Hunt, Gather, Talk with Hank Shaw

Catfish are an iconic American fish, loved by many, hated by some. I talk with my friend Jonathan Wilkins of Black Duck Revival about catfish, and we range from mechanical details on how to catch them to cooking and prepping them to the cultural baggage catfish can sometimes bring with them to the dinner table.

Andrew Zimmern, who many of you know from his TV show "Bizarre Foods," has eaten more fish and seafood over the years than anyone I know. So who better to talk about the details of flavor and texture with fish and seafood, from the sublime to the slimy.

I've always had a thing about catch and release; I don't like participating in fisheries where there is no take allowed. (Obviously, I release lots of fish that are undersized or incidental catch though). But my opinion, even though it's based on research, isn't nearly as important to listen to as are the research findings of Stephanie Shaw of the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources. (And no, we're not related.)

Catch and release is Stephanie's specialty, and together we bust some myths and talk about best practices for catch and release, primarily in freshwater fishing, but relevant to saltwater, too.

I am not a spearfisherman, but I've always been interested in the pursuit. It's the closest thing to hunting you can do in the water because, well, it's hunting. I talk with spearfisherman Valentine Thomas all about what it's like to chase fish with a speargun, and about how to get started if you're interested in taking up the pursuit.

We explore both the romance and the realities of commercial fishing. Tyson Fick and I crewed together on the F/V Heather Anne, a gillnet boat in Alaska, fishing for salmon. We talk about the tough realities of making a living on the water -- as well as why we love it so much!

Most of us think fish and other sea creatures aren't terribly bright. Most of is are wrong. In this episode, I talk with renowned scientist Culum Brown, a leading authority on cognition in aquatic animals, all about how smart our watery friends are. Spoiler alert: They're a lot smarter than we ever thought!

I join my friends Joe Baya and Butch Thierry of Great Days Outdoors to share stories from life as a deckhand -- all three of us have worked that job, and yeah, we have stories to tell. We also talk a lot about how you can be a better fishing charter client.

I geek out with marine biologist Crystal Hightower of the University of South Alabama on snappers: red snapper, beeliners, mangroves, you name it. These popular game fish are fascinating in their own right, but they are also one of the most controversial fisheries in America. We break down not only the biology, but also the reason why people fight over these fish.