Sea monsters. Political gridlock. Forgotten history. Legendary fish.

In this electrifying episode of the Spot Burn Podcast, we dive deep—like, sea lamprey-deep—into the battle for the soul of the Great Lakes. We sit down with Dr. Marc Gaden of the Great Lakes Fishery Commission and filmmaker Lindsey Haskin, director of the jaw-dropping documentary The Fish Thief: A Great Lakes Mystery. Together, they uncover a story that’s part horror flick, part underdog saga, and part geopolitical thriller. From bloodsucking invasive species to the billion-dollar fight to defend one of the world's most valuable freshwater ecosystems, this episode tackles the science, the politics, the heartbreak, and the hope behind one of the greatest fishery restoration stories ever told. Bonus: there's a cameo by J.K. Simmons and a musky-related language lesson you won’t want to miss.

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Timestamps / Chapters
00:00 - Intro
01:00 - Meet the Guests: Dr. Marc Gaden & Lindsey Haskin
03:00 - What is The Fish Thief about?
06:30 - Why the Great Lakes matter
10:30 - How the film came to life
18:30 - Working with J.K. Simmons & telling a complex story
24:00 - The Great Lakes Fishery Commission’s bold move
29:00 - The dam removal debate & sea lamprey risk
34:00 - Why the lake trout became ground zero
40:00 - Apex predators & ecosystem change
46:00 - Why protecting the fish matters culturally
51:00 - COVID’s impact on lamprey control
55:00 - Budget cuts and the threat of backsliding
1:01:00 - Hope through bipartisan cooperation
1:05:00 - Documentary production during COVID
1:10:00 - U.S.–Canada relations & the Fish Pass project
1:17:00 - What’s next for Marc & Lindsey
1:19:30 - Final thoughts: Hope vs. what keeps them up at night
1:25:00 - Wrap-up & how to watch the film

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🎥 Support & Watch, "The Fish Thief: A Great Lakes Mystery"

Official Website
https://www.thefishthief.com/

YouTube
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_3zJyKfi4hU

Apple TV
https://tv.apple.com/us/movie/the-fish-thief-a-great-lakes-mystery/umc.cmc.6ocx7sdn81clwp78517ijcvn5

Amazon Prime Video
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0DR9FLJK7

Google Play
https://play.google.com/store/movies/details/The_Fish_Thief_A_Great_Lakes_Mystery?id=dVuKToHN2Oc.P&hl=en_US&pli=1

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🌊 Learn more:

Dr. Marc Gaden
https://seas.umich.edu/research/faculty/marc-e-gaden

Lindsey Haskin
https://skyhoundmedia.com/

FishPass Project
https://www.glfc.org/fishpass.php

Lamprey & COVID Study
https://www.glfc.org/pubs/pressrel/2025_SeaLampreyControl_Pandemic_Reduction.pdf

Thank you to all of our listeners for tuning in, subscribing, sharing, and spreading the good word.

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Have fun out there on the water ya'll!

- Dan & Josh

MuskyFool.com
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YouTube: Musky Fool Fly Fishing Co.
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