Mill House Podcast

It’s all Tom McGuane’s fault… He’s the culprit who gave Robert Redford the book! Redford loved it, and his film, “A River Runs Through It” indelibly changed everything about fly fishing. Most offensive has been the amount of people around the world we’re now seeing on every body of water. Good for them, actually. Fishing is one of the most important, life changing things we could ever allocate a great amount of our lives to. The down side is the pressure on the fishery, whether it be saltwater speedsters or critters in the fresh.

On today's podcast, we visit with Bonefish Tarpon Trust's scientist, Dr. Ross Boucek who is the Florida Keys Initiative Manager studying the spectrum of elements that constitute a healthy resource. Ross is a second-generation South Floridian. He grew up fishing for tarpon and snook out of Everglades City. Ross earned his Masters and Doctoral degrees at Florida International University, studying how weather events, such as hurricanes, droughts, and extreme cold events, impact sport-fishes in Florida Bay and Everglades National Park. After his schooling, he worked for Florida Fish and Wild Conservation Commission, researching fish movements and migrations, and applying that information to conservation actions. Now based in Marathon, Ross spends most of his time in the Keys, either conducting BTT science, or working with anglers, and management agencies to turn BTT science into meaningful management and regulatory changes that improve our Keys fishery.

When you listen to Ross, he defines all the issues and concerns with incredible knowledge, insight and clarity.

Similar to many of our guests, Capt. Brandon Cyr is not only engaging and kind, he’s a giant of canny fisherman. And what does that exactly mean?Well, it means you know a fish's next move before it does. You know where you have to be 10 miles away with the perfect tide building in an hour. You can only understand these moves after you’ve dedicated your entire life to catching these particular fish of Brandon’s passions, tarpon, bonefish and permit. Being a fourth generation Conch helps, but that’s only half of it. Cyr then dedicated a large part of his life on the water to owning the big prizes: tournament wins and world records, which is what you need to do to become a “name," on this particular stage. When you hear “Brandon Cyr” you think of a man whose boat you want to be on. And after winning the Del Brown and the IGFA permit tournaments with Mike Ward and catching two world records with Kat Linville, you have the power to back up your image!

On today's podcast Brandon speaks about his incredible dedication to winning…

Richard Black is that man that came a long as a young kid and changed what fishing greatness looked like. At 17, while still in school studying for his degree in marine biology, he had his captains license and was already out-fishing most of the seasoned professionals. His wow factor was real. Richard refined his craft at a blistering speed. His fishing dexterity became legendary; he could fish the gulf stream and the reef as well as the the flats around his home near Islamorada. He is proficient from Chokoloskee to Key West, Miami to the Bahamas. It wasn’t uncommon for him to catch a number of Sailfish in the morning, run home, change boats and go release a number of redfish, snook and bonefish in the same day. Any tournament Richard Black is in, it’s a given he’ll be there at the buzzer.

Richard's wife, Brooke Denkert, daughter of well known guide Dave, is a marine biologist as well. The whole family has fishing and water in their DNA. His home is filled with highly sought after tournament wins and most importantly, he’s an incredibly nice guy…. You’ll love this kid!!

The greatest permit fisherman could possibly be a man you’ve never heard of. He’s a man that has caught over 260 permit by himself either out of his kayak or wading. Jay Grant never had the funds to hire guides or mentors. He dissected the tides and popular permit flats from Key Largo to the distant flats west of Key West all on his own. He has struggled much of his life with alcohol and drugs and even spent some time incarcerated. There, he learned how to wood work which gave him some money in his pocket and a chance to get ahead. He’s lived out of his truck for years and now a sailboat near Key West. On today’s podcast, Jay reveals many things he rarely speaks about….. We hope you enjoy!

Ian Slater is one of the most likable people you’ll ever meet. He grew up with a massive desire to win at whatever he pursued. His busy life eventually filtered down to hockey and fishing. It was an equal balance until his college years when he gave hockey everything, and a few years later a professional career became a reality.

While playing for the Toronto Maple Leafs farm team he sustained a bad injury. When he was recuperating, he decided he wanted to reinvent himself and pursue a life in the Keys where his dream fish lived.

He was soon working at a fly shop, the Angling Company, and guiding the nearby flats of Key West. With his incredible work ethic he rapidly became one of the most successful permit guides. He soon moved his crosshairs to the tarpon game with great friend, Nathaniel Linville. Without a win, yet always in the top 4 placements, they have become one of the powerhouses of the tarpon tour.

Today we talk about the nuances of chasing a dream….We hope you enjoy!

In 1959 when Castro was on the eve of taking over Batista and the future of Cuba was unknown, Florida’s fishing intelligence would soon hit pay dirt. Over the next six decades many of our premier guides, anglers and commercial fishermen were descendants of the mass exodus from that small Island only ninety miles from Key West, including our guest today, Albert Ponzoa.

Albert was born later in Miami in 1962. He was the only male in the family, but as he says his two sisters have his fishing DNA. His 95 year young dad, Lucas, used to motor his panga right down the Marathon flats and drop anchor where ever he wished. We knew who he was and where he came from. We loved it!

