Conversations with local guides, businesses, and brands that contribute to New England's reputation as a premier outdoor destination.
The New England Fishing Expo is hosted by Dan Kenney every February in Massachusetts, featuring industry leaders from local and afar. In this gear review, we bring you baits that we picked up from local companies who bring region specific and American made products to us local anglers. Specifically we feature products we
purchased from Krank’d Up Custom Lures from RI, Samatis Baits from MA, Fresh
Baitz from MA, Lead Free Bass Jigs from MA, and Crazy Hick Bait CO from NH. It
was especially surreal to meet Oliver Gny from Big Bass Dreams - thanks for making the voyage to New England!
Each company we review in this episode has a comprehensive online store where you can get your hands on these must have baits. If you’re in the area, but missed the New England Fishing Expo, you may have a second change at picking up these products in-person at the NH Outdoor Expo in Milford March 8th-10th. Both the New England Fishing Expo and NH Outdoor Expo are quality shows hosted by a great manDan Kenney and will get you ready for this year’s fishing and hunting seasons! Below are links to both shows as well as the online stores for each company we review. Thanks for supporting the channel and supporting these quality, local companies!
Crazy Hick Bait Co
https://www.crazyhickbaits.com/
Samatis Baits
https://samatisbaits.com/
Lead Free Bass Jigs
https://leadfreebassjigs.com/
Krank’d Up Custom Lures
https://www.krankdupcustomlures.com/
New England Fishing Expo
https://nefishingexpo.com/
NH Outdoor Expo
https://nhoutdoorexpo.com/
*Please note that Hunt Fish New England and its hosts are not affiliates or pro staff of these companies at the time of release of this gear review.
2023 was the turning point and foundation of the channel with the support and encouragement from a quality local outdoor industry that is packed with wisdom and experience. In this episode, we briefly recap a few highlights from the year including: the encouragement to get in the expo game from Mr. Dan Kenney at the NH Outdoor Expo, a quality Maine Summer fishing trip at Bear Springs Camps using Crazy Hick Bait Company and Fresh Baitz products, HUNTSTOCK 2023 including winning the 1-of-1 Big Woods Bucks Edition Duren Knife, the high of the hunting season featuring the harvest of a Maine Black Bear with Backwoods Gun Dogs, and general appreciation for the support to start the YouTube channel from a couple local greats including Kyle Bentall from KBB Outdoors and Pat Guyette of HUNTSTOCK and Hunt Suburbia.
We appreciate everyone for a great 2023, for supporting the channel, and for sharing the passion of supporting the local New England's outdoor industry!
Coming fresh off our final black bear kill of the week, we sat down with Guide Deven Cooley of Backwoods Gun Dogs to recap our kills, reminisce about the trip, and review the experience and hunting packages Deven has to offer. Tucked on the southern bank of Moosehead Lake, Deven and Backwoods Gun Dogs offer a truly Maine experience throughout the whole region with a focus on hound hunting for black bear. Prior to the hound season, Deven offers limited amounts of bait hunts and during the off season he opens his lodging to outdoorsmen and women, whether it be for snowmobiling, fishing, hiking, or just enjoying the landscape. We had a truly incredible and memorable time harvesting our first black bears with Deven at the helm and we hope people at the very least experience a hound hunt in their lives, and better yet, do it with Backwoods Gun Dogs. Check out Backwoods Gun Dogs at the link below which includes their contact information for you to schedule your next hunt!
https://www.facebook.com/BackwoodsGunDogs
Although we focus solely on New England, we had to have our brother from NY Josh Larsen from Primitive Patriot Outdoors on the podcast
while at HUNTSTOCK 2023! Josh and his team are taking their passion for the
outdoors and their country to the next level whether it's hosting a walleye
series, getting Veterans on hunts, or getting in the field themselves shooting
footage for their channel. In this episode we cover everything Primitive
Patriot and get first-hand accounts from Josh about memorable accomplishments
and experiences that he has endured prior to and during his time with Primitive
Patriot. Thanks in advance for subscribing and supporting Primitive Patriot
Outdoors and below are links to Josh's other social media pages. Thanks Josh
(and Joe) for what you do and coming on the pod!
Primitive Patriot Outdoors YouTube Channel
https://www.youtube.com/@primitivepatriotoutdoors
Primitive Patriot Outdoors IG
https://www.instagram.com/primitivepatriotoutdoors/
Josh's Personal IG
https://www.instagram.com/joshlarsen_theprimitivepatriot/
This episode was proudly recorded at HUNTSTOCK 2023 where Tyler Adams from The Duck Republic joined us to talk about his wild ride in the outdoors that started with commercial fishing on the West Coast and is now focused solely on duck hunting. Tyler is currently capturing his time in the blind on camera and pumping o.l.,ut great content on The Duck Republic YouTube and Instagram pages respectively. We had originally met on social media and HUNTSTOCK was a great place to meet each other in person and then record a pod in the process. Take the time to follow, like and subscribe to all things The Duck Republic and we’ll see you at HUNTSTOCK 2024!
