About this episode

Mike Lawson shares his journey of building Henry’s Fork Anglers and his insights on fly fishing.

In this episode, I sit down with Mike Lawson — a legendary guide, fly tyer, educator, and one of the founding forces behind Henry’s Fork Anglers. What began in the early 1970s as a young schoolteacher tying flies at the kitchen table with his wife Sheralee eventually grew into one of the most iconic fly fishing businesses in the world. Mike shares the story of building Henry’s Fork Anglers from the ground up — the lean early years, the friendships and mentors that shaped him, the explosion of fly fishing after A River Runs Through It, and the deep family roots behind a business that has now spanned nearly fifty years. We talk about guiding, fly tying, loyalty, legacy, and what it really means to dedicate your life to rivers, people, and the craft of fly fishing. This conversation is thoughtful, nostalgic, and full of hard-earned wisdom from someone who helped shape modern fly fishing as we know it. You may have noticed me wearing Skwala fishing apparel for the past year or so, and I gotta say, I’ve been really impressed with everything I’ve tried. I love the way they design gear. They manage to strike a perfect balance between durable and functional but also comfortable and…

People in this episode

Host: April Vokey

Guest: Mike Lawson

Topics covered

• fly fishing
• guiding
• entrepreneurship
• legacy
• craftsmanship
• outdoor education

Keywords

• fly fishing
• Henry’s Fork Anglers
• Mike Lawson
• Skwala
• A River Runs Through It
• guiding
• fly tying

Sponsors

Skwala

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: Henry’s Fork Anglers

Products: Skwala fishing apparel

Books & works: A River Runs Through It

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• Anchored Podcast Ep. 285: Jonathan Antunez, What Modern Anglers Forgot · May 15, 2026 · 1h 26m

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