David James Duncan is one of those people who need no introduction, but we've got one anyway.

Duncan’s first novel, The River Why, was published by the Sierra Club in 1983, becoming a cult classic within the flyfishing world and beyond. Nearly 10 years would pass before the publication of his second novel, The Brothers K, and more than 30 would elapse until the publication of his third and most recent novel, the epic Sun House published by Little, Brown in 2023.

In between novels, Duncan published four books of essays and stories; he had a part in the making of films like "Damnation" and "Trout Grass;" and, through it all, he’s fought passionately for the environment and against unfettered extraction and bankrupt spirituality.

Duncan was kind enough to invite Jason and Copi to his home outside Missoula this spring where they sat in his living room amidst the curios of a literary life, stacks of books, and complete and not-so-complete manuscripts waiting to see the light of day. We talked about flyfishing, of course, but we also talked about spiritual integrity, writing, coming of age and the work still in store for him. At 72, the guy has no plans to slow down, and the literary community is fortunate for that.

Watch "Upstream: An Evening with Author David James Duncan" from the Mckenzie River Trust.

Thanks to our sponsors: Decked and Patagonia Fly Fishing. 

Kyle Schaefer is a guide, fishing lodge owner and saltwater fisheries advocate based out of York, ME. After cutting his teeth as a guide on the trout streams of the West, Schaefer made his way back east and ventured onto the striper flats of southern Maine, where a good portion of his guiding energy during the season is spent poling clients and sight-casting to striped bass from a flats skiff. 

Today, Schaefer is a member of the American Saltwater Guides Association, where he serves as a member of the board representing the state of Maine. He has written on conservation issues—including a story about striped bass conservation for The Flyfish Journal—and in 2024 he testified before congress in support of saltwater fisheries on the east coast. 

In Fall 2021, Schaefer opened Soul Fly Lodge in the Bahamas' Berry Islands. With Soul Fly Lodge, Schaefer has combined his passion for conservation and stewardship with his entrepeneurial drive, striving to create a space known not only for its fine fishing, but known as well for a commitment to the environment and for a deep sense of community and connectedness. 

In this episode, we chat about Schaefer's beginnings as a guide, his deep sense of awe for the flats guides of the Berry Islands, and how he finds the balance between running a business while staying true to his conservation and stewardship ideals. 

Visit https://www.theflyfishjournal.com/product/subscription/ to subscribe to The Flyfish Journal.

 

Dylan Tomine is an author, filmmaker, Patagonia Ambassador and diehard conservationist. His first book, Closer to the Ground (Patagonia Books, 2012), is an exploration of "an outdoor family's year on the water, in the woods and at the table." In 2022, Tomine published Headwaters: The Adventures, Obsession, and Evolution of a Fly Fisherman, a collection of previously-published and new work, also with Patagonia Books. 

Tomine's film work highlights the plight of wild salmon and steelhead. DamNation provided an unforgiving look at the history of dams in the United States and grassroots efforts to remove dams that obstruct anadromous fish passage. Artifishal turned the lens on a century's worth of fish hatchery practices and the detrimental effects they've had on wild salmon and steelhead populations. 

In this episode, Tomine talks about the importance of family in his life and work, how and when he finds time to work on his current project—a novel, his love-affair with British Columbia steelhead, and why he's so damned frustrated with the whole carp thing. 

This episode is sponsored by Decked and Patagonia Fly Fishing. 

Subscribe to The Flyfish Journal to get 116 pages of pure flyfishing stoke delivered straight to your mailbox four times each year.  

Hilary Hutcheson is a guide, outfitter, writer, filmmaker, conservationist and whitewater rafting fiend who also happens to own a fly shop—Lary's Fly and Supply—in Columbia Falls, MT. 

As a guide and outfitter, Hilary introduces anglers and adventurers to her beautiful corner of northwest Montana just outside Glacier National Park. As a conservationist and board member with Backcountry Hunters & Anglers, Protect Our Winters and the American Fly Fishing Trade Association, Hilary fights to protect the fish and wild places that her mental well-being and livelihood depend on. 

Hilary has writteen extensively on flyfishing and conservation and produced a number of films on a variety of subjects. Most recently, she co-directed "The Tengu Club," which tells the story of a group of Japanese-American anglers and the salmon derby they organized in Seattle upon returning from internment camps after World War II.  

In this episode, we talk about Hilary's beginninigs as a whitewater rafting guide, her past as a news anchor during the meth epidemic in Portland, OR, and the importance of connectedness when it comes to discussing the health and conservation of our fisheries and wild spaces.

Subscribe to The Flyfish Journal at https://www.theflyfishjournal.com/product/subscription/. Sidechannels is made possible with support from Decked and Patagonia Fly Fishing.

