Ep 49 with Dan & Josh delivers classic Spotburn chaos—winter trout talk, fake tiger muskies, accidental spot burning, musky fly fishing content debates, tournament strategy, serious Driftless water contamination issues, fly rod industry news, fly tying innovation, and an absolutely unhinged Fly Roast. Equal parts education, opinion, and nonsense—just how we like it.

If you like your fishing podcasts equal parts education, controversy, and absolute nonsense—this one delivers.

🧠 Topics Covered

• Winter trout fishing in the Driftless, cold-weather tactics, and layering struggles
• Fake “tiger muskies,” spot burning, and why the internet keeps getting both wrong
• The rise of musky fly fishing content and its unintended consequences
• Squala gear favorites and functional cold-weather apparel
• Treelands tournament timing, strategy, and format ideas
• How we actually break down and fish new river systems
• Driftless groundwater contamination and why it’s bigger than fishing

▶️ Wisconsin Conservation – Groundwater Contamination / Vino in the Valley
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ctKKfqbIAlE

• Industry news: Shawn Combs (Helios designer) joins Scott Fly Rods
  📖 https://flylordsmag.com/shawn-combs-joins-scott-fly-rod-company/
  
  
• Fly tying innovation, tools, and Bill Sherer’s new learning app
  📱 https://bill-sherers-we-tie-it-fly-shop.myshopify.com/collections/learning-fly-tying-app/products/we-tie-it-fly-fishing-app-1
  
  
• Fly Roast chaos: Miss Ugly returns, Mantis appears, lines are crossed
• Quick tip: organizing bucktails by function, not color

Thank you to all of our listeners for tuning in, subscribing, sharing, and spreading the good word.

Follow us on Instagram @muskyfool and check out our YouTube channel.

And be sure to check out MuskyFool.com !

Have fun out there on the water ya'll!

- Dan & Josh

MuskyFool.com
Instagram: @muskyfool
YouTube: Musky Fool Fly Fishing Co.
Facebook: Musky Fool Fly Fishing Co.

In Episode 48 of the Spot Burn Podcast, Dan & Josh break down the wild Bloomberg article about Simms, private equity, and retailers pushing back — then pivot into the most unhinged musky news story of the year: the Fort Kent Muskie Derby (a catch-and-k*ll tournament), and why it’s a brutal look for Maine fisheries.

You’ll also get a fishing update, a Cave Run year-in-review recap, and the return of Fly Roast, featuring some absolute masterpieces (and crimes) from listeners. We close it out with shop updates, tying nights, and a quick tip on split ring sizes for predator flies.

Drop a comment: Are we overreacting about Simms… or is private equity actually wrecking fly fishing?


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🔥 Links / Articles Mentioned

Private Equity / Simms Articles

Bloomberg: Private Equity Is Ruining a Beloved Fly-Fishing Brand, Retailers Say
https://www.bloomberg.com/news/features/2025-12-18/fly-fishing-brand-simms-faces-retail-boycott-after-private-equity-takeover?embedded-checkout=true

MidCurrent: Private Equity Is Ruining a Beloved Fly-Fishing Brand, Retailers Say
https://midcurrent.com/2025/12/19/private-equity-is-ruining-a-beloved-fly-fishing-brand-retailers-say/

Muskies / Viral News

Giant 1,000-foot musky outline story:
https://www.northernnewsnow.com/2025/12/19/iron-river-man-creates-1000-foot-musky-frozen-lake/

Fort Kent Muskie Derby (the muskie killing derby in Maine):
http://www.fortkent-muskie.com/

FishHawk: Musky Slaughter in Maine
https://www.fish-hawk.net/viewtopic.php?f=2&t=17816

If you’d like to send a respectful, professional letter to the people with the most influence over the Fort Kent Muskie (K*lling) Derby, here are three options:

MDIFW (info.ifw@maine.gov
) — request review + permit conditions / deny harvest derby

