The Destination Angler Podcast

Episode 181 of the Destination Angler Fly Fishing Podcast – October 8, 2026.

Our destination is the South Island of New Zealand, world famous for large, wily trout, stunning scenery, and gin clear water. Joining me is backcountry guide and New Zealand expert, Manny Shchukin, with Manny Fishing Adventures, Nelson, New Zealand.

The South Island is classic sight fishing country where long leaders, tiny flies, and stealth are a must. Manny shares what it takes to fool these incredibly wary trout, why your first cast may be your only cast, and how he landed his personal best, a 13½-pound monster.

In this episode:

· Sight fishing for giant browns and rainbows in New Zealand's crystal-clear water

· Why stealth, patience, and the first cast are so critical

· Going "full ninja" in camo to stalk wary backcountry trout

· How to spot fish, approach them, and make the right presentation

· The flies, leaders, and techniques that fool New Zealand trout

· What happens when anglers come face-to-face with their first big New Zealand fish

· Manny's unforgettable 13½-pound personal-best trout

· A crazy battle with a big trout that disappears

· Sight-fishing and fish-fighting lessons you can use anywhere

With host Steve Haigh | Destination Angler Podcast — THE podcast for anglers who travel.

Connect with Manny: Instagram @mannyfishadventures

Be the first to know about new episodes. Become a subscriber

Follow the show and never miss a destination.

Destination Angler Podcast:

• Website | YouTube | Instagram & Facebook @DestinationAnglerPodcast

Check Out Our Sponsors:

TroutRoutes

The #1 Mapping Resource for Trout Anglers. Podcast listeners can try one month of TroutRoutes PRO for FREE by clicking the link in the episode description. Explore 50,000 trout streams with TroutRoutes today. Get 1 Month Free

Facebook @troutinsights Instagram @TroutRoutes

High N Dry Fishing

Where science and performance meet. Check out the full lineup of floatants, line dressings, and sighter waxes at www.highndryfishingproducts.com

Facebook @highndryfishingproducts Instagram @highndryfishing

Redd's Flies

Premium flies, tied with purpose. Redd's is a family-run company built around premium hand-tied flies — including exclusive patterns you'll only find at Redd's Flies. Delivered to your doorstep in days, not weeks. A portion of every order goes directly to organizations protecting trout habitat and restoring rivers.

Use this link and discount code DESTINATION to save on your next order.

Facebook: @ReddsFlies Instagram: @ReddsFlies

Frontiers Travel

THE one-stop outdoor travel company that's been helping anglers experience the world's greatest fisheries for more than 55 years. Your Experts in Fly Fishing & Wing Shooting.

[email protected] | 1-800-245-1950 | [email protected] | +44 (0)1285 700 940

Facebook | Instagram | Vimeo

***

Comments & Suggestions: host, Steve Haigh, email [email protected]

Available on Apple, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts.

Recorded Sep 11, 2026

Episode 180 of the Destination Angler Fly Fishing Podcast – September 24, 2026.

Our destination is the last great wilderness in the world--the Amazon jungle in Brazil and the Rio Marié, THE top destination for trophy peacock bass. Joining me today is Rodrigo Salles, co-owner of Untamed Angling.

Peacock bass are the strongest, smartest, and hardest fighting fish on the fly in the Amazon. Rodrigo has spent more than 25 years exploring this incredible place, working alongside Indigenous communities to protect these wild rivers. Today, Rodrigo takes us deep inside the Amazon in search of these and other gamefish of the jungle.

In this episode:

• · Fly fishing the remote Brazilian Amazon for giant peacock bass
• · Why these fish are among the most explosive and powerful freshwater gamefish on the planet
• · Rod-breaking strikes, shredded fly lines, bent hooks, and the gear needed to survive them
• · The incredible story of four 20+ pound peacock bass landed almost simultaneously
• · Exploring untouched lagoons and waters that may have never been fished before
• · How Rodrigo and his team locate giant peacock bass in an enormous and constantly changing fishery
• · The flies, retrieves, tackle, and techniques that consistently produce big fish
• · What makes the Amazon experience about far more than just catching peacock bass
• · Conservation, local communities, and the importance of protecting these wild fisheries
• · Rodrigo's concern that we may be among the last generations to experience truly wild places in the Amazon

With host Steve Haigh | Destination Angler Podcast — THE podcast for anglers who travel.

