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Bill Bishop grew up the way we wished we all could, in the woods surrounded by nature, with a supporting, loving family. Over the course of his life, Turkeys and Tarpon would became paramount for his adventurous heart. His father had a lease where family and friends hunted deer and gobblers. At a young age it was soon obvious, Bill was born a hunter & gatherer at heart. He learned how to speak to the birds like no one else. Bishop was extremely gifted with everything he touched. Not too long ago, Flip told me that he was the most talented person he’s ever met. He’s an artist, angler, business man, author, and "that guy" that can fix anything or build anything like his own boat, which he did. The very first fish artwork that I bought was a tarpon, that Bill had painted... Yes, he paints beautifully. His three books are from his deep-rooted life in the woods and on the ocean; High Rollers, Double Haul, and Cracker Jack. These tales take you on a wonderful ride with all images drawn by our guest today. But, with his grandchildren calling him, “Poon," it's evident that chasing Megalops was his favorite quest. Bill Bishop is 75 years old with the energy of a young deer. On todays podcast, he lets us into his extraordinary journey which gets better after surviving a heart attack...

Huey Anthony Cregg hit it big in the early 80’s with his band named "Huey Lewis and The News." Many of their songs went large on the Billboard hits, but you can’t get any bigger than the bands #1, Grammy winning song, "The Heart of Rock and Roll!” In 1984, his “Sports” album was a number one seller, a year when Bruce Springsteen, Michael Jackson and Prince were all over the airwaves and MTV was in its prime. Huey is 72 now - He was traveling, singing, and performing 75 shows a year until 2018 when Meniere's Disease stole his hearing in a matter of seconds at an event in Dallas. It was lost for good. Gone was the music, but also too was the greatness of sound itself. Hearing loss became a war he’ll most likely wage for the rest of his life. Today's podcast is a human interest story that not only shares Huey’s life in music but the great evolution of music in America. How Jazz, the blues and rock evolved profoundly through legendary black singer-songwriters like Chuck Berry. But, more importantly, we understand how fishing has kept this music giant in the game of life now that he can no longer perform.

Few have seen the evolution of tarpon fishing in the famous Boca Grande Pass as Frank Davis. In the early 1960’s, his family moved there and as far back as he can remember his Dad used to take him tarpon fishing. Pass fishing for tarpon began in the late 1880’s and by 1910 Boca Grande was booming. Over the next hundred and thirteen years Presidents, athletes, and movie stars were there to capture this prized fish and a photograph of a dead tarpon hanging next to them. In his teenage years, Frank worked on a harbor pilot boat, eventually becoming a mate on a 60 foot Hatteras. At age twenty five, he captained a boat that won his first marlin tournament - cashing in a hundred thousand dollars. But his heart was alway with the fish that swam in the pass where he caught his first silver king. Thirty six years ago he started guiding his home waters and has witnessed first hand the abuse by fishermen there by poor etiquette, pressure, snagging, tournaments, and greed. He championed the ban of jig fishing and the deadly Professional Tarpon Tournament Series. Frank Davis is now regarded as the voice of reason for fishing the fabled waters of Boca Grande.

Benny Blanco is one of the nicest people you’ll ever meet, but under his skin, his blood runs hot. In 2015, his life pivoted becoming a devout conservationists after Florida Bay lost over fifty thousand acres of his favorite fishing grounds. These grass flats were decimated by a large algae bloom cause by poor water quality and lack of fresh water. Joined at the hip with Captains for Clean Water, Blanco has been hand in hand with fellow guides and anglers alike on the footsteps of Tallahassee demanding change. The decimation over the years hasn’t just been in Florida Bay but throughout Florida (Indian River Lagoon, Mosquito Lagoon, Everglades National Park, Caloosahatchee River, etc..). The main culprit was the lack of fresh water as it travels south through the Everglades. 2022 was a critical year when a passed Bill (2508) was on the desk of Governor DeSantis for a possible veto which was successfully executed. Those waning hours were critical. Captains for Clean Water and Benny’s army were called upon and the “Rally in Tally” was a power play demanding to be heard, and they were. Benny Blanco has been a sought after fishing guide for over two decades. But his popular fishing show, “Guiding Flow TV” tells the conservation story from the poling platform of his skiff. Saving the Everglades is his most important work, and his voice has become one of the most powerful and respected in demanding Florida Legislature to clean up its act!

