E118 - The Best Seat on the River

In this episode, we slow things down and reflect on a question that feels simple at first but carries a lot of weight once you sit with it: what really is the best seat on the river? We take a thoughtful ride through seasons, boats, friendships, and family, looking at how our perspective changes over time and how fly fishing has a way of marking those changes if we pay attention.

This one is less about tactics and more about people. It’s about watching anglers grow, roles shift, and moments pass that don’t always announce themselves while they’re happening. The river keeps moving, and so do we.

Highlights of the Episode:

• Exploring the question of what truly makes the best seat on the river, from drift boats to gravel bars to warming up in the truck on a cold day.
• A guide’s perspective on why the front seat of a drift boat offers such a unique view of the water and the fishing unfolding ahead.
• A long-running story of a father and son who fished together for years, gradually improving their skills and deepening their relationship on the river.
• The subtle but meaningful moment when the son insists his dad take the front seat, signaling a shift in roles shaped by time and experience.
• Reflections on aging, gratitude, and recognizing special moments before they quietly pass.
• The transition to a third generation, with a grandson now riding in the front seat and carrying family memories forward.
• A reminder that the best seat on the river isn’t fixed. Sometimes it’s the front, sometimes the back, and sometimes it’s just simply being there.

The Southeastern Fly 2025 Schedule

Monday, February 2 - E119, Fly Fishing the TX Coast

Friday, February 13 - Open Date to Chase Trophy Trout with David

Monday, February 16, New Podcast Episode

Saturday, February 21 - Open Date to Chase Trophy Trout with David

Saturday, February 28 - David Tying at Little River Outfitters @10 am EST

E117 - Appalachian Fly Fishing Stories with Neil Norman

In this episode of Southeastern Fly, we sit down with Neil Norman, a writer, lifelong angler, and Smokies regular, to talk about far more than fish. Neil’s upcoming book, Tight Lines and Tall Tale Stories of Southern Appalachian Fly Fishing, serves as a backdrop for a wide-ranging conversation about mountain history, old fishing methods, unforgettable characters, and the deep sense of place that defines fly fishing in Appalachia.

We spend time exploring how fishing in the southern Appalachians is inseparable from its stories. From rough-looking hollers that turned out to be filled with kindness, to warning shots fired near suburban creeks, Neil shares experiences that highlight the contrast between perceived danger and genuine mountain hospitality.

• Backcountry Myths and Realities: Neil shares stories from fishing rough-looking Appalachian hollers, where perceived danger often gave way to generosity, kindness, and deep-rooted mountain etiquette.
• From Pasture Water to Plunge Pools: A look at how fishing long, sandy New River runs shaped Neil’s approach, and how that foundation translated into Smokies-style pocket water and steep plunge pools.
• Old-School Tactics That Still Work: We dig into monofilament fishing, homemade split shot, and techniques born from necessity that remain deadly effective in Appalachian trout water.
• Flies with a History: Neil breaks down classic Southern Appalachian patterns, including the Sheep Fly, and explains why fishing historic flies in historic places adds another layer to the experience.
• Preachers, Faith, and Fishing Days: Stories of mountain preachers who treated time on the water as sacred, blending faith, routine, and fly fishing into Appalachian life.
• The One That Got Away: A winter encounter with a massive spawning rainbow on a tiny tributary near Watauga Lake, complete with a flashing dorsal fin and a lesson in humility.
• Post-Fishing Eats in Townsend: Neil shares his go-to food stops after a day in the Smokies, from casual bites at Peaceful Side Social to a full sit-down experience at Dancing Bear Appalachian Bistro.

Thanks and See You Next Time

David Perry

Southeastern Fly

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