Permit To Think

Permit to Think — Episode 34Tom Bie & Paul PuckettHost: Mike Dawes, Westbank Anglers Guests: Tom Bie (Editor at The Drake magazine) | Paul Puckett (Artist and Illustrator)Episode DescriptionSome of the best fly fishing stories start in a shop, not on the water — and in Episode 34 of Permit to Think, host Mike Dawes sits down with two guys whose careers trace straight back to Westbank Anglers. Tom Bie, founder and editor of The Drake magazine and a former Westbank guide, and Paul Puckett, the sporting artist behind decades of fly fishing illustration and the Flood Tide apparel brand, reconnect with Mike after a chance run-in at Westbank's 40th anniversary party sparked the idea for this episode.The conversation traces both guys' start in Jackson Hole — Tom guiding scenic floats and fishing trips before launching The Drake in 1998 (dreamed up, fittingly, while working as a lift operator at Deer Valley), and Paul talking his way into a job at the original Dallas Westbank Anglers store before eventually landing in Jackson himself. From there it's a wide-ranging look at what made — and still makes — that shop culture so magnetic: the tight-knit, competitive-but-supportive community of guides, artists, and writers who passed through Westbank's doors, and how those connections shaped both of their careers.Mike, Tom, and Paul also swap recent trip reports — tarpon and permit fishing in the Florida Keys and Mexico, and Tom's latest run on British Columbia's Dean River for big, ocean-hardened steelhead — before digging into Paul's evolution as an artist, from painting anglers' trophy fish for cash in the Westbank shop to his signature simplified, drippy compositions today. The episode wraps with a few can't-make-this-up shop stories (Dick Cheney's fishing license, presidential Secret Service detail included) and a genuinely interesting take on where fly shops, print magazines, and hand-painted art fit into a fishing culture that's about to be reshaped by AI.About the GuestsTom Bie is the founder and editor of The Drake magazine, which he launched in 1998 after a stint as a lift operator at Deer Valley and years working scenic floats and guiding trips out of Grand Teton Lodge Company and Westbank Anglers in Jackson Hole. Before The Drake grew into the quarterly it is today, Tom spent years in the broader outdoor magazine world as managing editor of Paddler, senior editor of Skiing, and editor-in-chief of Powder. He lives in Denver, Colorado.Paul Puckett is a sporting artist and illustrator known for his paintings and illustrations across the fly fishing world, as well as the Flood Tide apparel brand he built around his character-driven fish art. Paul got his start painting anglers' trophy catches while working at the original Westbank Anglers store in Dallas, later spending four years fishing, snowboarding, and (by his own account) barely painting in Jackson Hole before relaunching his art career in Atlanta and eventually settling in Charleston, South Carolina, where he's based today.About Permit to ThinkPermit to Think is a fly fishing podcast hosted by Mike Dawes of Westbank Anglers. Each episode digs into the people, places, and fish that define the sport — from technical conversations about gear and tactics to big-picture discussions on conservation and culture. New episodes available wherever you listen to podcasts.Westbank Anglers | Jackson Hole, Wyoming 🌐 westbankanglers.com

Permit to Think — Episode 33Cosmoledo | Blue Safari Fly FishingHost: Mike Dawes, Westbank Anglers Guests: Colin (Operations Manager, Westbank Anglers) | Keith Rose-Innes (Managing Director, Blue Safari / Alphonse Fishing Company)Episode DescriptionWhat happens when the GT capital of the world lives up to every bit of the hype? In Episode 33 of Permit to Think, host Mike Dawes sits down with Westbank Anglers Operations Manager Colin and Blue Safari Managing Director Keith Rose-Innes to break down one of the most remote, raw, and unforgettable fly fishing destinations on the planet — Cosmoledo Atoll in the Seychelles.Keith brings nearly 30 years of Seychelles experience to the table, including a firsthand account of witnessing GTs eat birds off the water — the original discovery that sparked the now-famous footage seen on Blue Planet 2. Colin brings the wide-eyed perspective of a first-time Cosmo angler, fresh off a trip that left him, in Mike's words, "glowing like he'd just met his first girlfriend."Together, they map out the full Blue Safari operation — from permit-junky flats to the bumphead parrotfish of Farquhar, the iconic milkfish fishery at Alphonse, and the wild, barely-explored Astove — before zeroing in on what makes Cosmoledo something else entirely.About the GuestsKeith Rose-Innes is the Managing Director of Blue Safari and the Alphonse Fishing Company. With nearly 30 years in the Seychelles, Keith has guided, explored, built lodges, and pioneered fisheries across the Indian Ocean. He is widely credited as the first person to document GTs eating birds at Farquhar — footage that later became part of Blue Planet 2. He is also a co-designer of the Schulten reel.Colin is the Operations Manager at Westbank Anglers in Jackson Hole, Wyoming. A former guest on the Mexico episode of Permit to Think, Colin made his first trip to Cosmoledo as part of a Westbank-hosted group and came back a changed man.About Permit to ThinkPermit to Think is a fly fishing podcast hosted by Mike Dawes of Westbank Anglers. Each episode digs into the people, places, and fish that define the sport — from technical conversations about gear and tactics to big-picture discussions on conservation and culture. New episodes available wherever you listen to podcasts.Westbank Anglers | Jackson Hole, Wyoming 🌐 westbankanglers.com

"Where are the small fish?" This is a question that routinely comes up when fly fishing for trout in areas of New Zealand. Mike Dawes joins up with Ben Hall and Sean Andrews, two highly experienced New Zealand trout guides, to share some of the highlights of a recent trip to the Taupō region of NZ's North Island. These guys discuss some of the characteristics of South Island and North Island fly fishing, the necessity of team work and strong wading, and the thrill of observing Ben maneuver the helicopter into super narrow and super fishy areas! 

Colin Ah and podcast guest, Greg Case, are back from a recent trip to Mexico chasing Permit at Blacksmith Lodge. Mike and the team talk about some of the amazing Permit behavior that was witnessed on this recent trip and the unbelievable fishing opportunities that were provided. The team also discuss the local Jackson Hole One Fly event, catching Permit on dry flies, and other fishy topics. 

Mike Dawes and some of the Westbank crew reflect on their most recent adventure to Australia. Westbank Anglers guide Jimmie Cheers is introduced, followed by a recap of an amazing trip with the Aussie Fly Fisher. Permit to Crocs, fishing rigs to Dingos, sit back and enjoy a trip to the Down Under.