At 74 years young, George Copeland still has the fire in his belly to chase the snook tide late into the night. As a young man of 8, he found a passion that would drive him deep into the fishing abyss. On his bike, similar to Steve Huff, he'd race around Ft. Lauderdale looking for snook and tarpon that would regularly be found in Tarpon Bend, New River, and all the canals in the center of a rapidly growing town. He would soon partner up with buddy, Steve Kantner, and spend much of his time bridge fishing where he also met likeminded snook nut, Tommy Greene. These three would refine snook fishing to a religious art form. People would seek them out, bewildered by the size of their trophy fish. They were renowned and eventually became professionals: Copeland and Greene store owners, Kantner a popular author and guide. Before settling into what he'd do for the rest of his life, George tried his hand at guiding for tarpon in the Keys. A prized possession was a boat he purchased from Little John Emory a few days before he passed. He fished with Ralph Delph and other legendary guides, and at 32, he purchased the famous T&R Tackle in Ft. Lauderdale, FL. Today, 42 years later, he's still outfitting some of the biggest and best offshore boats on the billfish circuit. So as we follow up with the history makers of our sport, we'd be remiss without the "George Copeland Story!"

As a fifteen year old tenderfoot building boats, Ansil Saunders would’ve never believed he’d one day become a national hero. Stemmed from Scotland, his extended family of boat builders would eventually build the most sought after bonefish skiffs on an Island in the Bahamas. Five generations later, Bimini’s Saunders was not only working with local wood to build skiffs, but he too started to guide and eventually became legendary by catching the all-tackle world record 16 pound bonefish (which still stands today) with angler, Jerry Lavenstein. But there was a daunting cloud that always bothered him, people treated him differently because of the color of his skin. Bimini’s “Big Game Club” wouldn’t serve black people, and at twenty one years of age he walked in and demanded equality. For forty days he was turned away and on the forty first the tide turned and black men and women were finally welcomed. Saunders, Nelson Mandela, and Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. all had the same dream of an equal playing field for the black man. Dr. King went to the Bahamas seeking a peaceful place to write his Nobel Prize acceptance speech. It was Ansil that took Dr. King to Bonefish creek to write his legendary oration. Years later he would return to write his striking sanitation workers speech. Four days later Dr. King was assassinated. Saunders’ was the Chairman of the Progressive Liberation Party for fourteen years. Bimini declared Independence in 1973. He also started the Boy’s and Girls Club in 1969. His goal was to educate the younger generation so that they too may continue to “Level the Playing field!” Ansil Saunders is a National Treasure. It was a special honor to get to know him and have him and his son, Tyrone, in my home. And it’s perfect that we bring you his story on Dr. Marin Luther King Jr. Day...

At 49 years of age, Russell Kleppinger has found himself as one of the all time greats in the tarpon fishing world. He was consistently catching around a thousand tarpon a year before he stopped counting. Last year in 2022, he caught three fish over 200 pounds. (based on measurements) Fishing was all he can remember thinking about. When he was five days old, his Dad ran the family to the Bahamas. His Dad was a terrible fisherman who ran aground all the time on the inside flats of Biscayne Bay. Running in the dark with no GPS, he’d find himself high and dry with his 52 foot vessel, and it was during these occasions Russell would catch his first bonefish. At eighteen, he got his captain's license. For five and a half years he was a mate on the boat, “Big Time” before becoming a captain. He was good in the blue water, but his fishing savvy was refined closer to shore. He became a tarpon wizard no doubt, but is being too good at something bad? On today's Podcast we talk about how Russell thinks on the water. We examine how he finds and catches the poon like no one else, but as important, we talk about the pressure he’s putting on this valuable resource, shark predation, and the future of our sport.