Connect with Rodrigo Salles: https://www.uangling.com/page/brazil

Be the first to know about new episodes. Become a subscriber

Follow the show and never miss a destination.

Destination Angler Podcast:

• Website | YouTube | Instagram & Facebook @DestinationAnglerPodcast

Check Out Our Sponsors:

Frontiers Travel

THE one-stop outdoor travel company that's been helping anglers experience the world's greatest fisheries for more than 55 years. Your Experts in Fly Fishing & Wing Shooting.

[email protected] | 1-800-245-1950 | [email protected] | +44 (0)1285 700 940

Facebook | Instagram | Vimeo

TroutRoutes

The #1 Mapping Resource for Trout Anglers. Podcast listeners can try one month of TroutRoutes PRO for FREE by clicking the link in the episode description. Explore 50,000 trout streams with TroutRoutes today. Get 1 Month Free

Facebook @troutinsights Instagram @TroutRoutes

High N Dry Fishing

Where science and performance meet. Check out the full lineup of floatants, line dressings, and sighter waxes at www.highndryfishingproducts.com

Facebook @highndryfishingproducts Instagram @highndryfishing

Redd's Flies

Premium flies, tied with purpose. Redd's is a family-run company built around premium hand-tied flies — including exclusive patterns you'll only find at Redd's Flies. Delivered to your doorstep in days, not weeks. A portion of every order goes directly to organizations protecting trout habitat and restoring rivers.

Use this link and discount code DESTINATION to save on your next order.

Facebook: @ReddsFlies Instagram: @ReddsFlies

***

Comments & Suggestions: host, Steve Haigh, email [email protected]

Available on Apple, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts.

Recorded Sep 3, 2026

Episode 179 of the Destination Angler Fly Fishing Podcast – September 10, 2026.

Our destination is pristine trout waters of Northern Patagonia in Argentina and joining me is fly fishing pioneer, lodge owner, and conservationist, Jorge Trucco. Jorge is credited with putting Patagonia on the map as a world class fly fishing destination more than 40 years ago.

Today, we hear the story of the Patagonia of yesteryear—before the guides, the lodges, and the drift boats, where enormous trout ate just about anything you threw at them, along with 60-pound Chinook Salmon, how Robert Duvall saved the day, and a trip to Jackson Hole that changed everything.

In this episode:

· How Jorge Trucco became one of the pioneers of fly fishing in Patagonia

· What Patagonia fishing looked like before guides, lodges, and drift boats

· Joe Brooks and the early history of fly fishing in Argentina

· How trout and salmon were originally introduced to Patagonia

· Exploring and floating rivers that had rarely—or never—been commercially fished

· The legendary Chimehuin, Traful, Malleo, Aluminé, and Collón Curá rivers

· Learning to row and the beginnings of guided float fishing in Patagonia

· Huge Patagonian brown trout, landlocked salmon, and spring-creek fishing

· Jorge's role in introducing and promoting catch-and-release

· The fight to protect Patagonia's rivers from proposed hydroelectric dams

· Founding Argentina's first fly shop and helping build the guiding industry

· Guiding famous anglers and actors

· Jorge's perspective on how Patagonia has changed over nearly 50 years

· The conservation legacy he hopes the next generation will carry forward

With host Steve Haigh | Destination Angler Podcast — THE podcast for anglers who travel.

Connect with Jorge Trucco: https://www.patagonia-outfitters.com/

Be the first to know about new episodes. Become a subscriber

Destination Angler Podcast:

• Website | YouTube | Instagram & Facebook @DestinationAnglerPodcast

Check Out Our Sponsors:

High N Dry Fishing

Where science and performance meet. Check out the full lineup of floatants, line dressings, and sighter waxes at www.highndryfishingproducts.com

Facebook @highndryfishingproducts Instagram @highndryfishing

Redd's Flies

Premium flies, tied with purpose. Redd's is a family-run company built around premium hand-tied flies — including exclusive patterns you'll only find at Redd's Flies. Delivered to your doorstep in days, not weeks. A portion of every order goes directly to organizations protecting trout habitat and restoring rivers.

Use this link and discount code DESTINATION to save on your next order.

Facebook: @ReddsFlies Instagram: @ReddsFlies

TroutRoutes

The #1 Mapping Resource for Trout Anglers. Podcast listeners can try one month of TroutRoutes PRO for FREE by clicking the link in the episode description. Explore 50,000 trout streams with TroutRoutes today. Get 1 Month Free

Facebook @troutinsights Instagram @TroutRoutes

Frontiers Travel

THE one-stop outdoor travel company that's been helping anglers experience the world's greatest fisheries for more than 55 years. Your Experts in Fly Fishing & Wing Shooting.

