Transcript: Casting Angles with Mac Brown
S6, Ep 10: Casting Angles with Mac Brown
2024, Marvin S. Cash
The Articulate Fly
http://www.thearticulatefly.com
Transcript
Marvin:
[0:04] Hey folks, it's Marvin Cash, the host of The Articulate Fly, and we're back with another Casting Angles with Mack Brown. How's it going, Mack?
Mac:
[0:12] I'm doing great, Marvin. How are you doing tonight?
Marvin:
[0:14] Trying to stay out of trouble. It's funny, like literally I heard you zipping up your suitcase to go to Edison right before we started recording.
Mac:
[0:21] Oh yeah, we got home just basically enough time to get some laundry done and repack the the bags, take care of feeding some animals.
And we're leaving at about 5 a.m. to the airport over in South Carolina.
Marvin:
[0:36] Yeah, well, I'll be a day behind you. But, you know, we were both together at Denver and we had our own travel issues kind of getting back.
I think this whole 737 issues really kind of messed things up.
But the Denver show was really good.
Mac:
[0:49] Oh, yeah, there's quite the buzz in the air in Denver. And I think getting out there was that was the fun part.
I got a really good view of the Asheville airport for an extra eight hours.
And, uh, that was due to the 740. I mean, the planes you're talking about, no like delay right when I went through security.
So yeah, that was an epic journey going out there.
Marvin:
[1:10] Yeah. But you know, in Denver, you know, it's a great show. Um, and it's, you know, it's probably in the, the fly fishing is fishiest part of the country. And I mean, it was really good energy.
I know you, uh, you really had a good time with your classes uh.
Mac:
[1:25] That was that was the best we had a lot of classes and really everybody in there was you know really passionate and motivated and taking notes you didn't have to tell them to take notes they all had notebooks and were writing down everything you'd say it was it was a wonderful wonderful bunch you know they were definitely super enthusiastic yeah.
Marvin:
[1:44] And you know it's funny because we were talking before we started recording you know one of the really really great opportunities of these fly fishing shows is to basically invest in yourself and education.
You know, the internet's great for kind of just general stuff, but, you know, there's so many workshops and then kind of the next level or those small group classes.
And then even though they don't really do it, you know, at the fly fishing shows, you know, you know, if you go fish with a guide or take a lesson from somebody like you in private, that's really kind of the progression to really kind of invest in yourself and up your fishing game.
Mac:
[2:15] That's right. And also, you know, starting in the industry as a guide, as a shop owner, as a, you know, learning to row, all those things.
And I wanted to talk with you a little bit about, I know you're doing the consulting and let's tell the folks a little bit about that, because I know that went real good for you too. Yeah.
Marvin:
[2:34] It's interesting, right? So, I mean, if folks don't know, you know, I'm a lawyer by trade and I spent probably half my career doing the business side of what I did as a lawyer.
And so I'm basically a business lawyer and have been kind of a businessman and entrepreneur. And, you know, as I said at dinner on Sunday night before I headed to the airport with everybody, you know, I'll never be as good a casting instructor and angler as you are, Ty, as well as Tim Flagler or be a land and mayor.
But, you know, kind of what I try to bring to the fly fishing community is kind of that business experience.
And so kind of one of the things I've started doing is, you know, consulting and trying to help, you know, manufacturers, retailers, influencers and guides basically be more successful in the business so that they can have some longevity.
Because, you know, Mac, we talk about this all the time. No one gets into fly fishing to get rich.
Mac:
[3:24] Oh, that's right. And the thing is, it's a huge part of that, too, with the business side, Marvin, is you're so process-oriented, which is what I love about you is you're very process-oriented.
Like, a lot of the, well, it's a rare trait.
It's a very rare trait of, you know, the people that fish process-oriented are all, they get very, very organized, very methodical in what they do.
And the same thing's true trying to stay in this industry.
You know, the longer people stay in it, they're going to have to get processed and oriented in order to be successful.
And I think for every success story, there's probably 10 that don't make it after 30, 40 years for the reason that they didn't have process.
And so I think that's a wonderful program, like what you're doing.
I mean, if somebody could start out of college, like I get a lot of them through the guide schools that way, like 22, 23, full of passion, but they're not sure where to go. And a lot of that's back to the business, and I think that really serves people well, you know, seeking you out.
Marvin:
[4:20] Yeah, it's interesting, too, because everything I kind of do is process oriented.
So I've actually got two talks in Edison, and they're both process talks.
And, you know, one of them is about, you know, understanding trout and insect behavior to be more effective.
And then, you know, there's another talk that's literally soup to nuts, like everything from keeping your gear organized so you can walk out the door with your fishing buddy in an instant to, you know, how to approach water.
So I kind of think about it a lot. And, One thing I would say, folks, in Edison, if you are in the industry, we've got a handful of meetings.
I think there are a few left on Sunday.
I'm going to meet with TrackFly.
We can show you their data analytics tools, but if you've got stuff that's bothering you for 2024, we'll sit down with you for half an hour. where all the meetings are free.
And if you go to my Instagram profile, you can book one of those.
So that's a really kind of a great way to maybe get an outside view of what's going on.
And Mac, what have you got on tap? I imagine you're leaving early for Edison so that you can teach that all day casting class with Gary Borger again.