Rick Ruoff's infectious personality could calm the roar of a lion. The first time I met this gregarious man, I knew instantly he was my kind of people. I'd see him every morning at the Lorelei restaurant similar to a seawall egret greeting everyone who passes. He's tall and lanky - always sporting a grin under a herculean mustache. Ego and vanity are foreigners to this man's easy going demeanor. He's the type of person who understands the greater aspects of life and how we should all conduct ourselves. Rick is a man younger guides and outdoorsman aspiring to make a living on the water or in the woods should aspire to emulate. Ruoff has been a fly fishing guide in the Florida Keys since 1970. He was the 19th skiff guide in Islamorada. He was among the early pioneers who refined the art of saltwater fly fishing. He wasn't (and still isn't) comfortable with chasing world records or tournament wins. He is overwhelmed with competition and those who have fished with him know he doesn't need to prove anything to anyone... Rick is one of the greats of our sport! As a marine biologist that has pushed his skiff 16 feet at a time for 50 plus years, it's safe to say this guy has seen a thing or two. Many also know that Rick flocks to Montana when the summer heat in Florida becomes unbearable. He is an avid trout fisherman and upland bird hunter who can be found sleeping on the river bank or picking vegetables in his garden to accompany the Hungarian Partridge for supper. Rick is an old school, traditionalist - a true classic gentleman in all aspects. It's an honor to know him and a privilege to call him a dear friend.

Tom McGuane is a giant among legends across all continents and countries. His boundless heart and endless determination tackled dreams only he could’ve accomplished. Tom’s extraordinary writing is in the record books and for the rest of time he’ll be remember as one of the greats. His literary spectrum includes ten novels, five screen plays, and countless short stories. His work has received a page full of awards culminating with his induction into The American Academy of Arts and Letters. But then there’s the fishing, the hunting, and the HORSES; cutting horses. Tom McGuane is a savant of many talents! Although he was born in Michigan, his heart ventured west. As a young man he worked on a ranch in Wyoming where he first got his boots dirty. After the success of his book and movie “Sporting Club," he bought a ranch in Montana and property in Key West. His life on a horse became extremely important to him and he became a great “cutter” often beating the best in the world and eventually was inducted into The Cutting Horse Hall of Fame. But it was in Key West where Tom McGuane caught fire. It was there, when his writing was young and his aspirations were as vibrant as the blistering sun. Literature, fishing, and adventures after dark took on a life of its own. It was there, where of a handful of friends, all writers too, became a brotherhood that challenged life’s offering to its fullest. Jim Harrison, Russell Chatham, Guy De La Valdene, Jimmy Buffett, Hunter S.Thompson, and Kurt Brautigan did what the rest of the world wished they could do. They had more fun than the law allowed and were brilliant with everything they touched. Each would become extremely successful and famous. But as much as anything else, they loved to fish. What most the fishing world doesn’t know is that these guys put Tarpon fishing on the map. And they made a movie about it called, "Tarpon." This production showed what a magnificent, beautiful, ageless fish it is. It loves to eat flies, it’s big and jumps majestically.... It's the most perfect fly rod fish one could ever have the privilege to catch. As much as Tom McGuane has accomplished, his greatest success is having Laurie Buffett as his wife and their daughter Annie. And fathering two other children, Thomas and Maggie with former wives, Rebecca Crocket and Margot Kidder.

Tom McGuane is a giant among legends across all continents and countries. His boundless heart and endless determination tackled dreams only he could’ve accomplished. Tom’s extraordinary writing is in the record books and for the rest of time he’ll be remember as one of the greats. His literary spectrum includes ten novels, five screen plays, and countless short stories. His work has received a page full of awards culminating with his induction into The American Academy of Arts and Letters. But then there’s the fishing, the hunting, and the HORSES; cutting horses. Tom McGuane is a savant of many talents! Although he was born in Michigan, his heart ventured west. As a young man he worked on a ranch in Wyoming where he first got his boots dirty. After the success of his book and movie “Sporting Club," he bought a ranch in Montana and property in Key West. His life on a horse became extremely important to him and he became a great “cutter” often beating the best in the world and eventually was inducted into The Cutting Horse Hall of Fame. But it was in Key West where Tom McGuane caught fire. It was there, when his writing was young and his aspirations were as vibrant as the blistering sun. Literature, fishing, and adventures after dark took on a life of its own. It was there, where of a handful of friends, all writers too, became a brotherhood that challenged life’s offering to its fullest. Jim Harrison, Russell Chatham, Guy De La Valdene, Jimmy Buffett, Hunter S.Thompson, and Kurt Brautigan did what the rest of the world wished they could do. They had more fun than the law allowed and were brilliant with everything they touched. Each would become extremely successful and famous. But as much as anything else, they loved to fish. What most the fishing world doesn’t know is that these guys put Tarpon fishing on the map. And they made a movie about it called, "Tarpon." This production showed what a magnificent, beautiful, ageless fish it is. It loves to eat flies, it’s big and jumps majestically.... It's the most perfect fly rod fish one could ever have the privilege to catch. As much as Tom McGuane has accomplished, his greatest success is having Laurie Buffett as his wife and their daughter Annie. And fathering two other children, Thomas and Maggie with former wives, Rebecca Crocket and Margot Kidder.

