Of these invaluable venues, <a href="https://anycreek.com/theanglingcompany?ref=blog.anycreek.com">The Angling Company</a> — located in Key West, Florida — differentiates itself via a range of commitments to its patrons. We sat down with company owner Nathaniel Linville to learn a little bit more about the ideology behind the business that he and his wife, Kat, have run since April of 2009.“Sure, The Angling Company is a fly shop, but we wanted to do it right,” says Nathaniel. &nbsp;You may think a commitment to doing things right sounds vague or wishy-washy, but think again. &nbsp;Nathaniel’s own angling accolades include four IGFA world records, and Kat holds four of her own as well. &nbsp;It’s clear that for Nathaniel and Kat, full-on immersion and complete dedication are crucial elements of their success, both on and off the water. &nbsp;“Look, my wife and I are diehard fishermen, but you gotta know what you're talking about,” states Nathaniel. &nbsp;“Many people love fishing, but do you love it enough to have spent a really long time doing it, at the expense of doing other things?” The answer is certainly “yes” for Nathaniel and Kat, as they are truly committed to living this passion. &nbsp;This allows them to spend extensive time around the Keys fishery, and its constituent guides, all the year round.When Nathaniel first arrived in the Keys many years ago, he looked to local icons like Sandy Moret as inspirations. &nbsp;In addition to owning Florida Keys Outfitters, in Islamorada, Sandy is an accomplished fly tournament angler of legendary stature. &nbsp;“As an angler, there's so much to look up to there,” says Nathaniel. &nbsp;“And in terms of his shop, it would be nice to look back one day and say I created something comparable to his program.” As enclaves of local knowledge, fly shops have a certain responsibility to provide visitors with gear, intel, and advice that may mean the difference between success and failure on the water. &nbsp;“What sets us apart is our ability to give people the right advice,” says Nathaniel. &nbsp;“If you ask us enough questions, the answer will eventually be ‘I don't know,’ but we'll be able to answer more questions than anyone else about rigging and fishing and equipment.”Given the toughness of the Key’s fishery, Nathaniel knows his shop’s role is paramount in facilitating successful stays for anglers. &nbsp;“We can help folks get set up with a good guide, and we've helped develop a lot of long-term relationships between clients and guides that have been very fruitful and, at this point, have nothing to do with us.” &nbsp;The Angling Company works with a number of talented, local guides with impressive guiding resumes. &nbsp;These folks know how to consistently put people in the position to catch bonefish, tarpon, permit, snook, and other species that the Keys fishery is known for. &nbsp;Regardless of pursuit, the shop strives to be a resource for what is tried and true — be it gear, rigging, relationships, and even casting — while also recognizing that long-term credibility means constantly pushing the envelope. &nbsp;Indeed, for Nathaniel, the biggest challenge of running a fly shop in Key West is ensuring he can answer all of his patrons' questions. “The people who fish down here are fucking good,” he admits. “So I need to be able to teach people something new — whether they fish one hundred days a year, or they’ve never fished a day in their lives. &nbsp;It doesn’t matter whether it's a leader formula, a new fly from a talented local tyer, a casting tip, or a lead to a great new guide relationship. That’s a real responsibility to have answers.”The Keys is by no means an easy fishery for anglers of any skill level to tackle. &nbsp;It has long been considered the ultimate proving ground for shallow water sight-fishing in the United States. &nbsp;“I think what attracts people to flats fishing is that it's difficult,” Nathaniel notes. &nbsp;“And the fish are under more pressure here than in other places like Mexico or Belize. &nbsp;So if you want to really lean into that difficulty, this is a great place.” &nbsp;Nathaniel sees guides as pivotal players in the success of anglers testing their mettle on the gamefish of the Keys. &nbsp;In fact, Nathaniel believes that the guides are perhaps the best thing about the whole Keys fishery. “The level of qualification of the guides down here is really, really high on average,” he states. &nbsp;“And the guides are engaged in advocacy and conservation. It’s a real community, and you don't really see that in other places. &nbsp;Additionally, we’ve got folks that have been guiding here for thirty years. And we've got folks that fish with the same guide each year for thirty or forty days. &nbsp;Even if it’s just that first trip that we facilitate — those are the relationships that I'm the most excited about, and the most proud of. &nbsp;Because for serious anglers, once you find the right guide and develop a relationship with that person, you will fish better together than with anyone else, and you'll accomplish things that you wouldn't ever be able to do alone.”