Town Manager Suzie Paradis (SParadis@fortkent.org
) — request town stop co-hosting unless release-only

Derby Committee (via fortkent-muskie.com contact) — request immediate change to release-only + publish new rules

Fly Rod Content

The Yellow Dog 5-Weight Fly Rod Invitational (Referenced again)
https://www.yellowdogflyfishing.com/blogs/back-stage-pass/the-yellow-dog-5-weight-fly-rod-invitational?srsltid=AfmBOopvyoVa2vzVyeFDvEaBL1w6yB8h45jZ38G31eNCirfbs4NivpDT

Thank you to all of our listeners for tuning in, subscribing, sharing, and spreading the good word.

Follow us on Instagram @muskyfool and check out our YouTube channel.

And be sure to check out MuskyFool.com !

Have fun out there on the water ya'll!

- Dan & Josh

MuskyFool.com
Instagram: @muskyfool
YouTube: Musky Fool Fly Fishing Co.
Facebook: Musky Fool Fly Fishing Co.

In Episode 47, Josh and Dan dive deep into everything fly fishing — from epic musky stories and the Yellow Dog 5wt Fly Rod Shootout to Kelly Galloup’s Simms vs. Skwala bombshell and Minnesota’s 20-year musky plan.

It’s unfiltered, hilarious, and 100% musky-fueled.

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⏱️ Timestamps:

00:00 – Intro & Music for Muskies
04:45 – Josh’s 50-Inch Musky Story
09:40 – The Yellow Dog 5wt Fly Rod Shootout Breakdown
13:20 – Reddington Classic Trout Shocks the Industry
23:00 – Simms vs. Skwala: Kelly Galloup’s Mic Drop
31:00 – Are We Breeding Smarter Fish?
39:50 – Minnesota’s Long-Range Musky Plan
48:00 – Quick Tip: Hooks, Split Rings & Single Hook Rigging
59:00 – Fly Roast: Wall of Fame or Wall of Shame?
1:24:00 – Closing Thoughts & Listener Shoutouts

----
🔗 Mentioned in This Episode:

🎯 Yellow Dog 5wt Fly Rod Shootout
Website Link:
https://www.yellowdogflyfishing.com/blogs/back-stage-pass/the-yellow-dog-5-weight-fly-rod-invitational?srsltid=AfmBOoqN2Hhsqa9Dq4Db_Zdym6JguYLu8Qb5uDCpaBgJetSp_PdS2Y_5

Watch the Video:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pVbnQC2pWHs


🐟 Minnesota DNR Long-Range Musky Management Plan:
https://files.dnr.state.mn.us/fisheries/fish/mue/mue-lrp-draft.pdf?v=2025.07.28-14.56.37

Thank you to all of our listeners for tuning in, subscribing, sharing, and spreading the good word.

Follow us on Instagram @muskyfool and check out our YouTube channel.

And be sure to check out MuskyFool.com !

Have fun out there on the water ya'll!

- Dan & Josh

MuskyFool.com
Instagram: @muskyfool
YouTube: Musky Fool Fly Fishing Co.
Facebook: Musky Fool Fly Fishing Co.

Join Dan and Josh as they dive into forward-facing sonar drama, exciting new gear at Musky Fool, Minnesota’s ambitious musky plan, out-of-season catch etiquette, and more. Plus: a legendary Fly Roast submission that might just change your life. This one's packed—let’s get burning!

---

Links to resources we discussed:

Alumacraft presents: Muskie Man
https://youtu.be/t4j7NgHHMDk?si=m4plfE2Vrj8Iqnii

News release: Minnesota DNR invites public comment on muskie plan update
https://www.dnr.state.mn.us/news/2025/05/12/minnesota-dnr-invites-public-comment-muskie-plan-update

--


👇 Chapters for easy jumping:

⏱️ Chapters

00:00 – Intro & Welcome Back

00:47 – Listener Mailbag: Gear We’re Stoked On

02:00 – The LiveScope Breakup: Why We're Done

04:00 – Big News: Skwala Now at Musky Fool

06:00 – Secret Gabe Flies + Summer Adventures

07:03 – Fishing with Kids (and Cats?)

