Reelin'

Tense, as in past tense, present tense, and future tense.  We found ourselves at a peculiar moment in the life cycle of this podcast, and it gave us a great opportunity to look back, look around, and look ahead.

We took some time to revisit previous episodes and the great guests with which we've had memorable conversation and swapped interesting and entertaining stories.  We went back even farther and reflected on the conversations we had, which resulted in the birth of Reelin'.

We also talked about our current situation; IGFA and Reelin' have agreed to part ways, which means that, as of this moment, we are no longer "Reelin' with the IGFA".

Finally, and most importantly, we talk about the future and our podcasts potential direction as we move forward.  In contrast to the international scope we had been looking to address throughout the first incarnation of the podcast, we're looking forward to focusing our attention on the southeastern region of the United States...considered by many to be the greatest fishing on the planet.

In the meantime, we made an important announcement about the immediate future of the show: Reelin' will be on hiatus through the month of September as we regroup, retool, and revamp it all for you.  If you have any feedback or suggestions, we welcome them!  Please email us at [email protected] or reach out to us through social media.

On this week's episode, we talked with Bryan Huskey, Founder of Keep 'Em Wet Fishing and Sascha Clark Danylchuk, who manages the organization's operations.  We got some background on them, the origin of the #keepemwet movement, and where they're hoping things go in the future.

As it says on their website, www.keepemwet.org :

Lee Wulff famously said, "The finest gift you can give to any fisherman is to put a good fish back." We believe that if you are going to put that gift back, you should want it to be in the best possible condition. By doing so, you are keeping fish healthier, strengthening our fisheries, and helping ensure anglers will have the opportunity to catch fish for years to come.

Sounds like a win/win to us!  We encourage you to check them out, read about their key principles and tips, and lend a wet hand in saving our fisheries!

PROGRAMMING NOTE #1: You MUST listen to the end of the show; Kevin and Scott have one of the funniest stories we've ever shared.  Be watching for the picture on social media...

PROGRAMMING NOTE #2: Paul, if you're reading this, thank you so much for calling right in the middle of our recording session!

IGFA News: The IGFA has put together a once-in-a-lifetime package for anglers interested in becoming a lifetime member.  Here's the link to check it out: https://igfa.org/MembershipsLifetime.aspx

 

For nearly two decades, Blair Wiggins has brought fishing to audiences across the United States with his hit show "Addictive Fishing".  But even though Season 19 is upon us, Blair ISN'T fishing.  Why, you ask?  Well, we'll let him tell you all about it.

During our conversation with Blair, he shared quite a bit of interesting stuff with us; how Addictive Fishing got it's start, what it was originally intended to do, and how it all changed in its first season.  He also talked about where it's going - pretty exciting stuff for Blair...and for us as fans, too.

We also got to talk with him about his brand new, award-winning M2 Signature rods from Lew's.  He goes in-depth about his needs, wants, and specifications and how Lew's worked it all out in the design, including the fantastic innovation Blair's been dying to get on a signature rod for a long time.

Aside from Blair, the three of us "kicked around" the merits of Huk's latest product, the "Attack" Water Shoe.  Could it be the footwear Kevin and Scott have been searching for? Here's their new Attack Saltwater commercial that got the talk going: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=feSxTdBA3F8

Kevin brought up our last episode, which featured renaissance man Alberto Rey.  It was a great conversation, and if you missed it last week, you should check it out now.  It was great stuff (as Kevin likes to say), but one of the best aspects of our talk was the information Alberto shared about "Children in the Stream", his non-profit organization specializing in the introduction of fly fishing to disadvantaged children.  We discussed the connection between children and fishing again this week, and it was a good talk.

We also shared two more IGFA Certified World Records:

Brooke Laws (New Zealand) - Smallfry - Squirefish - 20lb 2oz

Gary Carter (Angola) - 6lb test - Atlantic Sailfish - 103lb 7oz

Finally, we talked about our favorite website, AnglerHQ.com and a fantastic barracuda video.  Check that out here: https://www.anglerhq.com/lawson-lindsey-unbelievable-river-monster/

We caught up with Alberto Rey this week, but even after talking with him, we're still not sure how to introduce him to you. He's a fly guy for sure, but he's much more than that.  Try guide, writer, photographer, artist, videographer, conservationist, non-profit organizer, and most importantly, a husband and father.

