experiences that promote healing and recovery. For the second year in a row, TU Costa 5 Rivers has partnered with CFR to raise thousands of dollars in support of this mission. This episode explores some of those efforts and includes a personal perspective from CFR alumna Kara Armano. 

Kara Armano is a great example of what Casting for Recovery is all about. She first joined as a participant and now helps lead retreats and raise money for programs on Colorado’s Western Slope. She went through breast cancer treatment during the tough isolation of the COVID years, and the experience of connecting with others through fly fishing made a lasting impact. Her story shows just how powerful these retreats can be—for healing, for community, and for moving forward. 

Giving challenge! https://givebutter.com/MDGC  

Thank you to Trout Unlimited and Costa Sunglasses for making the Emerging Podcast and the TU Costa 5 Rivers program possible. 

In this episode of Emerging, we take a deep dive into the outdoor apparel industry. Our guest, Joe Basta, is the co-founder of a revolutionary company based in Fort Collins, Colorado. After years of pursuing various entrepreneurial ventures, Joe and his wife, Mellisa, founded Tellus with a mission to make a meaningful impact. While many companies today pledge 1% for the planet, Tellus goes a step further—donating 100% of its profits to The Nature Conservancy, supporting the protection of land and oceans both near and far from Fort Collins. 

Thank you to Trout Unlimited and Costa Sunglasses for making the Emerging Podcast and the TU Costa 5 Rivers program possible. Find Tellus here: https://tellusoutdoor.com/  

Rick Takahashi is one of, if not the best fly tier in the game. Rick was “born to fish” as he says. Whether you know it or not Rick has probably influenced the life of any fly fisher. It may not be direct, but many of our favorite fly patters were either created by him or inspired by his skills. In this episode, we discussed what makes fishing and flies so interesting to Rick, and he gives us his best advice on how to become a better fly tier and angler. 

To find some of Ricks work look for the titles: “Modern Midges”, “Modern Terrestrials”, and “The Fly Tying Artist” in your local fly shops. Or find his name on Amazon 

Thank you to Trout Unlimited and Costa Sunglasses for making the Emerging Podcast and the TU Costa 5 Rivers program possible. 

Los Locos started as a one-time trip for a couple of friends and has since grown into a worldwide operation. Acting as a catalyst for change in local communities, Los Locos provides incredible experiences, lifelong memories, and lasting impacts on everyone involved. In this short episode, we talk about why these guys do what they do, as well as a lot about Magdalena Bay, the original Los Locos operation. Mag Bay holds incredible fishing, specifically for Marlin. Los Locos marlin fishing is “the ultimate pelagic fishing program” 

To see more from Los Locos check out their Instagram @loslocosfishing 

To learn more, or apply for a trip check out their website  

Thank you to Trout Unlimited and Costa Sunglasses for making the Emerging Podcast and the TU Costa 5 Rivers program possible. 

 Joseph Berney, now with Fly Lords has a history behind the mic. As an undergrad student at UGA he had the idea to start Emerging. With Berney behind the mic he spoke with some amazing guests in the industry and provided a great first season of Emerging. Now he finds himself spending time with the team at Fly Lords. In his role with them he serves as the brand partnerships director for not just Fly Lords, but also Split Reed with Fiska Media. 

In this episode of Emerging we take a look behind the scenes of your favorite Fly Lords original series, how Emerging came to be, and a little more about the passion for the environment that Joseph carries with him every day. 

Thank you to Trout Unlimited for making the Emerging Podcast and the TU Costa 5 Rivers program possible. 

Go check out Fly Lords!  

Fly Lords 

@FlyLords 

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