Fisher Of Zen Sat, 11 Apr 2026 23:04:04 -0400 http://www.fisherofzen.com en-us © 2026 Fisher Of Zen yes Support this Podcast 2f47ffcb-f067-5504-b217-15302a012cac Cari Ray episodic false Buzzsprout (https://www.buzzsprout.com) outdoors, spirituality, philosophy, hiking, fishing, camping, backpacking, day hiking, fly fishing, meditation, music, paddling Cari Ray https://storage.buzzsprout.com/xqar1w4jux4u43ykez51gn0fac1r?.jpg Fisher Of Zen http://www.fisherofzen.com PARADISE BY THE DASHBOARD FLIES: Bonus Time Well-Wasted PARADISE BY THE DASHBOARD FLIES: Bonus Time Well-Wasted The April sun burned hotter than usual on the back of my neck and tops of my feet as I made my way across the baked expanse of cobbled Texas riverbed. There was once, not so long ago, reliable water where Bluebonnets now confidently sprouted from between the rocks with no fear of drowning. I had been profoundly unprepared for this little expedition. In posesson of neither sun gaiter, wading boots, nor net. But there I was, making my way alongside another trickle of skinny water, as precious to me as the blood coursing through my veins, in search of a deeper pool and, perhaps, a dance with one of its residents.

Support the show

]]> The April sun burned hotter than usual on the back of my neck and tops of my feet as I made my way across the baked expanse of cobbled Texas riverbed. There was once, not so long ago, reliable water where Bluebonnets now confidently sprouted from between the rocks with no fear of drowning. I had been profoundly unprepared for this little expedition. In posesson of neither sun gaiter, wading boots, nor net. But there I was, making my way alongside another trickle of skinny water, as precious to me as the blood coursing through my veins, in search of a deeper pool and, perhaps, a dance with one of its residents.

Support the show

]]> Cari Ray Buzzsprout-12623423 Tue, 11 Apr 2023 00:00:00 -0600 626 full false A MOVING MEDITATION: Fly Fishing & Mental Health A MOVING MEDITATION: Fly Fishing & Mental Health May is metal health awareness month, and Pat Kellner, the guy behind Texas Freshwater Fly Fishing, asked me to put some thoughts together on the pursuit of fly fishing as it relates to mental health. Rather than a treatise on their connection, what flowed on to the page were some prime examples of how the sport offers opportunities for the sort of mindfulness practice that can pay big dividends in our daily lives. 

It’s a long-held belief of mine that, if we let it, the pursuit can be immeasurably beneficial to mind, body, & spirit. Sometimes by offering low-hanging fruit like fly casting and drawing us into nature. Sometimes by offering situations that border on tedious or frustrating, presenting us with the choice to get bogged down or to rise above. Like most healthy choices, it gets easier with practice. Mastery is never about your relationship to anyone or anything else, it’s always between you and you. And step one to is to GET PRESENT.

Support the show

]]> May is metal health awareness month, and Pat Kellner, the guy behind Texas Freshwater Fly Fishing, asked me to put some thoughts together on the pursuit of fly fishing as it relates to mental health. Rather than a treatise on their connection, what flowed on to the page were some prime examples of how the sport offers opportunities for the sort of mindfulness practice that can pay big dividends in our daily lives. 

It’s a long-held belief of mine that, if we let it, the pursuit can be immeasurably beneficial to mind, body, & spirit. Sometimes by offering low-hanging fruit like fly casting and drawing us into nature. Sometimes by offering situations that border on tedious or frustrating, presenting us with the choice to get bogged down or to rise above. Like most healthy choices, it gets easier with practice. Mastery is never about your relationship to anyone or anything else, it’s always between you and you. And step one to is to GET PRESENT.

Support the show

]]> Cari Ray Buzzsprout-10642548 Wed, 18 May 2022 15:00:00 -0600 1005 2 4 full false NOT ALL TROUT ARE GENIUSES: An Interview with Outdoor Author, Mark Usyk NOT ALL TROUT ARE GENIUSES: An Interview with Outdoor Author, Mark Usyk With a busy Texas trout season drawing to a close, I finally had a chance to sit down and crack open “Not all Trout are Geniuses,” by fly fishing author, Mark Usyk. From the first chapter, I was drawn in…not only by the vivid storytelling, but by the easy, conversational tenor of his writing. And I was sure I needed to convince him to  come on the podcast.