[email protected] | 1-800-245-1950 | [email protected] | +44 (0)1285 700 940

Facebook | Instagram | Vimeo

***

Comments & Suggestions: host, Steve Haigh, email [email protected]

Available on Apple, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts.

Recorded Aug 13, 2026

Episode 178 of the Destination Angler Fly Fishing Podcast – Aug 27, 2026.

Our destination is Colorado's Gunnison Valley and the Taylor River to crack the code on one of the West's great technical tailwaters. Known for large trout this Gold Medal tailwater is a graduate school for the advanced fly angler where light tippets, long leaders and perfect drifts are a must. And if you get it right, the rewards can be a legit shot at the trout of a lifetime.

Joining me is head guide and fly shop manager, John Evon, Taylor River Anglers in Almont, Colorado. John gives us the low down on the Taylor from top to bottom and along the way, we hit the famous hog trough and hear stories about epic hatches, banner 50 fish days, and a broken reel, an abandoned rod, and one very big rainbow.

In this episode:

• Why the Taylor River is considered graduate school for fly anglers
• The legendary Hog Trough—and the monsters that live there
• · A 40¼-inch Colorado record rainbow from a river barely 50 feet across
• · Fishing the Taylor with light tippet, long leaders, and perfect drifts
• · Exploring the Upper Taylor, pocket water, undercut banks, and high-country trout
• · Big summer caddis hatches and terrestrial fishing
• · Where to find miles of public access away from the crowds
• · How a nine-year-old caught roughly 50 trout in three hours—then got tired and quit
• · The bizarre story of a broken reel, an abandoned rod, and one very big rainbow
• · Why experienced anglers sometimes get humbled on the Taylor
• · John's unlikely journey from a Chicago office job to Colorado fishing guide
• · What John has learned about teaching beginners on one of Colorado's most technical trout streams
• · And why the Taylor River's combination of big trout, technical fishing, and spectacular mountain country keeps anglers coming back

With host Steve Haigh | Destination Angler Podcast — THE podcast for anglers who travel.

Connect with John Evon: @harmelsonthetaylor and @taylorriveranglers | https://www.harmels.com/fly-fishing

Be the first to know about new episodes. Become a subscriber

Follow the show and never miss a destination.

Destination Angler Podcast:

• Website | YouTube | Instagram & Facebook @DestinationAnglerPodcast

Check Out Our Sponsors:

Frontiers Travel

THE one-stop outdoor travel company that's been helping anglers experience the world's greatest fisheries for more than 55 years. Your Experts in Fly Fishing & Wing Shooting.

[email protected] | 1-800-245-1950 | [email protected] | +44 (0)1285 700 940

Facebook | Instagram | Vimeo

High N Dry Fishing

Where science and performance meet. Check out the full lineup of floatants, line dressings, and sighter waxes at www.highndryfishingproducts.com

Facebook @highndryfishingproducts Instagram @highndryfishing

Redd's Flies

Premium flies, tied with purpose. Redd's is a family-run company built around premium hand-tied flies — including exclusive patterns you'll only find at Redd's Flies. Delivered to your doorstep in days, not weeks. A portion of every order goes directly to organizations protecting trout habitat and restoring rivers.

Use this link and discount code DESTINATION to save on your next order.

Facebook: @ReddsFlies Instagram: @ReddsFlies

TroutRoutes

The #1 Mapping Resource for Trout Anglers. Podcast listeners can try one month of TroutRoutes PRO for FREE by clicking the link in the episode description. Explore 50,000 trout streams with TroutRoutes today. Get 1 Month Free

Facebook @troutinsights Instagram @TroutRoutes

***

Comments & Suggestions: host, Steve Haigh, email [email protected]

Available on Apple, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts.

Recorded Aug 6, 2026

Episode 177 of the Destination Angler Fly Fishing Podcast – Aug 13, 2026.

Our destination is the salt marshes of the Texas Coast for Redfish with renown author, fly fishing die-hard, and adventurer, Riverhorse Nakadate. Redfish are the bruisers of inshore fishing, known for aggressive strikes, blistering drag-screaming runs, and a stubborn, bulldog-like fight, and the Texas coast offer world class opportunities.

