Mill House Podcast

Since the inception of this podcast, many people have commented, messaged, and emailed us asking for Andy’s story. We were hesitant about doing this interview as we want to the focus to remain on our incredible guests and not ourselves. Thanks again to Nathaniel Linville for taking the helm and conducting the interview. Hope you all enjoy.

Dale Perez is in his 54th year as a fishing guide. He was born to compete with a life filled of sports, but gravitated to baseball where he eventually played in the big leagues with the St. Louis Cardinals, Chicago White Socks, and the Minnesota Twins. Sliding into second base he tore the ligaments in his knee and a new career in fishing was born.

He was always driven to high standards and as a tarpon guide, he hit his longest home run catching two great world record Tarpon with the iconic Tom Evans. But as much as he's known for his tarpon prowess, his anglers have caught an amazing 869 permit on fly! At his spry age of 74, he still has an insatiable level of passion for this sport that keeps him young at heart.

I fished two Gold Cup's with Dale and find myself spending hours with him talking about the second passion dear to both of us - Bowhunting! You'll have to look long and hard to find a more serious, driven man. Dale Perez has a career that is well known in our world. Thanks so much for coming on, Dale!

Fly Fishing in the Florida Keys, especially Islamorada is rich and packed with history. Ever since Joe Brooks put the Purple Isle on the map for light tackle fisherman, there have been people that have impacted and helped shape Islamorada and the flats fishing guide community as we know it today. Billy Knowles is one of those people. There is arguably no other person living as connected or important to the history of flats fishing in Islamorada. 

In the mid 1800’s, Billy’s family came over from the Bahamas and homesteaded half of Islamorada. The land was nothing but pineapple farms and exportation of this fruit became their main source of income. From a very early age, Billy gravitated to fishing and began mating on an offshore boat in the summers off of North Carolina. He fished for giant Bluefin Tunas in the northeast as well as targeting them off of Bimini. Billy soon become a full time back country guide in Islamorada chasing all of the inshore fish from dark to dark. 

Knowles has been credited with discovering famous Tarpon fishing spots, helped create the Poor Boys Tarpon Fishing Tournament, and has been a father figure for many of the younger guides. He has won the Fall All Tackle Bonefish Tournament 5 times, the Spring All Tackle Bonefish Tournament 2 times, The Don Hawley Tarpon Tournament, and the Poor Boys Tarpon Tournament a staggering 11 times. It was only appropriate that in 2019 he was inducted into the IGFA Legendary Captains and Crew Hall of Fame. 

What other living person has fished with Ernest Hemingway, President Herbert Hoover, President George H.W. Bush, and Ted Williams? I believe the “legend” word often gets thrown around a little too much but Billy is a true keys legend. Thank you for coming on Billy!

After his family fled Havana, Cuba, Joe Rodriguez was born on Miami Beach in 1971. His father left early on and throughout Joe’s childhood his mother played multiple rolls as a provider, roll model, and care taker of the family. Joe soon met life-long friend, Rob Hammer, and together started to explore and fish the waters off South Florida, breaking records and creating names for themselves. He later went on to win non-guided Miami MET Master Angler in 1994-1995 & 1996-1997. 

Norman Jansik, Al Plfuguer Jr., and Ralph Delph quickly became his mentors in one way or another. He not only looked up to these legends but they showed him what was possible and were relatively responsible for his success for years to come. Joe became a full time guide in the Florida Keys in 1998 and hasn’t look back since. Along with angler, Julian Robertson, they won the Golden Fly Tarpon Tournament in 2013 and the prestigious Gold Cup Tarpon Tournament in 2016. Joe also won the Ladies Tarpon Fly Tournament with Jayne Kilpatrick in 2008.

As said on the podcast, Rodriguez loves to fish for anything - it doesn’t have to be just Tarpon. That being said, the people who know him, understand his relentless pursuit and unmatched passion for those silver critters. His work ethic and desire to better himself as an angler and a guide speaks for itself. If you want to catch Tarpon, Bonefish, or Permit in the Florida Keys, Everglades, or anywhere in Florida for that matter, finding a more driven guide is going to be nearly impossible. We hope you enjoy Joe’s story…

Tim Carlile was born in San Diego, CA in 1949. His father, Cliff, introduced him to the outdoors at a very young age, and like many others, found a way to pursue a career out of his passion. Tim, following in his father’s footsteps, became a fishing guide out of Sugarloaf Marina in the Florida Keys from very early on. He recalls his first trip was at age 11 years old! Tim is now 72 years old and still puts in at that same marina every day. He has been guiding for 61 years and shows no sign of slowing down - the guy is a super human. 

Tim not only is an incredible fishing guide, he is one of the funniest people you will ever meet. He loves pulling a good prank whether it’s hiding in the ice cooler, or putting a fake alligator in the shrimp tank. His laugh is infectious and the more you are around him, the more time you want to spend with him. It is a honor to call him a good friend and every time I see him, it’s hard not to smile and give him a big hug.

