Over the years, as I’ve participated in various fishing tournaments, I’ve often noticed the names etched on the trophies from past events. One name that always stood out to me was Lenny Berg. He made history by winning the first inaugural Don Hawley Tarpon Tournament in 1976, with the legendary Billy Knowles as his guide. Lenny also triumphed in the Fall Fly Bonefish Tournament three times, alongside his guide, Steve Huff. One of his most remarkable feats was landing a 128-pound tarpon on 10-pound test, setting a world record that was later invalidated when the IGFA removed the 10-pound tippet category for world records, erasing those catches from the record books.

Lenny’s fishing journey also had him alongside some of the sport’s most influential pioneers, including Woody Sexton, Eddie Wightman, Hank Brown, Stu Apte, Guy de Valdene, Jimmy Lopez, Hal Chittum, and John Emory, just to name a few.

In today’s podcast, we not only explore Lenny’s incredible life in fishing, but we’re also joined by his son, Elliot Berg. Like his father, Elliot is an outstanding angler, but he’s also an ingenious boat designer in his own right. We discuss both Lenny’s legacy and Elliot’s work in pushing the boundaries of boat design, including his contributions to the Maverick Boat Company, which revolutionized flats skiffs and became one of the most successful brands in the industry for decades.

One lesson we’ve all learned over the years is to never judge a book by its cover—especially when the subject is Carter Andrews. This towering figure, both in size and hair, is eclipsed only by the immense love he has for his family and his passion for fishing. His obsession is woven into every breath he takes.

Carter is all in—every second, every day. While we’re all connected by water and the creatures that call it home, few of us live and breathe it the way Carter does. We turn to those who bring the vibrant stories of fishing and adventure to life, whether online or on television. For me, it was Flip who sparked the fire, Jose’ who carried the flame, and Curt—well, who can forget "The American Sportsman"?

Life is made up of chapters that lead us to the next, and Carter Andrews is currently writing his at the highest level. His hit show, The Obsession of Carter Andrews, is nothing short of captivating—at times, even awe-inspiring. His journeys seem endless, chasing stories far beyond the horizon to remote places most of us will never visit. Yet, through his lens, I’m right there with him—on the edge of my seat—because he’s the real deal, and his team brings the magic to life.

On this podcast, we had the privilege of visiting Carter’s home, farm, ranch, and yes, even his “cave.” We had a blast exploring the immense world of his life. Trust me, you can’t help but love the man.

Tim Choate is a pioneering force in Billfish Conservation and one of the most influential figures in the world of sport fishing. Growing up in Islamorada, Florida, Tim was introduced to the world of blue-water fishing by his close friend, Bucky Stark. His passion for marlin fishing quickly became an obsession, leading him to set numerous records that left the sport stunned. In 1995, his boat Magic caught an astonishing 2,140 billfish in a single year. Choate's fishing adventures took him to the Great Barrier Reef, where he spent five years honing his skills. In 1982, alongside Captain Peter Wright, he helped land the season's largest black marlin, weighing an impressive 1,212 pounds.

While Tim’s early career was defined by record-breaking catches and an insatiable drive to land the biggest fish, his passion eventually shifted toward conservation. Witnessing the detrimental impact of commercial fishing on marlin and sailfish populations, Tim became a key advocate for their protection. His efforts culminated in the passing of the Billfish Conservation Act of 2012, which banned the commercial sale of marlin and sailfish in the continental U.S.

In addition to his legislative work, Tim co-founded the Billfish Foundation, an organization dedicated to highlighting the economic and ecological value of recreational sport fishing over commercial harvesting. He was also an early advocate for circle hooks, pushing for their use long before scientific studies proved their effectiveness in reducing fish mortality from gut-hooking.

Tim’s contributions to the sport and conservation were recognized with numerous honors, including:

Tim Choate’s legacy is one of unmatched dedication to the preservation of billfish and the broader marine environment, and his impact continues to be felt by anglers and conservationists alike.

George Anderson is the owner of Yellowstone Angler in Livingston, Montana, a fly shop he founded in 1979. His fly-fishing journey began in the Catskill Mountains of New York and was further honed in the Rocky Mountain West while attending the University of Colorado and working summers at a fly shop in West Yellowstone. After earning his business degree, George and his wife moved to Livingston, where he spent six years as assistant manager at Dan Bailey’s before opening his own shop. In 1985, the current Yellowstone Angler location was built, just south of Livingston on Highway 89.

Throughout his career, George has written for prominent fly-fishing publications, including Fly Fisherman, Trout, Big Sky Journal, and Saltwater Fly Fishing. He is also known for his success in competitive fly fishing, winning top honors at the Jackson Hole One-Fly in 1989 and 1990, setting records for the number of trout caught using his signature George’s Rubber Legged Brown Stone nymph. George has appeared as a guest angler on numerous television shows, including Fly Fishing the World with John Barrett and Spanish Fly with Jose Wejebe, and he has filmed several ESPN segments with Trevor Gowdy in Cuba’s Jardines de la Reina, targeting bonefish, tarpon, and permit.

A passionate saltwater fly fisher, George leads annual trips to Caribbean destinations and hosts trout fishing excursions to Alaska, Argentina, and other world-class locations. When not on the water, he enjoys golf, alpine skiing, scuba diving, bird hunting, and cycling.

