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.

Follow us on Instagram @muskyfool and check out our YouTube channel.

And be sure to check out MuskyFool.com !

Have fun out there on the water ya'll!

- Dan & Josh

MuskyFool.com
Instagram: @muskyfool
YouTube: Musky Fool Fly Fishing Co.
Facebook: Musky Fool Fly Fishing Co.

Buckle up, fly freaks. Episode 43 is our wildest Mega Fly Roast yet—featuring the most unhinged, hilarious, and questionably fishable flies we’ve seen. There’s beard hair. There’s a fly coffin. There’s glow-in-the-dark resin. And yes… there are midnight org*sms.

Before we even spark the first roast, we’ve got to give a massive nod to a surprise podcasting moment: a shoutout from none other than Kelly Galloup. Yep, the man himself has been tuning in to the madness—and somehow thinks we might actually know what we’re doing. MFC, Cortland… let’s make it happen. Bring Kelly back to Wisconsin so we can roast some flies together in person! Just kidding... but seriously... we're being serious... this is our serious face. 🤪

🎣 Fly Roast Timestamps:

00:09:01 – Dan & Josh’s Midnight Orgasm (Glows in the dark. Named like a punk band. Unforgettable.)

00:20:45 – Electric Gill (Bluegill energy meets three-beer tying session. And we’re here for it.)

00:34:58 – The Voices (Monstrosity with a coffin box and our faces as fly eyes. Peak fly roast and absolutely the craziest over the top submission thus far.)

00:43:42 – Buford Roast (Solid musky platform + hand-dyed bucktail = legit potential.)

00:54:08 – Meat Bozo (A little creepy, very touching back story, super rad.)

01:15:20 – Scruffy Olive (Scottish-style soft hackle fly sneaks into the mix. Not just musky madness.)

🏆 Hall of Fame and Wall of Shame votes fly freely. We’re giving flowers to great ties—and setting fire to crimes against bucktail. Bonus points for ridiculous names and unhinged packaging.

🎁 Want your fly roasted in the next round? Submit it. Weird wins.
Head over to MuskyFool.com

💬 Comment with your vote: Hall of Fame or straight into the Shame Bag?

Brought to you by the fine folks at Musky Fool and our QuickTrip garbage bag of glory.

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

Follow us on Instagram @muskyfool and check out our YouTube channel.

And be sure to check out MuskyFool.com !

Have fun out there on the water ya'll!

- Dan & Josh

MuskyFool.com
Instagram: @muskyfool
YouTube: Musky Fool Fly Fishing Co.
Facebook: Musky Fool Fly Fishing Co.

Welcome back to The Spot Burn Podcast, hosts Dan and Josh sit down with fisheries specialist and musky research guru Kamden Glade for Part 2 for a deep dive into the fascinating world of muskellunge management. Kamden shares his groundbreaking research into musky diets in Minnesota lakes—research that not only went viral but fundamentally shifted public perception and fisheries management practices.

Tune in as Kamden discusses how his study has helped shape Minnesota's upcoming 15-year musky management plan, balancing angler expectations with scientific evidence. Explore hot-button issues like invasive species impacts, forward-facing sonar controversies, catch-and-release ethics, and the broader challenges facing fisheries in the Upper Midwest.

With humor, humility, and expert insights, Kamden reveals what goes into managing and preserving musky fisheries, the importance of angler cooperation, and why understanding local ecosystems is critical for sustainable fishing.

Whether you're a hardcore musky fanatic, a fisheries science buff, or simply passionate about conserving the waters we all cherish, this episode has something for you. Light up your passion for fishing and conservation, and dive into an episode filled with science-backed insights, thoughtful discussions, and some fiery opinions.

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📚 LINKS & RESOURCES

📝 Kamden Glade’s Research

Diet Patterns of Muskellunge and Co-occuring Piscivores:
https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.1002/nafm.10880?domain=author&token=H9TTC339MZUEX3MXIFIK

Muskie Diet Secrets Revealed! - Webinar:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3mrFmD2Qkt4

Effects of Gastric Lavage on Muskellunge Survival:
https://www.researchgate.net/publication/389042102_Effects_of_Gastric_Lavage_on_Muskellunge_Survival

Explore More of Kamden's Research:
https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Kamden-Glade

Follow Kamden's Research on Instagram:
@kamdenglade

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👀 CHECK US OUT
Musky Fool Fly Fishing Co.
Your source for everything fly fishing for apex predators.https://muskyfool.com/

🔥 If you liked this episode, be sure to subscribe, leave a review, and share it with your fish-obsessed friends. Let’s keep it burning!

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

Follow us on Instagram @muskyfool and check out our YouTube channel.

And be sure to check out MuskyFool.com !

Have fun out there on the water ya'll!

- Dan & Josh

MuskyFool.com
Instagram: @muskyfool
YouTube: Musky Fool Fly Fishing Co.
Facebook: Musky Fool Fly Fishing Co.