The Duck Republic IG Page
https://www.instagram.com/theduckrepublic/
The Duck Republic YouTube Channel
https://www.youtube.com/@TheDuckRepublicHunts
Bob Howe and Wyatt Howe of Pine Grove Lodge are hunters to the core, offering guided bear, deer, bird, and rabbit hunting in the big woods of Maine for over three decades now. Pine Grove Lodge has recently expanded their guided services to include remote trout fishing as well as unique cast and blast trips in the Fall. In this episode, Wyatt and Bob detail their services, discuss the experience of running a multigenerational outfit, and if that isn’t enough, they also bring us along into their other ventures including Maine Guide Snowshoes and the Pine Grove Program. It was an honor to talk with these guys and we’ll be in the woods with them at Pine Grove Lodge in an upcoming season. Links to all that they do are below:
Pine Grove Lodge Website: https://pinegrovelodge.com/
Pine Grove Lodge FB: https://www.facebook.com/BobandAndreaHowe
Maine Guide Snowshoes Website: http://www.mgsnowshoes.com/
Pine Grove Programs Website: https://www.pinegroveprograms.org/
Pine Grove Program FB: https://www.facebook.com/Pinegroveprogram
Back in episode 16, Kyle Bentall (KBB Outdoors and Bows Bros Bucks Podcast Host) told us about his goal to kill mature bucks in three New England states this season which he coined “The New England Slam.” Spoiler Alert: Kyle has done it and then some! In this episode, Kyle recaps all 6 of his impressive bucks as well as his goals for the remainder of the season including getting new hunters on their first deer. Thank you Kyle for sharing your incredible season with us and looking forward to seeing your Huntstock Film Fest submission!
KBB Outdoors YouTube Channel
https://www.youtube.com/@KBBOUTDOORS
KBB Outdoors IG
https://www.instagram.com/kbboutdoors2.0/
Bows Bros & Bucks Podcast IG
https://www.instagram.com/bowsbrosbucks/
The Gun Owners Action League (GOAL) has been protecting 2A rights for years here in the Commonwealth through advocacy and education; most recently against bill H.4139. This piece of legislation will not only infringe upon our Constitutional right to bear arms, but it includes several proposed law changes that will immediately affect hunting and shooting sports for current and prospective participants. In this episode, Mike Harris from GOAL breaks down just several (of many) poor components of the bill, outlining how it will immediately impact the Constitutional rights of law-abiding citizens while ineffectively addressing the real issues it was intended to address. Use the links below to stay current on all things GOAL including their numerous educational resources and advocacy work.
Website: https://www.goal.org/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/GunOwnersActionLeague
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/goal_massachusetts/
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/c/GOALVid/videos
Dan Dugdale from Dugdale Custom Knives is someone who lets his work do the talking for him, so we can't thank him enough for taking the time to join us for this podcast where he shared his story and impressive product line. Dan is a hunter, machinist, and knifemaker who combined his passions into what we have come to know as Dugdale Custom Knives. Dan's knives are as creative as they are quality, which has led to his designs being incorporated into knives made by big name brands we've all likely purchased from before. Follow Dan on instagram at @dugdaleknives to stay informed about his next expo appearance and to inquire about knife availability and pricing. Consider buying local with Dugdale Custom Knives for the knife collector or outdoorsman in your family for a gift that will impress them and keep them sharp in the outdoors for many seasons to come! Thanks for listening to another podcast proudly recorded at HUNTSTOCK 2023!
Kyle Bentall is the man behind KBB Outdoors and The Bows Bros & Bucks Podcast, and to be blunt, this man knows how to put down mature whitetails! Kyle joined us live at Huntstock 2023 to detail his passion for the outdoors as well as his goal of completing the New England whitetail slam. For anyone that has already been following along, Kyle has called his shots and has successfully pulled off the slam (and then some!) which we look to detail in a part II episode. Be sure to like and subscribe to all things KBB Outdoors and follow along as he continues to put down mature whitetail bucks here in the big woods and suburbia of New England!
