This week on the Montana Outdoor Podcast your host Downrigger Dale had a great conversation with Montana FWP Fisheries Biologist Heath Headley about Walleye in Fort Peck Reservoir and beyond. If you love to fish for Walleye, want to learn about them or have just been curious about how in the heck the FWP can collect 83 million eggs from Walleye in …

Well, this is a new one for us! Listeners have blown up The Montana Outdoor Podcast site, so we have held last week’s podcast over for yet another week! Thanks to all of you that shared this podcast so much that we just had to keep it going so everyone can keep listening and learning from the incredible discussion that your host Downrigger Dale and…

This week on the Montana Outdoor Podcast your host Downrigger Dale and the Captain of the Montana Outdoor Radio Show talk to Kit and Trevor Johnson about finding AND catching huge Kokanee Salmon in Holter and Hauser Reservoirs. You might recall when Rigger talked to FWP Fisheries Biologist Adam Strainer on the Podcast (click here if you want to hea…

This week on the Montana Outdoor Podcast your host Downrigger Dale talks to none other than the Wizard of the Waterways, Matt Cowen, from Mon-Dak Marine. This time the Wizard is back with all new Tech for your boat. There is so much incredibly cool electronics out right now you just HAVE to listen to this Podcast! Matt covers so many fascinating id…

This week on the Montana Outdoor Podcast Collin Griffiths with Bretz RV & Marine joined your host Downrigger Dale for a great discussion as we continued our series “How to Find the Right Boat for You”. Rigger and Collin covered a tremendous amount of ground, or should we say water covering all kinds of ideas and tips that will help you in your ques…

This week on the Montana Outdoor Podcast your host Downrigger Dale had a great conversation with Chris McFadden, Owner of Townsend Marine. Chris is another perfect person to help Rigger continue his series on “How to Find the Right Boat for You”. When you listen to this podcast, you will hear Chris give all kinds of great advice like, make sure you…

This week on the Montana Outdoor Podcast your host, Downrigger Dale sat down with the owner of Mon-Dak Marine, Mat Cowen. You might recall last year when Matt participated in out series about “How to Find the Right Boat for You” Matt gave some incredible information that was, well, wizard like! Which is how he got the nickname, the Wizard of the Wa…

This week on the Montana Outdoor Podcast your host Downrigger Dale starts our annual series on “How to Find the Right Boat for You!”. Last year this series was a huge hit and if this episode of the Montana Outdoor Podcast is any indication it looks like this year’s series is going to be even better! Downrigger kicked off the first instalment of the…

This week on the Montana Outdoor Podcast your host Downrigger Dale sat down with the President of Bretz RV & Marine, Brandon Bretz. Bretz RV & Marine is truly an incredible outdoor company and a legend in the RV and boat business. Brandon shared some touching and at times funny stories about how this legendary company got its start, and how it almo…

This week on the Montana Outdoor Podcast your host Downrigger Dale talks to CSKT Fisheries Specialist, Cindy Benson and one of the top anglers in past Spring Mack Days Tournaments, Jason Mahlen. Jason has won the tournament many times! You will be blown away by how much cash Jason Mahlen as made fishing in the Mack Days tournaments. Spoiler Alert: …

One of the most popular fishing reports on the Montana Outdoor Radio Show every Saturday morning is the Brian Olson Report. Brian always has great information about fishing on Fresno and Nelson Reservoirs as well as the Milk and the Missouri Rivers. This week on the Montana Outdoor Podcast your host Downrigger Dale caught up with Brian Olson and ta…

Yeah, it is almost the start of a new license year for the Montana Outdoors. In less than a week it will be time to get a new fishing license and conservation license and then just like that the clock starts to ticking! Yeah, the deadline season is about to begin. The time of the year when you have start thinking about applying for special permits …

This week on the Montana Outdoor Podcast your host Downrigger Dale talks to Andy Mansoor, CEO of Brixtel Defense along with two other key executives of the Company Jimmy Slaughter and James McCoy. Those gentlemen represent Brixtel Defense an ammunition company that is spending 125 million dollars to build an ammunition manufacturing plant in Glendi…

