This episode features Peter Jenkins, owner of the Saltwater Edge, in conversation with renowned fish artist Nick Mayer. They discuss Nick's journey from a young nature enthusiast to becoming one of the world's top fish portrait artists, his academic background in marine biology, and his various experiences and jobs in fisheries research around the globe. Nick shares insights into his art process, the importance of detail and observation, and his transition from traditional gallery sales to...

Today’s guest grew up fishing the small mountain streams near his Blue Ridge, Virginia home. As a youngster, he started a guiding service and, in the late 90s, opened Blue Ridge Fly Fishers in Roanoke, Virginia. He has worked for years to create patterns that solve angling problems. More than once, he has created “a platform” a design innovation so effective that dozens of “patterns” can then be created. Some of these can go head to head with the strike-generating action of conventional...

Chris Aubut grew up in the very fishy Westport, MA. He spent most of his youth developing his boating and fishing skills with guidance from his father. Throughout his life, surfing in Southeastern Massachusetts and Rhode Island consumed most of his time away from fishing. After he graduated from the Chapman School of Seamanship, he pursued a life on the water. Over the past 13 years, Chris has guided hundreds of clients on successful fishing charters in Westport and the Florida Keys. In...

Bill Wetzel has guided the Montauk surf for over 25 years. He is one of the most requested anglers that you, the Saltwater Edge Podcast listeners, have ever asked for. Not surprisingly, his live social posts that he records driving home after a night in the Montauk surf are a masterclass in the thought process of what makes great anglers great—traits like focus, observation, and a deep understanding of seasonal bait migrations and more.  Bill has hosted the Surf Rats Ball Surf Fishing...

Frank Goncalves has been immersed in saltwater fishing since childhood, growing up in the East Coast's largest fishing port of New Bedford, Massachusetts. This proximity to the salt, a lot of commitment, and his abundant creativity have produced a very talented surfcaster. Sure, there is "putting in the work," his effort is legendary, but many of us can stand on a rock. Frank Goncalves separates from the pack with his attention to detail and a creative mind that powers his day job as a...

Most of Ben Whalley’s very non-traditional youth was spent in Brazil. When he wasn’t breaking horses or working on the ranch, he was exploring the wilderness and waterways, searching for natural materials he could spin up to imitate local berries to catch Pacou. About 20 years ago, he moved to Maine, where his obsession with wild salmonids and chasing stripers on the beautiful, expansive flats in the Gulf of Maine. His saltwater flies are known for being functional and realistic, heavily...

Capt. Kyle is a fly fishing guide, lodge owner, writer, conservationist, and entrepreneur. Kyle’s passion for fly fishing runs deep, but his true passion is helping people and fighting to protect wild fish and wild places. He guides for stripers on the flats in Maine and chases bonefish, permit and whatever else is on the flats in the Berry Islands, Bahamas. Like most of us Kyle is happy when there is a bend in the rod; but he gets truely excited by the anticipation of seeing a fish and...

Captain Connor MacLeod is one of the most in demand charter boat captains I know. From the on the water experience he creates that earns stellar reviews, to his monthly Fishing Forecast in On The Water magazine, to his highly effective line of tog jigs. Every thing is top notch. And to top it off, the RI State Record blackfish of 21.57 lbs caught on his boat in 2021! He also understands that while operating safely is a charter captain's primary job he recogmizes that creating memories keeps...

Today's guest is a passionate man. Whether it's paintball, capturing cool video, or hunting his beloved striped bass. He is all in. Today's guest has been a steady supporter of catch and release recognizing some time ago that we need to release the breeders to have a sustainable fishery and the opportunity to share our joy with future generations. He has also followed his passion in to product development and looking for better solutions for surfcasters. Check out Phase Gear Please welcome...

As an educator and an entrepreneur, Luyen Chou has done some remarkable things in his career, and since his teenage years he has always been a fisherman. When the opportunity presented itself to apply his unique skills to make a difference in his passion, he stepped up with his time and talent. Striped bass, false albacore, and redfish, and the people who chase them are just starting to realize the benefits Luyen and his app GotOne can have on our fisheries. The app will serve the angler in...

Captain Max Dispoto has already spent what might be a lifetime for most other anglers fishing the tuna grounds of Southern New England. He has a passion for the canyons as well as the "Midshore" fishery that has exploded this year due to the abundance of sand eels.  Max is a member of the Shimano Saltwater Sportfishing Pro Staff. That's quite a recognition that he earned because he shares the same relentless drive and guy instincts that the very best Cpatains seem to share.

Even as a fairly late bloomer to the sport, Dustin Stevens undying desire to learn all things fishing has led him to become a multi-species and multi-technique angler. This curiosity has created an avid inshore fisherman with a passion for stripers, albies, tog, and sea bass Dustin also has a unique business model here in the northeast in that he guides kayak fishermen. His focus is on both light tackle and bottom fishing so anglers often fish both styles on one charter.  I'd be remiss if I...

