In Episode 178 we WadeOutThere with Rick Hafele, from Salem, Oregon. Rick grew up on a farm, with a fascination for the outdoors and his surroundings, including bugs. He began fly fishing in Missouri at the age of twelve, and fell in love with the trout he caught in the Ozarks.
When the time for college came, Rick headed west and to Western Washington and later Oregon State where he earned a masters degree in aquatic entomology. He is the author of several fly fishing books, including The Complete Book of Western Hatches, which he co-authored with Dave Hughes.
We discuss how understanding the stages of life of aquatic insects can help you catch fish, the timeline of fishing a hatch, and some of Ricks favorite flies for fishing around his home waters in Oregon.
In Episode 177 we WadeOutThere for Part Two of our conversation with Dylan Tomine, from Washington State. Dylan was one of those children who always loved fish and fishing. He developed a love of steelhead at an early age and has spent most of his life fly fishing.
He is a passionate angler, Patagonia ambassador, conservationist, and writer. His books include Headwaters: The Adventures, Obsession and Evolution of a Fly Fisherman, and Closer to the Ground: An Outdoor Family’s Year on the Water, in the Woods and at the Table. Dylan was a producer of the film Artifishal and played an important role in the films Damnation, and Chrome.
We discuss steelhead tactics on the Olympic Peninsula, including reading water, presentation, and fighting fish. We also talk about steelhead conservation and the challenges facing these fish.
In Episode 176 we WadeOutThere for Part One of our conversation with Dylan Tomine, from Washington State. Dylan was one of those children who always loved fish and fishing. He developed a love of steelhead at an early age and has spent most of his life fly fishing.
He is a passionate angler, Patagonia a mbassador, conservationist, and writer. His books include Headwaters: The Adventures, Obsession and Evolution of a Fly Fisherman, and Closer to the Ground: An Outdoor Family’s Year on the Water, in the Woods and at the Table. Dylan was a producer of the film Artifishal and played an important role in the films Damnation and Chrome.
We discuss Dylan’s writing and his book Headwaters, as well as humility in fishing.
In Episode 175 we WadeOutThere with Thi Nguyen, from Salt Lake City, Utah. As long as Thi can remember he has had a love of all kinds of games. Thi was raised in California, studied philosophy in school, and moved to Utah to work as a philosophy professor at the University of Utah.
He started fly fishing to help counteract some of the negative aspects of the new remote teaching environment that arose during the pandemic, and fell in love with the sport and its congruence with his work in the philosophy of games. He is the author of the book, Games: Agency as Art.
This episode is a deep dive into the philosophy of fly fishing. We discuss why we play the game of fly fishing, how fly fishing can be an infinite game, and a little bit about Thi’s experience learning to fish on the Provo River.
In Episode 174 we WadeOutThere with Rob Griggs from Boise, Idaho. Rob’s fly fishing journey has taken him from Tennessee, to Colorado, to Idaho, where he still lives today. He started guiding in Colorado after attending a guide school to improve his skills and continued guiding after the move to Boise.
We discuss how the ego presents itself in fly fishing, the Boise River, and why keeping fly fishing “fun” might just catch you more fish.
In Episode 173 we WadeOutThere with Chris Coole from Toronto, Ontario. Chris grew up fishing with his uncle for walleye, bass, and musky as a child until the mystique of fly fishing captured his imagination. About the same time Chris got his hands on a fly rod, he picked up a banjo. That was over thirty years ago, and they’ve been part of his life ever since.
Chris’s love of fly fishing makes its way into many of the songs and tunes he writes in the forms of places and feelings. His work has given him the opportunity to travel the world as a professional musician, who always seems to find a way to wet a line on the road. Chris is both a solo artist and a member of “The Lonesome Ace Stringband.”
We discuss the value of keeping things simple in music and fly fishing in pursuit of falling into the flow, and the traditions and variations that have been passed down in both fiddle tunes and fly fishing.
In Episode 172 we WadeOutThere with Jeff Feczko from Baja, Mexico. Jeff grew up in Ithaca, New York where his grandfather was his earliest teacher and supporter in fishing. He picked up a fly rod at an early age and had a knack for casting and tying, with a love for the functionality of the new art he was creating on the vise.
As he got older Jeff went to Alaska to fish and eventually ended up guiding there, spending his time during the off season in exotic locations chasing fish. He fell in love with Baja and decided to make a go of guiding there full time, where he still is today. Jeff is also a signature tyer for Rio.
We discuss fly fishing for Roosterfish in Baja and the importance of teamwork.
In Episode 171 we WadeOutThere with Tim Hepworth, from Central Alberta. Tim was raised in a pastor’s home with nine siblings. Hunting and fishing was a way of life and a source of sustinance. He picked up fly fishing as a teenager, and used the sport to help him find balance in his job as a paramedic. But it wasn’t until the birth of his daughter, that Tim dove deep into fly fishing.
They learned together, and eventually, Tim became a guide on the Bow River Fly Fishing Bow River Outfitters and instructor at the same school that taught him Western Canadian Fly Fishing Guide School.
We discuss learning and teaching fly fishing with your daughter, late summer on the Bow River, and tying flies on Thursday nights.