Every show has a first chapter. In Episode 123, founding host Greg Keenan talked with me about handing the Fly Fishing Insider Podcast to a new steward. If you have listened since the early days, this one is worth a watch. If you are new, it is a good way to learn where the show came from and where it is going.
How the Handoff Came Together
Greg built the podcast and hosted it solo, week after week, for about three years. As the work and the time away from family added up, he looked for someone to carry it forward. He considered more than one interested person, and chose to hand it to someone he already trusted from years of trading ideas and marketing campaigns. The episode is warm and a bit emotional, and it shows how much care went into protecting what he built.
What Stays the Same
The core format continues: long-form conversations with the people who shape fly fishing, covering their journeys, their businesses, and their lessons. The trip giveaway program, which gives listeners a chance to win lodge and guided trips, also keeps going. Greg called it one of the most unique pieces of the show because it works for the lodge, the audience, and the lucky winners at the same time.
What Is Coming Next
I outlined three focus areas. First, keep bringing in strong guests from across the industry, drawing on years of working relationships. Second, keep growing the trip giveaways with destinations around the world. Third, build themed series that go deeper on a single topic, for example conservation and cleanup efforts with nonprofits, industry leaders talking about their businesses, photographers sharing travel stories, and authors. I also plan to ask each guest to share a favorite rig and how to fish it, so every episode leaves you with something practical for the water.
A Look Back at the Stories
Greg also shared favorite memories from the interview chair, including relationships built with guests and the community, and a couple of guests he would still love to have on. The episode wraps with thanks to listeners, who made the show what it is, and an open invitation for him to return as a guest.
Gear
Nothing in this one requires gear, but if you want something practical while you listen, our Tips and Tricks for Fly Fishing eBook pairs well with the technique segments on the show. For local advice on what to carry, your neighborhood fly shop is always the best stop.