This week on the Montana Outdoor Podcast your host Downrigger Dale talks to Cory Medlinger of Superior Hardwoods of Montana to find out about one of the most unique wood products companies in the world! If you are a fan of the podcast or the Montana Outdoor Radio Show you have no doubt heard Cory talk about Superior Hardwoods of Montana a company t…

This week on the Montana Outdoor Podcast your host Downrigger Dale had an awesome conversation with Montana Fish Wildlife and Parks’ BOW Coordinator, Kylie Kembel. Kylie told Rigger all about the Becoming an Outdoors Woman program. Of course, with Downrigger being a father of 9 daughters this is a program that is near and dear to his heart! If you …

This week on the Montana Outdoor Podcast your host, Downrigger Dale caught up with a guy who has been VERY busy. We are talking about Josh Parrow of Havre Montana. You probably have heard Josh a time or two on the Montana Outdoor Radio Show give a report from Montana’s Hi-Line or you may have seen him out on the Walleye Circuit or maybe even out on…

This week on the Montana Outdoor Podcast your host Downrigger Dale talks with Matthew Rosencrans in the National Weather Service Climate Prediction Center. Matthew is the Climate Testbed Director in the Climate Prediction Center and knows a great deal about predicting the weather. In fact, he used to be one of the weather forecasters for the United…

This week on the Montana Outdoor Podcast your host, Downrigger Dale has a conversation with Montana Governor, Greg Gianforte. Rigger and the Governor get into all kinds of topics about Montana’s great outdoors. Things like: What is the overall outlook for Montana’s Outdoors for 2024? What About Montana’s outdoor economy, which is a huge part of our…

This week on the Montana Outdoor Podcast Manny Clark sits in for Downrigger Dale and counts down the top five podcasts for 2023. There were 51 podcasts dropped in 2023 all of which had tons and tons of listeners. But as always, there were some that of course had more listeners than others. So which ones were the top five podcasts for all of 2023? W…

This week on the Montana Outdoor Podcast your host Downrigger Dale talks to Bureau of Reclamation Project Manager Steve Darlinton about the huge projects he is managing that will, among many things, fix the Fresno Dam located just about 15 miles Northwest of Havre, Montana. Fresno Dam was built in the mid 1930’s and since then it has been slowly si…

This week on the Montana Outdoor Podcast your host Downrigger Dale talks with celebrity and Montana native Shane Clouse about his involvement with the Montana Wild Sheep Foundation. Shane is a past President of the foundation which partners with the Montana FWP to help with Big Horn Sheep to make sure we will always be able to hunt them. When Shane…

This week on the Montana Outdoor Podcast your host Downrigger Dale talks to Brian Wakeling the Game Management Bureau Chief for the Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks. Brian knows everything there is to know about Montana’s Elk Shoulder Seasons. He and Rigger had a VERY interesting discussion about these sometimes confusing and controversial Elk Hunt…

This week on the Montana Outdoor Podcast you host Downrigger Dale talks to the Regional Director of the Montana Mule Deer Foundation, Chris Fortune. Rigger and Chris got into a fascinating and at times alarming discussion about the decline of the Mule Deer population in Montana. They cover all kinds of reasons that are contributing to this decline …

This week on the Montana Outdoor Podcast your host Downrigger Dale talks with Ed Hebbe, Communications Director of the Montana Trappers Association about Federal Judge Donald Molloy’s order to shorten Montana’s wolf trapping season. One of the main reasons for his decision was because wolf trapping could harm or kill grizzly bears. Do wolf traps re…

This week on the Montana Outdoor Podcast your host Downrigger Dale talks to the Season 6 winner of the History Channel’s popular TV reality series, “Alone”. You must hear Jordan Jonas’s story of how he not only survived but won the incredible challenge. You will hear how Jordan fought off starvation, loneliness, wild animals, and the brutal weather…