Chris connected with Alberto after reading an article he penned for the Summer 2018 edition of Anglers Journal called "Ties That Bind."  In that article, Alberto shared some incredible stories and observations from time he spent with his son on a spectacular trip to New Zealand.  That article, and that trip, kicked off our conversation.  Soon after, he shared some fantastic details of some of the more exotic locales in which he's dropped a line: Cuba, Nepal, Iceland...and his backyard.

As we mentioned earlier, he's a guide - but not just any guide.  He's an Orvis Certified guide, and his back yard bellies up to one of the best steelhead streams in the United States!  He and Kevin swapped stories and questions about the thrill (and frustration) of the guiding business.  If you've ever hired a guide and wanted to know how hard they're working for you, this is a discussion you'll need to hear.

Alberto shared the story of "Children In The Stream" with us as well; it's the non-profit organization he founded back in 1998.  According to his website:

"Children in the Stream is an educational program that provides children with information and experiences related to aquatic resources, conservation, ethics, and fly fishing. Fly fishing has a long history of integrating these elements into the core of the sport. The ethics of the program promotes “catch and release” as well as respect for fellow fisherman and the land on which one fishes. It is our goal to protect the species and the land for future generations. Our program closely ties together the importance of understanding nature with the rewarding act of fly fishing."

You can listen and decide for yourself, but we can't say enough good things about this program; it's a beautiful thing.

In his heart, Alberto is truly an artist, and we also talked with him about his work.  If you head to his website, www.albertorey.com, you'll be able to check some of his amazing paintings of fish, habitats, portraits of people...and even some beautifully unique Icelandic flies.  But we also encourage you to visit www.extinctbirdsproject.com, the online home of his latest book.  Extinct Birds Project is an amazing undertaking with a powerful message, and he shares the history behind it with us.

We were really happy to have Alberto on with us, but this episode also presented some spirited conversation between the three of us about technological innovation in the fishing industry, and how it's affecting anglers.  Is technology sapping the thrill out of fishing?

Finally, we updated everyone on IGFA's Fishing Contest.  As of this episode's post date, contestants have less than two weeks to try to win.  With 74 different freshwater and saltwater species eligible for prizes, what are you waiting for?  Hook 'em up!  Check out contest details here: https://www.igfa.org/contests/fishing/Default.aspx

Whiskey-gulping Russians. Dirty buckets. Kamikaze birds. It's a hysterical hour of stories from the guys this week as they celebrate some of their most awkward, embarrassing moments.

You want the truth? YOU CANT HANDLE THE TRUTH! Okay, well, you probably can handle the truth about the pro bass fishermen you love (or love to hate) and the fishing industry, but its still pretty fun to get the inside scoop. And that is where our guest, Keith Alan, comes in. You will laugh, you will cry, you will ooooh and ahhhh. You will have a ball listening...that is guaranteed.

We were lucky enough to hit ICAST 2018 recently, and although we saw plenty of outstanding innovations from a bunch of great companies, we noticed one thing that clearly stood out as the best thing on the floor of the Orange County Convention Center.

Last week was great, but fishing icon Larry Dahlberg was just getting started. Lots of great stories coming, lots of laughs, as well as an update on the IGFA Great Marlin Race from IGFA Conservation Director Jason Schratwieser.

We had the chance to talk with fishing legend Larry Dahlberg, and he had A LOT to talk about. You may have watched Larry on "The Hunt For Big Fish" for a long time, but he goes into uncharted waters with us in this, the first of our two-part conversation.

If you have ever watched Fly Rod Chronicles, you know Curtis Fleming is a straight-shooting, down-to-earth, fantastic guy. And he is a pretty darn good fly rodder, too. Get to know him like you never have in this funny, funny episode.