 

Shane Anderson is a former professional skier turned filmmaker whose documentaries—including "Wild Reverence," "Guardians of the River" and "A River's Last Chance"—have received numerous awards. Anderson won a Northwest Emmy for "The Lost Salmon" in 2023.

For the past few years, Anderson and the crew at Swiftwater Films have been documenting the largest river restoration in US history--the removal of four dams on the Klamath River. In this episode Anderson talks about the monumental task of documenting the dam removal, the importance of impact in his filmmaking, and how he finds balance in the midst of a work-life whirlwind.

To support Anderson and Swiftwater Films' work documenting the Klamath River restoration, visit https://www.redfordcenter.org/films/undamming-klamath/ to make a tax-deductible donation.

Subscribe to The Flyfish Journal at https://www.theflyfishjournal.com/product/subscription/. Sidechannels is made possible with support from Decked and Patagonia Fly Fishing.

Brita Fordice cut her flyfishing teeth on the rivers, lakes and shorelines of the Puget Sound region of Washington state. As a product developer, she plays a big part in the development, design and testing of RIO's wide selection of flies—including her personal favorites, squid and shrimp patterns. 

In the episode, we chat about her days chasing carp (without fly rods) for bounties in eastern Washington, the mentors who helped refine her tying techniques, the ins and outs of fly design and development, and her newest hobby: giving her husband tattoos.

To learn more about Fordice and her work, check out "Seeing a Pattern," our profile of her in Issue 14.1.

Visit https://www.theflyfishjournal.com/product/subscription/ to subscribe to The Flyfish Journal and get it in your mailbox four times per year. 

Thanks to our sponsors: Decked and Patagonia Fly Fishing. 

In the introduction to The Flyfish Journal’s gallery of Jeremy Koreski’s photography in issue 6.1, Colin Wiseman wrote: “Jeremy Koreski is a son of the ocean.” It sounds hyperbolic, until you start flipping through the images, or scrolling through the work available on Jeremy’s website, or—ideally—viewing his work at his one of his galleries in Tofino or Vancouver, British Columbia. Water is a major player, almost always present in some form. Sometimes he’s in it, sometimes he far above it.

Koreski has worked with Patagonia, YETI, Quicksilver and Vans, among many others—meaning you’ve likely seen plenty of his images. His list of editorial contributions is equally long, including, in addition to The Flyfish Journal, work for The Surfer’s Journal, Conde Nast, Outside Magazine, National Geographic Adventure, and ESPN.

In 2015, he published This is Nowhere, a coffee-table tome organized around elemental subjects: Water, Wind, Earth, Fire, and The Unknown. He’s had a gallery in Tofino, BC, since 2015, and recently opened a new space in Vancouver, BC, called the Wild Space gallery.

Subscribe to The Flyfish Journal at www.theflyfishjournal.com/product/subscription/

Sidechannels is supported by Decked and Patagonia Fly Fishing.

When Kate and Justin Crump started Frigate Travel together, they had a couple simple goals: Provide a top-notch fishing experience for their clients, and free up some time for their own adventures during the off-seasons. With more than a decade as two of the most sought after steelhead guides on the Oregon coast, and with an ever-deepening connection to Bristol Bay, AK, they've had no problem sticking with #1, but as any outfitter or lodge operator knows, free time is an ever-vanishing commodity.

In this episode, we chat about their progression from being seasonal guides in Alaska and Oregon to becoming full-on outfitters bringing to life a new generation of fishing lodge on Alaska's Naknek River and Tillamook Bay, OR. Their committment to the people and places that make their endeavors possible is admirable and instructive. 

Sidechannels is sponsored by Decked and Patagonia Fly Fishing. 

Visit https://www.theflyfishjournal.com/product/subscription/ to subscribe to The Flyfish Journal.

 

Since 2009 The Flyfish Journal has been flyfishing's independent voice for culture, people, art and adventure—owned by flyfishers and produced near the water. Featuring 116 pages of global photography,  profiles of individuals who define the culture, national and international travel and adventure, and iconic voices, the Journal is published four times each year on archival paper in a format that is at home on your coffee-table.  Like our print publication, Sidechannels will feature culture, adventure, art and conservation, through thought-provoking, in-person interviews with flyfishing's most compelling individuals.    Our first season of eight episodes is brought to you by Decked. With a Decked system, your waders, rods and reels, packs and camping equipment can be carefully stored in a system that includes storage cases that fit perfectly in Decked’s weatherproof drawers, with options for both double- and single-drawer setups depending on the size of your truck bed. It’s made in the USA, and it will get you on the water faster when you no longer have to dig through a muddle of gear in the back of your rig to find your reel. So, Get Decked, and Get after it. Find out which system best fits your rig at www.decked.com. Shipping is always free.    Visit theflyfishjournal.com/sidechannels to learn more, and subscribe on Spotify, Apple, YouTube, or wherever you get your podcasts. Don’t miss the release of episode one, coming Tuesday, June 4.