Tom Rowland Podcast Episode 1018 is a conversation with marine life artist Dennis Friel, host of the Connected by Water podcast, on what it actually takes to paint fish for a living — from the Star brite SeaSafe event and a live-painted mahi, to leaving a 17-year music-business career, to whether AI is the next Napster for working artists, and where he really stands on Florida's shark debate.

On the Tom Rowland Podcast, David Graham of Boundless Pursuit recaps intense international fishing adventures driven by his desire to “overcome” difficult fisheries. Fresh from India, he describes targeting the rare goonch catfish in the Ramganga River near Jim Corbett Park, where tigers and leopards roam and recent attacks underscored the danger; he details guides, bait, heavy tackle, and improvised rock sinkers, and landing two goonch in 10 days. He also revisits his Republic of Congo trip for goliath tigerfish, explaining the complex logistics arranged through lodge owners Mark and Hilly, the harsh realities along the river, and the explosive fight that finally produced a major fish on day eight. Graham discusses conservation, sustainable tourism, planning, and funding trips while working a regular job and raising two daughters.00:00 Welcome And Sponsor00:34 Catching Up After Years01:29 Why India And The Goonch04:36 River Habitat And Dam Impact07:02 Ten Days Two Fish08:13 Finding Guides And Access10:09 Tigers Leopards And Real Danger14:13 Packraft Mission And Pug Marks16:45 Leopard At Camp19:01 Bait Tackle And Rock Weights25:08 Wels Catfish Side Quest28:23 What A Goonch Looks Like31:09 Goonch River Adaptations31:49 Brutal Fights In Rapids32:54 Monster Head Close Up33:26 Can You Go Back35:42 Guides And Planning38:16 Congo Tigerfish Tease40:26 Congo Lodge Connections43:03 VIP Entry Logistics46:43 River Scale And Risks49:45 Wildlife Gone Missing50:36 Tigerfish Mystery And Teeth54:38 Village Life Perspective58:14 Gifts For The Kids01:00:19 KabeKabe Dance Ritual01:02:13 Eighth Day Breakthrough01:05:43 Goliath Power Runs01:06:38 Mist And Bite Window01:07:35 Ferocious Surface Attacks01:08:48 Eighth Day Hookup01:10:52 Landing And Aftermath01:11:46 Bizarre Jaw Anatomy01:13:32 Sustainable Tigerfish Future01:15:49 Congo Logistics And Optics01:21:30 Safety And Risk Limits01:25:24 Finding Fish By Local Names01:28:44 Why He Chases Friction01:34:21 Funding Trips And Sacrifice01:37:50 Wrap Up And Where To Follow

Ed Emory is a fishing guide on the South Fork of the Snake River in Idaho who guides out of South Fork Lodge. He has guided for 36 seasons and logged about 67,000 guided river miles, which he points out is roughly 2.8 times the circumference of the globe with clients in his boat. He is known for targeting and landing exceptionally large brown trout and for an analytical, psychology-driven approach to guiding and fighting big fish.How big was the brown trout Ed Emory's client caught on the South Fork?

The fish measured 30.5 inches, with a girth Ed describes as about as big around as his thigh and a pectoral fin large enough to cover his client's entire hand. It is the largest brown trout he has landed on the South Fork since his 31.2-inch brown in 2011, and it cleared the 30-inch mark that Idaho recognizes for a catch-and-release state record. The fish was caught, measured, photographed, and released on film.

Who caught the 30.5-inch brown trout?

A client named Caroline Langdale, whom Ed describes as a petite angler from Georgia, on her first-ever day fishing the South Fork. She turkey hunts and had caught saltwater fish such as tarpon and redfish before, and Ed credits that saltwater experience for how she fought and landed the fish, keeping the rod bent at the right angle and sliding the fish sideways into the net rather than trying to lift it.

What is Ed Emory's approach to fighting a big trout? Ed treats it like a prize fight. He throws a jab to test what the fish will do, reads its response, and refuses to accelerate the fight, letting the fish tire itself rather than forcing it. He stresses situational awareness, knowing the river bottom, the hazards, and the depth where the fish lives, and keeping big fish in the 10-to-15-foot water they are comfortable in rather than dragging them into deep holes. He says landing big fish is mostly between the ears.

Why is the South Fork producing so many big fish this year?