Mac:
[5:21] Yeah, we're going to teach that again Thursday. And I know several of them that are in it that I met up in Boston a few years ago at a show.
And it's funny, it was in just a private lesson standing out in two feet of snow. That was the year it snowed a bunch.
And he was getting ready to leave to New Zealand down close to where I used to work.
And so we did a lesson. And lo and behold, that guy's in it.
He goes, yeah, that was so good, that little 30-minute lesson in the snow.
He goes, I'm bringing my brother and my business partner. So I know three of them are from that connection, but I'm looking forward to it.
We really love teaching that eight-hour class.
It just makes you feel like you can actually cover and give value for what you're trying to do. It's just not enough time to do that in 20, 30 minutes.
Marvin:
[6:05] Yeah. And I really do think, you know, it's one of those things, you know, in terms of whether you're investing yourself and kind of, you know, the thing I always say is you can't know everything, right?
So the first thing you got to do is to realize you don't know everything and to find people that can help you get better at, you know, what you're not great at, you know, whether it's fishing or the business side, like kind of what I do.
And, you know, even though as you kind of move along that process, you go from free to a little bit more expensive to the most expensive in private instruction, you know, you're saving so many hours of time, whether you're trying to get better at business or get better at fishing.
Mac:
[6:43] That's right. Even AM radio. I mean, I think of all the years where I kind of tried to teach myself.
And I mean, I do a lot of, a lot of, uh, you know, radio stuff at night when I'm tying flies and I'll listen to, you know, Europe and talk to Ireland and Wales.
And, but having them, they call it an Elmer and ham radio.
And I never had one. And then the last couple of years, I've got like probably 10 that are in their eighties and man, it makes you realize all the stuff that you didn't know. And it's nice to just learn deeper of what you thought you knew a little bit about.
Then you realize, I didn't know much at all about it, actually, the more I hang out with these guys, because they kind of mentor me and give me ideas, you know?
Has nothing to do with fishing, but I think anything that's new, you really need help.
Marvin:
[7:29] Yeah, and I think it's interesting, right? Because, I mean, it kind of goes back to kind of how, you know, I basically got my start in the outdoors with my grandfather.
And I imagine you were probably the exact same way. And, you know, now that's not how it is.
And so some of this is basically a way to create the similar type of learning experience you would have gotten if you'd been tagging around with your dad or your grandfather learning to fish as a kid.
Mac:
[7:53] That's right. Yeah, I just, yeah, I think that really, I think that would be fun. I'm going to try to get a slot.
I'll try to get a slot with you Sunday. Because there's always, you know, things we're looking into investigating, the areas we try to go, there may be a new frontier that nobody's really done.
I just think all that takes a lot of process and thought, you know, to put it together, then put it out there and try it. It's just like the all-day class you're talking about.
That's never happened in the history of North America. And when I thought about it, I thought, yeah, I think it's a good idea.
And lo and behold, look at it. It's been working for years. But if nobody would have ever said it, then you sure wouldn't be doing it.
Marvin:
[8:31] Yeah, it's interesting, right? And kind of the next jump from that is process, and then you get to habit.
And one of the things I really believe in is trying to make these things habits so that you don't have to remember them.
And then you have all this space to think about how to make things even better.
Mac:
[8:46] That's right. Yeah, I think a lot of it's from habits. I think that's a good point.
Marvin:
[8:52] Yeah. So I know, Mac, that this is my last fly fishing show, fly fishing show.
I will be at Bobbin and the Hood the following weekend, but I imagine you've got a few more shows left.
Mac:
[9:04] We've got a few more. We've got to do Liner, the week after.
Then I've got a little bit of a break. I think it's a few weeks between there and Pleasanton, California, and then we'll go up to Detroit for the Midwest Fly Fishing Expo. So, yeah, we're looking forward to those.
And yeah, for the listeners that are in California or near Atlanta, I know we're going to do the same all-day classes the day before and then classes and seminars and demos during the show.
Stop if you see us and say hi.
Marvin:
[9:32] Yeah, and I would say, you know, folks, I don't know if you're teaching the same sort of stuff out at the Midwest Expo that you do at the Fremski shows, but, you know, go, folks, and money well spent.
Hit the website and sign up because if there's spots left, one of them can be yours.
Mac:
[9:46] That's right. I might try to get my boys to come down. I used to love going to the Atlanta show, and it would exhaust them.
By the time we'd drive back Sunday, they'd be asleep as soon as I left the parking lot.
But they would cast literally all the rides in there, you know, before the show was over.
And they're in school now. Back then, it was easy to pull them out of school, you know, elementary school age. Now it's not quite as easy.
Marvin:
[10:09] Yeah, absolutely. Well, listen, I'm going to let you hop because I know you've got to get up at O-Dark 30 to head to the airport, and hopefully you have an uneventful trip to New Jersey.
And I will be tagging behind one day later and I'll see you there.
Folks, you know, if there's a show in your area, you owe it to yourself to go.
Make the most of show season. You know, while you can't get out on the water, tie some flies and invest a little bit in yourself.
Tight lines, everybody. Tight lines, Mac.
Mac:
[10:35] Yeah, tight lines, Marvin.