Mill House Podcast

Mike Dawes has spent more than three decades chasing fish across the globe, building a life around the places, people, and experiences that make fly fishing far more than a sport. Raised in a family steeped in the tradition, Mike caught his first trout on a fly at just five years old. His grandfather helped establish the legendary Deep Water Cay Bonefishing Club in the Bahamas, introducing Mike early to the world of saltwater fly fishing and planting the seeds for a lifetime of exploration. After earning his MBA, Mike traded the conventional career path for a life in the fishing business. He joined WorldCast Anglers in Jackson Hole in 2001, eventually becoming its president and helping build its reputation as a premier outfitter and international fishing-travel operation. Today, he is the managing partner of Westbank Anglers in Jackson, Wyoming. Though he fishes for everything from trout to exotic tropical species, permit have become his great obsession. Mike has won the Del Brown Permit Tournament and captured the March Merkin twice — an extraordinary record in one of fly fishing’s most demanding pursuits. His travels have taken him from the flats of Mexico, Cuba, and the Bahamas to the remote waters of St. Brandon’s Atoll in the Indian Ocean, where he has pursued Indo-Pacific permit and other remarkable species. Beyond the fishing, Mike is deeply committed to conservation and protecting the watersheds that sustain the sport. Through his podcast, Permit to Think, he explores the people, experiences, and unexpected lessons that emerge from a life spent traveling the world with a fly rod in hand.

Boots Allen is a third-generation fly-fishing guide, tournament angler, writer, fly designer, and one of the longtime stewards of the rivers around Jackson Hole, Wyoming. Born and raised in the valley, Boots grew up immersed in a family whose name is woven into the history of fly fishing in the region. His grandfather, Leonard “Boots” Allen, was one of the early guides and outfitters in Jackson Hole, securing permits to guide the waters of the Greater Yellowstone area in the 1940s. His father, Joe Allen, continued that tradition and became known for his innovative fly patterns, including the famous Double Humpy. Boots began guiding alongside his father and uncle while still in high school. More than three decades later, he has spent hundreds of days each year on the water, guiding throughout Wyoming and Idaho while pursuing trout and other species around the world. His travels have taken him from the Snake River to Argentina, Mongolia, Kazakhstan, British Columbia, Belize, the Bahamas, and beyond. His accomplishments on the water are equally impressive. Boots is a three-time high-scoring guide in the Jackson Hole One-Fly Contest and received the prestigious Carmichael-Cohen Memorial Guide Award in 2007. He has also become a respected fly designer, developing patterns for Umpqua Feather Merchants and Orvis, while writing extensively about the sport. He is the author of four books, including Snake River Fly Fishing, Modern Trout Fishing, Snake River Flies, and Finding Trout in All Conditions. Perhaps most interestingly, Boots once appeared headed toward a career in academia, earning advanced degrees and pursuing work in community development and tourism. Instead, he ultimately chose the river. Today, he continues the Allen family legacy while writing, teaching, guiding, creating flies, and sharing the knowledge accumulated through a lifetime on the water. For Boots Allen, fishing isn't simply a profession passed down through three generations. It is a family history, a craft, and a way of life.

Leslie Green, founder of Bonefish Sailor Lodge on Mangrove Cay in the Bahamas, has spent a lifetime mastering the art of bonefishing. Born and raised on Andros, Leslie grew up on the water, developing an intimate understanding of the island’s vast flats, hidden creeks, and winding mangrove channels. Many of today’s local guides began their careers under his mentorship, learning not only how to find bonefish but how to read the water, respect the environment, and welcome guests with genuine warmth. Leslie’s skill on the flats is matched only by his passion for sharing the experience with others. Whether guiding seasoned anglers or teaching newcomers their first cast, he brings patience, enthusiasm, and a deep love for the pristine ecosystem he calls home. His uncanny ability to track the elusive “ghost of the flats” comes from decades of exploring both the East and West sides of Andros, often navigating remote areas known only to him. Bonefish Sailor Lodge is the realization of Leslie’s long-held dream: a place where the stories, camaraderie, and spirit of bonefishing could be shared with like-minded adventurers. While the Lodge provides comfort and community for visiting anglers, it ultimately serves as an extension of Leslie himself—his values, his experience, and his desire to introduce others to the thrill of pursuing bonefish in one of the most extraordinary environments on earth.