10:43 – “Toothy Critters”: The Great Debate

13:07 – New Muskie Doc: “Muskie Man” w/ Larry Ramsell

15:32 – 🔥 Public Land Under Threat – Take Action!

19:27 – Muskie Season Opener: We're Back

20:23 – Out-of-Season Muskie Catch Ethics

23:06 – Sucker Spawn Tactics (or Loophole Abuse?)

25:01 – 🎓 Muskie Management: Minnesota’s Long Range Plan

27:23 – Yearlings vs Fingerlings: Stocking Smarter

29:27 – Mille Lacs, Vermilion & the Trophy Rebuild

34:24 – Protecting Habitat from Shoreline Development

36:05 – Public Comment + Wisconsin Wake-Up Call

36:47 – 🎣 FLY ROAST: “Miss Ugly” by Brett (Must Hear)

55:25 – Final Notes: Wedding Invites & Secret Projects

--

Submit your fly for a future roast:
https://muskyfool.com/pages/the-fly-r...

Thank you to all of our listeners for tuning in, subscribing, sharing, and spreading the good word.

Follow us on Instagram @muskyfool and check out our YouTube channel.

And be sure to check out MuskyFool.com !

Have fun out there on the water ya'll!

- Dan & Josh

MuskyFool.com
Instagram: @muskyfool
YouTube: Musky Fool Fly Fishing Co.
Facebook: Musky Fool Fly Fishing Co.

Thanks for tuning in to the Spot Burn Podcast! The heat is on in this one. Hosts Dan & Josh dive into Musky Inc.’s ban on forward-facing sonar, rant about the sale of U.S. public land, and yes—call a U.S. senator live on air. They also break down leader setups, highlight new shop gear, and roast some spicy fly submissions.

Plus: a guy gets struck by lightning twice while landing a fish—and still brings it to hand.

---

Chapters
00:00 - Intro & Musky Dude Uniform Returns
01:33 - Musky Leader Setup Debate
06:18 - Forward-Facing Sonar Ban by Musky Inc.
12:00 - Public Land Sale: The $1 Trillion Tax Cut Scam
18:04 - Live Call to Senator Ron Johnson
27:10 - Shop Updates: Fly Drops & Skwala Gear
34:00 - Why Your Voice Matters (and Worked in Wisconsin)
35:10 - Lightning Strikes (Literally) and the Strawberry Moon Chaos
41:14 - Quick Tip: Fly Angle and the Figure 8
45:16 - Fly Roast Segment Begins
47:00 - First Fly Roast: “Old Gray”
58:33 - Final Verdict: Wall of Fame or Shame?
(Continues...)

---

Links & Resources
Lightning Strikes Twice Article:
https://www.montanaoutdoor.com/2025/01/anglers-hit-by-lightning-twice-land-fish/

Find & Contact Your Senator:
https://www.senate.gov/senators/senators-contact.htm

---

Submit your fly for a future roast:
https://muskyfool.com/pages/the-fly-roast

Thank you to all of our listeners for tuning in, subscribing, sharing, and spreading the good word.

Follow us on Instagram @muskyfool and check out our YouTube channel.

And be sure to check out MuskyFool.com !

Have fun out there on the water ya'll!

- Dan & Josh

MuskyFool.com
Instagram: @muskyfool
YouTube: Musky Fool Fly Fishing Co.
Facebook: Musky Fool Fly Fishing Co.

Sea monsters. Political gridlock. Forgotten history. Legendary fish.

