Permit to Think — Episode 34

Tom Bie & Paul Puckett

Host: Mike Dawes, Westbank Anglers Guests: Tom Bie (Editor at The Drake magazine) | Paul Puckett (Artist and Illustrator)

Episode Description
Some of the best fly fishing stories start in a shop, not on the water — and in Episode 34 of Permit to Think, host Mike Dawes sits down with two guys whose careers trace straight back to Westbank Anglers. Tom Bie, founder and editor of The Drake magazine and a former Westbank guide, and Paul Puckett, the sporting artist behind decades of fly fishing illustration and the Flood Tide apparel brand, reconnect with Mike after a chance run-in at Westbank's 40th anniversary party sparked the idea for this episode.

The conversation traces both guys' start in Jackson Hole — Tom guiding scenic floats and fishing trips before launching The Drake in 1998 (dreamed up, fittingly, while working as a lift operator at Deer Valley), and Paul talking his way into a job at the original Dallas Westbank Anglers store before eventually landing in Jackson himself. From there it's a wide-ranging look at what made — and still makes — that shop culture so magnetic: the tight-knit, competitive-but-supportive community of guides, artists, and writers who passed through Westbank's doors, and how those connections shaped both of their careers.

Mike, Tom, and Paul also swap recent trip reports — tarpon and permit fishing in the Florida Keys and Mexico, and Tom's latest run on British Columbia's Dean River for big, ocean-hardened steelhead — before digging into Paul's evolution as an artist, from painting anglers' trophy fish for cash in the Westbank shop to his signature simplified, drippy compositions today. The episode wraps with a few can't-make-this-up shop stories (Dick Cheney's fishing license, presidential Secret Service detail included) and a genuinely interesting take on where fly shops, print magazines, and hand-painted art fit into a fishing culture that's about to be reshaped by AI.

About the Guests

Tom Bie is the founder and editor of The Drake magazine, which he launched in 1998 after a stint as a lift operator at Deer Valley and years working scenic floats and guiding trips out of Grand Teton Lodge Company and Westbank Anglers in Jackson Hole. Before The Drake grew into the quarterly it is today, Tom spent years in the broader outdoor magazine world as managing editor of Paddler, senior editor of Skiing, and editor-in-chief of Powder. He lives in Denver, Colorado.

Paul Puckett is a sporting artist and illustrator known for his paintings and illustrations across the fly fishing world, as well as the Flood Tide apparel brand he built around his character-driven fish art. Paul got his start painting anglers' trophy catches while working at the original Westbank Anglers store in Dallas, later spending four years fishing, snowboarding, and (by his own account) barely painting in Jackson Hole before relaunching his art career in Atlanta and eventually settling in Charleston, South Carolina, where he's based today.

About Permit to Think

Permit to Think is a fly fishing podcast hosted by Mike Dawes of Westbank Anglers. Each episode digs into the people, places, and fish that define the sport — from technical conversations about gear and tactics to big-picture discussions on conservation and culture. New episodes available wherever you listen to podcasts.

Westbank Anglers | Jackson Hole, Wyoming 🌐 westbankanglers.com

Permit to Think — Episode 33

Cosmoledo | Blue Safari Fly Fishing

Host: Mike Dawes, Westbank Anglers Guests: Colin (Operations Manager, Westbank Anglers) | Keith Rose-Innes (Managing Director, Blue Safari / Alphonse Fishing Company)

Episode Description
What happens when the GT capital of the world lives up to every bit of the hype? In Episode 33 of Permit to Think, host Mike Dawes sits down with Westbank Anglers Operations Manager Colin and Blue Safari Managing Director Keith Rose-Innes to break down one of the most remote, raw, and unforgettable fly fishing destinations on the planet — Cosmoledo Atoll in the Seychelles.

Keith brings nearly 30 years of Seychelles experience to the table, including a firsthand account of witnessing GTs eat birds off the water — the original discovery that sparked the now-famous footage seen on Blue Planet 2. Colin brings the wide-eyed perspective of a first-time Cosmo angler, fresh off a trip that left him, in Mike's words, "glowing like he'd just met his first girlfriend."

Together, they map out the full Blue Safari operation — from permit-junky flats to the bumphead parrotfish of Farquhar, the iconic milkfish fishery at Alphonse, and the wild, barely-explored Astove — before zeroing in on what makes Cosmoledo something else entirely.

About the Guests

Keith Rose-Innes is the Managing Director of Blue Safari and the Alphonse Fishing Company. With nearly 30 years in the Seychelles, Keith has guided, explored, built lodges, and pioneered fisheries across the Indian Ocean. He is widely credited as the first person to document GTs eating birds at Farquhar — footage that later became part of Blue Planet 2. He is also a co-designer of the Schulten reel.

Colin is the Operations Manager at Westbank Anglers in Jackson Hole, Wyoming. A former guest on the Mexico episode of Permit to Think, Colin made his first trip to Cosmoledo as part of a Westbank-hosted group and came back a changed man.

About Permit to Think

Permit to Think is a fly fishing podcast hosted by Mike Dawes of Westbank Anglers. Each episode digs into the people, places, and fish that define the sport — from technical conversations about gear and tactics to big-picture discussions on conservation and culture. New episodes available wherever you listen to podcasts.

Westbank Anglers | Jackson Hole, Wyoming 🌐 westbankanglers.com

"Where are the small fish?" This is a question that routinely comes up when fly fishing for trout in areas of New Zealand. Mike Dawes joins up with Ben Hall and Sean Andrews, two highly experienced New Zealand trout guides, to share some of the highlights of a recent trip to the Taupō region of NZ's North Island. These guys discuss some of the characteristics of South Island and North Island fly fishing, the necessity of team work and strong wading, and the thrill of observing Ben maneuver the helicopter into super narrow and super fishy areas! 

