Anchored With April Vokey Podcast

Champion cyclist Emily Rodger’s ascent to the podium was twice derailed by near-fatal collisions. Her journey to overcome injury and PTSD lead her back to the pastime of her childhood and her love for fly fishing. In this episode of Anchored, she tells her story and shares how she discovered not only her own peace but also a path for others facing a personal crisis and unexpected life change.  This episode is brought to you South Dakota and their incredible hunting opportunities. In South Dakota, hunting is a shared legacy – something everyone can be a part of. That’s why they’re focused on making their fields a welcome place for everyone. See how at www.HunttheGreatestSD.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

As a young boy, Trevor Covich knew he wanted to be a fishing guide. Born and raised in Washington state, he’s always had a love for anadromous fish. In this episode of Anchored, we discuss fishing for chinook salmon, water columns, fishing lanes, following the fish migration, and Trevor’s controversial outlook on current fishing stocks. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Katie Fiedler-Anderson has been guiding for 13 years. Based in Colorado, before becoming a fishing guide, she worked as a raft guide, video kayaker, rock climbing instructor, and high ropes instructor. Teaching and the outdoors is in her blood. A certified USCG Captain, Katie takes fly fishing everywhere she travels. She competes in the invite-only Women’s Tarpon Fly Fishing Tournament in the Florida Keys and also loves to reel in bass with her dad in Illinois. As mom to daughter, Nixy, she’s no stranger to the adventure of taking a child to the river—or to the obstacles it brings. In this episode of Anchored, we discuss her short film, “Phoenix”, which tells a story of passion, as Katie and her husband take a leap of faith in order to inspire their 4-year-old daughter to chase her dreams. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Larry Dahlberg is a guest I’ve been keen to have on the show for some time now. You may know of him as the man who created the Dahlberg Diver, but he is also the inventor of Flashabou and various other fishing innovations. In this episode of Anchored, Larry and I discuss his long-running television series, The Hunt for Big Fish, how he got his start, and his thoughts on fishing the thermocline, ideal water temperature, how to properly fish his fly, and so much more. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Steve Ramirez is a writer, educator, master naturalist, philosopher, and outdoor adventurer who lives and writes in the Texas Hill Country. Steve has had an interesting career… from working alongside President Bush to University Professor. I was intrigued to hear more about his life. In this episode of Anchored, we discuss his books, time in the Marine Corp, living life to the fullest and more. This episode of Anchored is brought to you by Tales.com! Use code ANCHORED to take 20% off your first order. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Marcelo Pérez is the founder and CEO of Untamed Angling. An architect and passionate angler, Marcelo grew up in Argentina, where he fine tuned his fly fishing skills and gravitated toward the illustrious golden dorado. This fascination would eventually lead him to open a number of wilderness fishing operations that are modelled around teaming up on a 50/50 partnership with indigenous jungle tribes.  In this episode of Anchored, we discuss Untamed Angling’s successes and challenges, the behaviour of golden dorado, what it’s like fishing in the jungle, and more. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In June 2019, Marina Gibson launched The Northern Fishing School at Swinton Estate in North Yorkshire, where her and her team teach fly fishing while connecting as many people as possible to the great outdoors. In this episode of Anchored we discuss finding a home base, why working in fishing can feel so exhausting, growing pains and more. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

They don’t make ‘em quite like Rob Smith anymore. Rob is a native southerner and true outdoorsman who’s been obsessed with fishing for almost sixty years. I’d heard of Rob—aka The Moustache— through various mutual acquaintances, but only after an introduction from one of our members was I able to finally invite him to be on the show.  In this episode of Anchored, Rob shares how he went from game warden to landscaper to fishing guide, and we cover stripers, musky, trout and more! Find Rob at Fish Hawk or through Instagram here. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Mia and Marty Sheppard are two of the most well-known steelhead guides in the Pacific Northwest, and for good reason. Marty grew up on the banks of the Sandy River in Oregon, landing his first steelhead by the age of five. Mia grew up in Tennessee, chasing trout and hiking the Great Smoky Mountains. In this episode of Anchored we discuss how they met, Marty’s thoughts on fishing out bad casts, whether the colour red is worth fishing, how steelhead use their mouths to feel, holding soft loops and much more. Also, if you haven’t already, be sure to check out Mia and Marty’s Intro to Winter Steelhead online class here! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Mickey Finn, born Michael Shanahan, didn’t find guiding… guiding found him. Mickey spends his days guiding in Australia’s Snowy Mountains. In this episode of Anchored, we discuss brown trout, using UV in flies, anxiety, building a raft and more. This episode of Anchored is brought to you by Great Fishing Adventures of Australia. The diversity of Australia’s fishing experiences is as vast as the country itself. Great Fishing Adventures of Australia is the catch of Australia’s best fishing operators that have come together to collectively raise the profile of Australia as a world class fishing destination. No matter what the season, Australia offers enthusiasts the opportunity to indulge in their passion and experience some of the world’s very best fishing, amongst some of the most naturally spectacular environments the world has to offer. Discover your next fishing adventure by visiting Australia.com/fishing Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Ryan Heitz has worked at Michael and Young Fly Shop for over twenty years. For me, Ryan was the "shop guy" I looked up to when I first started fly fishing. He was—and is—an incredibly knowledgable angler who rarely boasts about his accomplishments, yet offers an open ear to those looking to share their enthusiasm and stories. In this episode of Anchored, I sit down with Ryan to ask him what it’s really like being the man behind BC’s most successful fly shop, and if he’s found himself change throughout the evolution of fly gear, the Internet, angler mentality, techniques and more. This episode of Anchored is brought to you by South Dakota and its incredible Pheasant Hunting!  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Skip Morris is the author of over twenty fly-fishing books and hundreds of fly-fishing articles. He’s been a well-known personality in the fly-fishing industry long before my time and I was genuinely excited to get to know him better. In this episode of Anchored, Skip shares his journey as a professional fly tier.  This episode of Anchored is brought to you by South Dakota and its incredible Pheasant Hunting! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Dr. Max Holmes is Acting President and Executive Director at the Woodwell Climate Research Center. He studies rivers around the world, leading the Arctic Great Rivers Observatory, the Global Rivers Observatory, and the Cape Cod Rivers Observatory. Max is a life-long angler who’s thrilled to be bringing his scientific and fly- fishing passions together with Science on the Fly. In this episode of Anchored, we sit down to discuss the organization and all of the fantastic work that it’s doing. Interested in applying for the job Max mentions? Find more info here! This episode of Anchored is brought to you by South Dakota and its incredible Pheasant Hunting! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

