The Field And Stream Podcast

Unlock aggressive early-season trout tactics and rediscover why opening day still matters.

Early spring trout fishing rewards anglers willing to embrace high water, cold temps, and aggressive fish behavior. In this conversation, Field & Stream fishing columnist Joe Cermele breaks down how to target big trout when rivers are up, slightly stained, and primed for movement. From reading water in elevated flows to understanding how trout shift into softer seams and banks, you’ll walk away with practical trout fishing strategies you can apply immediately.

The discussion leans into a “go big or go home” mindset for early season success. Expect insights on streamer fishing, jerkbaits, and spinning gear tactics that help cover more water and locate larger fish efficiently. Cermele also explains why downsizing your gear and focusing on fewer, high-confidence presentations can lead to better results when chasing wild brown trout.

Beyond tactics, this episode captures the deeper culture of trout fishing. Opening day traditions, stocked trout debates, and the role these fisheries play in introducing the next generation all come into focus. It’s a blend of technical fishing knowledge and the kind of storytelling that reminds you why you started fishing in the first place.

Follow the show for more weekly hunting and fishing conversations.

Get more from Field & Stream: https://www.fieldandstream.com/

Get to know your host, Colin Kearns: https://www.fieldandstream.com/authors/colin-kearns 

           

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Four seasoned outdoorsmen draft their ultimate wild game menu—and defend every controversial pick.

What happens when a group of diehard hunters and anglers sit down to build the ultimate wild game lineup? In this episode, the Field & Stream editors turn a friendly debate into a strategic wild game draft—stacking their picks with everything from classic whitetail deer and wild turkey to overlooked small game like squirrel and even exotic species like nilgai and iguana.

Along the way, you’ll get more than just a list of favorite meats. This conversation dives into the nuances of wild game cooking, regional flavor profiles, and the real-world decisions hunters make in the field. From waterfowl hunting traditions to big game priorities, each pick reveals something deeper about how experienced outdoorsmen think about conservation, opportunity, and taste.

You’ll walk away with new perspectives on building your own “wild game hierarchy,” plus insights into how preparation methods, habitat, and hunting pressure influence flavor and experience. Whether you’re chasing elk in the backcountry, calling spring gobblers, or fine-tuning your deer season strategy, this episode delivers equal parts entertainment and practical takeaways.

It’s an insider conversation that blends hunting strategy, storytelling, and a deep respect for the resource, exactly what defines modern outdoor culture.

Get more from Field & Stream: https://www.fieldandstream.com/

           

Join the F&S 1871 Club and experience a membership dedicated to the outdoor culture of sporting traditions, storytelling, and the conservation of our lands: https://www.fieldandstream.com/1871-club/ 
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Why a legendary fly fishing book still resonates deeply with anglers and river lovers today.

Few works of outdoor literature have shaped fly fishing culture like A River Runs Through It. Fifty years after its publication, Norman Maclean’s classic still speaks to anglers who understand that time on the river is about far more than trout.

Host Colin Kearns sits down with John Maclean, award-winning journalist and son of Norman Maclean, for a thoughtful conversation about the legacy of the book that helped define modern fly fishing storytelling. Together they explore the passages that have inspired generations of anglers, from the famous “shadow casting” scene to the quiet reflections that capture the emotional pull of standing in moving water with a fly rod.

Along the way, the discussion moves from Montana’s Blackfoot River to the deeper reasons people fish. The conversation touches on the mental clarity that comes with wading a trout stream, the rhythm of fly casting, and why fly fishing continues to help veterans and others reconnect with the outdoors.

Later, John Maclean reads his essay Fishing into the Twilight, a meditation on aging as an angler, family traditions on the river, and the quiet beauty of evening trout fishing. It’s a reminder that while the fish matter, the river, the memories, and the people who taught us to fish matter even more.

Follow the show for more weekly hunting and fishing conversations.

Get more from Field & Stream: https://www.fieldandstream.com/

Get to know your host, Colin Kearns: https://www.fieldandstream.com/authors/colin-kearns 

           

Join the F&S 1871 Club and experience a membership dedicated to the outdoor culture of sporting traditions, storytelling, and the conservation of our lands: https://www.fieldandstream.com/1871-club/ 
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

From trophy bass tactics to the fight over America’s most iconic wilderness.

Late winter signals two things for serious outdoorsmen: pre-spawn bass are feeding up, and critical conservation fights are heating up. This conversation moves from the shallow flats of Alabama to the canoe country of northern Minnesota, then back to a father and son rediscovering waterfowl hunting.

Shay Baker breaks down early pre-spawn largemouth bass behavior, explaining how increasing daylight—not just water temperature—triggers staging fish. He dives into muddy water bass strategies, slow-rolling spinnerbaits through wood cover, dialing in flat-sided crankbaits, and when to lean on a lipless crankbait, finesse jig, or Ned rig. You’ll hear why cold-water bass group tightly along creek channels and shallow structure, and why this window offers your best shot at a true giant.

The focus then shifts north to the future of the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness, where proposed copper sulfide mining near the edge of this 1.1-million-acre wilderness threatens world-class fishing for lake trout, walleye, smallmouth bass, and northern pike, along with grouse woods and whitetail habitat. It’s a reminder that hunting and fishing access depends on vigilance as much as skill.

The episode closes around the campfire with a moving father-son waterfowl story—proof that duck hunting isn’t just about limits, but legacy.

Follow the show for more weekly hunting and fishing conversations.

Get more from Field & Stream: https://www.fieldandstream.com/

Get to know your host, Colin Kearns: https://www.fieldandstream.com/authors/colin-kearns 

           

Join the F&S 1871 Club and experience a membership dedicated to the outdoor culture of sporting traditions, storytelling, and the conservation of our lands: https://www.fieldandstream.com/1871-club/ 
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

From king eiders to campfire stories, this episode captures the full spectrum of hunting culture.

The Field & Stream editorial team brings together the kind of range that defines modern hunting culture, moving from extreme waterfowl pursuits to campfire debates and classic upland storytelling. The conversation opens with a firsthand account of sea duck hunting in Alaska, where chasing king eiders on the edge of the Bering Sea tests judgment, preparation, and respect for conditions that dictate every decision. It’s a reminder that some waterfowl hunts demand the mindset of a big game expedition.

From there, the focus shifts indoors as the Field & Stream editorial crew squares off in a wild game draft, breaking down their favorite big game, waterfowl, upland birds, small game, and even fish. The debate reveals how taste, tradition, regional access, and cooking methods shape what hunters value most on the table, offering listeners plenty of ideas for wild game meals and future hunts.

The episode closes around the campfire with a modern classic upland hunting story by Phil Bourjaile titled “Lucky Break”, following a pheasant season nearly derailed by injury. It’s a grounded reminder that hunting isn’t just about limits or trophies, but about savoring time afield, trusting good dogs, and appreciating seasons that almost slip away.

Taken together, these segments paint a complete picture of the hunting life, equal parts adventure, camaraderie, food, and storytelling, rooted in hard-earned experience and deep respect for the outdoors.

Get more from Field & Stream: https://www.fieldandstream.com/

Get to know your host, Colin Kearns: https://www.fieldandstream.com/authors/colin-kearns 

           

Join the F&S 1871 Club and experience a membership dedicated to the outdoor culture of sporting traditions, storytelling, and the conservation of our lands: https://www.fieldandstream.com/1871-club/ 
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices