In this episode I sit down with Harris Buddig. Harris is the Fly Fishing Sales Representative for Patagonia in the Rocky Mountains. Harris originally hails from Hinsdale. He graduated from the University of Colorado Boulder and was working at the Rocky Mountain Angler before taking a job with Patagonia. We first met about a year and a half ago when we started to carry Patagonia at Westbank Anglers. Since then we were fortunate to travel to MX together and chase some fish around, as well as fish some local waters in the JH area. During our time together I have gotten snippets of Harris’s story, and I wanted to hear more. There are a bunch of similarities in our stories. I think. The fishing industry needs to hear more about those who have worked hard to take advantage of opportunities and earned them. Harris currently sits on the board of the American Fly Fishing Trade Association and currently resides in Missoula, MT with his fiance Sydney (fiance not for long) and his dog Reno. Without further adieu please welcome Harris to the show!

In this episode I sit down with RA Beattie. RA hails from Woody Creek, CO. He has been immersed in the fly fishing world since he could walk. RA started apprenticing at the age of 14 in and around his home waters. RA went on to attend the University of Puget Sound and then went on to attend Full Sail University in Winter Park, FL where he studied film. While his family has deep roots in the ski industry, RA started to blaze his own trail in the world of fly fishing filmmaking and media. RA started to put his films in the Fly Fishing Film Tour in 2005 and has been putting out content and films ever since. He has been fortunate enough to film on every continent on this planet and is still at it today. RA is a pioneer in the world of fly fishing film and media. I first met RA in MT in 2013 and shortly after we started to do some work together but more importantly we became really close friends in a very short amount of time, for which I am extremely grateful. RA and I have been able to travel the world together, forging relationships while filming some projects. What has always fascinated and boggled my mind about RA is that while all of his work is in Media the fishing Media is done on his own time. Throughout the years he has put out 25 longer films and 30 plus shorter films which is truly remarkable. During the days. RA is the Director of Marketing and Talent Relations at Breedlove Guitars in Bend OR where he currently resides. Without further adieu please welcome my good friend RA Beattie to the show.

Al Perkinson has been an executive in the outdoor industry for the past 20 years. He is a brand builder and growth agent who believes that social responsibility and great storytelling are keys to building beloved brands.

Al is the founder and CEO of Bajío Sunglasses, based in New Smyrna Beach, Florida. Bajío designs and builds performance sunglasses for anglers and other water enthusiasts. It is a privately held company with a mission to operate sustainably and contribute to addressing environmental issues faced by the world’s oceans.

Prior to starting Bajío, Al was in senior management roles at Huk Apparel and Simms Fishing Products and owned a consulting practice whose clients included, Orvis, Trout Unlimited, Guy Harvey, and Pure Fishing.

Al was CMO for Costa Sunglasses for 12 years, where he was responsible for business strategy, brand, marketing, e-commerce, and apparel. He helped the brand achieve a 20% annual growth rate and a sales price that was the highest multiple ever paid in the industry.

Al was named by Outdoor Life magazine as one of the 25 most influential people in conservation, received the Lefty Kreh Sportsman of the Year Award from Bonefish & Tarpon Trust, and was named Angler of the Year by Fly Fisherman magazine. Al was elected to the Explorer’s Club in New York City and is an active member.

I first met Al while we were both fishing the Permit Tournaments in Key West back in 2016. Al’s willingness to think outside the box, commitment to the resources we are lucky enough to work in and on, and entrepreneurial spirit & vision are all traits that I have tremendous respect for. I look forward to diving deeper into Al’s story today and hearing more about his wild ride with Bajio that he had been on since launching the company in 2021. Without further adieu please welcome Al Perkinson to the show.