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Anchored with April Vokey

Anchored Podcast Ep. 287: The Lost Art of Hand-Tied Flies with Adrian Cortes

Anchored with April Vokey

Anchored Outdoors

Wilderness, Sports

4.91.4K Ratings

🗓️ 2 July 2026

⏱️ 59 minutes

🧾️ Download transcript

Summary

In this episode of Anchored, I’m joined by Adrian Cortes, a passionate steelheader, hand fly tyer, and critical care nurse whose approach to fly fishing is as thoughtful as it is unconventional. Born in the Philippines and now based in the Pacific Northwest, Adrian has become known for tying intricate flies entirely by hand—without a vise—and for his deep appreciation of traditional steelhead fishing, bamboo rods, and the history of the craft. In this conversation, we dive into his journey, his philosophy, and why slowing down might just make us better anglers. I hope you enjoy this one. Looking to go deeper with your learning? Come see what we’ve been working on at AnchoredOutdoors.com. We’ve built a library of 30 in-depth, sequentially organized Masterclasses taught by past guests of this podcast — and we’ve watched over 1,000 members grow their confidence and skills on the water. Want to check it out for free? No money down, no strings attached. Just head to anchoredoutdoors.com/premium-insiders/ Anchored listeners can get 10% off their first order with Skwala by using the code “anchored10” at check out. See for yourself at skwalafishing.com  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Transcript

Click on a timestamp to play from that location

0:00.0

I'm April Voki and you are listening to Anchored.

0:17.1

My chance to speak with some of the most influential people involved in the outdoors today.

0:21.6

Join me as I sit down with my guests to learn more about their careers, opinions, history, relationships, and life both indoors and out.

0:30.7

In this episode of Anchored, I'm joined by Adrian Cortez, a passionate steelheader, hand fly tire, and critical care nurse whose approach

0:38.3

to fly fishing is as thoughtful as it is unconventional. Born in the Philippines and now based

0:43.5

in the Pacific Northwest, Adrian has become known for tying intricate flies entirely by hand,

0:48.8

without a vice, and for his deep appreciation of traditional steelhead fishing, bamboo rods,

0:53.7

and the history of the craft.

0:55.3

In this conversation, we dive into his history, his philosophy, and why slowing down might

1:00.4

just make us better anglers.

1:04.4

You may have noticed me wearing squal of fishing apparel for the last year or so, and I

1:08.3

got to say, I've been really impressed with everything I've tried.

1:11.5

I love the way they designed gear. They managed to strike a perfect balance between durable and

1:15.5

functional, but also comfortable and mobile. I stay warm and dry, but never feel cramped or

1:20.0

restricted when I'm waiting, casting, or rowing. I've enjoyed fishing in their apparel so much.

1:24.9

I recently joined their team as an ambassador. We've even been working

1:28.0

together on ways to translate their expertise with technical fly fishing apparel into gear that's

1:32.8

specifically designed for women. And I'm really excited about the progress we've made. If you haven't

1:37.5

already done so, check them out at squalafishing.com and see what they're all about. Anchored listeners

1:42.2

can get 10% off their first order with Squala

1:44.8

by using the code Anchored 10 at checkout.

1:47.7

Again, that's Squala, S-K-W-A-L-Fishing.com.

...

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