Andy Dear | Monday, 12 February 2024
Back in August of 2020, I wrote a piece about a Florida Keys fishing guide turned skiff builder named Harry Spear. Over the course of numerous conversations spanning close to 3 years, I've come to realize that Harry and I have a lot in common that go far beyond our love of fishing.
A bit more recently, I've also written about a fantastic podcast that is well worth your time called The Mill House. Andy and Nicky Mill did a two-hour interview with Harry Spear that was simply fantastic. In fact, it may have been the best interview to date out of the 51 episodes of the Mill House Podcast. I say that with a bit of bias because I have always admired Harry Spear. Not just for his accomplishments as a guide, fisherman, fly tying innovator, and more recently a custom skiff builder, but more for the humility and generosity with which he carries himself.
The recent Mill House podcast featuring Harry, was not only an in depth look into one of the keenest angling minds of the last 5 decades, but also an honest, wear your heart on your sleeve look at what makes Harry tick. By far my favorite portion of the interview (which starts around 46:18) is when the discussion turns to modern technology and social media's influence on fishing. Suffice it to say that Harry's thoughts on the subject are right in line with mine. So much so that I texted him a link to the piece I wrote a few years ago titled "The Map Room" that grappled with the same subjects of GPS, Google Earth, and overall modern technology taking the mystery and adventure out of angling.
I hope all of you will have a listen to the Mill House podcast featuring Harry. In fact, I hope that all of you will check out all the other episodes as well...they're a fantastic resource for anyone interested in the history of saltwater fly fishing in the Florida Keys.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GbSRfwXYBNo
Hope all of you are having a great week!
Andy