Mill House Podcast

Honson Lau is a respected part-time fishing guide based in South Florida, balancing his time on the water with a professional career in IT at Baptist Health South Florida. Every opportunity outside of work is devoted to the flats, where Honson has built a reputation as a technical, and highly skilled guide.

Drew Chicone is a renowned fly designer, author, and educator based in Fort Myers, Florida. Widely respected throughout the fly-fishing community, he is best known for his innovative saltwater fly patterns, hands-on teaching style, and deep knowledge of the species and ecosystems on the west coast of Florida & the Bahamas.

Leslie Green, founder of Bonefish Sailor Lodge on Mangrove Cay in the Bahamas, has spent a lifetime mastering the art of bonefishing. Born and raised on Andros, Leslie grew up on the water, developing an intimate understanding of the island’s vast flats, hidden creeks, and winding mangrove channels. Many of today’s local guides began their careers under his mentorship, learning not only how to find bonefish but how to read the water, respect the environment, and welcome guests with genuine warmth.

Brandon Soucie is a full-time fly-fishing guide at Taylor Creek Fly Shop in Basalt, Colorado, and one of the most recognized local experts in the Roaring Fork Valley. Born and raised in Basalt, Brandon grew up fishing the Fryingpan, Roaring Fork, Crystal, and Colorado Rivers — waters that would later become both his playground and his office. He picked up his first fly rod around the age of eight and began spending every spare moment learning the local honey-holes and trout behavior. By fourteen, he was working in the fly shop, and just a few years later, at eighteen, he transitioned to guiding full-time — beginning what would become a lifelong career on the water.

In this episode, it’s just the two of us sitting down to answer your questions — no guest, just real talk. We’re thinking about making this style of episode a regular part of the podcast rotation to mix things up and stay connected with what you want to hear.

About 30 years ago, I spent a few unforgettable days with Mark Nichols on his home waters near Stuart, Florida, chasing big jacks in the St. Lucie River. At the time, Mark was becoming a well-respected entrepreneur and angler, thanks to his young lure company, D.O.A.—short for Deadly on Arrival.

In this episode, Nicky and I sit down to recap the unforgettable Golden Dorado trip to the Bolivian jungle with Untamed Angling. I've fished all over the world — from elite lodges to hidden honey holes — and this trip easily ranks in my top five of all time.

The lodge, the food, staff and guides were all great. But the fishing? Absolutely next level. Every morning, we’d hop in a helicopter and fly out to a remote river, spending the day wading upstream in search of Golden Dorado — and occasionally, Pacu.

There’s no such thing as “feeding the fish” out here. Once a Dorado locks eyes with your fly, it’s already in full kill mode — attacking with such insane speed and aggression that staying tight and setting the hook is a challenge in itself. It was pure adrenaline, start to finish. This is a trip I’d go on again in a heartbeat.

We also take some time to reflect on the passing of the legendary Flip Pallot. Flip was larger than life — a true icon who inspired generations of anglers, guides, and outdoorsmen. His presence and legacy will be deeply missed.

Other topics in this episode include: The IGFA Hall of Fame induction, a recap of tarpon season, and much more.

Today, we’re diving into one of the most storied arenas in saltwater fly fishing —the Gold Cup Tarpon Tournament. Since 1964, it’s been considered the Super Bowl of tarpon fishing, attracting a who’s who of legends—names like Billy Pate, Ted Williams, and Glen Flutie, who famously won it five years in a row. I’ve been fortunate to win it five times in six years myself.

George Gozdz’s first fishing experience was with his father—just like it is for many of us. He fell in love with the sport early on and began dreaming of one day making it big in the fishing world. Five decades later, that dream became a reality. Today, George is a renowned TV host of Unfathomed and a brand ambassador for numerous companies.

Before diving into life on the water, George worked as an emergency room nurse for 15 years. But eventually, the call of the ocean became too strong to ignore.

In 2004, he earned his captain’s license and began guiding professionally full-time. He had fished his home waters throughout his life—even during his nursing days—so transitioning into guiding came naturally. Still, his ultimate dream was to host a TV show.

That dream came true in 2010 when he landed his first hosting gig on the popular Reel Time Florida Sportsman show, which he led for eight years. Then came his breakout success: Unfathomed—a show that takes viewers on unforgettable journeys to remote destinations, documenting not just the incredible fishing but also the surrounding flora, fauna, and some true giants from the deep.

On today’s podcast, we dive into George’s incredible journey—chasing dreams, embracing change, and living a life defined by passion and adventure.

I fished the fabled Homosassa flats for a few years in the late eighties, before it was obvious I couldn’t get much better at this game because of the lack of fish. Sure, they came and went—big ones too—and great records were caught a few years after, but I wasn’t fishing for records. I wanted to be around the best anglers and see what this big tarpon house was all about. Some of the famous names were still there, like Billy Pate and Tom Evans, and Doparik, of course.

I stayed in Bayport, where there were a number of rooms all in a line. This is where the guys I gravitated to took residence for the month of May. All the boats would be lined up, with their batteries charging after the long days of fishing. I loved every second of the tarpon pulse that you could feel in the air. I wanted to meet everyone and ask every question I had.

There was a name that I heard often but never met: Earl Waters!

I read everything I could about this tarpon fever that had a hold of me. Earl was one that had his hand in about everything over there—whether he was guiding a famous name or writing about how he was catching all these great fish. I know that many went to him when they had trolling motor issues, because he was a genius with the air switches that would turn them on and off with a step of your foot on a button on the tower. Then there was his big cobia he became famous for—and yes, a thirty-pound world record permit he caught on 6-pound test.

He was a local with the desire to unturn every rock to find the answers of this incredible fishery he called home.

On today's podcast, he gives us a detailed look at how he built a life in fishing around one of the greatest tarpon flats the world has ever known: Homosassa, Florida.