Ted Juracsik, the creator of Tibor Reels, has one of the most interesting and inspiring stories I know. As a young Hungarian in Budapest, he was the smartest of his friends. At age 17, he was the youngest Hungarian ever to be awarded Master Papers and went to work in a bicycle factory. Not long after the Hungarian revolution began and was in full swing against the Russians and Soviet Union, Ted escaped to Austria. Leaving his family and his sister behind, the big world of the unknown was before him. Eventually, he immigrated to the the United States and started a successful tool and dye business. One day in the World Wide Sportsman store, he met Billy Pate who needed a better fly reel to fight the monster Tarpon he was chasing in Homosassa. Ted told him he could design a better reel for him and the rest is history. The Tibor Reel company became the salt water fly reel of choice for all the world record chasers for the next few decades. On todays podcast, we travel with Ted through his legendary life and the hardships along the way.

Roger Seiders was always building and tinkering with things he thought he could make better. It soon became his motto, “If we can’t find what we want, we make it!” And so he and his two kids did. The father started to build fishing rods but found that the clear coat used to glue the thread cracked when casted. He soon produced his own called “Flex Coat." It worked like a charm and became an instant success. Ryan and Brother, Roy, jumped in the game head first. Ryan built a fishing rod and company called, "Waterloo Rods," that he would sell after a few years of traveling the trade shows. The two were passionate fisherman and would end up in the Florida Keys standing on makeshift coolers as casting platforms looking for Tarpon. Their minds couldn't let go with how to improve the caved in Igloo they were standing on and in 2006 after diligent research and design, they launched their own cooler, Yeti, and the outdoor world would never be the same. Over the years we would hang with Ryan and get to know him as he started to compete in The Golden Fly Tarpon Tournament, which he would eventually win with Capt. Rob Fordyce. On today's podcast, he sits with us and talks about his life in a creative family, how his success with Yeti evolved, and the passions he pursues today.... We hope you enjoy...

I first met Bob Clouser during a trade show in Somerset, New Jersey close to 15 years ago when I first traveled there with Hardy. The industry is small, everyone knows each other in about 10 minutes. But it's people like Bob that give you that special bonus of going to a show. Many of these guys have been in attendance for decades, they’re the foundation of our sport, and Bob was one of my guys. Clouser has a big, boisterous laugh that is full of love. His heart is with Smallmouth Bass and the Susquehanna river. Always has been and always will be. The Smallmouth Bass was was Lefty’s favorite too. Bob’s life changed when his father bought him a fly tying vice at a young age, but it was thirty seven years ago when he tied the Clouser Minnow that would be a game changer. It was a baitfish pattern that would catch the largest variety of fish that swim. Lefty said he caught 86 difference kinds of fish with it. Bonefish to billfish this fly is deadly. Bob has been a guide, tying and casting instructor, author of two books and lecturer. But Bob’s biggest story is one about love, the love of fish and his friends. We hope you enjoy...

