E116: Whose River Is it
What does it really mean to care for the waters we fish? In this mid-month episode of the Southeastern Fly Podcast, we tackle that question head-on.
Today we welcome back Jason McReynolds, guide and owner of Flying Soho and
board member of the Blue Ridge Guides Association, to explore what it means to take ownership of our rivers and give back to the places that give us so much.
Jason returns after his last appearance on Episode 89 (“Fishing
Streamers”) to share updates from Upper East Tennessee and to discuss the impact of recent storms, river debris, and community efforts to clean and preserve the waters we all depend on.
Together, we dive into the shared responsibility anglers, guides, and outdoor enthusiasts have to maintain clean, healthy rivers—and how organized cleanups make a real difference.
Highlights of the Episode:
- Whose River Is It? Reflecting on how we each experience and value rivers in our own way—and what that means for stewardship.
- From Talk to Action: David shares his “one-piece rule,” while Jason explains how his team turns small actions into large-scale cleanups.
- Organizing a Cleanup: Jason outlines what it takes to plan a successful river cleanup, from picking dates to partnering with local organizations.
- Incentives and Impact: How community support, great prizes, and volunteer spirit combine to make each event a success.
- After the Storm: The crew discusses recovery efforts and massive debris
fields left behind by Hurricane Helene—and why continued cleanup is vital.
- Fishing Report: Streamer season is heating up, with rainbows and browns feeding aggressively on shad through the lower stretches of the Watauga and South Holston.
Remember, keeping our rivers clean isn’t someone else’s job—it’s everyone’s. Join the conversation, mark your calendar for March, and help make a
difference wherever you fish.
Resources:
Listen, share, and go fish—and let's leave the river better than you found it. 🎣
What do you want to hear about in
2026?
Each year we ask listeners what topics, places, techniques and gear they want to know about. So, if you have a topic you want to learn about, just send an email to David - david@southeasternfly.co
Free Fly and Southeastern Fly
Free Fly
clothing line is excellent for women and men. So the other day it just made sense to do something that will help y'all too. No they don't pay or give me clothes, I just really like their stuff. After some emails going back-n-forth we landed on a discount for the SEF podcast and SEF guided customers. Use the discount code below and get 15% off your order. This code is good for 1 order per customer, and gives you access to 15% our gear (excluding sale items).
Here's your discount code: SEFLY15
The Southeastern Fly 2025 Schedule
Thursday, November 20th, David - Speaking at Music City TU
November 21-23, Podcast Guest, Dan Sharley will be participating in the Murfreesboro Art Studio Tour. He will be located at 4172
Betty Ford Rd, Murfreesboro TN, 37130
Saturday, December 13th, The last 2025 open date to fish with David
No December Episodes: There will be no episodes released in December as is our tradition
