Anchored with April Vokey

Darcie Arahill, also known as Darcizzle, started fishing as a little girl. After quitting her office job, Darcie made the decision to become a full-time angler and YouTuber in hopes she might inspire others to get outdoors. In this episode of Anchored, I learn more about Darcie as we discuss how her career took off, what her long-term plan is, and her thoughts on the objectification of women, all while sitting through some uncomfortable conversation about if what we wear to go fishing really matters.

Henrik Mortensen is one of the most influential Atlantic salmon anglers in the world. Over the years, Henrik has guided on some of the best salmon rivers on the planet and has taught fishing and casting since the ‘80s. He now runs his own company, Salmologic.  In this episode of Anchored, I meet with Henrik on the Gaula River in Norway to pick his brain about Atlantic salmon and how to catch them. We touch on leader lengths, water column, fly colour, the AFTM chart and more.

Rex Hunt is Australian fishing royalty. Born in 1949, Rex has lived his seventy years to the fullest as a professional football player, popular television personality, and radio icon.  In this episode of Anchored, I meet with Rex at his home on the shores of Port Phillip Bay to discuss his life and career, the ups and downs, and his thoughts about getting more people into fishing.

Brian Chan is a Canadian icon. Biologist, teacher, guide and groundbreaker, Brian is the man behind Interior British Columbia’s trophy stillwater fishery. Brian has dedicated his entire career to better understanding trout behaviour and diet.  I’ve been a huge fan of Brian’s for years, so I was ecstatic to have the opportunity to sit down with him to discuss his success with his renowned stocking program, plus his experience with triploids, chironomids, chaoborus, and... boobies.

Matt Suzuki moved to Canada when he was in his early twenties. Folklore about BC’s fabled steelhead had made its way to him in Tokyo and soon he was, quite literally, doing everything he could to be able to fish for them full-time. In this episode of Anchored, I meet with Matt for a quick visit to discuss Japan’s fly fishing culture, its fishing destinations and his process to becoming a Canadian citizen.

Paul Worsteling has been in the fishing business for 30 years. He’s filmed more than 500 episodes of his popular television show, IFISH, and doesn’t show any sign of slowing down.   In this episode of Anchored, I meet with Paul at his home near Melbourne to learn more about his rise to fishing fame and his success as a tackle shop owner. We discuss drone fishing, Paul’s incredible story and the hard truths about making a name for yourself in the industry today.

Jan Kristensen has fished all over the world. Ten years ago, he and his friend Daniel Goz set out to film one of the most unique projects ever undertaken in fly fishing: They set up a camp in Nicaragua and fished for large tarpon out of belly boats. They called the film Tapam and it took the fly fishing industry by storm. In this episode of Anchored, Jan and I talk about their film, fishing out of belly boats, and Jan’s work as a scientist working with enzymes for biofuels.

When I think of full-time guides who are doing it right, I think of Jeff Forsee. Jeff epitomizes a good guide: professional, likeable, clever and fishy, but what’s really interesting about Jeff is that he’s living what many people would call “the dream.” In this episode of Anchored, I sit down with Jeff at his home in Wanaka for some casual late-night conversation about how he pulled it all together, what he would do differently, and fishing etiquette everyone should know.

In this episode of Anchored, I spend the evening in my own home discussing fly rods and reels with my husband, Charles. We spend the hour comparing our own experiences working in fly shops, and try to break down what someone just getting into the sport should know about making their first purchase. We discuss fly rod and reel anatomy, choosing the best outfit for your fishery, and some of the most common questions aspiring fly anglers have about getting started.

Guido Rahr is the president and CEO of the Wild Salmon Centre, an organisation focused on the health of salmonid populations of Canada, Russia, Mongolia and the USA. Guido has helped the Wild Salmon Centre raise over $100 million in grants, develop new scientific research, establish 6 million acres of habitat management designations—and that’s only the start. In this episode of Anchored, Guido and I discuss his path to stewardship, fishing in Russia and Bristol Bay, and snakes.

Rodney Fox was born in 1940 in South Australia. Growing up near water, he quickly developed a passion for swimming, spearfishing and the ocean—and he went on to become the South Australian Spear Fishing Champion at age 22. Exactly one year after he won the championship, he was competing to defend his title when he was attacked by a great white shark and was badly wounded. In this episode, Rodney and I discuss his attack, his role in Jaws, shark conservation and media glamorisation of animal attacks.

Jack Kos is a New Zealand angler who studied law at the University of Canterbury. His fascination with brown trout prompted him to complete his bachelor’s thesis with a focus on the introduction of brown trout to New Zealand, which led him to a PhD thesis on the fishery and the role it has played over the last century. In this episode of Anchored, Jack and I discuss the man behind New Zealand’s famous brown trout, how he forever changed the ecosystem, and how the species adapted to thrive in its

Bob Wyatt is an artist, author and long-time angler based out of New Zealand. Born in Canada, he has been fly fishing since the late ’50s. I met with Bob in New Zealand to discuss his “prey image” theory, trout fishing and the early days of steelhead fly fishing.

Martin Taylor is the CEO of Fish & Game New Zealand, a non-profit organization focused on managing, maintaining and enhancing sportfish, game birds and their habitats. They receive no government or taxpayer money, relying solely on income from fishing and hunting license sales. In this episode of Anchored, I meet with Martin to discuss the sustainability of New Zealand’s trout fisheries, the costs of doing business and whether tourists are loving the country to death.

Spencer Greening (La’goot) is an indigenous scholar from the Tsimshian peoples of the Pacific Northwest Coast. His current doctoral research examines the relationship between traditional ecological knowledge, indigenous legal systems and indigenous management of ecosystems in a current context. His work has lead him to be honoured as a Trudeau Scholar, one of Canada’s top academic awards. I met with Spencer to discuss government relations and the complexities of indigenous peoples in Canada today.