Swing the Fly

On this week’s episode I’m joined by Adam Slavinski and Adam Schroeder. We talk about their young starts to fishing, how they met and got into the industry, their latest venture and the birth of Second Bend Outfitters, incriminating videos and good work relationships, and so much more.

On this week’s episode I’m talking with Mackenzie Berg and Mark Martin. We discuss Mackenzie’s fishing beginnings, meeting with strange men on rivers, fly tying, writing and the need to make, ciricling back, conservation and time, working in Alaska and working with community, the trials and tribulations of rebuilding a boat, and so much more.

Bob Dylan famously refuses to explain his music or lyrics, viewing songs as living experiences meant to be felt rather than riddles to be solved. He maintains that if a song moves you, that is all that matters, and has stated that over-analyzing lyrics ruins their organic magic. We’re proud to feel the same way. That said, we did a lot of thinking about the “theme” of this latest issue of the Swing The Fly Journal. At first, we anticipated it being easy. “Trout Spey?” But what does that even mean?

It’s incredibly easy not to listen. Steelheader elitism. Host narcissism. The exponential speed at which the world moves and the endless distractions. Tough to say. Any excuse is embarrassing. This past March, Swing The Fly and 7 friends had the supreme pleasure of swinging flies for sea-run...

Sponsorships are transactional. Partnerships are long-term. Genuine, authentic partnerships are collaborative, born out of mutual respect and trust. Swing The Fly is proud and grateful for the support from our small, close-knit family of partners, so starting in 2026, we’re bringing back the Partner Highlight Series.

The old key initially jammed when opening the worn metal door. Eventually I was able to work the lock free and like walking through a portal in time, entered a hotel room stuck in the 50s. The initial aroma of cleanliness settled in as a strong scent aimed more at masking years of mold, mildew and w...

Author's Note: I’m doomscrolling Instagram again, frantically switching between social media, news, and weather apps. Looks like the Salmonflies are out on the Henry’s Fork, but the flow is so miserably low, and I hate low water in the Spring. Makes the fiberglass-and-rubber hatch feel even more cro...

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As in steelhead and salmon fishing, many of the flies we swing for trout are attractor patterns resembling nothing found in nature. These are ‘trigger baits’ or ‘lures’ composed of color combinations known to trigger an aggressive grab response from our salmonid prey. The storied Royal C...

Trout spey has been all the rage for the last handful of years, but there’s still arguably less information available than for more traditional two-handed pursuits. And if you’re needing to sort through a bunch of marketing hype as well, it becomes even harder to determine what you really need. ...