After all of these episodes featuring the most interesting people in the world of hunting and fish, the guys at Fin and Fire asked me to pull together a mash-up of my favorite spey centric/steelhead interviews.  So here it is.  Ed Ward, Scott O'Donnell, Dec Hogan and Rich Zellman share stories from a life committed to fishing for steelhead with a two handed rod.

In this episode of Fin And Fire With Jeff Mishler I meet up with Dave Pinczkowski on the banks of the Deschutes River during his once in a lifetime, month-long, west coast steelhead adventure. After a few days of fishing together we share some stories and in the process I learn how to fish for sturgeon and catfish with a swinging fly. 

In this episode of Fin And Fire with Jeff Mishler, I share stories with Ken Morrish, a life long angler, fly designer, destination travel professional and international angler seeking the next great adventure. Ken Morrish of Fly Water Travel lays bare the ideas behind his fly designs and motivation to connect you with your next great adventure.

Amy Eichner is a category manager for Benchmade Knives.  In this episode of Fin and Fire With Jeff Mishler we discuss the inspiration and motivation to create this new line of knives. The Water line meets the needs of those seeking a quality knife for a lifestyle spent on the water.

Besides creating some of the most beautiful and effective steelhead flies, Charles St. Pierre seeks the culture of angling for one reason...the people.  In this episode of Fin And Fire with Jeff Mishler, Charles and I talk about flies, presentation, and our gear, but by the end of our conversation it's clear that Charles is in it for the Vibe.

Introducing a new clothing brand into a crowded fishing market takes courage.  But it also requires a quality product filling a specific need. Poncho Outdoors has provided an answer to the question: Why do fishing shirts have to fit like a garbage bag? In this episode of Fin And Fire With Jeff Mishler, Dexter Levandoski presents Poncho and the answer to that question. They don't.

Our access to public lands remains in the crosshairs of new policy proposals in Washington DC.  These lands are our lands. They make the USA unique. In this episode of Fin and Fire With Jeff Mishler, Steve Kandell and Corey Fisher from Trout Unlimited explain the most recent challenges we face and how to work on the ground to guarantee perpetual access for all. 

Introducing a new line of fly rods into a crowded, competitive market is a bold move.  NAM Rods are a recent addition.  In this episode of Fin and Fire With Jeff Mishler, Dax Messett, head of USA Sales and Development, discusses the array of models offered, the motivation behind the brand, and the qualities of each model in the lineup. NAM rods, available and finandfire.com, present something for everyone. 

Jon Hazlett was a curious young man during the early days of the Sandy River Spey Clave.  Now, he's a featured instructor.  His journey to this point makes for a great conversation. In this episode of Fin And Fire With Jeff Mishler, Jon and I take a break from the clave activities and share stories to discover common ground. 

Dec Hogan was part of a triad which influenced and defined steelhead fishing with a two handed rod as we know it today. In this episode of Fin And Fire With Jeff Mishler, Dec and I sit down for a chat during the 2025 Sandy River Spey and take a long "trip down memory lane" as Dec says, and rekindle a friendship 25 years in the making. 

Mia and Marty Sheppard are outfitters in Oregon and run a number of permits on various rivers. This allows them to diversify their programs and take advantage of prime time so their clients get the best possible experience.  In this episode of Fin And Fire with Jeff Mishler, Marty and I talk about his life path, the challenges of running the business, reconnecting with the spey community at the spey clave and the story behind his first bighorn sheep hunt.  

Heather Hodson is on a mission to change society's assumptions and stereotypes about fishing by inviting everyone into the fold. In this episode of Fin And Fire With Jeff Mishler, Heather and I discuss her angling past and efforts to change the world, one angler at a time.

A knife in your pocket is a personal thing.  It's a tool.  It's your persona. If it's a Benchmade knife it's also your legacy; it's going to be around a lot longer than you will be.  In this episode of Fin And Fire With Jeff Mishler I sit with John O'Connor, head of sales at Benchmade Knife Company and we discuss the brand, the market and how these quality knives remain in high demand. 

Dave Dozer and Olivia Elia share a workspace, ideas and their passion for cane, but the finished products possess their respective fingerprints. Distinction in this timeless trade comes naturally when you are passionate about the craft and embrace the fact that each rod requires about 100 hours of work. In this episode of Fin And Fire With Jeff Mishler Dave and Olivia share their stories and offer insight into the Bamboo Rod making process.  

Madi loves to hunt.  Rifle, Bow, doesn't matter. What does matter to her is that the hunter practices often and understands the limitations of equipment and skills. She has many trophy experiences, but prefers to  procure protein for her family and friends over chasing horns. In this episode of Fin and Fire With Jeff Mishler, Madi and I share hunting stories and discuss rifle shooting techniques. Then the podcast takes a turn and we discover our mutual love of calling and hunting Bull elk during the rut, with a bow.

Kelly Warren is the Western Oregon regional Biologist for Ducks Unlimited. Kelly often works with local land owners to cooperatively design and develop thriving habitats for all wetland species. In this episode of Fin and Fire with Jeff Mishler we talk about the processes of teamwork required to transform acres into productive wildlife habitat.  We also share some duck hunting stories and a couple of hunting tips. 

In this rapid fire episode of Fin and Fire With Jeff Mishler I sit with participants of the annual Flash Tying Challenge, a friendly tying competition with a crazy twist. The day was filled with great conversation and creative approaches to the past time we love. 

Marena Gray is the manager of The Custom Shop at The Meating Place in Hillsboro, Oregon.  She breaks down thousands of animals each season and offers some solid advice for hunters if they want to get quality meat back from the butcher. It all starts with what you do in the field.  

Calling mallards effectively requires practice, observations skills and creativity.  In this episode of Fin And Fire With Jeff Mishler, Mike and I sit down at DSD headquarters and dive deep into the process of improving your duck calling.  This podcast is much more than just another "How-To" lesson.  In fact, we break some molds and myths around the entire process of talking to ducks.

Where did our Chinook Salmon go?  The disappearance of this keystone species is a pressing issue affecting cultures and economies within the entire Pacific Rim. In this episode of Fin and Fire With Jeff Mishler, I chat with Dr. Will Atlas of the Wild Salmon Center, a man with his thumb on the pulse of the issue.  Will explains our current situation with salmon populations and what needs to change for them to recover.