Welcome to the show

The Spot Burn Podcast, presented by Musky Fool. Where we spot burn everything BUT fishing spots. As musky fly anglers, we're already crazy, and on this podcast we won't hold anything back, taking a deep dive into some of the most pressing, important, and sometimes untouchable topics in our industry. Equal parts educational, investigative, and fun. We hope you enjoy! Hosted by Dan Donovan and Josh Smeltzer. Sponsored by Cortland Line Company and Stealthcraft Boats. 

SZN 1, EP01
The one that started it all
The launch of the Spot Burn Podcast.
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SZN 1, EP02
The one about musky myths
Is fly fishing for musky new? Is it harder than conventional angling? Is it only for rivers? We will bust these myths and more on our second episode!
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SZN 1, EP03
The one about musky spring training
Why is march one of the most underrated months for fishing in Wisconsin? What to do if you catch an accidental musky?
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SZN 1, EP04
The One About Preparing For Musky Season
Less than 30 days to go in Wisconsin for the beginning of the 2023 Musky Season.
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SZN 1, EP05
The One About Tracking Muskies in Airplanes
Jake and his students have been tracking 10 muskies using radio telemetry in a project supported by the Wisconsin DNR and the First Wisconsin Chapter of Muskies Inc.
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SZN 1, EP06
The One About Livescope
Is it ruining fishing or taking it to the next level? Are we dumb for not using it or are we losing sight of the tradition of the sport by having it in the boat?
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SZN 1, EP07
The One About How to Avoid and Fix Musky Fly Fishing Injuries
On the 7th episode of the Spot Burn Podcast we a do a deep dive with Karlie to discuss common injuries in fly fishing, how to address injuries when the pop up, and what can be done to prevent them.
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SZN 1, EP08
The One About Picking Out a New Boat
We get a BOAT LOAD of questions as to what is the best boat for musky fly fishing. The truth is there is no one "best" boat, but there are great boats for certain situations.
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SZN 1, EP09
The Musky Q&A One
We got a load of awesome questions from you all so today we are going to dedicate an entire episode to answering those one by one!
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SZN 1, EP10
The One About Bucktail
Our 10th episode! We celebrate the minor milestone by bringing Musky Fool Shop Manager and Lord of the Bucktail Lab, Gabe Park onto the show to discuss all things deer tail.
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SZN 1, EP11
The One About Fall Musky Fly Fishing
Join BamBam and Dan as we get deep into fall tactics, tips, myths, fly patterns and more. Just in time for prime time musky season here in the Upper Midwest!
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SZN 1, EP12
The One With A HUGE Fly Fisherman
You have Dan, Josh, and the one and only Ben Sittig, aka the Huge Fly Fisherman. Ben’s in the hot seat and back in musky country for the second time.
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SZN 1, EP13
The One About 2023 Treelands Tactics
Josh, Dan, and special guest Gabe are back for another episode of the Spot Burn Podcast. This time we are doing a full recap and tactic deep dive into the 2023 Treelands Musky Fly Fishing World Championship at Treelands Resort.
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SZN 1, EP14
The One About The 2023 Guide Season With Hunter Dorn
Join us and special guest, Hunter Dorn, guide at Musky Fool. We dig into all the juicy details about his 2023 fishing season from everything on trout season in early spring to closing out with musky and steelhead.
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SZN 1, EP15
The One About The 2023 Guide Season With Nick Gellerstedt
Join Josh and Dan as we chat with friend and Musky Fool Guide - Nick Gellerstedt. Nick is a full-time guide for Musky Fool and for the most part is exclusively musky guiding.
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szn 2, EP16
The One About Boat Maintenance With The Owner of Pharo Marine
Join Josh, Dan, and special guest Andy Pharo as we dive deep into properly maintaining your boat in the offseason.
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szn 2, EP17
The One About New Year’s Eve Muskies
Join Josh, Dan for some late fall tactics, how to fish for muskies until the last day of the season, general bs, how was the year
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szn 2, EP18
The One About New Year’s Eve Muskies
Josh and Dan dive into the fascinating world of musky hatchery operations with Scott Barrett, a seasoned fisheries biologist from the Minor E. Clark Hatchery on Cave Run Lake, KY.
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szn 2, EP19
The One with Bill Sherer
Join Josh and Dan on the Spot Burn Podcast for a special episode featuring Bill Sherer, the musky fly fishing maestro and the owner We-Tie-It Fly Shop in Boulder Junction, WI.
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szn 2, EP20
The One About Early Muskies And Mosquitoes
Join your hosts, Dan and Josh, as they navigate through an early spring with muskies on the move, share exhilarating tales from the latest trade shows, and dive deep into preparing for 2024 season ahead.
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szn 2, EP21
The One About Banning LiveScope
Your hosts Dan and Josh dive into the depths of how modern technology intersects with time-honored fishing traditions.
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szn 2, EP22
The One About the Musky Crisis on the Madison Chain
In this episode, Dan and Josh, celebrate a year of sharing tales from the waters, the impact of fish stocking on Madison Wisconsin's fisheries, and a sneak peek into the world of competitive muskie fishing.
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szn 2, EP23
The One About Steve Rinella and the 72lb Musky
In this episode, Dan and Josh respond to a portion of episode 538 on the Meat Eater podcast where musky fishing was discussed.
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szn 2, EP24
The One About Spring Sloppy Seconds
In this episode, Josh and Daniel dive into their spring adventures, musky season updates, and more.
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szn 2, EP25
The One About Audience Questions
In this episode of the Spot Burn podcast, Josh and Dan discuss a wide range of topics based on listener feedback, covering river fishing, musky behavior through the seasons, the use of sound bullets, and wading shore fly fishing tips for muskies.
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szn 2, EP26
The One About 8 Tips For Catching More Muskies
In this episode, Dan and BamBam discuss 8 hot tips for catching more muskies.
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szn 2, EP27
Summer Musky Bender And The End of Hero Shots
In this episode of the Spot Burn Podcast, Dan and Josh sit down with Gabe Park to discuss his epic summer musky trip and the surprising catch of a possible Leech Lake musky in a popular Wisconsin river.
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szn 2, EP28
Muskies Attacking Humans And A Madison Fish Kill
In this episode of the Spot Burn Podcast, Dan & Josh discuss muskies attacking humans, a fish die-off caused by blue-green algae blooms, and the weird hatred towards carp.
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szn 2, EP29
Wisconsin DNR $16M Deficit Cutting Musky & Walleye Stocking
In Episode 29 of the Spot Burn Podcast, Josh and Dan take listeners on a journey through Josh’s recent travels to Finland, Sweden, and Denmark with his lovely wife Laura who planned the entire vacation.
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szn 2, EP30
800 Grains of Fly Line & Wake Boats Ruining Our Lakes
In this episode, Dan & Josh dive into the hot topic of wake boats and their impact on fisheries, while also covering upcoming musky fly fishing tournaments. They also share tips on fishing in deeper waters, predictions for the fall season, and tips for recovering from casting injuries.
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