Colin Ah and podcast guest, Greg Case, are back from a recent trip to Mexico chasing Permit at Blacksmith Lodge. Mike and the team talk about some of the amazing Permit behavior that was witnessed on this recent trip and the unbelievable fishing opportunities that were provided. The team also discuss the local Jackson Hole One Fly event, catching Permit on dry flies, and other fishy topics. 

Mike Dawes and some of the Westbank crew reflect on their most recent adventure to Australia. Westbank Anglers guide Jimmie Cheers is introduced, followed by a recap of an amazing trip with the Aussie Fly Fisher. Permit to Crocs, fishing rigs to Dingos, sit back and enjoy a trip to the Down Under. 

In this episode I sit down with Harris Buddig.  Harris is the Fly Fishing Sales Representative for Patagonia in the Rocky Mountains.  Harris originally hails from Hinsdale. He graduated from the University of Colorado Boulder and was working at the Rocky Mountain Angler before taking a job with Patagonia.  We first met about a year and a half ago when we started to carry Patagonia at Westbank Anglers.  Since then we were fortunate to travel to MX together and chase some fish around, as well as fish some local waters in the JH area.  During our time together I have gotten snippets of Harris’s story, and I wanted to hear more. There are a bunch of similarities in our stories. I think.  The fishing industry needs to hear more about those who have worked hard to take advantage of opportunities and earned them.  Harris currently sits on the board of the American Fly Fishing Trade Association and currently resides in Missoula, MT with his fiance Sydney (fiance not for long) and his dog Reno.  Without further adieu please welcome Harris to the show!

In this episode I sit down with RA Beattie.  RA hails from Woody Creek, CO.  He has been immersed in the fly fishing world since he could walk.  RA started apprenticing at the age of 14 in and around his home waters.  RA went on to attend the University of Puget Sound and then went on to attend Full Sail University in Winter Park, FL where he studied film.  While his family has deep roots in the ski industry, RA started to blaze his own trail in the world of fly fishing filmmaking and media.  RA started to put his films in the Fly Fishing Film Tour in 2005 and has been putting out content and films ever since.  He has been fortunate enough to film on every continent on this planet and is still at it today.  RA is a pioneer in the world of fly fishing film and media.  I first met RA in MT in 2013 and shortly after we started to do some work together but more importantly we became really close friends in a very short amount of time, for which I am extremely grateful.  RA and I have been able to travel the world together, forging relationships while filming some projects.  What has always fascinated and boggled my mind about RA is that while all of his work is in Media the fishing Media is done on his own time. Throughout the years he has put out 25 longer films and 30 plus shorter films which is truly remarkable.  During the days.  RA is the Director of Marketing and Talent Relations at Breedlove Guitars in Bend OR where he currently resides.  Without further adieu please welcome my good friend RA Beattie to the show.

Al Perkinson has been an executive in the outdoor industry for the past 20 years.  He is a brand builder and growth agent who believes that social responsibility and great storytelling are keys to building beloved brands.

Al is the founder and CEO of Bajío Sunglasses, based in New Smyrna Beach, Florida.  Bajío designs and builds performance sunglasses for anglers and other water enthusiasts. It is a privately held company with a mission to operate sustainably and contribute to addressing environmental issues faced by the world’s oceans. 

Prior to starting Bajío, Al was in senior management roles at Huk Apparel and Simms Fishing Products and owned a consulting practice whose clients included, Orvis, Trout Unlimited, Guy Harvey, and Pure Fishing.  

Al was CMO for Costa Sunglasses for 12 years, where he was responsible for business strategy, brand, marketing, e-commerce, and apparel.  He helped the brand achieve a 20% annual growth rate and a sales price that was the highest multiple ever paid in the industry.   

Al was named by Outdoor Life magazine as one of the 25 most influential people in conservation, received the Lefty Kreh Sportsman of the Year Award from Bonefish & Tarpon Trust, and was named Angler of the Year by Fly Fisherman magazine.  Al was elected to the Explorer’s Club in New York City and is an active member.  

I first met Al while we were both fishing the Permit Tournaments in Key West back in 2016.  Al’s willingness to think outside the box, commitment to the resources we are lucky enough to work in and on, and entrepreneurial spirit & vision are all traits that I have tremendous respect for.  I look forward to diving deeper into Al’s story today and hearing more about his wild ride with Bajio that he had been on since launching the company in 2021.  Without further adieu please welcome Al Perkinson to the show.

In this episode I sit down with my kids and we take a little detour from the regular format as we did last season for the family interlude. The thought process behind this idea is more thoroughly explained in Episode 11.  The summary would be: It would be very interesting and cool  if one day you wanted to go back and reflect on who you were when you were younger and had access to an annual snapshot of yourself as you grow and change. I am going to sit down with my children once a year and do a short show for those reasons, until they will no longer have it, hopefully that will not be the case. 

In this episode I sit down with Boots Allen. Boots is a third generation fly fishing guide who each year guides 130-plus day on the waters of the Greater Yellowstone area.  He is the author of numerous publications including Modern Trout Fishing (Lyons Press) and Catching Trout in All Conditions (Graphic Arts Books) and top finisher in numerous fly fishing tournaments and contests over the years.  Boots also hosts trips to destination lodges in South America, the Caribbean,  the Pacific, and gives talks at fly fishing events throughout the country.  His popular fly patterns are available through Montana Fly Company.  In addition to his guiding Boots is also the Advocacy and Outreach Coordinator at the Snake River Fund a fund whose mission is to promote stewardship of and recreational access to the Snake River Watershed in WY with an emphasis on partnerships education and public outreach.  Boots is an amazingly well respected guide, father and husband and currently lives in Victor ID.  Without Further adieu please welcome Boots to the show!!

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