This week on the Montana Outdoor Podcast it is all about Montana’s Upland Game Birds. Your podcast host Downrigger Dale talks to Upland Gamebird Specialist Ken Plourde. Ken is based in FWP Region 6 and there is, for sure, a reason the word, “Specialist”, is in his job title. Ken is one of THE most knowledgeable people in the State of Montana when i…

This week on the Montana Outdoor Podcast your host, Downrigger Dale talks with the Montana Pheasants Forever, State Coordinator, Hunter VanDonsel about Montana’s Pheasants. Besides being the State Coordinator for Pheasants Forever, Hunter is also a biologist and knows a great deal about these amazing birds. When you click here to listen to this wee…

This week on the Montana Outdoor Podcast your host Downrigger Dale talks to Nancy Schlepp, VP of Communications & Government Relations and Jerry Zieg, Senior Vice President of Black Butte Copper. Rigger had heard all kinds of rumors about this proposed copper mining project near White Sulphur Springs for years, some good and some bad, and then he g…

This week the host of The Montana Outdoor Podcast, Downrigger Dale talks to Ed Beall Owner of Capital Sports and Western and member of the Montana Private Land and Public Wildlife Advisory Committee (PLPW). Rigger and Ed cover a TON of topics about hunter and landowner relations. Ed has been working hard for years now to help get outdoor sportsmen …

This week on the Montana Outdoor Podcast, your host, Downrigger Dale talks to FWP Wildlife Manger from Region 6, Scott Thompson. Scott knows a great deal about the wily Speed Goat and Rigger squeezed every bit of that knowledge out of him during this podcast, just for you hunters! So why do you suppose the Antelope populations are down across most …

This week on the Montana Outdoor Podcast Host Downrigger Dale talks with Sarah Tilt, Executive Director of One Montana. One Montana is the nonprofit organization that created probably one of the most unique hunter education courses in the world. When you listen to this podcast you will see what we meant by that last statement in just the first few …

This week on the Montana Outdoor Podcast Downrigger Dale talks to Audiologist Dr Nora Martin and Hearing Instrument Specialist Alyssa Keith, from Vibrant Hearing, about hearing protection for hunters! This is an important podcast that EVERY hunter should listen to…while you still can that is! If you want to be an effective hunter, you need to keep …

This week on the Montana Outdoor Podcast, Downrigger Dale has a fascinating discussion with Montana Game Warden Sargent Aaron Berg. It is hard to believe but there are only about 80 game wardens out patrolling the mountains, meadows, waterways, and prairies of Montana and they have over 147,000 square miles to cover! That is A LOT of ground to cove…

Oh, the Montana Outdoor Podcast does not disappoint! This week on the Montana Outdoor Podcast, your host, Downrigger Dale talks to Mike Benson and Scott Bombard about Falls Mack Days going on now through November 12h on Flathead Lake. Mike and Scott shared an unbelievable amount of information with Rigger all about how to fish Fall Mack Days to get…

This week on the Montana Outdoor Podcast, Downrigger Dale talks with hunting expert and guide Tayler Michels. Rigger covered a TON of great topics with Tayler that will, without a doubt get you a whole lot closer to sticking the Bull of your dreams. Tayler gives some awesome advice on planning every aspect of your next hunt, from what to pack in wi…

Are You Bear Aware? Bears are Getting Ready for Hibernation Right Now! Be Ready!! What Should You do if You Surprise a Bear? What Should You do if You Are in a Physical Confrontation with a Bear? This week on the Montana Outdoor Podcast your host Downrigger Dale talks with Danielle Oyler, Wildlife Stewardship Outreach Specialist from Montana Fish, …

This week on the Montana Outdoor Podcast, Host Downrigger Dale interviews archery hunting guide and elk hunting expert Shawn Plakke. Shawn explains how hunting the elk rut can be incredibly similar to guys and gals trying to pick each other up at the popular local nightclub. Yeah, it sounds a bit far fetched until you hear what Shawn has to say and…

This week on the Montana Outdoor Podcast Downrigger Dale and Deadeye Denny, aka, the Director of the Montana Outdoor Radio Show, headed to Flathead Lake in Northwest Montana! They met up with the new owner of Howe’s Fishing and Mo Fisch Charters, and current owner of Big Sky Fishing Charters, Chris Mischke as well as an old friend of the Montana Ou…

