Fin & Fire's Podcast with Jeff Mishler

Episode 50 | Levi Day loves to hunt and fish.  He has shaped his life around those two activities. And after two decades of teaching, Levi took a job with Pheasants Forever and Quail Forever.  Levi Day is committed to bringing young professionals into a field needing fresh, qualified and committed personnel. A membership base is critical to sustain support, but so is a passionate research and management community.

Episode 49 | It's never too late to improve your outdoor skills and in this episode of Fin & Fire with Jeff Mishler, shooting instructor Eric White takes me through the process of correct gun fit, gun mount, sight picture, stance, foot placement, establishing lead and trigger pull. And in the process, I realize I have been practicing what I thought were good fundamentals, incorrectly.  And that your instinct and reflexes play an important role in shooting success. 

Episode 48 | Derek DeYoung's view of the world he paints is manifested through vibrant color pairings, accentuated features, and a viewpoint pushing the realms of a first person perspective. In this episode of Fin and Fire with Jeff Mishler, Derek and I discuss his professional path and processes to create his highly sought, vibrant work.

Episode 47 | If you want to be the best angler possible, you should understand fly line design. In this episode of Fin And Fire With Jeff Mishler, I sit down with Chris Walker at the Rio Products factory and go deep into the process of designing modern fly lines and broach the subject of the holy grail of all lines.

Episode 46 | To succeed in the industry of fly fishing, Brian believes one must be open to change when presented with options. In this episode of Fin and Fire with Jeff Mishler, Brian and I sit down at his home in Idaho and revisit a lifetime of opportunities and experiences  that helped create his, "life well lived".

Episode 45 | When you pick up a Burkheimer and cast it, there's a quality that's hard to describe but otherwise known as "The Burkheimer Feel".  In this episode of Fin and Fire with Jeff Mishler, Kerry and I sit in his rod finishing room in Washougal Washington and continue a conversation we started 20 years ago. The secrets to building a Burkheimer might surprise you.

Episode 44 | Tuning a compound bow is essential for ultimate accuracy. Knowing how to tune your bow can mean the difference between a successful hunt and a clean miss or lost animal.  It is our responsibility as hunters to take the variables we can control out of the equation, and it starts with a well tuned bow. In this episode of Fin and Fire With Jeff Mishler, Kellen Morgan takes me through the steps of choosing the right bow and the processes he applies to make sure that in the heat of the moment, the bow in the hand of the hunter is not a variable.

Episode 43 | George is the only hunter to kill a Mule Deer in every state they reside.  That is a testament to the man's commitment to deer hunting.  In this episode of Fin And Fire With Jeff Mishler, George and I swap deer hunting stories, discuss techniques, caliber choices and surprise outcomes from a lifetime of pursuing deer.

Episode 42 | Fred Walasavage is committed to a lifestyle of hunting and fishing because staying connected to our hunting heritage is his purpose. I sit with Fred at his cabin in Oregon and we connect on many levels while sharing stories of a lifetime spent chasing elk and turkeys.  We talk about hunting strategies, volunteerism, and the the future of hunting in a changing cultural landscape.

Episode 41 | Garrett Lesko ties beautiful and intricate fly patterns, but more than that, he represents a generation of passionate fly tyers using social media to stay connect to an audience while building enthusiasm with his work. I met Garrett at the 2024 Northwest Fly Tyer and Fly fishing Expo in Albany, Oregon where we go deep into his origin story and share some common ground spent around a fly tying vice.

Episode 40 | Modern Spey Line design can be attributed to a few open minded thinkers and Al Buhr is one of them.  His approach to describing the mechanics of the fly cast is rooted in the messages from his mentors.  Jim Green and Joan Wulff play a huge role in the ethos of Al Buhr.  And as he says in the Podcast, "I'm happy that I get to talk about my heroes."

Episode 39 | Scott O'Donnell is an industry name. His decades of experience guiding clients for trout and steelhead bring perspective to a career of commitment and sacrifice. It's hard work to create opportunities for clients on a daily basis. But the lifestyle has its rewards. In this episode of Fin and Fire With Jeff Mishler, I sit with Scott at my place on the Oregon Coast and we drink some whisky while sharing perspectives of how it use to be, and how it is today.  Get ready for a conversation that goes long into the night.