Anchored with April Vokey

Les Stroud is a man of many talents—Survivorman, musician, film-maker, guide, outdoorsman, entrepreneur to name a few. In this episode of Anchored, I meet with Les to hear the story about his famous television series and his thoughts on human nature in the wild.  

Nicole Darland started her company Xclusive Xpeditions in 2003. She went on to cohost the Fly Fisherman TV series on the Sportsman Channel and has been featured in various other films and magazines. Today Nicole is the vice-president of marketing and brand development for Edge rods and North Fork Composites. She is also the mother of three beautiful little boys. In this episode of Anchored, I meet with Nicole at her home in Washington to learn more about her and her life as a working mom in the industry.

Nick Bowles moved from South Africa to Dubai for love—he didn’t expect to find an untapped fishery that would ultimately change his life. Nick is the owner of Ocean Active charters, which specialises in a variety of exotic species. In this episode of Anchored, I meet with Nick to discuss fly fishing in Dubai.

Pete Humphreys moved from England to Michigan over 20 years ago. He brought with him a passion for fishing and an interest in Spey casting. Pete is a Master caster and THCI accredited instructor through the Federation of Fly Fishers. In this episode of Anchored, I meet up with him in his cabin on the Muskegon river to analyze the Spey cast. 

Chico Fernandez is a saltwater fly fishing pioneer. He was one of the first fly fishers in Cuba, and he continued his legacy in Florida after he and his family immigrated to the United States. In this episode of Anchored, I sit down with Chico to learn a little more about him.

Adam Greentree spends more time in the Australian bush than anyone I know. Adam traded in his rifle for a bow when he was seventeen years old. After a year of working in a slaughterhouse, his decision to hunt his own meat was further ingrained into his life and beliefs. Adam works hard to promote bow hunting as a means to get outside and as a way to appreciate where our food comes from. In this episode of Anchored, we sit down to discuss the basics of bow hunting.

Ted Niemeyer was one of the most skilled fly tiers the fly-fishing world has ever seen. A pioneer of realistic fly patterns, Ted was gentle to the core, so when he kindly welcomed me into his Washington home to share an afternoon of discussion, I was delighted. I am sad to say that we lost Ted last year—with his passing, we say goodbye to one of the last true gentlemen of our sport. This episode is sponsored by https://blueskyfly.com

Louis Cahill is one of the most captivating people I have ever met. Louis is a photographer who now runs the popular website, Gink and Gasoline. In this episode of Anchored, I sit down with Louis to discuss his career transition from corporate professional to self-employed fishing bum.

It’s not every day you get to interview your best friend. Adrienne Comeau is a steelhead guide, photographer, Spey-caster, and fly-tier extraordinaire. In this episode of Anchored, we sit down to address some topics that are commonly swept under the rug.

Mark Johnstad grew up in Montana with a fly rod in his hand. He first travelled to Mongolia in 1991, where he spent several years helping establish protected areas. Mark is at the forefront of taimen conservation, even founding Mongolia River Outfitters, which is a community and environmental organization that uses fly-fishing to support the fishery. In this episode of Anchored, Mark and I discuss the incredibly inspiring story behind Mongolia and its world class fishery.

Dr. Andy Danylchuk is a professor at the University of Massachusetts Amherst. Andy studies marine and freshwater systems, with a primary focus on stress physiology, behavioural ecology, spatial ecology, predator-prey interactions and adaptations in life history as a response to disturbance. Andy’s been at the forefront of fisheries science in the Bahamas and he’s currently spearheading a program in Northern BC. In this episode of Anchored, I meet with Andy to learn about the BC project.

David Folkerts is the Chief Operations Officer at Project Healing Waters. David joined the army in 1999 with the Nebraska Army National Guard. In 2005 he was deployed to Iraq, where he suffered a devastating injury that changed his life. In this episode of Anchored, David speaks with me about his experiences as an injured veteran and how he became involved with Project Healing Waters. 

Bob Clay is the authority on bamboo two-handed (Spey) rods. A retired guide and passionate angler, Bob lives off the grid on the world-famous Kispiox river. In this episode of Anchored, I sit down with Bob to hear more about his story and the secret behind his renowned fishing rods.

Jeff Liskay is a fly fishing guide, instructor, Patagonia ambassador and one of the fishiest people I have ever met. In this episode of Anchored, I meet with Jeff to discuss steelhead fishing techniques and the subtleties that make a great angler.

Shannon McPhail was born and raised in Northern BC. The Skeena river runs through her backyard and her bloodline, making her one of the most passionate and knowledgable activists I’ve ever met. Shannon is the executive director for the Skeena Watershed Conservation Coalition and is leading the battle against the latest approved LNG plant proposed for Lelu Island. In this episode of Anchored, I meet with Shannon at her home in Hazelton to learn more about how we can help.