In this electrifying episode of the Spot Burn Podcast, we dive deep—like, sea lamprey-deep—into the battle for the soul of the Great Lakes. We sit down with Dr. Marc Gaden of the Great Lakes Fishery Commission and filmmaker Lindsey Haskin, director of the jaw-dropping documentary The Fish Thief: A Great Lakes Mystery. Together, they uncover a story that’s part horror flick, part underdog saga, and part geopolitical thriller. From bloodsucking invasive species to the billion-dollar fight to defend one of the world's most valuable freshwater ecosystems, this episode tackles the science, the politics, the heartbreak, and the hope behind one of the greatest fishery restoration stories ever told. Bonus: there's a cameo by J.K. Simmons and a musky-related language lesson you won’t want to miss.

---

Timestamps / Chapters
00:00 - Intro
01:00 - Meet the Guests: Dr. Marc Gaden & Lindsey Haskin
03:00 - What is The Fish Thief about?
06:30 - Why the Great Lakes matter
10:30 - How the film came to life
18:30 - Working with J.K. Simmons & telling a complex story
24:00 - The Great Lakes Fishery Commission’s bold move
29:00 - The dam removal debate & sea lamprey risk
34:00 - Why the lake trout became ground zero
40:00 - Apex predators & ecosystem change
46:00 - Why protecting the fish matters culturally
51:00 - COVID’s impact on lamprey control
55:00 - Budget cuts and the threat of backsliding
1:01:00 - Hope through bipartisan cooperation
1:05:00 - Documentary production during COVID
1:10:00 - U.S.–Canada relations & the Fish Pass project
1:17:00 - What’s next for Marc & Lindsey
1:19:30 - Final thoughts: Hope vs. what keeps them up at night
1:25:00 - Wrap-up & how to watch the film

---

🎥 Support & Watch, "The Fish Thief: A Great Lakes Mystery"

Official Website
https://www.thefishthief.com/

YouTube
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_3zJyKfi4hU

Apple TV
https://tv.apple.com/us/movie/the-fish-thief-a-great-lakes-mystery/umc.cmc.6ocx7sdn81clwp78517ijcvn5

Amazon Prime Video
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0DR9FLJK7

Google Play
https://play.google.com/store/movies/details/The_Fish_Thief_A_Great_Lakes_Mystery?id=dVuKToHN2Oc.P&hl=en_US&pli=1

---

🌊 Learn more:

Dr. Marc Gaden
https://seas.umich.edu/research/faculty/marc-e-gaden

Lindsey Haskin
https://skyhoundmedia.com/

FishPass Project
https://www.glfc.org/fishpass.php

Lamprey & COVID Study
https://www.glfc.org/pubs/pressrel/2025_SeaLampreyControl_Pandemic_Reduction.pdf

Thank you to all of our listeners for tuning in, subscribing, sharing, and spreading the good word.

Follow us on Instagram @muskyfool and check out our YouTube channel.

And be sure to check out MuskyFool.com !

Have fun out there on the water ya'll!

- Dan & Josh

MuskyFool.com
Instagram: @muskyfool
YouTube: Musky Fool Fly Fishing Co.
Facebook: Musky Fool Fly Fishing Co.

Buckle up, fly freaks. Episode 43 is our wildest Mega Fly Roast yet—featuring the most unhinged, hilarious, and questionably fishable flies we’ve seen. There’s beard hair. There’s a fly coffin. There’s glow-in-the-dark resin. And yes… there are midnight org*sms.

Before we even spark the first roast, we’ve got to give a massive nod to a surprise podcasting moment: a shoutout from none other than Kelly Galloup. Yep, the man himself has been tuning in to the madness—and somehow thinks we might actually know what we’re doing. MFC, Cortland… let’s make it happen. Bring Kelly back to Wisconsin so we can roast some flies together in person! Just kidding... but seriously... we're being serious... this is our serious face. 🤪

🎣 Fly Roast Timestamps:

00:09:01 – Dan & Josh’s Midnight Orgasm (Glows in the dark. Named like a punk band. Unforgettable.)