Ed's theory is that the population of smaller guardian fish is near a historic low, so a fly reaches the largest trout instead of being intercepted by the many smaller fish that would normally feed first. With fewer fish between the angler and the big ones, anglers are gaining access to trophy browns that usually sit concealed at depth, feeding on the easy food that drifts to them.

What is the conservation debate on the South Fork of the Snake River? Idaho Fish and Game has worked to remove rainbow and hybrid trout, including by electroshocking, which was halted when funding ran out, to favor cutthroat. Ed argues the river is no longer a native cutthroat fishery but a wild, naturally reproducing one, since hatchery Snake River fine-spotted cutthroat have passed through the dam from Palisades Reservoir for decades. He favors cutthroat-centric management, such as placing egg boxes with Snake River fine-spotted cutthroat eggs in the river, and letting anglers decide what they keep.

Tfue was the most-watched Fortnite streamer on the planet. Eleven million Twitch followers. Eleven million YouTube subscribers. Over 1.7 billion views. And in 2023, he walked away from it all. Not because he failed. Because he was done.

Now he's running 120 miles offshore in the Gulf chasing swordfish, flats fishing in Indian Rocks Beach, and building one of the fastest-growing fishing channels on YouTube under the name C-Few.

I really loved this conversation. Some of the moments that stood out to me:

- The way Tfue talks about gaming and fishing as two sides of the same obsession — when he's in, he's ALL in. Whether that's streaming 15 hours a day or going 4-for-5 on swordfish before noon.

- His take on what it actually takes to be the best in the world at something — genetics, age, reflexes, mindset — and how a lot of it applies far beyond gaming.

- The moment he realized a flats boat was too dangerous for anyone he invited on it, and how that pushed him into bigger water and bigger fish.

- How he learned sword fishing almost entirely on his own — YouTube, trial and error, and just going 120 miles out into the Gulf until he figured it out.

- His honest answer when I asked if competitive gaming and competitive fishing are comparable. He doesn't sugarcoat it. The answer surprised me.

00:00 Introduction

01:00 From #1 Fortnite Streamer to Fisherman

03:35 What It Takes to Be the Best in the World at Gaming

07:00 How Tfue Fell in Love with Fishing

09:45 The Boat Progression — Simmons Flats Boat to 43-Footer

14:00 Sword Fishing the Gulf — Running 120 Miles Offshore

17:00 Sponsors, Growing C-Few, and Building a Fishing Channel

21:00 The Bahamas, Exumas, and Dream Fish

27:30 Retiring at 28 — What That Actually Looks Like

32:00 Gaming vs. Fishing: Competitive Mindset Breakdown

38:00 Fortnite by the Numbers — The Scale Is Hard to Believe

44:00 Enhanced Games, Adderall in Esports, and Performance

51:00 Skill Ceiling, Genetics, and What Makes a Great Competitor

55:00 AI, Chess, and Cheating at the Highest Levels

1:01:00 Dream Catches, Bluefin Tuna, and What's Next

1:07:00 Golf, Card Counting, Casinos, and Random Life Stuff

1:14:00 Where to Find Tfue — Tfue and C-Few

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Jameson Reeder is a shark attack survivor who was bitten while snorkeling in waist-deep water at a sandbar in the Florida Keys. After five years of living in the Florida Keys with his wife, a perfect day on the water turned into a life-threatening emergency when a shark grabbed his leg. In this powerful episode, Jameson reveals the immediate moments of the attack, the extensive emergency medical treatment and multiple surgeries that followed, and the long road to physical and mental recovery. What's most remarkable is his perspective: despite the trauma, he maintains deep respect for sharks and has become an advocate for ocean safety awareness and marine conservation.

Breathwork coach Taylor Somerville of Symmetry joins Tom Rowland to discuss modern strategies for stress management, nervous system regulation, and mental resilience. Whether you are dealing with corporate burnout or looking for a performance edge, Taylor delivers actionable insights on using apnea dive tables to handle pressure, optimizing your cold plunge routine, and utilizing simple spinal movement protocols to fix chronic back pain. Tune in for a Masterclass on mastering your body’s automatic stress response.

If you liked this episode, share it with a friend, rate the show, and stay tuned for more unfiltered conversations.

Episode 1012 of the Tom Rowland Podcast is a catch-up conversation with kayak fishing tournament angler Dustin Nichols that turned into something I did not see coming — a 192 BPM heart rate at 51, the energy drinks that put him in the back of an ambulance, the BMX comeback that has taken 50 pounds off him at 54, and his honest take on where kayak fishing is headed.