Riverhorse explains why he loves Texas Redfish and shares stories from a life spent running wild: climbing to the bottom of the Black Canyon of the Gunnison in search of trophy trout, spending 19 hours in an African jail, surviving extended underwater beat downs and shark bumps while surfing the world, canoeing 200 miles alone through the boundary waters, and why a canoe can set you free.

In this episode:

• The salt marshes of Texas — home to redfish, the bruisers of the inshore game.
• The story of Dickey Betts spray-painting his famous gold top Les Paul red before a gig.
• Fishing the bottom of the Black Canyon of the Gunnison reached by a terrifying descent.
• How "Riverhorse" became his legal middle name.
• Held 19 hours in an African jail
• Why water and wilderness are "where true living happens."
• A childhood on the Colorado River in Austin, and a steelhead-fishing stepfather who opened the door to the ocean and the fly rod.
• Surfing close calls — underwater beatdowns, shark encounters, and more.
• The case for the canoe..
• Topwater bass in the Texas Piney Woods, and his go-to swim frog.
• Going undercover with game wardens against illegal longlining and shark finning in the Gulf
• Redfish technique: Texas sight-fishing on the flats versus Louisiana's winter giants, plus fly setups and night fishing.
• A 24-foot crocodile charge in Mexico, and the desperate escape.

With host Steve Haigh | Destination Angler Podcast — THE podcast for anglers who travel.

Connect with Riverhorse: Instagram: @Riverhorse_Nakadate

Author of "Water Lines: A Life on Marshes, Rivers, Seas, and in the Rain"

Be the first to know about new episodes. Become a subscriber

Follow the show and never miss a destination.

Destination Angler Podcast:

• Website | YouTube | Instagram & Facebook @DestinationAnglerPodcast

Check Out Our Sponsors:

TroutRoutes

The #1 Mapping Resource for Trout Anglers. Podcast listeners can try one month of TroutRoutes PRO for FREE by clicking the link in the episode description. Explore 50,000 trout streams with TroutRoutes today. Get 1 Month Free

Facebook @troutinsights Instagram @TroutRoutes

Frontiers Travel

THE one-stop outdoor travel company that's been helping anglers experience the world's greatest fisheries for more than 55 years. Your Experts in Fly Fishing & Wing Shooting.

[email protected] | 1-800-245-1950 | [email protected] | +44 (0)1285 700 940

Facebook | Instagram | Vimeo

High N Dry Fishing

Where science and performance meet. Check out the full lineup of floatants, line dressings, and sighter waxes at www.highndryfishingproducts.com

Facebook @highndryfishingproducts Instagram @highndryfishing

Redd's Flies

Premium flies, tied with purpose. Redd's is a family-run company built around premium hand-tied flies — including exclusive patterns you'll only find at Redd's Flies. Delivered to your doorstep in days, not weeks. A portion of every order goes directly to organizations protecting trout habitat and restoring rivers.

Use this link and discount code DESTINATION to save on your next order.

Facebook: @ReddsFlies Instagram: @ReddsFlies

***

Comments & Suggestions: host, Steve Haigh, email [email protected]

Available on Apple, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts.

Recorded July 9, 2026

Episode 176 of the Destination Angler Fly Fishing Podcast – July 30, 2026.

Our destination is Oregon's North Coast with diehard steelhead guide Matt Thornton who covers the obsessed steelhead culture of the North Coast, why mindset is everything, and the incredible run they've had this year. Matt also shares stories of snorkeling for steelhead, teaching clients to fight steelhead with his Lab, and the long odds—and big rewards—of spey casting.

Stick around to the end to learn about Matt's conservation organization, The Wilderness Calling which is researching steelhead migration patterns…you might be surprised by what they're learning.

In this episode:

· Why Oregon's North Coast has become one of the world's premier wild steelhead destinations.

· The unique culture of spey fishing—and why steelheaders willingly endure the "fish of a thousand casts."

· Why mindset may be the most important skill a steelhead angler can develop.

· Matt's unforgettable story of snorkeling a run and discovering fish where everyone thought there were none.

· How steelhead behavior can surprise even the most experienced anglers.

· Teaching clients to fight steelhead with his Labrador, Boomhauer.

· This year's outstanding steelhead run and what made it so special.

· Matt's favorite fly pattern and color.

· The mission of The Wilderness Calling and the cutting-edge research they are doing using $5,000 tracking tracking tags.

· Why understanding steelhead migration could have a major impact on future conservation efforts.