KBB Outdoors Youtube Channel
https://www.youtube.com/@KBBOUTDOORS
KBB Outdoors IG:
https://www.instagram.com/kbboutdoors2.0/
Bows Bros & Bucks Podcast IG
https://www.instagram.com/bowsbrosbucks/
Supporting veterans can take a lot more than recognizing those who served each November. Thankfully organizations such as The Fallen Outdoors and the Armed Forces Initiative (AFI) of Backcountry Hunters and Anglers (BHA) support Veterans, Gold Star Families, and Active-Duty personnel every day through the outdoors. Recorded live at Huntstock 2023 in Westminster Massachusetts, this episode features representatives from both organizations who detail their respective missions and how to get involved. Links to each organization (including Huntstock) can be found here:
THE FALLEN OUTDOORS
Website: https://thefallenoutdoors.org/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/thefallenoutdoors
THE ARMED FORCES INITIATIVE (AFI) OF BHA
Website: https://www.backcountryhunters.org/armed_forces
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/armedforcesinitiative
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bha_newengland_afi/
HUNTSTOCK
Website: https://huntstockevents.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100090532464376
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/huntstockfest/
Buzz Travers from Sportsmen’s National Land Trust (SNLT) Massachusetts Chapter stopped by our booth at HUNSTOCK 2023 for a quick dive into the non-profit’s mission, vision, and conservation wins here in Massachusetts. As Buzz discusses, SNLT Massachusetts is dedicated to acquiring land whether it be by purchase, collaboration, or donation in order to conserve the land and support the public's access to outdoor recreation. Within this episode you will hear about several properties that SNLT MA acquired to support hunting and fishing on that now public land in perpetuity. Thank you Buzz for taking the time to speak with us, and more importantly, thank you to you and your team for your volunteerism that conserves the habitat and heritage!
Website: https://snltmassachusetts.org/
Josh Treadwell of Bend It Fishing joined us from the Live Free or Die state to discuss all things Bend It Fishing. Josh has been educating and entertaining us for years through his year-round fishing adventures shot here in New England and he has recently launched a product line of hard water and open water lures designed to effectively target and get tight on Lake Trout and other New England game fish. In this episode Josh generously provides us with a healthy dose of fishing knowledge and techniques on top of detailing the origin of Bend It fishing, the highs and lows of being a content creator in the outdoor industry, his current product line, and a sneak peak into Bend It's "Big Bait Kit" which is releasing soon. Follow Josh on all the social medias and be sure to like, subscribe and comment on all things Bend It Fishing!
Bend It (@bend_it_fishing) • Instagram photos and videos
Bend It Fishing - YouTube
Huntlyte is a saddle hunting and hunting accessory company out of NH that brings the versatility, creativity, and innovation the saddle hunting world has been waiting for. In this episode, AJ Hunter of Huntlyte details how his experience in the military and mountain guiding industry have influenced the birth of the company and the ever-evolving catalogue of goods Huntlyte offers all types of hunters. AJ and Huntlyte give users the edge they need when targeting game through their commitment to providing safe, effective, and lightweight products that ensure sits are comfortable, secure, and long in duration. Not into saddle hunting? Well, Huntlyte has you covered with incredible accessories, like the Attack Pack, that is a must have for anglers, trackers, turkey hunters, and more. Thank you AJ for taking the time and we can't wait to get our hands on our Huntlyte system! #huntlytehuntright
Jamie Verab of NEBASSIN is a man with a passion for bass fishing, education, and competitive sports, which he combined with his entrepreneurial spirit to bring us all NEBASSIN. Jamie gets into the inception of NEBASSIN, his entrepreneurial experiences with the brand (and his other endeavors), format of NEBASSIN tournaments, and more. Thanks to Jamie and his dedicated directors, NEBASSIN brings New Englanders quality tournament fishing opportunities with a low barrier to entry whether it be out of a kayak, Jon boat, or bass boat. We highly recommend signing up for a season and experiencing NEBASSIN for yourself. Thank you Pres for all that you do for the sport of bass fishing and the New England community.
"Live" from the 2023 NH Outdoor Expo, comes a dynamic line-up of New England businesses and organizations from the outdoor industry: Warden Watch Podcast, Boston Fish Charters, Stormbuster Charters, Hunt Lyte, Fresh Baitz, Academics Integrity & Sportsmanship (AIM), Starlight Lodge Hotels, Bend It Fishing, The Outdoor Gazette, Maineiac Outfitters, Pine 9, Red Oak Outfitters, and StandNP. Thank you Dan Kenney for a great show and for bringing us all together! Be sure to follow, subscribe, and support these local companies that contribute to this region's incredible outdoor industry!