Today, Tim speaks about his near death experience when him and his late wife, Gloria, sunk his Hewes Bonefisher while dolphin fishing. He also talks about what serving in the military meant to him, early backcountry fishing in the lower keys, and the one time he found a cuban refugee boat in the mangroves. This is one you won’t want to miss. Thank you so much for coming on, Tim. Can’t wait to see you again soon…

Tim Mahaffey, without question, is one of our sport’s greatest anglers of all time. His tournament success is astounding having won six of the major invitational bonefish tournaments and all three major tarpon tournaments. His three tournament guides consisting of Mark Krowka, Rick Murphy, and Duane Baker systematically honed their skills and methodology to target success against the top anglers in the Keys. Their focused crosshairs didn't miss too often. Here too is an important foot note to all this; for decades the major fly events were the Spring and Fall Fly Bonefish Tournament, The Gold Cup, and The Don Hawley Tarpon Tournament. To this day, Tim is the only angler to win all four.

He is not only a phenomenal angler but an outstanding person with a beautifully kind way about him. Once he decided to move on from the tournament scene and not wanting to be off the water, he became a guide. There too, he’s made his mark. He guided Heidi Nute to a monster 152 pound world record tarpon caught on 12lb test (that later over tested and fell into the 16lb class category) and finished runner up in the Fall Fly.

From either end of the boat Tim Mahaffey is incredibly fishy.

On todays podcast, we dive into his success on the water. We hope you enjoy!

Every once in a while, amidst your life travels or daily routine, you will meet someone special. Someone who embodies integrity, passion, loyalty, and work ethic. They not only make you feel good when you are in their presence, but they make you a better person. Doug Kilpatrick is one of these people. He has been a brother ever since I met him and I deeply cherish our friendship.

Ever since Doug was a little kid, he has been enamored with the water and the scaly creatures below. Doug worked on charter boats all throughout high school and college, and in 1994 received his captains license. He later moved down south to chase his dreams of becoming a flats fishing guide in the Florida Keys. Capt. Tim Carlile and Capt. Steve Huff would quickly become Doug’s idols who he'd look up to and try to emulate.

Kilpatrick has become a role model for many of the younger guides. Throughout his career, he has accumulated over 45 world records and won many prestigious tournaments including: The Del Brown Permit Tournament, two March Merkin Permit Tournaments, The Key West Super Fly Tournament, and the 2004 Golden Fly Tarpon Tournament with myself as the angler. His accomplishments speak for themself.

Today, Doug speaks about the early years in the Lower Keys, close calls with bear attacks, and the conservation efforts being put in place to protect the flats species. I hope you enjoy this podcast as much as Nicky and I did.

In the Permit world, Kathryn Vallilee is a force to be reckoned with. In 2020 she set two incredible world records. With Capt. Nick Labadie she caught a 9.5 pound permit on 4 pound test and a 22 pound permit on 6 pound test with Capt. Brandon Cyr. She capped the year with a 3rd place finish in the IGFA permit tournament against a 19 angler field. 18 men and her! Too, against her husband, Nathaniel Linville, considered by many to be the best permit angler in the world. Capt. Doug Kilpatrick, her guide in that event, says she wasn't lucky, she's as good as anyone he fishes. He went on to say that Kat is the hardest working angler he knows and will win at some point soon!

Kat is an inspiration to all. She is focused, determined, and incredibly talented.... And beautifully humble.

Listen closely and many of your questions on how to succeed in the permit game will be answered.

Paul Tejera is one of my closest friends on and off the water. His enthusiasm for life is second to none. He'll dive head first into anything that just appears to be fun and then he'll excel at it. Tennis, Golf, Snowboarding, Kite Boarding, Surfing, and Softball, but his fishing prowess is world class!

Having won 6 tarpon tournaments (Paul is one of only a handful of guides to win all three major tarpon tournaments; The Gold Cup, The Don Hawley, and The Golden Fly), two All Tackles, The Spring Fly Bonefish tournament, The $25,000 Biggest Bonefish Shootout, and The Best of The West Casting tournament puts him among one of the world's most sought after guides.

Paul and I won 5 of his 6 Tarpon tournaments together and he lived with me in my home is Aspen for a spell. If there's one person you can count on to have the time of your life with, it's Paul Tejera!!

I hope you enjoy his stories...

In all sports there are a handful of extremely talented, smart individuals who move the bar, inspiring others to chase that glass ceiling. In doing so they show the world the impossible is attainable. John O'Hearn has been "That Guy" for a long time now. He is the Dali Lama on the water. His cerebral intelligence is second to none. Along with his demeanor a day on the water with him is cherished like a diamond in your pocket. I have fished with John, taped shows with him and lost tournaments against him. He is a force to be reckoned with, challenging you as an angler, guide, and good person. I have 40 some years of looking for fish in skinny water behind me, and those handful of days I've spent on his bow are some of my favorites. 

The sport, us anglers, guides, and his friends are privileged to be blessed by this special man!

I hope you enjoy your time with John as much as we did.