00:20:45 – Electric Gill (Bluegill energy meets three-beer tying session. And we’re here for it.)

00:34:58 – The Voices (Monstrosity with a coffin box and our faces as fly eyes. Peak fly roast and absolutely the craziest over the top submission thus far.)

00:43:42 – Buford Roast (Solid musky platform + hand-dyed bucktail = legit potential.)

00:54:08 – Meat Bozo (A little creepy, very touching back story, super rad.)

01:15:20 – Scruffy Olive (Scottish-style soft hackle fly sneaks into the mix. Not just musky madness.)

🏆 Hall of Fame and Wall of Shame votes fly freely. We’re giving flowers to great ties—and setting fire to crimes against bucktail. Bonus points for ridiculous names and unhinged packaging.

🎁 Want your fly roasted in the next round? Submit it. Weird wins.
Head over to MuskyFool.com

💬 Comment with your vote: Hall of Fame or straight into the Shame Bag?

Brought to you by the fine folks at Musky Fool and our QuickTrip garbage bag of glory.

Thank you to all of our listeners for tuning in, subscribing, sharing, and spreading the good word.

Follow us on Instagram @muskyfool and check out our YouTube channel.

And be sure to check out MuskyFool.com !

Have fun out there on the water ya'll!

- Dan & Josh

MuskyFool.com
Instagram: @muskyfool
YouTube: Musky Fool Fly Fishing Co.
Facebook: Musky Fool Fly Fishing Co.

Welcome back to The Spot Burn Podcast, hosts Dan and Josh sit down with fisheries specialist and musky research guru Kamden Glade for Part 2 for a deep dive into the fascinating world of muskellunge management. Kamden shares his groundbreaking research into musky diets in Minnesota lakes—research that not only went viral but fundamentally shifted public perception and fisheries management practices.

Tune in as Kamden discusses how his study has helped shape Minnesota's upcoming 15-year musky management plan, balancing angler expectations with scientific evidence. Explore hot-button issues like invasive species impacts, forward-facing sonar controversies, catch-and-release ethics, and the broader challenges facing fisheries in the Upper Midwest.

With humor, humility, and expert insights, Kamden reveals what goes into managing and preserving musky fisheries, the importance of angler cooperation, and why understanding local ecosystems is critical for sustainable fishing.

Whether you're a hardcore musky fanatic, a fisheries science buff, or simply passionate about conserving the waters we all cherish, this episode has something for you. Light up your passion for fishing and conservation, and dive into an episode filled with science-backed insights, thoughtful discussions, and some fiery opinions.

---

📚 LINKS & RESOURCES

📝 Kamden Glade’s Research

Diet Patterns of Muskellunge and Co-occuring Piscivores:
https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.1002/nafm.10880?domain=author&token=H9TTC339MZUEX3MXIFIK

Muskie Diet Secrets Revealed! - Webinar:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3mrFmD2Qkt4

Effects of Gastric Lavage on Muskellunge Survival:
https://www.researchgate.net/publication/389042102_Effects_of_Gastric_Lavage_on_Muskellunge_Survival

Explore More of Kamden's Research:
https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Kamden-Glade

Follow Kamden's Research on Instagram:
@kamdenglade

---

👀 CHECK US OUT
Musky Fool Fly Fishing Co.
Your source for everything fly fishing for apex predators.https://muskyfool.com/

🔥 If you liked this episode, be sure to subscribe, leave a review, and share it with your fish-obsessed friends. Let’s keep it burning!

Thank you to all of our listeners for tuning in, subscribing, sharing, and spreading the good word.

Follow us on Instagram @muskyfool and check out our YouTube channel.

And be sure to check out MuskyFool.com !

Have fun out there on the water ya'll!

- Dan & Josh

MuskyFool.com
Instagram: @muskyfool
YouTube: Musky Fool Fly Fishing Co.
Facebook: Musky Fool Fly Fishing Co.