Trout Whisperer Tackle Co of Maine is a growing small business that evolved from a passion for fishing and the pursuit of customizing reaction bait presentations for trout in the region. Owner and operator Chris Everett talks us through the progression of the company, specifically how it went from a hobby to a small business whose products are regularly stocked in LL Bean and other reputable tackle shops in Maine. Trout Whisperer Tackle Co lures are fine tuned for the region and will give you that edge in the pursuit of trout and other species here in New England. Take the time to explore the online store and be sure to add their specialized spinners, spoons, and crankbaits to your arsenal. Chris can also be found on YouTube where he talks his viewers through bait modifications and allows us to join in on his outdoor adventures.
The Armed Forces Initiative (AFI) of BHA is focused on giving those who have served and Gold Star Families a new mission focused on conservation. New England BHA AFI is a new addition to the BHA AFI program and is already making a strong impact in their region. In this episode, Cody Fongemie, liaison for New England BHA AFI, provides us with a genuine and firsthand insight into AFI and how he and his team are supporting the military community through conservation projects and hunting opportunities here in New England. Thank you to Cody and his team for what they do and keep an eye out for their upcoming AFI events!
BHA New England Coordinator Chris Borgatti joins us for a dive into the conservation work that he and BHA work tirelessly on in order to allow us hunters and anglers to continue doing what we love and have the right to do. Chris gives us firsthand insight into the recent stewardship project BHA New England completed with Mark Kenyon from Wired to Hunt which is worth the listen alone. This episode is filled with gems on how to get involved with BHA and support hunting and fishing in your backyard. Consider joining the call by becoming a member of BHA and, at the very least, follow along on insta @newenglandbha and get in touch with Chris about getting involved with upcoming events.
Pat Guyette of HUNTSTOCK and Hunt Suburbia Podcast is transforming how hunters of new and old come together to celebrate and grow the heritage that is hunting in New England. In this episode, Pat sheds light into HUNTSTOCK, the Archery Games, the Hunt Suburbia Podcast, his 2022 tracking buck (great story btw), tactics for Fall success, and more. Be sure to follow HUNTSTOCK and Hunt Suburbia on their respective pages, subscribe to the Hunt Suburbia Podcast, and purchase your 2023 HUNTSTOCK tickets today!
40 Up Tackle Company is the definition of Made in USA and everything you love about an American small business: passion, heritage, pride, ownership, patriotism, hard work, and honesty. Kerri & Nate purchased 40 Up during the pandemic and, with determination and sacrifice, have revitalized the business to continue bringing us a quality American made product we've depended on for decades. Listen in to hear from Kerri and Nate themselves on their acquisition of the business, their experience since resuming manufacturing, current state of operations, product line, and more. Recorded right in the manufacturing and assembly space of 40 Up, this is a great listen for any outdoorsman and New Englander. Make sure you follow them on social media to witness their expansion and check out their website to find a retailer near you!
Daniel Kenney is the man behind the NH Outdoor Expo (March 10th-12th, 2023 in Milford New Hampshire), New England Fishing Expo, and the Northeast Swimbait Expo. Outside of the expo season, Dan can be found at Ben's Tackle Shack in Leicester MA and he also has a series on YouTube called Go Fish Dan. In talking with New England small businesses, all have mentioned how much Dan has supported their morale and success over the years. It was an honor to meet and chat with Dan and I'm sure you all will enjoy this episode. Be sure to check out Dan's upcoming shows to stock up on local American made gear and tackle for this season.
NH Outdoor Expo - March 10th-12th Milford NH
Northeast Swimbait Expo March 18th & 19th Sturbridge MA
Unique Lures of Maine certainly live up to the hype; they are made in Maine, resemble lures of the past and present, and are accompanied by names you won't find anywhere else. Steve Alekshun of Unique lures sat down with us to outline his inventory, share how he got started, discuss custom lure making options, and more. Follow Unique Lures on social media and fill your cart in his online store at the links below:
IG: Unique Lures (@uniquelures) • Instagram photos and videos
FB: Unique Lures | Facebook
Online Store: Unique Lures Lures Made In Brewer, Maine | UNIQUE LURES QUALITY HANDCRAFTED FISHING LURES MADE IN BREWER MAINE (square.site)
Geoff Klane is a MA based fly fishing guide, fly tyer, rod maker, and conservationist who you may know on social media as @braskishflies. In this episode Geoff discusses his current conservation effort/ fundraiser "Save the Stripers" as well as his guiding, rod making and fly tying services; all of which are iconic and representative of New England. Follow the link below to connect with Geoff on IG and donate to Save the Stripers come April!
Geoff (@brackishflies) • Instagram photos and videos
In this episode, hosts Cam and Matt discuss what Hunt Fish New England is, how it got started, and their plans for future hunting, angling, and media.