Maxine McCormick | Youngest World Fly Casting Champion

Maxine McCormick | Youngest World Fly Casting Champion

In this episode, Linda sits down with Maxine McCormick, the youngest world champion in fly casting history, to talk about how a father daughter outing turned into a decade long love affair with accuracy casting. Maxine walks us through those early days on the casting pond and the whirlwind of becoming a world champion at just 12 years old, an accomplishment most kids couldn't wrap their heads around, and turns out, neither could she. It's one of those refreshingly humble moments in the episode where Maxine shares that the weight of what she'd actually done didn't really sink in until she was older, looking back on it all with new eyes. Linda and Maxine also get into their favorite places to cast a line, along with the dream destinations still sitting on their bucket lists, the kind of conversation that'll have you googling flights by the end of it. And Maxine isn't just resting on her titles. She opens up about life beyond the podium, from studying biology at the University of Washington, to working behind the counter at a Seattle area fly shop, and stepping into the role of teacher for the next generation of young casters coming up behind her. Connect with us: * Follow @fishewear [https://www.instagram.com/fishewear/?hl=en] on Instagram * Shop bold, functional gear at fishewear.com [http://fishewear.com] * Join the movement: #CastandConnect Learn more about Maxine: www.maxineflyfishing.com [http://www.maxineflyfishing.com] Instagram: @maxine_mccormick [https://www.instagram.com/maxine_mccormick/]

Angelica Talan | Editor of DUN Outdoors

In this episode, Linda sits down with Angelica Talan, content creator, Senior Executive Editor at DUN Outdoors Magazine, and a woman who knows what it feels like to lose touch with a piece of herself and find her way back. Angelica shares her (hilarious and a little smelly) story of rediscovering fishing later in life and how that first cast back on the water felt less like learning something new and more like remembering who she'd always been. She and Linda talk about that quiet, almost spiritual pull back to the water, the kind of moment you don't plan for but somehow recognize the second it happens. It's a conversation about coming home to yourself, discovering life long friendships in unexpected places, and so much more. Tune in to get a sneak peak of Angelica’s latest and greatest projects. Her work with FisheWear and her platform with DUN Outdoors and USA Today's Expert Panel Series have already made her a voice worth following, and this next chapter sounds like it's just getting started. Connect with us: * Follow @fishewear [https://www.instagram.com/fishewear/?hl=en] on Instagram * Shop bold, functional gear at fishewear.com [http://fishewear.com/] * Join the movement: #CastandConnect Instagram: @angelicatalan [https://www.instagram.com/angelicatalan/?hl=en] TikTok: @angelica_talan  [https://www.tiktok.com/@angelica_talan] YouTube: Angelica Talan [https://www.youtube.com/@angelicainthecity] DUN Magazine: Angelica Talan [https://dunmagazine.com/authors/angelica-talan]

Stacey Benham | Casting for Recovery

Some organizations don't just change the sport. They change lives. 🎣💗 In this episode, host Linda Leary sits down with Stacey Benham, Director of Marketing and Communications at Casting for Recovery, the national nonprofit that has been bringing women with breast cancer to the water since 1996. What started as an idea between a fly fisher and a breast reconstruction surgeon has grown into a movement, now hosting around 60 retreats across all 50 states and serving over 800 women every year. Stacey and Linda talk about the origin story of Casting for Recovery, how Stacey found her way to the organization, and what it actually looks like when a woman walks into one of these retreats for the first time. Each retreat brings together just 14 women, creating an intimate space where participants learn to cast, tie flies, and spend time on the water alongside medical professionals, counselors, and guides, all completely free of charge. But this conversation goes beyond the logistics. It gets into why fly fishing, specifically, holds such a unique kind of medicine. The gentle motion of casting was intentionally chosen for its therapeutic benefit, helping women rebuild strength and mobility in muscles affected by surgery and radiation while also offering something that no clinical setting can: peace, nature, and the feeling of being surrounded by women who get it. This one is for anyone who has been touched by breast cancer, anyone who has ever found healing in the outdoors, and anyone who believes that sometimes the most powerful thing you can offer a woman is a fly rod and a weekend to just breathe. Connect with us: * Follow @fishewear [https://www.instagram.com/fishewear/?hl=en] on Instagram * Shop bold, functional gear at fishewear.com [http://fishewear.com/] * Join the movement: #CastandConnect Learn more about Cast for Recovery: www.castingforrecovery.org [http://www.castingforrecovery.org/] Instagram: @castingforrecovery [https://www.instagram.com/castingforrecovery]

Kirstie Pike | Próis Hunting

Join host Linda Leary as she sits down with Kirstie Pike, founder and owner of Prois Hunting Apparel, the women's first hunting and performance gear brand that has been outfitting women in the field for nearly two decades. Kirstie and Linda get real about what it looks like to build and sustain a small business in the apparel world right now. They talk about the economic headwinds hitting brands like Prois, the decisions that don't come with a playbook, and how staying connected to your customer has been one of the most important anchors through it all. The conversation also goes deep on what it means to lead a women-focused company inside one of the most male-dominated industries in the outdoor space. Kirstie shares what she has learned about carving out room where the door was never really open, and why building something specifically for women was never just a niche idea. It was always the whole point. This one is for the hunters, the builders, the women betting on themselves in spaces that weren't designed with them in mind. Connect with us: * Follow @fishewear [https://www.instagram.com/fishewear/?hl=en] on Instagram * Shop bold, functional gear at fishewear.com [http://fishewear.com] * Join the movement: #CastandConnect Learn more and Shop: www.proishunting.com [http://www.proishunting.com] Instagram: @proishunting  [https://www.instagram.com/proishunting/]

Lisa Michaels | Meteorologist

Join host Linda Leary as she sits down with Lisa Michaels, a meteorologist based in Wisconsin whose career in weather science started somewhere most of us would least expect: a childhood fear of thunder and lightning. Lisa shares how that fear became a fascination, and how studying the sky eventually led her to the water. It was a trip to Alaska that first brought Fishe across her radar, and when she finally walked through the door, what started as a quick visit turned into hours of conversation with the Fishe staff. She and Linda dig into something most anglers never think to ask about: what is the weather actually doing to the fish? Lisa breaks down how temperature, pressure, and atmospheric shifts influence fish behavior beneath the surface, and what that means for the person standing on the bank or sitting in the boat. The conversation also gets practical. Lisa offers a handful of tips for reading conditions before you head out and knowing when it's time to reel in and get off the water safely. This one is for the angler who has ever looked up at the clouds and wondered what the fish are doing down below. Connect with us: * Follow @fishewear [https://www.instagram.com/fishewear/?hl=en] on Instagram * Shop bold, functional gear at fishewear.com [http://fishewear.com] * Join the movement: #CastandConnect Follow Lisa on Facebook: Meteorologist Lisa Mishaels [https://www.facebook.com/MeteorologistLisaMichaels/]