Cast & Connect: The Fishe Files

Cast and Connect
  • 0.0 (0)
  • Business
  • Updated Semiweekly

Hosted by Linda Leary, Founder of Fishewear Where bold women and wild waters meet. Linda turned her frustration with ill-fitting and boring fishing gear into Fishewear in 2015. Now she's bringing that Alaska grit to conversations with anglers, guides, and outdoor entrepreneurs rewriting the rules. From seasoned pros to industry leaders, we spotlight the men and women building bold businesses in the outdoor space. Expect real talk about what it takes to thrive, the community that lifts you up, and stories that inspire. New episodes every other week. Connect with us: @fishewear on Instagram

  1. 3d ago

    April Vokey | Anchored Outdoors (Guest Co-host Jen Ripple)

    Some guests need an introduction. April Vokey doesn't, not really, not for the people who've been rooting for her from the start. She's a BC-born guide, a certified casting instructor, a fly tyer, a podcaster, and the founder of Anchored Outdoors, the online membership platform that's become a home base for anglers looking to actually grow in this sport, not just dabble in it. But long before any of that, she was a kid assembling tackle boxes, chasing salmon and steelhead along the BC coast by sixteen, and turning a childhood obsession into a life's calling by twenty four. This episode comes with a bonus: Linda is joined by Jen Ripple for a three way conversation between old friends, and the energy shows it. Together they trace April's evolution through the outdoor industry, from those early days on the water all the way to building Anchored Outdoors into what it is today. There's a lot of ground covered, and a lot of laughing along the way. The gals also take a detour down memory lane, reminiscing on trips they've taken together over the years and starting to plot where they want to fish next (consider this your sign to start taking notes). This one's honest, funny, and a little bit uncensored in the best way. Grab your coffee (or your rod) and settle in with three women who clearly have a lot of history and even more experience. Connect with us: Follow @fishewear on Instagram Shop bold, functional gear at fishewear.com Join the movement: #CastandConnect Learn more and Shop: www.aprilvokey.com Tune into The Anchored Podcast Shop April’s new book: The World Through Your Eyes Instagram: @aprilvokey

  2. Aug 12

    Jessica Rostad | Big Rays

    Today's guest is co-owner of Big Ray's, one of Alaska's most iconic outfitters, a business that's been part of the state since 1947. Jessica shares what it was like watching her dad build a life around outfitting Alaskans for the outdoors, and how she went from causing chaos in the store as a youngster, to becoming a majority owner of the business. She gives listenters a peek behind the curtain of what it’s like to operate such an iconic Alaskan company even to designing the Arolik wader line from scratch, built specifically to handle Alaska's toughest conditions. We talk about what it means to run a statewide operation across Anchorage, Fairbanks, and Kodiak while keeping the heart of a hometown store intact, right down to the physical catalog Big Ray's still mails to villages across the state. Jessica also gets real about stepping into leadership in an industry that's historically been dominated by men, and the quiet confidence it took to claim her place in it. This one is for anyone who's ever inherited something they love and had to figure out how to make it their own. Jessica's story is proof that home, family, and purpose don't have to be separate paths. Sometimes they're the exact same trail. Connect with us: Follow @fishewear on Instagram Shop bold, functional gear at fishewear.com Join the movement: #CastandConnect Learn more and Shop: www.bigrays.com Instagram: @bigrays1947

  3. Jul 16

    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 on Instagram Shop bold, functional gear at fishewear.com Join the movement: #CastandConnect Learn more about Maxine: www.maxineflyfishing.com Instagram: @maxine_mccormick

  4. Jul 2

    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 on Instagram Shop bold, functional gear at fishewear.com Join the movement: #CastandConnect Instagram: @angelicatalan TikTok: @angelica_talan  YouTube: Angelica Talan DUN Magazine: Angelica Talan

  5. Jun 18

    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 on Instagram Shop bold, functional gear at fishewear.com Join the movement: #CastandConnect Learn more about Cast for Recovery: www.castingforrecovery.org Instagram: @castingforrecovery

  6. Jun 3

    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 on Instagram Shop bold, functional gear at fishewear.com Join the movement: #CastandConnect Learn more and Shop: www.proishunting.com Instagram: @proishunting

  7. May 20

    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 on Instagram Shop bold, functional gear at fishewear.com Join the movement: #CastandConnect Follow Lisa on Facebook: Meteorologist Lisa Mishaels

  8. May 6

    Lisa Gilliland | Title Nine

    Join host Linda Leary as she sits down with Lisa Gilliland, Community Manager at Title Nine, the women-owned outdoor and adventure apparel company that has spent nearly four decades outfitting and inspiring women to lead, risk, and own their adventures. Lisa pulls back the curtain on what it looks like to build a community of women from the inside out. She and Linda talk about Title Nine's mission to champion women entrepreneurs, how the brand has cultivated a network of women-owned businesses through their annual PitchFest program, and what it really means to create a rising tide for women in the outdoor and apparel space. The conversation explores how brands can put their values into action and why investing in women-owned businesses isn't just good ethics, it's good business. This episode is for the dreamers, the builders, and every woman who has ever wondered if there's a seat at the table for her. And speaking of seats at the table: applications for the Title Nine PitchFest are open now and close May 20th. If you are a woman entrepreneur with a product and a story to tell, this is your moment. Learn more and apply at titlenine.com/t9-pitchfest Connect with us: Follow @fishewear on Instagram Shop bold, functional gear at fishewear.com Join the movement: #CastandConnect Learn more and Shop: www.titlenine.com Instagram: @titlenine

See All (16)

About

Hosted by Linda Leary, Founder of Fishewear Where bold women and wild waters meet. Linda turned her frustration with ill-fitting and boring fishing gear into Fishewear in 2015. Now she's bringing that Alaska grit to conversations with anglers, guides, and outdoor entrepreneurs rewriting the rules. From seasoned pros to industry leaders, we spotlight the men and women building bold businesses in the outdoor space. Expect real talk about what it takes to thrive, the community that lifts you up, and stories that inspire. New episodes every other week. Connect with us: @fishewear on Instagram

Information