Anchored Podcast Ep. 286: Mike Lawson, Fifty Years on the Henry’s Fork

Share:

Table of Contents

­Anchored Podcast:

In this episode, I sit down with Mike Lawson — a legendary guide, fly tyer, educator, and one of the founding forces behind Henry’s Fork Anglers. What began in the early 1970s as a young schoolteacher tying flies at the kitchen table with his wife Sheralee eventually grew into one of the most iconic fly fishing businesses in the world.

Mike shares the story of building Henry’s Fork Anglers from the ground up — the lean early years, the friendships and mentors that shaped him, the explosion of fly fishing after A River Runs Through It, and the deep family roots behind a business that has now spanned nearly fifty years. We talk about guiding, fly tying, loyalty, legacy, and what it really means to dedicate your life to rivers, people, and the craft of fly fishing.

This conversation is thoughtful, nostalgic, and full of hard-earned wisdom from someone who helped shape modern fly fishing as we know it. 

You may have noticed me wearing Skwala fishing apparel for the past year or so, and I gotta say, I’ve been really impressed with everything I’ve tried. I love the way they design gear. They manage to strike a perfect balance between durable and functional but also comfortable and mobile. I stay warm and dry, but never feel cramped or restricted when I’m wading, casting, or rowing. I’ve enjoyed fishing in their apparel so much, I recently joined their team as an ambassador. We’ve even been working together on ways to translate their expertise with technical fly fishing apparel into gear that’s specifically designed for women, and I’m really excited about the progress we’ve made. If you haven’t already done so, go check them out at skwalafishing.com and see what they’re all about. Anchored listeners can get 10% off their first order with Skwala by using the code “anchored10” at check out.

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/

The post Anchored Podcast Ep. 286: Mike Lawson, Fifty Years on the Henry’s Fork appeared first on Anchored Outdoors.


Picture of April Vokey
April Vokey
April Vokey is a fly fishing writer, FFF certified casting instructor, fly-tyer, speaker, and host of the popular fishing podcast, Anchored. After ten years of guiding in British Columbia, she now splits her year between camp in northern BC and Australia.
  • Subscribe to our newsletter
    Related Articles
    John Shewey is the author of “Spey Flies and Dee Flies” and “Classic Steelhead Flies”. John has dedicated his life to the pursuit of steelhead and their history.
    Lacey Kelly is a Floridian hunting and fishing guide. In this episode, April sits down to learn more about Lacey's upbringing and how she became the skilled outdoors woman she is today.
    Ross Purnell is the Editor of Fly Fisherman magazine, a position he has held since 2009. His journey into fly fishing began at age 16 when his mother gifted him a subscription to the magazine, inspiring a passion that would shape his career. The post Anchored Podcast Ep. 262: Ross