With host Steve Haigh | Destination Angler Podcast — THE podcast for anglers who travel.

Connect with Matt: Instagram: @the_wilderness_calling

https://www.thewildernesscalling.org/ | [email protected] | 907.602.6759

Book a trip with Matt: Northwest Fly Fishing Outfitters

Be the first to know about new episodes. Become a subscriber

Follow the show so you never miss a destination.

Destination Angler Podcast:

• Website | YouTube | Instagram & Facebook @DestinationAnglerPodcast

Check Out Our Sponsors:

Redd's Flies

Premium flies, tied with purpose. Redd's is a family-run company built around premium hand-tied flies — including exclusive patterns you'll only find at Redd's Flies. Delivered to your doorstep in days, not weeks. A portion of every order goes directly to organizations protecting trout habitat and restoring rivers.

Use this link and discount code DESTINATION to save on your next order.

Facebook: @ReddsFlies Instagram: @ReddsFlies

TroutRoutes

The #1 Mapping Resource for Trout Anglers. Podcast listeners can try one month of TroutRoutes PRO for FREE by clicking the link in the episode description. Explore 50,000 trout streams with TroutRoutes today. Get 1 Month Free

Facebook @troutinsights Instagram @TroutRoutes

Frontiers Travel

THE one-stop outdoor travel company that's been helping anglers experience the world's greatest fisheries for more than 55 years. Your Experts in Fly Fishing & Wing Shooting.

[email protected] | 1-800-245-1950 | [email protected] | +44 (0)1285 700 940

Facebook | Instagram | Vimeo

High N Dry Fishing

Where science and performance meet. Check out the full lineup of floatants, line dressings, and sighter waxes at www.highndryfishingproducts.com

Facebook @highndryfishingproducts Instagram @highndryfishing

***

Comments & Suggestions: host, Steve Haigh, email [email protected]

Available on Apple, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts.

Recorded June 5, 2026

Episode 175 of the Destination Angler Fly Fishing Podcast – July 16, 2026.

Our destination is the American West with Steve Vedra and Matt Perkins, two Indiana fly anglers who have become hopelessly addicted to chasing native trout. Join us as they share incredible stories of 33-mile backpacking trips, remote floatplane drop-offs, torn ACLs, massive blowdowns, and the relentless pursuit of some of North America's rarest fish. From California to Alaska, Oregon to Arizona, Matt and Steve prove that the greatest rewards often lie far beyond the trailhead.

In this episode:

• Why two Indiana anglers became hopelessly addicted to chasing native trout.
• The 33-mile backpacking trip for one of the rarest trout in North America.
• What happened when a floatplane left them alone in the Alaskan wilderness.
• Surviving torn ACLs, massive blowdowns, and torrential rain in pursuit of wild fish.
• How they research and plan ambitious DIY fly fishing expeditions across the American West.
• Lessons learned from years of exploring remote rivers few anglers ever see.
• Tips for anglers interested in taking on the Western Native Trout Challenge.
• Why the greatest adventures often begin where the trail ends.

With host Steve Haigh | Destination Angler Podcast — THE podcast for anglers who travel.

Connect with Matt: Facebook & Instagram: @Mperkins03

Connect with Steve: Facebook & Instagram: @SteveVedra

Be the first to know about new episodes. Become a subscriber

Destination Angler Podcast:

• Website | YouTube | Instagram & Facebook @DestinationAnglerPodcast

Check Out Our Sponsors:

High N Dry Fishing

Where science and performance meet. Check out the full lineup of floatants, line dressings, and sighter waxes at www.highndryfishingproducts.com

Facebook @highndryfishingproducts Instagram @highndryfishing

Redd's Flies

Premium flies, tied with purpose. Redd's is a family-run company built around premium hand-tied flies — including exclusive patterns you'll only find at Redd's Flies. Delivered to your doorstep in days, not weeks. A portion of every order goes directly to organizations protecting trout habitat and restoring rivers.

Use this link and discount code DESTINATION to save on your next order.

Facebook: @ReddsFlies Instagram: @ReddsFlies

TroutRoutes

The #1 Mapping Resource for Trout Anglers. Podcast listeners can try one month of TroutRoutes PRO for FREE by clicking the link in the episode description. Explore 50,000 trout streams with TroutRoutes today. Get 1 Month Free

Facebook @troutinsights Instagram @TroutRoutes

Frontiers Travel

THE one-stop outdoor travel company that's been helping anglers experience the world's greatest fisheries for more than 55 years. Your Experts in Fly Fishing & Wing Shooting.