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Talking Shop with Nathaniel Linville

Part of Tommy's business also revolves around guiding for waterfowl, but the season is much shorter. While Tommy cherishes his time both on the boat and in the blind, he realizes that understanding his personal motivations for being outside is crucial to prioritizing his own free time during the duck hunting season — and giving his clients the most enriching experiences.Over the years, Tommy's realized that, while skiff time and hunting time usually happen in different settings, the spaces they occupy in his own mind aren’t all that disparate. &nbsp;“Sure, there’s distinction as it relates to species or pursuit when it comes to hunting versus fishing, but in the end, it’s all hunting. I’m always hunting for a specific scenario where the fish or game is going to congregate, feed, and let their guard down. &nbsp;I guess at the end of the day, I would say I’m more of a hunter at heart because of the way I fish.”<img src="https://static.anycreek.com/content/BBP_0006_1_fd7158ac09.jpeg" alt="BBP_0006-1.jpeg">It’s true — sight fishing and hunting both attract folks who love the intensity of visual pursuits, and the challenge of constant situational awareness. &nbsp;Tommy uses this to his advantage — to help him do his job and put his clients in the best position for success. &nbsp;“On the water, I’m always hunting for a pattern — a pocket of water on a certain wind direction, a situation where I feel a fish is most likely to eat a fly. That’s the whole game for me with fishing: finding them in a scenario where the feeding mechanism is engaged. &nbsp;Once that switch is flipped in a fish’s mind, it all comes down to presenting the fly.”Throughout his time ‘hunting’ for both fish and fowl, duck hunting has played a critical role in cementing Tommy’s own personal relationships in life. “Duck hunting has a way of drawing extremely like-minded folks together,” he acknowledges. “A lot of lifetime memories and bonds are forged standing in a marsh.” Tommy was first introduced to waterfowling at a young age by his grandfather — a family tie that helped set the stage for a lifelong obsession. He recalls how his grandpa and his friends were trailblazers in their Florida hunting community. “When I was a kid, he would tell me stories and show me pictures of his wing-shooting adventures around the world — to Mexico, Argentina, Canada, the North Platte River Valley out West. &nbsp;I can’t recall an exact story that really piqued my interest. It was really more the collection of experiences and the passion that he had when he talked about duck hunting that really drew me into it.”Tommy’s goal as a guide is to help people along their journey to discovering their own outdoor passions; this holds true for both his hunting and fishing clients. “Guiding puts you and your client into this very personal space that’s only found standing waist-deep in the marsh or baking on the deck of a skiff for ten hours. Watching my clients come full circle is extremely rewarding — going from barely being able to cast a fly ten feet to absolutely crushing it on a day with lots of shots at fish. That’s extremely rewarding. On the hunting side of things, I love watching someone’s reaction when you call and put a group of birds in their lap, they swing around, and the client shoots a trophy bird they’ve been pursuing. That’s rewarding too.”Tommy thinks of his own role a bit differently depending on whether he is guiding for fish or waterfowl, but feels that the sweetest moments in both cases are usually the hardest-earned. “With ducks, you need to help your client stay hidden and take decent shots, and that’s about it. With fishing, the client needs to be organized and proficient in their casting, while also understanding how to present the fly at the right time. Ultimately, it’s always on them to seal the deal when the moment comes.” Each trip, Tommy does everything he can to help facilitate success for his clients depending on the situation. Generally though, he knows he is always hunting for that ‘point of no return’ — when the dice have been rolled, the fish or birds have fully committed to the trap that’s been laid, and the client takes the reins. “When I can line up a shot perfectly with the conditions, and the fish rushes the fly, or the birds start back-peddling over the decoys — that moment is why I do it. That’s when I feel I’ve done my job.”<figure class="image"><img src="https://static.anycreek.com/content/IMG_3096_0b0d80e8ac.jpeg" alt="IMG_3096.jpeg"></figure>Reflecting on one’s own introduction and draw to the sport can certainly help anyone make the most of their time outdoors. Personal motivation can be hard to fully distill, but the very beginning is usually a good place to start the search. “I remember my very first experience waterfowl hunting,” recounts Tommy. “I jump-shot a couple of mallards on a creek in Western Nebraska at about age ten with my cousins. The sounds and colors of those drakes are burned into my mind forever.” Even after countless hours calling and working ducks over spreads, that moment is there to stay for Tommy, and perhaps holds the ‘why’ factor behind his life outside. When asked to choose one dream trip — hunting or fishing — his vision was pretty precise: “Oh man! That is a tough question to narrow down. But I’d have to say hunting mallards over small water, looking at a snow-capped mountain range with my cousins and best friends.” Specific? Sure, but maybe not all that surprising.

Guide Highlights

Check-ins with the leading guides in hunting and fishing.

Guide Highlights

Check-ins with the leading guides in hunting and fishing.

Talking Shop with Nathaniel Linville

Dabbling in waterfowl: exploring one fishing guide's passion for duck hunting.