Outdoor Journal Radio: The Podcast

Outdoor Journal Radio
Outdoor Journal Radio
  • 4.9 (33)
  • Wilderness
  • Updated Weekly

Drawing from their experience as two of Canada’s most prominent outdoor personalities, hosts Angelo Viola and Peter Bowman explore the environmental topics, issues, and events that matter to the everyday outdoorsman. Joined by a wide variety of guests, ODJ Radio seeks to answer the questions and tell the stories of all those who enjoy being outside. Your stories, your questions, on your schedule

  1. 3d ago ·  Video

    Episode 237: We Were Only Allowed ONE Type of Bait

    This week on Outdoor Journal Radio, Pete is away, leaving Ang behind the desk with Nik and Dean to break down one of the most unusual Fish’n Canada shoots of the season. During a recent trip to Timberwolf Lodge on Nagagami Lake, Ang decided to remove the crew’s usual fishing safety net. The guys drew straws to determine who would be restricted to live bait, soft plastics, or hard baits, then had to make their assigned presentation work regardless of what the fish, weather, and constantly changing conditions threw at them. The result was a fishing challenge that put experience, boat control, electronics, confidence, and adaptability to the test, while giving the crew a very different look at how a Fish’n Canada episode comes together behind the scenes. Before getting into the trip, the guys tackle a listener who claims fishing line visibility is basically irrelevant, discuss reports of a rare contagious cancer appearing in fish, and answer a great fan question: if fishing shows had no sponsors, would everyone simply use live bait? That leads Ang into an old sponsorship story he has never forgotten and a bigger debate over live bait versus artificials, why freshwater anglers sometimes look down on bait fishing, and whether catching fish has become more complicated than it needs to be. Plus, Nik has updates from the Fish’n Canada Store, the guys tease another massive Garmin giveaway coming soon, and Ang makes the case for stronger voluntary catch-and-release practices on remote Canadian fisheries.

    Episode 237: We Were Only Allowed ONE Type of Bait

  2. Aug 27 ·  Video

    Episode 236: LIVE From the AMAZON: Hunting GIANT Peacock Bass

    This week on Outdoor Journal Radio, we’re going somewhere we’ve never gone before... LIVE into the Amazon. Ang and Pete are joined by Brazilian anglers Bruno Fernandez and Thiago Fantini, who we first met at ICAST. The catch? Bruno and Thiago aren’t sitting in a studio. They’re calling us directly from the Amazon River in Brazil while hunting down some absolutely massive Peacock Bass. With a very questionable internet connection and the jungle surrounding them, Bruno and Thiago take us along for the adventure. We talk Peacock Bass, the lures they rely on in the Amazon, how their fishing show got started, and what makes this fishery unlike almost anything else on Earth. Along the way, they stumble across a wild snake, show us some of the tackle they’re using, and even bring us along for a proper Amazonian shore lunch. Before heading to Brazil, Nik has some big Fish’n Canada Store news as the new Species Hoodies 2.0 officially hit the shelves, Ang shows off his newest shirt, and the boys get into this week’s Fan Question, fishing news, and your listener feedback. It’s part podcast, part fishing trip, and part barely-connected live broadcast from the middle of the Amazon. All that and more on this week’s Outdoor Journal Radio!

    Episode 236: LIVE From the AMAZON: Hunting GIANT Peacock Bass

  3. Aug 20

    Episode 235: Can Hunting Save Our Connection to Nature?

