Sidechannels

Katie Falkenberg is an award-winning photographer/filmmaker whose long and winding path to doing the conservation and restoration focused work that she does nowadays had its start—or at least one of its starts—20 or so years ago when she covered the politics beat in Washington, D.C. as a photojournalist. Egged on by her dad, a photojournalist himself, she eventually transitioned to work that leaned more toward the documentary end of the spectrum and a job with the LA Times which, as we talk about in the episode, is how she eventually found her way to the small town of Jacksonville in southern Oregon. We've been fortunate to feature Katie's work in The Flyfish Journal, including a gallery of her work in issue 12.3.

In this episode, we talked about the importance of connecting with the subjects she photographs and films, and about how some of that work—both flyfishing related and not—took shape over the years. We also chatted about her ongoing work with Resource Environmental Solutions on the Klamath and the joy she's taken in documenting the restoration efforts of her partner, southern Oregon guide Scott Howell, through the Rogue River Restoration Council. It was a great way to finish off Season 3!

Thanks to our sponsor, Patagonia Fly Fishing, for making Sidechannels possible.

If you're enjoying the show, consider becoming a subscriber to The Flyfish Journal, and get it straight to your mailbox four times each year.

Ken Morrish is a cofounder of Fly Water Travel, based in Ashland, OR, which is where we joined him for this interview in his backyard, man-cave shed. It was a great little spot, chock full of angling history—including several magazine covers featuring Ken holding stellar fish, and the fly tying table where, more than likely some of his many well known flies have been created, including the Morrish Hopper and the Morrish Mouse.

Ken is also an accomplished writer, canoe devotee, and a board member with the Wild Salmon Center. It was refreshing to talk to someone whose passion for flyfishing doesn't seem to have dimmed since childhood, when he first learned the ropes with his dad and grandfather in California's Sierra Nevada.

In this episode we talked about Ken's early days as a fourth generation flyfisher in Northern California, his circuitous path into the flyfishing travel business, and lessons he's learned traveling to flyfishing destinations around the world. And, of course, we dug into flies a bit. You can't talk to Ken Morrish without talking about flies.

Thanks to our sponsor, Patagonia Fly Fishing, for making Sidechannels possible.

If you're enjoying the show, consider becoming a subscriber to The Flyfish Journal, and get it straight to your mailbox four times each year.

Matt Dunn has "worked as a fishing and/or brewing professional" for most of his adult life. When not engaged in those activities, he writes about them, and has been doing so for about 20 years. In the heyday of the blog age, he published his work under the moniker "FishBeer," which he still employs today on a Substack of the same name. It's worth a visit, as is his YouTube channel, "FishBeerBBQ," where you can find unique takes on flyfishing that could only come from the brain of Matt Dunn. Matt's recent work for The Flyfish Journal includes "Oddly Rhomboid Fine-grit Sandpaper," and "Everybody Loves Jay," a profile of Jay Johnson.

In this episode, we talk with Matt about the differences between flyfishing in the East and West and the surprises and joys of the early blogosphere of the late aughts and early teens, and we try to figure out what the hell scrapple actually is.

Thanks to our sponsor, Patagonia Fly Fishing, for making Sidechannels possible.

If you're enjoying the show, consider becoming a subscriber to The Flyfish Journal, and get it straight to your mailbox four times each year.

In this episode we chat with writer and longtime contributor to The Flyfish Journal Aimee Eaton. Aimee's interest in outdoor adventuring and belief in the importance of wild spaces has led to her work appearing in a number of outlets and publications, including The New York Times, Patagonia, Trailrunner, NatGeo online, High Country News and the Dirtbag Diaries podcast. In 2015, Aimee and her husband set off on a year-long, cross-country trip with their 6-month-old son, George, documenting the trip along the way under the moniker "Raising Gus."

In this episode we chat about exposing kids to the outdoors, Aimee's (sadistic) combination of ultra-running and flyfishing, and her work this past spring reporting on the Pacific Salmon Treaty, which culminated in Aimee's contribution to The Flyfish Journal issue 17.4, "Yours, Mine and Ours: The Pacific Salmon Treaty's Ticking Clock."

Thanks to Patagonia Fly Fishing for supporting Sidechannels. Learn more about their new River Salt Wading Boots II.

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Dave McCoy is a professional photographer, fly shop owner, guide, international travel host and tireless advocate for wild fish and wild places. Through his shop and guide service in Seattle, Emerald Water Anglers, Dave has redefined what a flyfishing community space can be, while through his photography he offers an ever-evolving and fresh look at what flyfishing is. Dave is an ambassador for The Conservation Angler and an advisor to Indifly, as well as an ambassador for Thomas and Thomas Fly Rods, Nautilus Reels and Scientific Anglers.

