Brendan Morrison spent roughly fifteen years in professional hockey, including his time with the Vancouver Canucks, and when he hung up the skates after the 2011-12 season he went looking for something to fill the adrenaline gap. He found it on the water. On Episode 17 of the Fly Fishing Insider Podcast, Brendan talked about building Reel West Coast, an adventure fishing TV show, about why catch and release matters, and about the float and indicator business he runs with a longtime fishing mentor. It's a great listen for anyone who fishes the Pacific Northwest or simply wants to fish with more intention.
Fishing as the Adrenaline Replacement
Brendan grew up just outside Vancouver, played college hockey at Michigan, and then went pro. He was candid that many players struggle to find something meaningful after their careers. For him, fishing had always been there, and retirement just gave him more time for it. He described the rush of a big fish as possibly his replacement for playing in front of 17,000 or 18,000 fans on a game night. Ask him his favorite style of fishing and he can't pick one. He loves it all.
Before Reel West Coast, Brendan co-hosted another BC fishing show for about five years. Over time he developed a different vision: less about the grip-and-grin, more about the adventure, the prep, the surroundings, and the people.
What "Adventure Fishing" Teaches the Rest of Us
The show's premise is to present fishing in a different light. Catching fish matters, but Brendan wants viewers to take in where they are. That's a mindset worth bringing to your own trips:
- Plan the whole trip, not just the fishing. The prep, travel, and logistics are part of the story and part of the fun.
- Explore beyond your home water. The show deliberately highlights fisheries outside BC so anglers can find their next destination.
- Practice catch and release. You'll see a lot of release on Reel West Coast. Brendan also mentioned a local salmon derby moving to a catch-and-release format, where you can still keep a chinook if you want but only released fish can be entered.
Floats and Indicators: Matching Size to Water
The most practical part of the conversation was about floats. Brendan and his longtime mentor Walter, whom he credits with teaching him a huge amount about fishing and who was among the early sturgeon guides on the Fraser, run a company making premium floats. Their lineup spans tiny fly fishing indicators, from about half a gram up to three grams for stillwater and trout rivers, all the way up to large slider floats around 35 grams for big rivers and salmon.
That range is a useful framework for anyone choosing an indicator:
- Stillwater: Go small and sensitive. Lake fish, especially when they're on chironomids, take gently. A light indicator shows the subtle dip.
- Trout rivers: Size up just enough to float your nymph rig without being dragged under by the weight. Too big, and you'll miss soft takes and spook fish on the landing.
- Big rivers and salmon: Heavier water and heavier rigs need more buoyancy. A slider lets you fish deep runs and still cast and land fish comfortably.
The rule of thumb: use the smallest float that holds your rig up at the depth you need. Anything bigger costs you sensitivity.
Everybody Starts Somewhere
Brendan's advice for new anglers (and for anyone dreaming of starting a fishing show) came down to work ethic, the same thing that carried him in hockey. He laughed about his first time fly fishing, saying it was not pretty. But if you're determined and keep putting in the time, you'll get better. That's the whole game.
Gear
For indicator rigging, depth setting, and nymphing fundamentals, start with our Tips and Tricks for Fly Fishing eBook. Long days on BC water mean a lot of glare off the river, so pack a Five Panel Cap. For indicators sized to your water, from tiny stillwater bobbers to big-river sliders, visit your local fly shop and tell them the depth and flow you fish.