    One cousin grew up in the city. The other grew up hunting, fishing and living off the land. Together, Joel and Ryan Primus created Finding Nowhere, a raw Canadian adventure series that climbed all the way to #4 on Prime Video. On Episode 235 of Outdoor Journal Radio, Angelo Viola and Pete Bowman sit down with Joel and Ryan to uncover how Finding Nowhere began almost by accident and became one of the most compelling new outdoor productions in Canada. They discuss why Joel’s first hunt happened on camera, how Ryan introduced his city-raised cousin to wilderness life, and why the show connects with hunters, non-hunters and anyone curious about living closer to the land. From sleeping in a century-old cabin filled with critters to fishing disasters, banana superstitions, post-hunt rituals and the responsibility of portraying hunting honestly, nothing is off the table. The cousins also reveal what is coming next for Finding Nowhere, how their families are becoming part of the journey and why they refuse to sacrifice the show’s authenticity as its audience and sponsor support continue to grow. Plus: • New research suggesting Great Lakes bass may live more than 20 years • Whether gobies, genetics and longer growing seasons are producing bigger bass • The right way to handle unpredictable fish without taking a hook to the hand • Ontario’s move toward digital fishing and hunting licences • The spread of purple loosestrife and Canada’s invasive carp threat • The official winner of the Garmin ECHOMAP Ultra 2 Giveaway Shop Fish’n Canada merchandise: https://shop.fishncanada.com Subscribe to Outdoor Journal Radio for weekly conversations about fishing, hunting, conservation and life in the Canadian outdoors. Listen to our Podcast, Outdoor Journal Radio: The Podcast ► Spotify: https://spoti.fi/3J0klPY ► Apple Music: https://apple.co/3CtzZkp ► Subscribe  http://bit.ly/youtube-fishncanada Don't forget to leave a COMMENT and give us a LIKE if you enjoyed what you saw. SUBSCRIBE for new videos and episodes released weekly! CONNECT WITH US -------------------------------- ► WEBSITE http://fishncanada.com ► FACEBOOK  https://www.facebook.com/FishnCanada/ ► INSTAGRAM https://www.instagram.com/fishncanadaofficial/?hl=en One of Canada's longest-running fishing shows, Fish'n Canada travels from coast to coast in search of trophy fishing opportunities. First started by brothers Angelo and Reno Viola in 1986, The Fish’n Canada Show has been on the air for over 40 years. Today, Angelo is joined by lifelong fishing buddy, Peter Bowman, and the pair continue to travel across Canada, educating anglers using the experience they’ve gained over the years

    Episode 235: Can Hunting Save Our Connection to Nature?

  4. Aug 13 ·  Video

    Episode 234: Is a 16-Foot Boat Safe on the Great Lakes?

    How small is too small for the Great Lakes? This week, Ang and Pete answer a listener who wants to take his 16-foot aluminum boat onto Lake Ontario and Georgian Bay. The crew gives a blunt breakdown of where a smaller boat belongs, how fast calm water can become dangerous, and why even an experienced boater can get trapped when the wind turns. The guys also return from Key Harbour Lodge at the mouth of the Key River, where they battled heavy rain, rough water, hidden granite, and some of Georgian Bay’s most overlooked fishing. With walleye, northern pike, smallmouth bass, and barely another boat in sight, this boat-access-only lodge delivered a true Northern Ontario adventure. Also in this episode: • Does forward-facing sonar actually help anglers catch bigger fish? • A new study puts modern fishing technology to the test • The crew discovers an invasive goby in the Key River area • Why Georgian Bay’s best fishing can also be its most intimidating • Navigating unfamiliar water with charts, GPS tracks, and common sense

    Episode 234: Is a 16-Foot Boat Safe on the Great Lakes?

  5. Aug 6 ·  Video

    Episode 233: Do Fishing Lures Actually Need to Look Real?

    Why do bass crush lures that look absolutely nothing like anything they would naturally eat? This week on Outdoor Journal Radio, Pete and Angelo are joined once again by Fish’n Canada’s resident fish scientist, Dr. Steven Cooke, to break down the science behind modern fishing baits and one of the strangest lure crazes to hit the fishing world in years. Fresh off ICAST, the guys dive into the exploding popularity of the bizarre urchin-style and Koike-inspired baits that anglers are scrambling to get their hands on, with some selling for hundreds of dollars online. What does a bass actually think it’s looking at when one of these things falls through the water? And more importantly, why does it work? Dr. Cooke also breaks down what researchers actually find inside bass stomachs, why fish regularly eat lures that look nothing like their natural prey, the importance of colour, scent, vibration and action, and why classic presentations like worms, chatterbaits and other seemingly unnatural baits continue to catch fish. Plus, the crew talks bait-selection strategy, how bass manipulate prey before swallowing it, the role of reaction strikes, why realistic-looking lures aren’t always better, and whether some of fishing’s forgotten old-school baits deserve another shot. Also in this episode: listener feedback, invasive carp updates, the Fan Question of the Week, and this week’s Outdoor Journal Radio Bonus Code. Listen wherever you get your podcasts and subscribe for more fishing stories, science, news and everything happening in the Canadian outdoors.

    Episode 233: Do Fishing Lures Actually Need to Look Real?