In this episode, we chat about his guiding beginnings in Colorado, his transition to hosted travel and shop ownership in Seattle, and why he thinks Autumn is the absolute worst season for flyfishing.

Follow along on Dave's adventures on Instagram here: https://www.instagram.com/davemccoyewa/

Thanks to Patagonia Fly Fishing for their support. Check out their new River Salt Wading Boots II, and take your wading game to the next level.

If you are enjoying Sidechannels, we hope you'll consider becoming a subscriber to The Flyfish Journal.

Eric Jackson—aka EJack—is a professional snowboarder, filmmaker, steelhead obsessive and hunter known for his creative backcountry riding style and a sincere dedication to chasing steelhead with the swung fly. His film credits include The Fourth Phase, Brothers on the Run and Alignment, the latter of which documented a winter spent snowboarding and flyfishing in British Columbia's Skeena River country.

In this episode, we talk with Jackson about the yin and yang of snowboarding/flyfishing, his newfound love of hunting, some of his theories on steelhead fly selection, and how he finds balance and confidence in his daily life.

Sidechannels is sponsored by Patagonia Fly Fishing. Check out Patagonia's new River Salt Wading Boot II.

Support independent print media: become a subscriber to The Flyfish Journal at https://www.theflyfishjournal.com/subscribe.

Riverhorse Nakadate is a writer, Patagonia Fly Fish Ambassador, filmmaker and author of "Water Lines: A Life on Marshes, Rivers, Seas, and in the Rain," published in June 2026 by Patagonia Books. A longtime contributor to The Flyfish Journal, Nakadate's work spans the full-range of human emotion, from the comedic and absurd to deeply felt reflections on meaning and human connection.

In this episode we talk with Nakadate about the release of his new book, his growing awareness of the importance of film in telling stories about wild places—and his favorite flavor of ice cream.

Thanks to Patagonia Fly Fishing for making Sidechannels Possible. Learn more about Patagonia's new River Salt Wading Boot II.

Support independent print media by becoming a subscriber to The Flyfish Journal.

Chris Hill is the CEO of Conservation Lands Foundation, a non-profit organization dedicated to defending public lands from "sell-off, extraction, and short-term profit-driven destruction." Prior to taking her role with CLF, she was the first Black woman to serve as Chief Conservation Officer at the Sierra Club.

In this episode, we talk with Chris about her wealth of experience in environmental law, community organizing, and public policy advocacy. To learn more about Chris' background in environmental advocacy, check out "Where I Belong," which won best short film at the American Conservation Film Festival in 2021.

Sidechannels is sponsored by Patagonia Fly Fishing.

If you're digging the podcast, consider becoming a subscriber to The Flyfish Journal.

Over the course of their nearly 40-year friendship, Yvon Chouinard and Craig Mathews have had a significant influence on both the culture and activity of flyfishing. Their most recent collaboration is Pheasant Tail Simplicity, a new book coauthored with their friend Mauro Mazzo. The book is part technical treatise, part fly tying manual and part philosophy. Either way, it's well worth a read for anyone interested in flyfishing with a slightly more minimalist point of view.

For this conversation I met up with Yvon and Craig in Dillon, MT, a day after their book release event at Montana State University in Bozeman, which took place in a standing room only amphitheater on campus. We chatted about the book, of course, but I also had the opportunity to learn a bit more about their background, including how they met and what they feel they've learned from each other in nearly 40 years of friendship.

Sidechannels is sponsored by Decked and Patagonia Fly Fishing.

If you're enjoying the podcast, consider becoming a subscriber to The Flyfish Journal.

Chase and Aimee Bartee began making films together when they lived in New England, publishing them under the moniker Tight Loops Fly (or simply Tight Loops, depending on where you're looking). Their full length film Big Landwon best adventure at the fly fishing film awards in 2019, and for the past several years they've been working on a series called For Wild's Sake, which offers in-depth looks at various wild trout species from all corners of the United States. On top of their various film projects, Aimee is a dedicated editorial photographer, and Chase is a writer and fine artist known for his exquisitely detailed watercolors of various fish species.

Several years ago, the Bartees moved into their Vanagon full-time, and a few years ago made the switch to tricked out expedition rig. After a spring and summer of whirlwind travels that brought them to Greenland, Japan and Mongolia, we were fortunate to catch them at the Bozeman Public Library, of all places. In this episode, we talk about their travels, the challenges of creating art on the road, bear problems in Japan, and what was the final straw in their decision to sell their Vanagon.

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Sidechannels is sponsored by:

Decked: Get Decked and Get After It

Patagonia Fly Fishing: Dependable Gear Built to Connect with Wild Fish