Episode 66 Featuring John O'Connor--Vice President of Sales at Benchmade Knives

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.