His son, Lucas Jr. has followed Albert’s love into the blue water of the gulf stream as an offshore guide, commercial lobster diver and supplies the locals charter boats with pilchards. Fishing and love of the ocean makes this family whole….

I’ve known Albert for many years, but more so of his reputation as a stellar, fishing wizard. When his peers spoke about him it was always with great admiration and respect. He was always pushing and running his skiff further than others with profound success. He never pursued the tournament strife, but if he would’ve, the names on the bling would be different today.

He has been a successful commercial fisherman as well as a traditional guide, making his fishing dexterity most interesting. Albert played an important role in how we tarpon fish today through the precise techniques used with worm flies. His concerns for conservation and what he’s seen and knows has to be heard.

On today's podcast we cover a fishing spectrum very few in the lower Keys have ever seen!

In 1953, Carl Hiaasen was born in Ft Lauderdale, Florida. A period of time when kids could hang out in wooded areas chasing things that kids chase. Many days were spent on bikes with fishing rods, well before the boom of growth. Their fun house would soon be transformed into parking lots and buildings, a solid reason for his irreverent thoughts. He and his best friend, Bob Branham, soon learned how to navigate around Biscayne Bay chasing their beloved bonefish. “Carl always wrote," said Bob, and would test those waters with a newsletter in school. His classmates liked it and the fire was lit. Throughout his career he became a prolific author and journalist. With thirty one books and forty six years at the Miami Herald, he’d see it all as a writer. He’d amass numerous awards for both skills sets. Two of his books, Hoot and Strip Tease, became movies and Bad Monkey is now being adapted into a series for Apple TV.

When I asked the great Tom McGuane to speak of Carl’s work he said, "Carl Hiaasen is a great American writer, a comic genius and fearless journalist. He has made South Florida a world map of human folly, malicious schemes and indifference to the common good. In his novels there’s usually a decent survivor of this milieu to remind us that it doesn’t have to be this way, that there is hope, and that constant vigilance against the insane and corrupt is an indispensable tool for life in America.”

Carl grew up fishing as often as he could, usually with his good friend Bob Branham. They both became two of some of the best bone fishermen in the Keys. Carl has won probably the most prestigious bonefish fly tournament in the world, “The Fall Fly," six times, and won the Bonefish All Tackle Tournament four times with good friend and guide, Capt. Tim Klein.

The trump card is that Carl Hiaasen is one of the kindest people you’ll ever meet! We hope you enjoy this remarkable man’s story...

Captain Steve Kilpatrick grew up with a cane pole and a .22… Hunting and fishing has always been his life. I first meet this likable man in the late 80’s when I was fishing the fabled flats of Homosassa. He has always been impressively kind, and when I called to talk to him about the day he and his angler Jim Holland jr. caught the 202.8 pound world record behemoth, he was really excited about hosting us in his home. Remember this is an important fish. This fish is the greatest tarpon ever caught on a fly rod because its the only fish over 200 pounds, The Holy Grail! They caught the fish everyone had been chasing for decades.

We arrived at his home in Chiefland, Florida on a beautiful, open 10 acre parcel with large live Oaks with hanging Spanish moss on many. His home is filled with stunning furniture that he’s made; dressers, drawers, beds, tables. All made by a true craftsman. He works on all the equipment in the yard and many of his friend’s boats are rigged by Steve, the Fixer!

Over the next few days he and his wife Peggy made sure that we’d leave there like family members. But it would all be about the story of a big fish caught by a legendary guide and a young angler.

I am always intrigued by the big blue water world and pelagic species that swim there and perhaps it’s because I am not an avid offshore guy. Sure, I know about the standard tactics, rigging, and the general vicinity on where to fish, but when you speak to someone as in tune as Ray is - the typical fish talk quickly escalates to something much more fascinating. On today’s podcast, Ray conducts a master class on very interesting topics from bait handling to hook up ratios and everything in between.

If you live in South Florida and enjoy offshore fishing, there is a good chance you have heard of Capt. Ray Rosher. Ray is a third generation Miami Fisherman that has spent more than 40 years as a full time fishing charter captain. He and his crew have attained more than 30 tournament wins and continue to be a leading force in the sailfish circuit. Rosher operates out of the famous “Miss Britt I” & “Miss Britt II” which are 34 and 43 foot Sportfishers. He also owns R & R Tackle which is a manufacturer of quality saltwater fishing products including bait rigs, jigs, mahi lures, wahoo lures, deep drop rigs, bait pens, and dehookers. With all of his accomplishments on and off the water, he will be recognized by the IGFA in October to receive the Tommy Gifford Award cementing him into the Captains and Crew Hall of Fame.

When he is not on the water fishing, he loves spending quality time with his family. Hunting, air boating, and frogging are among his other passions because of the tranquilly and solitude. Ray is a straight shooter who has no ego and tells it how it is. He is a wonderful teacher, captain, leader, and a better family man. We hope you all enjoy his story…