Five years ago Dustin came on the podcast for the first time. I had him back this week to find out what had happened since. What he told me ended up being one of the more honest comeback stories I have heard on this show in a while, and I wanted to share why.

Jamie Howard is the filmmaker behind Chasing Silver, Running the Coast, Location X, Black Salmon, and Bass The Movie — and yesterday he sat down with me to talk about his new podcast Cameras Off, the Tarpon Diaries series he's launching inside it, and where the show is going next as it expands beyond fishing

Jamie and I have been crossing paths for more than twenty years. He pulled me into Location X back when I was figuring out the film world, and he's still the kind of person who looks at the water like he's seeing it for the first time. That's part of why his films land.

The reason I want you to listen to this one is simple. The article gives you the topics. The audio gives you Jamie — his timing, his hedge, the way he laughed when I told him I thought there was a foot in the frame of his most famous shot. None of that translates to text. Hear it from him.

Follow Cameras Off on Spotify — Season 1 is out, the Tarpon Diaries series drops on Thursdays, and the channel is widening out to include adventure photographers, Red Bull wingsuit flyers, and outdoor stories beyond fishing. Animation is rolling out on Jamie's Instagram as well. Everything is also at howardfilms.com.

Listen to Episode 1011 Now

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Filmmaker and founder of Howard Films. His fishing documentary catalog includes Rising Tide, Chasing Silver, Location X (and its sequel), Bass The Movie, Running the Coast, and Black Salmon. Former advertising creative director with work for British Airways, Adidas, and others across his New York and Los Angeles years. He now hosts the Cameras Off podcast on Spotify and Apple — an outdoor stories channel that includes the Tarpon Diaries series and is widening beyond fishing into adventure photography, wingsuit flying, and other unexpected outdoor lives.

Follow Cameras Off: on Spotify

Website: howardfilms.com

Find the Tom Rowland Podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube, and iHeartRadio.

Why You Should ListenWhy Running the Coast Took Four YearsThe Aerial Tarpon Shot — What the HD Remaster RevealedWhat Jamie Saw Happen to the Striped Bass FisheryHow Jamie Picks the People He Puts On CameraCameras Off — Jamie's New Podcast and the Tarpon Diaries Series Inside ItThe Yellowstone CoincidenceFrequently Asked QuestionsWho is Jamie Howard?What is the Chasing Silver film?What is Running the Coast?What is the Cameras Off podcast?What is the Tarpon Diaries series?Why is the striped bass fishery declining?Where can I watch this episode?How long is this episode?Key TakeawaysFinal Thoughts From MeSponsorsFree Resource: The Tom Rowland Podcast Knot GuidePeople Mentioned in This EpisodeAbout Jamie Howard

Calder Allen caught a 13-and-a-half-pound bass on fly at night in Lake Austin, dropped out of college to pursue music, and routes his tours around fishing destinations across the country. In this conversation, he shares stories from playing Bonnaroo, Lollapalooza, and Austin City Limits, why he almost became a fly fishing guide under JT Van Zandt, and the philosophical question that haunts him: what is wild anymore?

Bouncer Smith is one of the true legends of South Florida fishing — a charter captain, author, conservationist, and storyteller with over six decades on the water. He's written five books, guided thousands of anglers, and pioneered techniques that changed the way we rig lures and release fish. And now, in retirement, he's catching some of the best fish of his life.

In this conversation, we get into Bouncer's recent adventures — from bass fishing in the headwaters to landing two 100-pound tarpon in one afternoon on 80-pound braid in Biscayne Bay. We talk about the five biggest changes in fishing over the last 60 years, from depth finders to forward-facing sonar, from monofilament to braid, from J hooks to circle hooks. We get into his genius circle-hook-in-front-of-the-lure rigging method, solunar tables and how to use them, and Project CSafe — the massive conservation and fishing event happening April 17–26 in Grant, Florida, presented by Star Brite.

Some of the moments I found most meaningful in this conversation were:

00:00 Introduction & Project CSafe Overview

🔗 Learn More About Project CSafe – projectcsafe.com

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#BouncerSmith #ProjectCSafe #StarBrite #TarponFishing #SaltwaterFishing #FishingLegend #CircleHooks #CatchAndRelease #SolunarTables #IndianRiverLagoon #FishingHistory #TomRowlandPodcast #SaltwaterExperience #ConservationFishing #FloridaFishing #SnookFishing #BiscayneBay #FishingTips #BraidVsMono #ForwardFacingSonar