[email protected] | 1-800-245-1950 | [email protected] | +44 (0)1285 700 940

Facebook | Instagram | Vimeo

***

Comments & Suggestions: host, Steve Haigh, email [email protected]

Available on Apple, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts.

Recorded Jan 3, 2026

Episode 174 of the Destination Angler Fly Fishing Podcast – July 2, 2026.

Our destination is fly fishing North America and the world — through the lens of one of its most influential voices. Joining me is Kirk Deeter, Editor-in-Chief of Trout Magazine and VP of Angling at Trout Unlimited, for a wide-ranging conversation spanning conservation, storytelling, and bucket-list destinations.

In this episode:

• · Why Kirk ranks Michigan as America's #1 fly fishing state.
• · The surprising history of brown trout in America.
• · Colorado's hidden gems beyond the famous rivers.
• · Redfish, trout, and unforgettable meals in the South Carolina Lowcountry.
• · Why England's chalk streams exceeded every expectation.
• · Kirk's favorite flies for fooling selective trout.
• · How Trout Unlimited is restoring America's rivers.
• · The insane story of a 300-pound mako shark on a fly rod from a kayak.
• · Why the best fishing memories often happen around the dinner table.
• · Kirk's advice for choosing your next unforgettable fly fishing destination.

With host Steve Haigh | Destination Angler Podcast — THE podcast for anglers who travel.

Connect with Kirk: [email protected]

Be the first to know about new episodes. Become a subscriber

Follow the show so you never miss a destination.

Destination Angler Podcast:

• Website | YouTube | Instagram & Facebook @DestinationAnglerPodcast

Check Out Our Sponsors:

Frontiers Travel

THE one-stop outdoor travel company that's been helping anglers experience the world's greatest fisheries for more than 55 years. Your Experts in outdoor & luxury travel.

[email protected] | 1-800-245-1950 | [email protected] | +44 (0)1285 700 940

Facebook | Instagram | Vimeo

High N Dry Fishing

Where science and performance meet. Check out the full lineup of floatants, line dressings, and sighter waxes at www.highndryfishingproducts.com

Facebook @highndryfishingproducts Instagram @highndryfishing

Redd's Flies

Premium flies, tied with purpose. Redd's is a family-run company built around premium hand-tied flies — including exclusive patterns you'll only find at Redd's Flies. Delivered to your doorstep in days, not weeks. A portion of every order goes directly to organizations protecting trout habitat and restoring rivers.

Use this link and discount code DESTINATION to save on your next order.

Facebook: @ReddsFlies Instagram: @ReddsFlies

TroutRoutes

The #1 Mapping Resource for Trout Anglers. Podcast listeners can try one month of TroutRoutes PRO for FREE by clicking the link in the episode description. Explore 50,000 trout streams with TroutRoutes today. Get 1 Month Free

Facebook @troutinsights Instagram @TroutRoutes

***

Comments & Suggestions: host, Steve Haigh, email [email protected]

Available on Apple, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts.

Recorded May 18, 2026

Episode 173 of the Destination Angler Fly Fishing Podcast – June 18, 2026.

Thanks to Redd's Flies for supporting the show

Our destination is the legendary Madison River, one of Montana's most iconic trout fisheries. Joining me is 27-year guiding veteran, Alice Owsley—owner of Riverside Anglers, West Yellowstone, Montana.

The Madison is where big Western water meets technical fishing, where 90 miles of riffles can humble you fast—or reward you with the fish of a lifetime. It's a river shaped by dams but still wild at heart, with everything from controlled, almost spring-creek-like water to long, brawling freestone stretches.

Alice is known for doing things differently, reading water and planning her days in ways most anglers miss, and helping people unlock a river that can feel overwhelming at first glance.

In this episode:

• · Why the Madison River remains one of the most legendary trout fisheries in the world
• · How different sections of the Madison fish like entirely different rivers
• · The best times of year to fish the Madison and what to expect each season
• · Understanding the Madison's famous salmon fly hatch and how hatches move through the river system
• · Walk-and-wade fishing versus floating
• · Reading water and identifying productive holding lies
• · The truth about fishing pressure, crowds, and finding solitude on a famous river
• · Yellowstone National Park, alpine lakes, and avoiding grizzly bears
• · What Alice learned guiding celebrities, including Henry Winkler
• · The story behind the biggest brown trout Alice has ever seen landed on a dry fly

With host Steve Haigh | Destination Angler Podcast — THE podcast for anglers who travel.