Kelly Galloup’s personality is as vibrant and electric as a bag of smelling salts. He’s as raw and beautiful as my tarpon brothers in Homosassa. All this energy is exemplified by how he aggressively pursued the truth about streamers and how to fish them. Often he would submerge himself underwater and silently drift down the river examining where the fish were holding and learned that many big fish were in places he never targeted. His artistic mind exploded with fly designs and he started creating flies that would articulate and swim differently that the old standard patterns, which were thrown as an after thought when nothing else worked. Overnight he changed the game! Everyone started to streamer fish with his flies and began to regularly catch giants. People started to fish revered rivers differently, and he became famous with a cult like following. The older traditionalist didn’t like it at all. He is different, a disrupter, a dang force to be reckoned with, he is Kelly Galloup!

On todays podcast, we cover all this and more in great detail…

Brian O'Keefe was a man born to be free of any kind of structure and fishing was the caveat to keep him running to the end of the rainbow where the best fishing holes lay. I recognize this because I have the same life text book which reads; ski, fish, eat, sleep! Seeing a photograph of him in his early life, upside down on a Powder Magazine cover, struck me deeply as I remembered this photo from many moons ago. I always wondered who this free spirited skier was. Jump ahead 15 years when I was cutting my teeth with a fish called Megalops, I heard of Brian catching a world record fish with Pate in Africa. Later, while at a trade show a number of years ago, I meet this mystery man, O'Keefe.

Very rarely do you meet such a giant so gregarious and friendly. It was as if he was seeking to be hired for his first job. We didn’t spend much time together, but I knew instantly we could be incredible friends. Over the next 15 years I kept a keen eye on Brian’s work in many publications from every corner of the planet, and I always thought to myself when I’d see a photograph of him with an extraordinary subject , “what a lucky guy!” And finally we get to hear all about it.

Bob Rich is a giant in the world of fly fishing, conservation, and storytelling. I have known Bob for many years and he is the best fishing companion an angler could have. We have traveled the world together with President George H.W. Bush, Sandy Moret, Johnny Morris and countless others fishing destinations only one can dream of. Bob was a Bonefish Tarpon Trust Founding member, and has helped the Florida Redbone series with Gary Ellis to fight and find the cure for Cystic Fibrosis. He is also a very accomplished author with five books under his belt including, “Looking Through Water” which will appear soon on the big screen with actor Michael Douglas and son, Cameron. The movie is going to be called, “Blood Knot.” Later this month, Rich will receive the Lefty Kreh Award for Lifetime Achievement in Conservation, which is BTT’s highest honor, in recognition of his support of fisheries conservation.

On today’s podcast, we cover the expansive life of one of my better friends, Bob Rich.

Heroes come in all forms and sizes. Most common are star athletes, television sensations, and our children who turn out to be wonderful people and future parents… A list of heroes can be endless but a hero has to be someone who moves you greatly like a celebrity who has influenced a generation. On todays podcast, Brad Probst, a hero of ours shares a very dark side he struggled through to get where he is today: The Manager of Bear Mountain Outfitters. This is where Nicky and I briefly guided elk hunts on a spectacular 18,000 acre mountain top ranch where the world is silent only to the sounds of nature, bugling elk and shimmering trees that have turned the brilliant colors of fall. Brad climbed to the top of this steep slope after a grueling battle with addiction. Near the bottom of this dark time, he flipped the switch and fought to get out, saving his family and his future. His chapters of survival are brilliant!

Brad is also a "Cowboy" (he doesn't think he is) most of the year on the ranch when he is not guiding hunts or rodeoing. He recently went down to the Four 6's ranch to help out as a ranch hand as one thing's for sure, Brad's appetite for hard work is unmatched. We also talk about what it means to be a Cowboy, Elk hunting Colorado, Nuances of being an outfitter, Introduction of wolves, and his admirable climb out of addiction.

On todays podcast, we cover the trials of one of the finest men I’ve ever known.

With his exceptional physical and intellectual scope, Carlos Duncan is one of the most impressive people I’ve ever known. He’s not only a Harvard graduate, he qualified for the World Championships in the Ironman, manages his families business, flies his own plane, hunts with a bow and is one of the finest Tarpon slayers the Florida Keys has ever known! And his efforts as the Chairman of The Board for the IGFA helped redirected its path that was never aspired to before.

Fishing against Carlos was a difficult task. He an his guide Rob Fordyce were one of the most dominate teams. They were always challenging for the win and finished a record 7, or 9 times second (One says one the other says the higher) in the Legendary Gold Cup.

On todays podcast, we talk about growing up in a high powered family (Coke) and finding great success on his own…

Tim Heng loves fishing, especially the Roaring Fork and Frying Pan rivers near Basalt, Colorado. He’s spent a large part of his life fishing them, loving them, and trying to preserve them for his fellow anglers. His efforts over the years were so compelling he was honored by the Roaring Fork Conservancy as the Conservator of the Year, the highest honor given in the valley. He is considered one of the pioneers of drift boat fishing on the Fork and Colorado River. He founded Roaring Fork Anglers in Glenwood Springs and later worked and managed the Taylor Creek Fly Shop in Basalt, Colorado for 29 years. While there he innovated fly patters that produced better than most others. He also took many trips with clients to Christmas Island and Los Roques, Venezuela. Essentially, Tim is one of the kindest, big hearted people you will ever have the pleasure of knowing!

On today's podcast we cover the many nuances of a true blooded “River Keeper."