  6. Jul 30 ·  Video

    Episode 232: 191 Wildfires. 2,800 Evacuations. What’s Happening in Ontario?

    Nearly 200 wildfires. Thousands forced from their homes. Fishing camps already lost. Water bombers being grounded because people keep flying drones into active fire zones. Ontario’s Minister of Natural Resources and Forestry, Mike Harris Jr., joins Angelo Viola for a blunt breakdown of the wildfire emergency unfolding across Northern Ontario. How dangerous is the situation? Should anglers cancel upcoming trips? What happens to remote lodges caught in the fire zone? And how do 700 firefighters, 120 aircraft and crews from across Canada begin to contain something this massive? The Minister also reveals what Ontario is spending on wildfire protection, why some fires are deliberately allowed to burn and what outdoorspeople need to check before travelling north. Plus, Ontario’s new digital hunting and fishing licence system, the rules around carrying your Outdoors Card and the mysterious “meanmouth bass” that reportedly attacks dogs and swimmers. This is one every Canadian outdoorsperson needs to hear.

    Episode 232: 191 Wildfires. 2,800 Evacuations. What’s Happening in Ontario?

  7. Jul 23

    Episode 231: Is ICAST Dying? What We Saw in 2026

    Angelo is joined by Nik and Dean Taylor to break down everything they saw at ICAST 2026, and the future of the fishing industry might not be looking as healthy as everyone thinks. The world’s biggest fishing trade show felt noticeably smaller this year. Major brands were missing, attendance was down, entire award categories lacked competition, and a wine and champagne cooler somehow walked away as one of the show’s top fishing products. Is ICAST dying, or does the event simply need a serious overhaul? The boys also discuss Garmin’s new LiveScope 2 HD and Spy Pole, the explosion of bizarre urchin-style baits, questionable Best in Show results, and whether opening ICAST to the public could save the event. Before getting into the show, the crew breaks down Ontario’s upcoming digital hunting and fishing licensing system, whether wildfire smoke changes fish behaviour, and another absolutely brutal Air Canada travel disaster that left flights cancelled, bags misplaced, and Angelo stranded in Orlando. Plus, encounters with fishing legends Bill Dance and Jimmy Houston, a surprise appearance from Steve Harvey, and plenty more from inside ICAST 2026. Enter the Fish’n Canada contest at FishnCanada.com

    Episode 231: Is ICAST Dying? What We Saw in 2026

  8. Jul 16 ·  Video

    Episode 230: Saving Animals From War, Abuse, and the Streets

    This week on Outdoor Journal Radio, Ang and Pete are joined by Canadian veterinarian, world traveller, author, and animal rescue volunteer Dr. Cliff Redford, better known as Dr. Cliff Worldwide Vet. Dr. Cliff owns Wellington Veterinary Hospital in Markham, Ontario, but his work has taken him far beyond the clinic. From helping street dogs in Jamaica and Egypt, to volunteering in India, performing veterinary work in Panama, and assisting animals and refugees near the Ukraine war zone, his stories are unlike anything we’ve had on the podcast before. The guys talk to Dr. Cliff about what it’s like performing surgery in remote places with limited resources, documenting animal rescue work around the world, the emotional toll of veterinary medicine, burnout in the vet industry, and why he continues to put himself in uncomfortable and sometimes dangerous situations to help animals. He also shares stories from his upcoming book, Far and Wild: Adventures of the Worldwide Vet, including rescues, close calls, and the kind of moments you only find when you leave the safety of home and go where help is needed most. Before the interview, the boys also talk Fish’n Canada store updates, classic TV vs. YouTube, leaky boat tricks, invasive species, browning lakes, and listener-submitted lure hacks. If you love animals, outdoor adventure, conservation, travel stories, or just a wild conversation with someone living a seriously unique life, this episode is for you. Subscribe for more fishing stories, outdoor news, conservation talk, and behind-the-scenes conversations from The Fish’n Canada Show and Outdoor Journal Radio.

    Episode 230: Saving Animals From War, Abuse, and the Streets
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4.9
out of 5
33 Ratings

About

Drawing from their experience as two of Canada’s most prominent outdoor personalities, hosts Angelo Viola and Peter Bowman explore the environmental topics, issues, and events that matter to the everyday outdoorsman. Joined by a wide variety of guests, ODJ Radio seeks to answer the questions and tell the stories of all those who enjoy being outside. Your stories, your questions, on your schedule

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