Jose "Pepe" Lopez is a legendary big bonefish catching giant. He learned his craft from many of the old school, iconic guides such as Harry Snow Jr., Billy Knowles and Timmy Carlile. His family, like many other well know angling families (such as Chico Fernandez’s,) left Cuba in 1959 when Castro became the infamous nightmare he evolved to. Pepe was one year old at the time and ten years later his Dad built a house on stilts near mile maker 17. Sugarloaf and its surrounding water would become his playground. With a 15 foot Mitchel boat he named "REEL THING" and a 40 Evinrude, this young man was destined to become the man to beat in the All Tackle Bonefish Tournaments many years later, which he won five times with the late Capt. Billy Knowles. He also won the IGFA (International Game Fish Association) World Championships and The Redbone Series. No one cares how many times you get second, but there were plenty of those for this driving force of an angler. All Tackle tournaments are just that. You can use bait, jigs, flies, spinning reels, bait casters and fly rods. To win these things you need to have a vast spectrum of skills as an angler and as a guide. The points per each division vary with the difficulty of options. The biggest bonefish in the world lived in the Florida Keys at one point, and the All Tackle Tournaments caught the largest ones because of the option of bait; crabs and shrimp were the food of choice for these dinosaurs. Yes, they caught large fish on fly and jigs too, but believe me, those monster fourteen and fifteen pound bonefish loved meat! On today's podcast, we hang with one of the most driven people I know. His business acumen is international, expanding on what his father did for a living which was electrical distribution. It’s hard to believe he’s an introvert when you're around him but he is, and his time whacking trees and pulling weeds in his yard is what he cherishes most. His privacy is his home water now, a self proclaimed loner. The drive down from his main home in Miami is daunting with terrible traffic but his heart is in the Keys, always will be. Unfortunately, his fishing days are all but over. It’s sad, here’s a man who’s caught over 200 thirteen pound bonefish, won all the great bait tournaments, was raised during the prime decades of the Florida Keys fishery and now at 64, Pepe lives a fishing life through his vivid memory bank filled with stories mostly dreamers see. He said “When the big bonefish left with the freeze in 2010 my heart went with them!” Here is Pepe Lopez everybody, one of the greats!

Mike Holliday’s spectrum in the fishing realm has been expansive and varied. He graduated with a degree in Marine Science but his adventurous mind pursued many facets, including time as an ocean lifeguard EMT, an extensive writer authoring six books, editor of two magazines and had bylines for ESPN, and The Miami Herald. He also worked as a marketing visionary for two major companies during their infancy, Maverick Boats and Costa Sunglasses, both became giants of our sport. He also authored seven books and was a highly sought after guide for close to 40 years. All along he's watched the slow decline of his beloved resource, which has ultimately lead him to his finest hour as a conservationist. He’s driven to save the habitat and fish he loves so deeply. And his voice has incredible impact, inspiring fellow guides and anglers alike to join his army. Working with Captains For Clean Water, he and many others convinced Tallahassee, lawmakers, and Governor DeSantis to “Kill The Bill 2508” which was a success. Hell Yea! Holiday doesn’t dabble with anything he puts his mind to. He engages, grows and refines his craft he’s committed himself to. His energy is infectious. I know that whenever i’m going to be in his presence good things happen, just like on this compelling podcast with him. It’s impossible to dislike the guy, because his attention to you is true to his core.... No bullshit with Mike Holliday. Sure we all like to joke around, but when Mexico is in town, just stand back, watch and listen, it’s a hell of a ride! We dare you not to love HIM! Thanks so much for coming on, Mike!

Eddie Wightman will go down in history as one of the legendary guides of Islamorada, Florida! Pushing his boat for his clients over 300 days a year, he was known as one of the hardest working guides and was an independent man who prided himself on finding his own fish in different locations. When the fleet of boats went one way, Wightman went the other. So much so that Flip Pallot named him “The Loner!” Wightman took great pride in that name because that’s who Wightman is. His reputation preceded him and many wanted his talents to guide them. Eddie fished with a lot of great anglers, those who chased world records and big tournaments. He saw the halcyon years of the best tarpon hole in the world, Homosassa, and won the biggest tarpon tournament, the Gold Cup, twice. His voice was heard loud and clear when the push for no kill tournaments was waged. Conservation prevailed, and in 1992 the Gold Cup evolved into a catch and release event. There were others too, pushing for the change, but Eddie was there at the forefront. I fished with and against Eddie, and I must say there were few at the dock that carried a presence like him. With great respect, we hope you enjoy Mr. Wightman!

