Chad Brown is a filmmaker, a veteran, and an advocate for youth and for wild spaces; he’s also the founder of a couple of non-profits—Soul River Inc. and Love is King—which have provided a pathway for youth, veterans and others to build a connection to what, in some ways, is  one of the last frontiers in North America, the Arctic and the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge. His work over the past couple of years with Love is King has focused specifically on that area, and on providing an opportunity for creatives and other BIPOC leaders to experience the refuge and the issues facing it through a kind of immersive experience with the Gwich’in Nation. 

We met Chad at his home near Portland, OR, and ended up having a long chat. Having just returned from the Arctic, Chad was getting ready to head back up there soon. In this first part of our conversation with Chad, we chat about his various projects in Alaska, as well as his introduction to flyfishing—something that happened, in some ways, just in the nick of time for him and which helped him overcome some significant personal struggles.

To learn more about Chad Brown's conservation work and his documentary filmmaking and photography, visit loveisking.org and chadocreative.com. 

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Thanks to Decked and Patagonia Fly Fishing for making this episode possible. 

A few years back, Kristen Bufe realized that there might be a better way to teach people how to cast a fly rod. As the instructor tossed around odd metaphors ("Imagine throwing a dart." "Imagine flicking paint off a brush.") Bufe could see the disconnect on students' faces. So she decided to do something about it.

Fast forward a few years, and you can find her dispensing casting and fishing wisdom through Instagram (@troutpsychology) and guiding clients from her home base in central Washington state through Streamside Coven Co., her "unconventional, irreverent, revolutionary, woman-owned" guide company. Drawing on her background in behavior analysis and a deep and abiding love for doing things her own way, Bufe offers an alternative to traditional casting and flyfishing instruction, along with lots of little parties celebrating flyfishing's small victories along the way.

In this episode we chat with Kristen Bufe about her childhood and background outside Detroit, her chance introduction to behavior analysis at a college party, and where she gets her sense of humor.

Thanks to our sponsors: Decked and Patagonia Fly Fishing.

When author Peter Heller was a kid, playgrounds weren't really his thing. Instead, it was the bushes and trees around the playground that he found himself drawn to time and again. For anyone who has read his books, this tracks. In Heller's writing, the natural world looms just as large as any of his carefully wrought characters—whether that's Hig in The Dog Stars, or Jess in his most recent novel, Burn. 

In this episode, Part Two of our conversation with Peter, we talk about his move to fiction at the age of 50, his introduction to flyfishing, and how the natural world informs his work.

You can find Part One of our conversation with Peter Heller here.

Thanks to our sponsors: Decked and Patagonia Fly Fishing.

When author Peter Heller was a kid, playgrounds weren't really his thing. Instead, it was the bushes and trees around the playground that he found himself drawn to time and again. For anyone who has read his books, this tracks. In Heller's writing, the natural world looms just as large as any of his carefully wrought characters—whether that's Hig in The Dog Stars, or Jess in his most recent novel, Burn. 

We joined Heller at his home in Denver, overlooking Colorado's Front Range, for what turned out to be a long, invigorating conversation. In this first part of our conversation, we talk about his beginnings as a writer, his early work for Outdoor and other publications, and what made him finally decide to sit down and write a novel at the age of 50.

Stay tuned for Part Two of our conversation with Peter Heller, coming soon.

Thanks to our sponsors: Decked and Patagonia Fly Fishing

Travis Rummel started Felt Soul Media in 2005 with Ben Knight, a decision they described as a "pretty scary plunge into self-employment," but one which they never questioned. Their first film, "The Hatch," established them as a ground-breaking voice in outdoor media and, in some ways, marked the beginning of a new genre of flyfishing film.

More films—and plenty of accolades—followed. Rummel's partnership with Knight brought us such seminal films as "Damnation," "Red Gold," "120 Days," "Running Down the Man" and "A Thousand Casts." Their work for Patagonia, Yeti and other brands has defined flyfishing culture.

These days, Rummel continues to forge ahead with his creative vision, producing character focused stories filled with heart, technical know-how and arresting imagery.

We sat down with Rummel this spring at his home in Colorado for a chat about his filmmaking beginnings, the challenges of filming flyfishing, and how he keeps up with his mountain-biking wife (spoiler alert: it's an e-bike).

Thanks to our sponsors: Decked and Patagonia Fly Fishing.

Dave Gravette knows a thing or two about injuries. As a professional skateboarder for the past 20 years, he's had his fair share. In fact, it was during a recovery from shoulder surgery several years ago that he took up flyfishing as a way to pass the time off his board.

Since then, Gravette has been hooked, seeking out any and every opportunity he can to chase fish, from steelhead to carp to bluegill, and everything in between. If it has fins and will eat a fly, Dave Gravette will try to catch it.

From a young age, Gravette was the kind of kid who liked to test boundaries. It's no surprise that he eventually found his way to skateboarding, turning pro as a teenager and racking up clips and photo spreads early on. Today, his signature boards for Creature usually include some combination of fishy art with strong "herbal" inclinations.

Dave Gravette is the type of person who gets himself into ridiculous situations--lucky for us he lives to tell the tale. In this episode we get a few of those stories, as well as a look at what it means to be a professional skateboarder and Gravette's Top-10 (or so) tips for catching suckers on a slow day of steelheading.

Thanks to our sponsors: Decked and Patagonia Fly Fishing.

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. 

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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. 

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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.