This week on the Montana Outdoor Podcast, Downrigger Dale talked to Jeff “The Dog Man” Smith and got some great tips for you and your hunting dog. Jeff has 40 VERY successful years of training hunting dogs under his belt and in this podcast, and he let it all come out! If you hunt with a dog, have ever thought about it or just plain love dogs, you …

This week on the Montana Outdoor Podcast, Downrigger and The Captain recorded the podcast live on Bill the Salmon Slayer Zahradka’s boat! Finally, the boys were able to not only have Bill tell all of his secrets to catching King Salmon on Fort Peck Reservoir, but he also showed them by catching some Kings while they were recording the podcast! You …

This week on the Montana Outdoor Podcast, Downrigger Dale sits down for a frank discussion with Brian Lipscomb the CEO of Energy Keepers, the company that owns the dam on Flathead Lake. This was a VERY enlightening discussion that provided a whole lot of answers to many of our listeners questions. This is one of those Podcasts that you DO NOT WANT …

Those and many more questions about the hardest fighting fish in Montana get answered in this week’s Montana Outdoor Podcast! Be sure and listen to Downrigger Dale and the Captain ask Fisheries Biologist, Heath Headley and Fish Hatchery Manager, Wade Geraets, all kinds of questions! There is a TON of information that is revealed about these mysteri…

This week on the Montana Outdoor Podcast, Downrigger and The Captain have FWP Fisheries Biologist for Region 4, Adam Strainer back to talk all about the fish in Holter Reservoir located not far from Helena, MT. As usual Adam did not disappoint. He delivered all kinds of great information. The fellas started their discussion about a picture that Ada…

This week on the Montana Outdoor Podcast, Downrigger and The Captain interview five VERY interesting people involved in Montana’s legendary fishing tournament, the 2023 Montana Governor’s Cup Walleye Tournament. Be sure to listen and you will get five very unique perspectives on one of the richest Walleye tournaments in the United States. Lisa Kosk…

This week on the Montana Outdoor Podcast, fishing guide and three-time Montana Walleye Angler of the Year, Jason Mundel from Ripp’n Lipps Guide Service joins Downrigger and The Captain on the podcast to talk about using fishing electronics to catch, not just more fish, but bigger fish! Having all the right electronics is of course something most ev…

Host Downrigger Dale was surprised at how big the top weight results were coming out of the recent Canyon Ferry Walleye Festival (click here to view those). So, Downrigger decided to get ahold of FWP Fisheries Biologist for Region 4, Adam Strainer and have him come on this week’s Montana Outdoor Podcast. Boy, did they have a fascinating discussion!…

This week on the Montana Outdoor Podcast, Downrigger Dale talks to Jeri Delys of the Drummond Rodeo. Give it a listen and see if our host Downrigger Dale can Cowboy Up! Seriously though this is a great podcast that will fill you in on the longest running rodeo in Montana! This event is so historic that the event itself was inducted into the Montana…

This week on the Montana Outdoor Podcast Brett French Talks to The Captain and Downrigger about his over 30 years of reporting on Montana’s Great Outdoors. Over the years Brett has written some incredible articles for the Billings Gazette and MontanaOutdoor.com. He talks about some of his favorite stories and the ones he felt made the biggest impac…

This week on the Montana Outdoor Podcast. Downrigger Dale and The Captain had a chance to talk to Montana fishing legend Dick Zimmer, aka, The Mackman of Zimmer Tackle. Dick has been fishing Montana’s waters for 70 years! His lures and other tackle for Lake Trout, Whitefish, Kokanee Salmon and many other species of fish are known by Montana Fisherm…

In this week’s edition of the Montana Outdoor Podcast, Downrigger Dale talks with Montana FWP Bear Specialist Jamie Jonkel about problem bears and how to deal with them. Jonkel talks about how Bears can cause some serious problems if they start looking for, and find, easy food sources in Western Montana neighborhoods, like garbage, bird feeders, pe…