Captain Diogo Godoi of Gorilla Tactics Sportfishing owns one of Cape Cod’s premier inshore light tackle charter operations; he specializes in bluefin tuna, striped bass, and false albacore, as well as a variety of other species.  When you fish with Captain Diogo you realize he is experienced in a variety of light tackle techniques and will stick with it until you are tight. The SWE crew has fished with Diogo a number of times for jig and pop bluefin. Every time has been a great experience...

As Editor of On The Water Jimmy has to fish a lot and fortunately for On The Water Magazine Jimmy is up to the challenge. All joking aside it's no small task to have the versatility and the expertise to teach others a stunning array of fishing techniques from center pinning for steelhead to deep dropping swordfish. Fact is Jimmy Fee is a talented and curious angler who might be the best guy for the job he has. Case in point a few years ago I heard of a whisper of a local squeteague bite and I...

Captain Coral Rose Aiello has been fishing with her father, Joe since she was a child and became first mate on his charter boat the Coral Rose at 14. In the decade+ since then, she has come into her own as a fisherman, and she and Joe have developed a very unique working relationship as a father-daughter team. Coral, aka “Professional Hooker” can be found and followed on Instagram @Professional.Hooker. Check out her YouTube channel where she often posts fishing videos.  She holds her USCG...

Wikipedia says, "Bob Popovics is an American fly tier from New Jersey." That's like saying, "Bruce Springsteen is an American musician from New Jersey" Bob Pop and the Boss share modest Garden State beginnings and a passion and vision for their craft. Bob Popovics pioneered using epoxy to create durability in saltwater flies as a solution to the regular shredding by bluefish of conventional flies. Bob also recognized that epoxy had the added side-effects of providing translucency and...

Travis was introduced to guiding at a very young age by his Dad Harley, who is a veteran guide on South Andros. The story goes Travis would run back to the house when he saw his dad's skiff head out for the day and "borrow" his fly rod. The gig was up when Harley pointed out "those are not my wind knots!" Since then, Travis has earned a reputation as one of the top flats guides around. He is based at Soul Fly Lodge in the Berry Islands, Bahamas. He is an enthusiastic hunter who has observed...

Orlando Campos, otherwise known as NorCalKat respects the past and protects the future. He is first a fisherman who has the talents and skills to build plugs that are unique in their own way and made out of a need he has experienced. Everything I know about woodworking comes from my fishing partner, Mike Fixter.  Without his generosity in fast-tracking me on the ins and outs of making a Striper Plug, I wouldn’t be where I am today. I am a big advocate for having a good fishery for all. ...

Steve McKenna has probably spent more time in the Rhody surf than almost anyone. Since college, he has put in the time required to gain meaningful insights, all the while keeping an open mind to how things could be improved. He is well known for developing the way to rig a Sluggo to swim more like an eel, for example. Steve is a kind and generous fisherman who is grateful for the experiences the surf has provided.

Ed Mitchell has published four saltwater fly fishing books and written dozens of magazine articles. He was an early supporter of striped bass conservation and was very involved in Amendment 3 (we are on Amendment 7 now).  Ed resides in Connecticut and regularly fishes in CT and South County in RI. He also spent fifteen June's on Martha's Vineyard. 

Hogy Lure Company was founded by Capt. Mike Hogan who designed and tweaked each product in the field. Capt. Mike has fished all over the country and has developed products and techniques along the way, all with big fish in mind. The company was started in 2004 when Capt. Mike left his office job in Boston and moved back to Cape Cod in order to get closer to fishing. He began running inshore and offshore charters again, focusing on trophy class fishing. He doesn’t use live or dead bait, so he...

Dave Anderson has many talents. He's a top Wiffle Ball talent, master plug builder, and very talented writer; but at the end of the day, he is a curious fisherman. Dave is always down to try something new and will forever be peeling the onion on his passion - surfcasting for striped bass. He is currently the Editor of The Fisherman magazine and was previously the Editor of Surfcasters Journal.

Rene is the consumate Captian. He can catch fish with the best of them, but he also provides a safe and fun experience. In that order. Nobody puts in more prep time into each trip than Rene. He works hard, has a long list of proven spots and he'll give it to you straight. If it could happen on the water from finding a school of squeteague to mechanical problems he's thought of it and is prepared with the right lure, fly or boat part whatever the case may be.  If you have fished with Rene you...

J. Kenney Abrames is a Rhode Island treasure. He is the author of Striper Moon and A Perfect Fish two of the seminal works in fly rodding for striped bass, but to describe Kenney as a striper fisherman is to sell him very short. He's a talented artist. First and foremost. He has sculpted a larger-than-life Jesus, done ornate theater ceilings and molding, written a couple of non-fishing books, and a house full of paintings including every fly in A Perfect Fish. Above all, he's a generous man....