You may know this week's guest as @NorthWestFlyGirl or you may even be a part of her Facebook group, United Women on the Fly, but you may not know Heather Hodson. In this episode of Anchored, Heather and I talk about her start in fly fishing, her passion for education, and her thoughts on inclusion in fly fishing and online communities. You’ll be inspired by Heather’s love of learning and desire to grow and change, so don’t miss out on Heather’s story. Press play to listen.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Carl and Kathryn Martens own Aventuron, a grassroots, family-owned business in Sheboygan, Wisconsin that was built on belief and sheer determination. In this episode of Anchored, they share their story about making the dive into retail, how they manage the pressures of the big-box stores, and how things aren’t always as they appear. This episode of Anchored is brought to you by South Dakota and its incredible Pheasant Hunting! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Gill Steele was born to fish. The daughter of respected angler and shop owner, Dave Steele, she grew up in the fishing industry where she continues to flourish to this day. Gill is an avid angler, conservationist and community leader who faces challenges head on. In this episode of Anchored, we discuss the realities of growing up in a fishing family, the psychology behind anglers, and how the future looks for industry people who want to make a difference. This episode of Anchored is brought to you by South Dakota and its incredible Pheasant Hunting! For more than 100 years, pheasant hunting has been a storied South Dakota tradition. And for the next century, they’re focusing on making pheasant hunting even greater. Welcoming more hunters to the field, showing the hunting community is for everyone: that’s a legacy to stand the test of time.  Go to HunttheGreatestSD.com to hear stories from women who hunt and learn what makes South Dakota the world’s pheasant capital.  South Dakota. Sportswomen welcome. Le

Tom Morgan Rodsmiths evolved from a dream of Tom's while owning the R. L. Winston Rod Company from 1973 to 1991. He always wanted to build a limited number of superior graphite rods for appreciative anglers—rods not limited by cost or materials, fine-tuned until their actions were perfect. Sadly, Tom passed away in 2017 of pneumonia. While he is no longer with us, his legacy in rod design will continue to touch anglers for generations to come thanks to Matt Barber and Joel Doub, who bought the company before Tom’s passing. In this episode of Anchored, we discuss Tom, his passion for quality rods, bamboo rod building and more. Have you ever wanted to build or own a quality bamboo rod? If you have taken our Bamboo Rod Building Masterclass with Bob Clay, you won’t want to miss this episode, and if you haven’t yet taken the masterclass, you might want to after listening to this conversation. Visit https://courses.anchoredoutdoors.com/courses/bamboo-rod-building-with-bob-clay and use code anchoredlistener20 to tak

Jeff Hickman and David Moskowitz are no strangers to wild steelhead. Jeff Hickman is a longtime steelhead guide, lodge owner and advocate. His passion for protecting wild species and places consistently take priority over financial gain, making him one of the most trusted voices in the fishing industry. David Moskowitz is Executive Director of the Conservation Angler. He has held leadership positions at several other fishery conservation organizations, and studied environmental law and policy at Lewis and Clark Law School. In this episode of Anchored, we sit down to discuss the current state of Columbia River steelhead, navigating management, and Jeff’s decision to stop guiding in protest. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Phil Rowley is a stillwater icon. Author, presenter, fly tier and instructor, Phil has shared his knowledge and paved the road for countless anglers. I was excited to finally have him on the show to learn more about his introduction to the fly fishing industry. In this episode of Anchored, we discuss chironomids, triploids, feeling boxed in, and how went from working in an insurance office to working full-time in the fishing industry.  I am super excited to let you know that yesterday we opened up the doors to our highly anticipated Chironomid Fishing Masterclass with Brian Chan! You can find it at https://courses.anchoredoutdoors.com/courses/chironomid-fishing-with-brian-chan Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

When I think of the perfect Trout Bum story, Justin Crump comes to mind. Justin fell in love with fishing at an early age, before dedicating his entire life to the pursuit. In this episode of Anchored, Justin and I discuss how his willingness to go with the flow introduced him to a lifetime of adventure, a successful career, and even the love of his life.  We discuss the highs and lows of working in the fishing industry, his company Frigate Travel, chasing down rooster fish in Mexico, setting expectations, the importance of a fly’s profile, the future of guiding and more. While I have you here, our Anchored community is growing and we’d love to have you be a part of it. We’re currently revamping our entire membership and cannot wait to announce the changes. I wanted to build a membership that I personally would pay for. One where you can learn as a beginner, but also as an industry pro. Want to hear the best part? It pays you to learn! Each stage you unlock comes with a series of points with a dollar value th