Anchored with April Vokey

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!

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...

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...

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...

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...

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,...

Natalie Bogwalker is the founder and director of Wild Abundance, where she teaches carpentry, permaculture, primitive skills, and so much more. I met Natalie when we teamed with her for our online Hide Tanning class, and she has continued to blow my mind ever since. I’m currently in middle of her online gardening school and feel like a kid in a candy story with all the new skills I’m learning! In this episode of Anchored, Natalie and I sit down to discuss her incredible journey from...

Al Perkinson is someone I’ve looked up to for a long time. For seventeen years, he was the CFO of Costa Sunglasses, where he led brand strategy, marketing, ecommerce and more. Al is an avid fly fisherman and conservationist who has a long resume of philanthropic work. On this episode of Anchored we discuss the benefits of polarised sunglasses, Al’s departure from Costa, the struggles of starting over, and Indifly, a foundation created to help strengthen indigenous communities through fly...

Karen Brooks is a guide and outfitter based in Tasmania, Australia. She and her husband, Peter, share a unique story in that they both started guiding later in life upon finding matching drift boats for sale in North America. On this episode of Anchored, Karen and I enjoy a light conversation about fishing for trout in Tasmania, loch-style fishing, what it’s like to start over and more. Also, exciting news! We’ve just finished editing a bunch of Anchored Outdoors Masterclasses, included...

Christian Schauf is the founder of Uncharted Supply Co. His company specialises in kits built for unexpected survival situations. He started the company after seeing dozens of motorists stranded on the side of the highway during a blizzard in Colorado. On this episode of Anchored, we discuss the first 72 hours of survival, Christian’s experience on Shark Tank, and marketing without evoking fear. Also, exciting news! We’re in the final editing stages of our Tom Brown Masterclass, which is...

Brian O’Keefe started fly fishing as a young boy. He started taking fish photos in an attempt to prove that he wasn’t making up stories about the fish he was catching. He would go on to become one of the most well-known names in fish photography. On this episode of Anchored, we discuss his incredible evolution as an angler, photographer, world traveler and industry pro. This episode of Anchored is brought to you by Tight Line Films.

The Saltwater Guides Association is a coalition of forward-thinking guides, small business owners and like-minded anglers who understand the value of keeping fish in the water. In this episode of Anchored, I sit down with Willy Goldsmith and Tony Friedrich to discuss the health of the East-coast striper fishery. To add you name to our Once a Year Premium Plus Masterclasses Waitlist, click here.

Josh Nugent started his successful guiding operation, Out Fly Fishing Outfitters, in 2003. He recently purchased a fly shop in Calgary, Alberta, adding to his already impressive resume. I met Josh years ago during a filming project on the Bow river. He was my first guide and single-handedly changed how I looked at professionalism in the fishing industry. Not only am I proud to announce Josh as one of Anchored Outdoor’s Masterclass instructors, but I’m excited to introduce him to many of you...

Donnie Vincent is an explorer, biologist, conservationist, and sportsman. These days Donnie is best known for his inspirational films and passion for story-telling, but Donnie’s journey started long before the cameras started rolling. On this episode of Anchored we discuss his passion behind the outdoors, his experiences with wild wolves, keeping our cool under pressure and so much more.

Clint Goyette is a Twelve time Canadian National Fly Fishing Championships competitor. He is also a guide and certified casting instructor who operates out of Squamish British Columbia. I recently hired Clint to teach our Czech Nymphing Masterclass over at AnchoredOutdoors.com and I was horrified to learn how many fish I’ve been passing up all these years. In this episode of Anchored, we discuss how to catch more fish, Euro Nymphing, equipment, presentation, objections and more. You can...

Kaitlin Barnhart and Jess Westbrook are the founders of The Mayfly Project, an organization that uses fly fishing to help mentor and support children in foster care. The Mayfly Project introduces children in foster care to their local fisheries, with the hope that it will connect them to a rewarding hobby, ultimately providing them the opportunity to have fun, build confidence, and develop a meaningful connection with the outdoors. In this episode of Anchored we discuss the project, how it...

Steven Drake is a hunting photographer whose work has helped to redefine how the hunting industry is perceived. An avid elk hunter, he frequents some of the most rugged and physically demanding terrain in the USA. In this episode of Anchored we discuss new hunters, the rut, moose pee and more. This episode of Anchored is brought to you by Brownells.

For many of us, Kelly Galloup is a household name. His innovative fly-tying and unique angling approach has earned him his place in the fly-fishing industry. Kelly is the owner of the popular Galloup’s Slide Inn Lodge on the Madison river, but his story begins long before he moved to Montana. In this episode of Anchored we discuss fly-tying materials, presentation, the industry, and of course the names of his flies. While I have you here, this weekend I’ll be hanging out at the Celebrating...

Travis and Tiffany Bader are both passionate hunters, anglers, foragers and foodies. They make their livings by sharing their passion with others through their company, Silvercore. Silvercore is Canada’s largest company of its kind, providing industry-leading training to all levels of government, private business and the general public. In this episode of Anchored, Travis and Tiffany help answer my questions about firearms, bear safety, cougars and more. Sign up to become a member of...

Kristine Fischer @MidwestFishergal grew up fishing and playing in the outdoors. What she didn’t realise at the time, was that she’d soon become one of the most well-known anglers in the national kayak bass tournament scene. The recognition isn’t unwarranted… Kristine boasted 3 national level wins and a 2nd in the 2019 season, and she added another big win and several top tens in 2020. One of these wins secured her a spot on the USA team as 1 of 7 anglers to represent her country. It also...