Sidechannels

Yvon Chouinard & Craig Mathews

Over the course of their nearly 40-year friendship, Yvon Chouinard and Craig Mathews have had a significant influence on both the culture and activity of flyfishing. Their most recent collaboration is Pheasant Tail Simplicity, a new book coauthored with their friend Mauro Mazzo. The book is part technical treatise, part fly tying manual and part philosophy. Either way, it's well worth a read for anyone interested in flyfishing with a slightly more minimalist point of view. For this conversation I met up with Yvon and Craig in Dillon, MT, a day after their book release event at Montana State University in Bozeman, which took place in a standing room only amphitheater on campus. We chatted about the book, of course, but I also had the opportunity to learn a bit more about their background, including how they met and what they feel they've learned from each other in nearly 40 years of friendship. Sidechannels is sponsored by Decked [https://www.decked.com/flyfish] and Patagonia Fly Fishing [https://www.patagonia.com/fly-fishing]. If you're enjoying the podcast, consider becoming a subscriber to [https://www.theflyfishjournal.com/product/subscription/] The Flyfish Journal [https://www.theflyfishjournal.com/product/subscription/].

Aimee and Chase Bartee

Chase and Aimee Bartee began making films together when they lived in New England, publishing them under the moniker Tight Loops Fly [https://tightloopsfly.com/] (or simply Tight Loops, depending on where you're looking). Their full length film Big Land [https://www.theflyfishjournal.com/review/the-big-land/]won best adventure at the fly fishing film awards in 2019, and for the past several years they've been working on a series called For Wild's Sake, which offers in-depth looks at various wild trout species from all corners of the United States. On top of their various film projects, Aimee is a dedicated editorial photographer [https://www.theflyfishjournal.com/issue_feature/aimee-bartee/], and Chase is a writer and fine artist known for his exquisitely detailed watercolors of various fish species. Several years ago, the Bartees moved into their Vanagon full-time, and a few years ago made the switch to tricked out expedition rig. After a spring and summer of whirlwind travels that brought them to Greenland, Japan and Mongolia, we were fortunate to catch them at the Bozeman Public Library, of all places. In this episode, we talk about their travels, the challenges of creating art on the road, bear problems in Japan, and what was the final straw in their decision to sell their Vanagon. [https://youtu.be/qh1rYvVLZf4?si=l34Nsn6kSgstYtY2] Become a subscriber to The Flyfish Journal [https://www.theflyfishjournal.com/product/subscription/] for more flyfishing culture, adventure and art. Sidechannels is sponsored by: Decked: Get Decked and Get After It [https://www.decked.com/flyfish] Patagonia Fly Fishing: Dependable Gear Built to Connect with Wild Fish [https://www.patagonia.com/fly-fishing]

Will Rice

Will Rice is a freelance writer and podcaster who began his career with the Denver Post in 2003, under the mentorship of acclaimed hook-and-bullet writer Charlie Meyers. His early, travel-focused writing brought him face-to-face with what would become a long-term project: the disappearance of Bahamian flyfishing guide Stanley Bain. In 2018, Rice began hosting Down the Path, a podcast that investigated the disappearance of an angler in Mexico. A second season soon followed, looking into the tragic death of a flyfishing guide and his client in Belize, and Rice eventually returned to the mystery surrounding the disappearance of Bain for the third season of the podcast in 2023. In this episode we chat with Will about his beginnings in journalism, and his decision to start pursuing certain stories in podcast form. Will also shares some thoughts on the frustrations of permit angling, and tells us about the "tequila stuntman." Thanks to our sponsors: Decked—Get Decked and Get After It [https://www.decked.com/flyfish] Patagonia Fly Fishing—Built to Connect with Wild Fish [https://www.patagonia.com/fly-fishing] Visit The Flyfish Journal [https://www.theflyfishjournal.com/product/subscription/] to become a subscriber today.

Chad Brown | Part Two

This is Part Two of our conversation with filmmaker [https://www.theflyfishjournal.com/2023/08/blackwaters/], Navy veteran, youth advocate and conservationist Chad Brown. As the founder of a couple of non-profits—Soul River Inc. [https://soulriverinc.org/about/] and Love is King—Brown has helped provide a pathway for youth, veterans and others to build a connection to what, in some ways, is one of the last frontiers in North America, the Arctic and the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge. His work over the past couple of years with Love is King has focused specifically on that area, and on providing an opportunity for creatives and other BIPOC leaders to experience the refuge and the issues facing it through a kind of immersive experience with the Gwich'in Nation. In this second half of our conversation, we talk about Chad's beginnings in design, as well as his work as a photographer and filmmaker. After getting into the Pratt Institute with an application letter written on the back of a fast food bag, Chad went on to work for clients including Phat Farm. More recently, his film "Inward" about Atlanta artist Michi Meko was selected for a number of festivals. To learn more about Chad Brown's conservation work and his documentary filmmaking and photography, visit loveisking.org [http://loveisking.org/] and chadocreative.com [http://chadocreative.com/]. Thanks to our sponsors: Decked [http://decked.com/flyfish] and Patagonia Fly Fishing [https://www.patagonia.com/shop/sport/fly-fishing?s_kwcid=17928&utm_source=google&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=BB_Ecomm_Search_BRD_Fish_FishKWs&gad_source=1&gclid=Cj0KCQjw9vqyBhCKARIsAIIcLMFyGsfsKmR0M9djaivb0PvXa9f4SsQvDXfLapgiPBwl4ghTu10J0wgaAuM9EALw_wcB].

Chad Brown | Part One

Chad Brown is a filmmaker [https://www.theflyfishjournal.com/2023/08/blackwaters/], a veteran, and an advocate for youth and for wild spaces; he's also the founder of a couple of non-profits—Soul River Inc. [https://soulriverinc.org/about/] and Love is King—which have provided a pathway for youth, veterans and others to build a connection to what, in some ways, is one of the last frontiers in North America, the Arctic and the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge. His work over the past couple of years with Love is King has focused specifically on that area, and on providing an opportunity for creatives and other BIPOC leaders to experience the refuge and the issues facing it through a kind of immersive experience with the Gwich'in Nation. We met Chad at his home near Portland, OR, and ended up having a long chat. Having just returned from the Arctic, Chad was getting ready to head back up there soon. In this first part of our conversation with Chad, we chat about his various projects in Alaska, as well as his introduction to flyfishing—something that happened, in some ways, just in the nick of time for him and which helped him overcome some significant personal struggles. To learn more about Chad Brown's conservation work and his documentary filmmaking and photography, visit loveisking.org [http://loveisking.org] and chadocreative.com [http://chadocreative.com]. Visit www.theflyfishjournal.com [https://www.theflyfishjournal.com] to become a subscriber and gain access to our expanding digital archive and web store deals. Thanks to Decked [https://www.decked.com/flyfish] and Patagonia Fly Fishing [https://patagonia.com/fly-fishing] for making this episode possible.