Steve Kantner has one of the greatest fishing spirits I know of, and his spectrum of ability on and off the water is legendary. For many decades he’s been known as “The Land Captain”, fishing on foot, out of his car, in the surf, off piers, canal banks and canoes, but sadly the great Captain has been grounded, if you will, because of the debilitating Parkinson’s disease. Steve is famous in South Florida, and was on my radar well before I produced two television shows with him. The finished product was one of the most popular of the thirteen we delivered to the network that year. He was brilliant, informative, humorous and he was good on his promises. We caught a pile of fish driving around in his land vessel, his car. He’s been predominantly a writer most his life, and has written for many South Florida fishing publications. He also has a technical background with a degree in science. With all this in his back pocket, he’s authored four books and wrote the history of tarpon chapter for, A Passion for Tarpon. Steve is a fascinating friend who has always been there for many of us, and it gives me great pleasure to have him on our podcast today...

A cool thirty three some years ago I fished the sacred water of Homosassa, Florida with Tommy Locke. There, I met a young man I’d soon realize was one of the young, passionate guides of those flats. Initially he was just a name, as I was to him, but we fished hard together and I really dug being in Tommy's presence. We chased the poon in Homo for a few years then I went to the Keys, where I felt I’d see more fish, and have a better chance of upping my game. The poon house is a small house, where everyone knows each other or knows of the others. Well, Tommy became one of the great guides of Homosassa and Charlotte Harbor, before moving to the Florida Keys. He was hungry for new water and challenges. He started fishing the three big tarpon tournaments including the Gold Cup. But what he found was his deepening love for conservation! The poon would never go away, but he started working closely with Captains for Clean water and Bonefish Tarpon Trust, where in 2019 he was awarded with the Flats Stewardship Award for his passion, enduring commitment, and tireless service in protecting and conserving our flats fishery. It has been a privilege and an honor to stand on the bow of Tommy Locke’s boat and an even greater one to stand next to him as a friend.... We hope you enjoy the fishing story behind this great man!

At ten years of age, Randy Towe started building a fishing life for himself when his mother wouldn’t buy him a fishing rod, instead she bought him the parts to build one. This became a catalyst for his successful life on the water. Most anglers or guides gravitate to the offshore chase or the skinnier backcountry shallows or the oceanside flats. The latter two being the same. This is Pandora's box of the Florida Keys. The options are extensive with a plethora of fish to pursue, and Randy wanted it all! The effort to excel at just one kind of fishing takes a lifetime to refine, yet Randy defied the odds and became one of only a few guides to win major offshore tournaments as well as one of the biggest tarpon fly tournaments six times. His offshore prowess was just as impressive, winning major marlin, sailfish, and swordfish tournaments. Randy’s spectrum of knowledge is mind boggling. Aside from all these great wins he also built his own offshore boat in his backyard. I’ve competed against Randy in many tournaments over the years and must say, he was not only one of the greats, but one of the guys in the room you liked to hang with. On today's podcast we visit with one of the Florida Keys' greatest fisherman! We hope you enjoy....

Paul Dixon’s name has preceded his presence for decades, and rightfully so. His life in fishing has had enormous wings, ranging from pioneering the shallow water striped bass fishery with flats skiffs in Montauk and the eastern end of Long Island, to guiding for tarpon in the Florida Keys. He's seen the rise and fall of his beloved stripers and his voice was impactful in their struggle for survival. (Their recovery has been heavily documented and so many years later, today, the fishery is falling apart, again, due to similar practices that all but destroyed them years ago. “There are none so blind as those who will not see!” I don’t know where that quote came from, but it appropriately fits the greedy whose actions guarantee destruction!) On today’s podcast, Paul weaves us through his beautiful, tangled life, which has been connected to his fellow man as much as it is to a fish! He has been a modern day pirate, tv show host and guest, shop owner, and more importantly a heartfelt guy who has inspired his fellow guides, anglers and friends into preserving our resource through love, science, and fundraising. No one has done the latter better! After this podcast was recorded, Bonefish & Tarpon Trust decided it will induct Paul Dixon in the fall of 2022 into their Circle of Honor with the Lefty Kreh Award for his life long efforts in conservation! But, too, what he speaks about today helped cement this well deserved award.