This is our 100th episode! And we could not think of anyone better than Jimbo Meador, Alabama fly fishing legend and outdoorsman to be our guest for this special occasion. Jimbo was on our show once before, but if you know Jimbo, there’s always more stories to tell. We were so honored to be able to sit down once again in his home office and listen to the guide stories of flyfishing, close calls on the water, and his longtime friend, the late Jimmy Buffett. We know you will enjoy these stories that are downright laugh out loud funny. Jimbo is an absolute treasure to the state of Alabama and the overall sport of fly fishing, and we are thankful that we call him friend. Thank you for joining us on this journey of 100 episodes of the Storied Outdoors. If you enjoy this podcast, please share it with a friend who you think would enjoy it as well. Here’s to 100, and may there be 100 more!

Dr. Brian Toone, assistant professor of computer science at Samford University. You may be wondering what a professor in computer science is doing on an outdoor podcast? Well, Brian is not only a brilliant professor, he is also an avid cyclist. And when I say avid, he’s at a different level than 99% of cyclists in America. Recently, Brian competed in the 2023 Paris-Brest-Paris cycling event, a 761-mile ride through France where he finished the endurance race in under 59 hours.

In this episode we cover almost as much ground as Brian has on his bike. We hear about his adventures in France for Paris-Brest-Pairs and how much he learned from one year to the next on the same race. Brain shares about some of his darkest moments during Race Across America, and his reflections on lessons learned in cycling. We also cover Brian’s amazing work in software development and how his program is impacting the sport of cycling.

In this episode, Brad and Bryan recap the incredible 6th season of the podcast. Incredible, of course, because of the amazing guests who shared their stories on the show. They discuss the high points of each episode and some of their favorite moments from the season. Also, they reveal some exciting news for the podcast. Be sure to listen to the whole episode to get the scoop on what’s happening this coming Friday. You won’t want to miss it.

Jimbo Meador is one of the most iconic figures in the sport of fly fishing. As a lifelong Alabamian, living along the gulf coast, Jimbo has arguably influenced the sport of fly fishing as much as anyone else in the last century. From kayak fishing, paddleboard fishing, retail Orvis stores, and a host of other areas, Jimbo’s hand is evident in the history and future of the sport. Not to mention that his life heavily influenced the character of Forrest Gump, written by his good friend and author Winston Groom. We hope you will enjoy this episode where we sat down with Jimbo in his home office and soaked up all the stories and wisdom he shared with us.

We cover so much in this episode and we laughed a great deal. If anyone has spent anytime around Stephen he will make you feel good about yourself and have a good time. I have no doubt that translates to his guide service. We discuss his gifting in hospitality and what role that plays in guiding along with his philosophy of what are components of a great trip. Obviously we had to spend some time in discussion about the shore burger and Stephen gives out some secret tips on what makes it so special.

On this episode we get to hear about Mary Beth’s journey in art and fly fishing. She shares with us about her upbringing and we all reminisce about collecting worms and bait to fish with our Zebco 33 as kids.

We loved hearing about the process of making a block print, which is fascinating. We end out time hearing the story about the filming of “The Slam That Saves.”

In this episode we talk cover a lot of ground, like how they started WolfBane Publishing, the beginning of their friendship, and much more. We get to hear about the idea behind their books and the series “The Story of God” and how the art and text come together in a stunning book series you will enjoy for a long time.

We discuss a host of topics from the immense fishing diversity of our beautiful state, Alabama all the way to why we should be good stewards of the resources that have been entrusted to us. Matt has some incredible insight and graciously shares his passion and story with us. If you love the sport of fly fishing and getting in the weeds on conservation, you won’t want to miss this episode.