Duane Hada on Growing Trophy Trout, Conservation, and Life as an Artist (CJ's Reel Southern Podcast #9)

Show Notes: https://wetflyswing.com/855B Duane Hada joins Chad Johnson for a thoughtful conversation on what actually creates trophy trout fisheries—and why stocking alone isn't the answer. Duane breaks down the importance of catch-and-release regulations, managing pressure, and letting fish live long enough to reach their full potential. Drawing from rivers like the White River and the San Juan, he explains how conservation-first thinking shapes not only fish size, but the long-term health of entire fisheries. Beyond fishing, Duane opens up about his life as an artist and how creativity, patience, and observation carry over from the studio to the river. He talks about seeing fisheries as living "gardens," the influence of Dave Whitlock on both his conservation mindset and artistic outlook, and why mentorship—on the water and off—matters just as much as catching fish. This episode is about legacy, restraint, and approaching both art and angling with intention. Show Notes: https://wetflyswing.com/855B

#855 Show Notes: https://wetflyswing.com/855      Presented by: San Juan Rodworks, On DeMark Lodge, Four Wheel Campers Sponsors: https://wetflyswing.com/sponsors   If you've ever stood knee-deep in a Western river wondering whether a trout spey rod might change your whole approach, this conversation with Howard Cole will get your wheels turning. Howard's spent a lifetime shaping flies, shaping cast loops, and shaping anglers at JD High Country Outfitters — and he brings a river-smart perspective on everything from trout spey dry flies to yellow sally emergers. Trout spey tips show up often in this episode, and they sneak into almost every story he tells from the Snake to the South Fork. By the end of this episode, you'll probably be digging through your fly box looking for your own emerger patterns — or maybe even picking up a short spey rod for the next drift. Show Notes: https://wetflyswing.com/855 

854 Show Notes: https://wetflyswing.com/854 Presented by:  Montana Fly Fishing Lodge, Intrepid Camp Gear,  On DeMark Lodge, Yellowstone Teton Territory - Visit Idaho  Today, we're sitting down with someone who has lived two deep lives, one on the PGA Tour and one on the flats of South Texas. Phil Blackmar spent years competing against the best golfers in the world, studying pressure, tempo, and how to stay calm when everything speeds up. Now he brings that same understanding to fly fishing, especially sight fishing for redfish and trout.   Show Notes: https://wetflyswing.com/854  

853 Show Notes: https://wetflyswing.com/853b       Sponsors: https://wetflyswing.com/smittys  Steve Smith breaks down the fundamentals of top trout flies, fly tying materials, and the patterns that continue to produce everywhere. We also get into how Smitty's Fly Box evolved, how he approaches local hatches, and why mastering proportions might be the most important part of tying a durable fly. Show Notes: https://wetflyswing.com/853b    

#853 Show Notes: https://wetflyswing.com/853 Presented By: TroutRoutes, Smitty's Fly Box, Four Wheel Campers Sponsors: https://wetflyswing.com/sponsors James Garrettson of About Trout takes us deep into the San Juan tailwater—well beyond the Instagram version—to show what really makes this river a world-class streamer fishery. He breaks down how big trout behave in frog water, why depth and stalls matter more than speed, and how his team consistently targets fish over 30 inches. James shares the story behind a true San Juan giant, talks streamer setups, flow windows, guide etiquette, and why he spends every free day exploring the same river he's guided for a decade. If you've ever wondered how to fish deep, slow, technical water for outsized browns, this episode is the blueprint. Show Notes: https://wetflyswing.com/853

851 Show Notes: https://wetflyswing.com/851 Presented by: FishHound Expeditions  For the last ten years, today's guest has been fly fishing the Alaska road system and guiding the south central river, Lower Willow, Upper Willow, the Canyon water, and Montana Creek. He's one of the guides behind our recent Alaskan hosted trip and has a head full of stories that only come from rowing in a place where anything can happen. In this episode, you'll hear what it was like from Will's seat on the sticks during our trip, why the bite shifted every day, how he chooses between bugs, beads, and buggers, and plenty of stories from the river.  Will breaks down how to actively jig, swing, and animate the Duracell and other flies while nymphing, and how they get trout, grayling, and even salmon to eat.   Show Notes: https://wetflyswing.com/851  

#850B Show Notes: https://wetflyswing.com/850B Presented By: Intrepid Camp Gear Sloan Hiatt, Manager at Intrepid Camp Gear, breaks down how his team designs rooftop tents and aluminum cargo boxes built for anglers, skiers, and backcountry travelers. He shares why Intrepid manufactures everything themselves instead of white-labeling, how they solved common space and durability problems, and what makes their gear stand out in the overlanding world. We also get the story of Sloan's late-night bear encounter from a rooftop tent, plus a deep dive into his restored Land Cruisers, diesel swaps, and the 4x4 community that keeps these classic rigs alive. Whether you're camping, fishing, or chasing winter road trips, Sloan brings a builder's perspective shaped by miles of real-world use. #850B Show Notes: https://wetflyswing.com/850B

#850 Show Notes: https://wetflyswing.com/850       Presented by: Drifthook Fly Fishing, Four Wheel Campers, Jackson Hole Fly Company, Yellowstone Teton Territory - Visit Idaho  Sponsors: https://wetflyswing.com/sponsors   When you spend enough time around steelhead guides, you start to notice something: the truly fishy ones never stop learning. That's exactly the vibe I get every time I'm on the river with Pat Beahen. The guy reads water like it's printed in large font, and he's got this river-smart intensity that makes you believe a fish could grab at any second. This episode pulls together decades of Pat's life chasing steelhead across BC — from Whistler beginnings to long seasons on the Bulkley and the Dean. If you're a Great Lakes angler looking to level up your swung-fly game, this one's packed with insight. Show Notes: https://wetflyswing.com/850         

849 Show Notes: https://wetflyswing.com/849 Presented by:  Jackson Hole Fly Company, Drifthook Fly Fishing, Fish The Fly   Some stories follow you your whole life, and John MacLean grew up inside one of the most meaningful ones ever tied to fly fishing. In this episode, we look past the nostalgia and into the real heart of A River Runs Through It — the family, the grief, the responsibility, and the loss that shaped his father's writing. John is a journalist and author of Home Waters, and the son of Norman MacLean. He's spent decades tracing the real events behind the book and the movie — the slow rise of the original printing, the truth of Paul's murder, the guilt Norman carried, and how writing became the only way to make sense of it all. This episode also follows John's own work, from fire investigations to his next book, marking fifty years of A River Runs Through It. There's a lot here — family history, Montana stories, film moments, and the deeper current that still pulls at John today.      Show Notes: https://wetflyswing.com/849