Put Kelly Galloup and Charlie Craven in the same room, give them a few decades of experience in flyfishing to draw from, and there’s no shortage of opinions. In this episode of Waypoints, two of the sport’s most recognizable fly tyers, shop owners, teachers, personalities - and longtime friends - sit down for a wide-ranging and candid conversation about the current state of flyfishing. Rather than revisiting familiar biographies or diving into how-to tying techniques, Kelly and Charlie tackle the bigger questions: What has gotten better in flyfishing? What have we lost? What worries them about the future? And after spending most of their adult lives in this business, what have they learned along the way?
The conversation covers the changing role of the independent fly shop, social media and the rise of the “flyfishing influencer,” conservation and access, industry economics, changing generations of anglers, and whether all the information and specialized gear available today are actually making us better fishermen. They also dig into the evolution of innovation in fly tying, the responsibility the industry has to protect fisheries, and what the next generation needs to get right. Along the way, Kelly and Charlie trade plenty of opinions, give each other a hard time, and reflect on what they hope their own contributions to flyfishing will ultimately be. It’s a funny, thoughtful, occasionally irreverent conversation between two guys who have spent a lifetime inside the sport ... and who have earned the right to have a few opinions about where it’s going.
Waypoints is brought to you by Patagonia
To bring their gear to life, Patagonia is motivated by relentless curiosity and a passion for the wild. They evaluate hundreds of materials, build dozens of prototypes and spend seasons punishing them in the world’s most extreme conditions. The work is the guide, and Patagonia never tires of exploring, learning and improving.
For the past two years, the Yellow Dog Flyfishing travel team has worked closely with Patagonia to test and refine the all-new Patagonia River Salt Wading Boots II in destinations ranging from New Zealand to the Seychelles. Featured throughout the Yellow Dog Field Reports series, these boots have become the go to choice for our team thanks to their Vibram® Megagrip soles, durable quick drying construction, speed to get on and off, and support built for both freshwater and saltwater environments.
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