Contact Alice: https://riversideanglers.com/

Be the first to know about new episodes. Become a subscriber

Follow the show so you never miss a destination.

Destination Angler Podcast:

• Website | YouTube | Instagram & Facebook @DestinationAnglerPodcast

Please check out our Sponsors:

TroutRoutes

The #1 Mapping Resource for Trout Anglers. Podcast listeners can try one month of TroutRoutes PRO for FREE by clicking the link in the episode description. Explore 50,000 trout streams with TroutRoutes today. Get 1 Month Free

Facebook @troutinsights Instagram @TroutRoutes

High N Dry Fishing

Where science and performance meet. Check out the full lineup of floatants, line dressings, and sighter waxes at www.highndryfishingproducts.com

Facebook @highndryfishingproducts Instagram @highndryfishing

Redd's Flies

Premium flies, tied with purpose. Redd's is a family-run company built around premium hand-tied flies — including exclusive patterns you'll only find at Redd's Flies. Delivered to your doorstep in days, not weeks. A portion of every order goes directly to organizations protecting trout habitat and restoring rivers.

Use discount code DESTINATION to save on your next order.

Facebook: @ReddsFlies Instagram: @ReddsFlies

Comments & Suggestions: host, Steve Haigh, email [email protected]

Available on Apple, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts.

Recorded April 18, 2026

Episode 172 of the Destination Angler Fly Fishing Podcast – June 5, 2026.

Our destination is the Battenkill River — one of New England's most iconic freestone stream, where wild brown and brook trout test even the most patient anglers.

Joining me is Doug Lyons, author of The Fly Fishing Guide to the Battenkill, conservationist, and self-described "professional recreationist" who has fished this river for over 50 years. Doug breaks down the Battenkill's seasonal hatches, the wading techniques that make or break your day, and the habitat restoration work that's brought this river roaring back.

In this episode:

• Why the Battenkill's reputation as a "tough" river is earned — and why anglers keep coming back

• The complete hatch chart: Hendricksons, Grannom Caddis, Sulfurs, Isonychias, Cream Drakes, Tricos, and BWOs

• Wading and approach tactics that get you within 30-40 feet of feeding fish

• How to read the rise — and why Doug carries binoculars on the river

• The limestone influence that makes the Battenkill's bug life so rich

• Conservation wins: how habitat restoration produced a 500% increase in fish numbers

• Local intel: Wayside Country Store, Mulligan's, nearby blue lines, and more

With host Steve Haigh | Destination Angler Podcast — THE podcast for anglers who travel.

Be the first to know about new episodes. Become a subscriber

Follow the show so you never miss a destination.

Contact Doug: [email protected] | https://www.battenkillfishingbook.com/

Flies on the Fly — 123 Perry Hill Road, Perry Hill, VT (self-serve fly shop — 3 flies for $10) in Shushan, located a mile from the Spring Hole on the way to Salem and Rte 22.

Destination Angler Podcast:

• Website | YouTube | Instagram & Facebook @DestinationAnglerPodcast

Please check out our Sponsors:

Redd's Flies

Premium flies, tied with purpose. Redd's is a family-run company built around premium, hand-tied flies that actually hold up and flat-out catch fish, delivered to your doorstep in days, not weeks. A portion of every order goes directly to organizations protecting trout habitat and restoring rivers.

Use discount Code DESTINATION for a good deal on your next order

Facebook @ReddsFlies Instagram @ReddsFlies

TroutRoutes

The #1 Mapping Resource for Trout Anglers. Podcast listeners can try one month of TroutRoutes PRO for FREE by clicking the link in the episode description. Explore 50,000 trout streams with TroutRoutes today. Get 1 Month Free

Facebook @troutinsights Instagram @TroutRoutes

Got Fishing

Crafting world-class fly-fishing adventures specially designed to your level of experience and budget.

Facebook @GotFishingAdventures Instagram @GotFishing

High N Dry Fishing

Where science and performance meet. Check out the full lineup of floatants, line dressings, and sighter waxes at www.highndryfishingproducts.com

Facebook @highndryfishingproducts Instagram @highndryfishing

Comments & Suggestions: host, Steve Haigh, email [email protected]

Available on Apple, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts.

Recorded Apr 25, 2026