As he joined our virtual meeting from his den, he was accompanied by Masters of the Universe and Star Wars action figures, Kermit the frog,  and an 18-inch statue of the Incredible Hulk holding a trout plaque. So yeah, I knew this was going to be good.

We’ll talk about the release of his third book, a little about fly fishing, and a fair bit about the path of transformation from hot rod builder and and cell tower climber to published outdoor author.

Support the show

]]> With a busy Texas trout season drawing to a close, I finally had a chance to sit down and crack open “Not all Trout are Geniuses,” by fly fishing author, Mark Usyk. From the first chapter, I was drawn in…not only by the vivid storytelling, but by the easy, conversational tenor of his writing. And I was sure I needed to convince him to  come on the podcast.

As he joined our virtual meeting from his den, he was accompanied by Masters of the Universe and Star Wars action figures, Kermit the frog,  and an 18-inch statue of the Incredible Hulk holding a trout plaque. So yeah, I knew this was going to be good.

We’ll talk about the release of his third book, a little about fly fishing, and a fair bit about the path of transformation from hot rod builder and and cell tower climber to published outdoor author.

Support the show

]]> Cari Ray Buzzsprout-10473814 Tue, 19 Apr 2022 11:00:00 -0600 3640 full false RELATIVE GIANTS: Feeling Small is a Big Deal RELATIVE GIANTS: Feeling Small is a Big Deal Spending time in nature is a good thing. I think that sentiment became more widely held than ever as a global pandemic drove us out of our collective confines like rats from a sewer. And if you ask people why they venture out, you'll likely get one or more of a few common answers. The beauty, the fresh air, the sun on one's face, the exercise. I's say there are many more—but for now, I want to reflect on just one that may be a little more obscure. (spoiler alert!)

The opportunity to gain perspective—physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual.

Support the show

]]> Spending time in nature is a good thing. I think that sentiment became more widely held than ever as a global pandemic drove us out of our collective confines like rats from a sewer. And if you ask people why they venture out, you'll likely get one or more of a few common answers. The beauty, the fresh air, the sun on one's face, the exercise. I's say there are many more—but for now, I want to reflect on just one that may be a little more obscure. (spoiler alert!)

The opportunity to gain perspective—physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual.

Support the show

]]> Cari Ray Buzzsprout-10058600 Fri, 11 Feb 2022 14:00:00 -0700 587 2 2 full false JUST SAY YES: A Float Down The Grand Canyon Might Change Your Life JUST SAY YES: A Float Down The Grand Canyon Might Change Your Life A few years ago, Robbin Voight said yes to a 14-day rafting trip down the Colorado River through the Grand Canyon. Well, she actually said yes 2 years before then, but we’ll get to that. Contrary to what you might think, not all outdoor adventure is reserved for 20-somethings living the van life. It’s for folks like you and me, too. Some of my favorite outdoor adventure stories are those of ordinary folks who’ve had extraordinary experiences. And this one would certainly qualify. 

In the course of our interview, we’ll also get to all of the reasons she considers that trip to be life-changing. She’s even been kind enough to share a few of her in-the-moment journal entries with us. I’ve posted them along with the episode over at fisherofzen.com. We talk a little about impetus, a little about an average day on the river, and a lot about Zen of being disconnected from what one river guide referred to as “the fake world,” and immersed in the beauty that abounds in the real one. 

Support the show

]]> A few years ago, Robbin Voight said yes to a 14-day rafting trip down the Colorado River through the Grand Canyon. Well, she actually said yes 2 years before then, but we’ll get to that. Contrary to what you might think, not all outdoor adventure is reserved for 20-somethings living the van life. It’s for folks like you and me, too. Some of my favorite outdoor adventure stories are those of ordinary folks who’ve had extraordinary experiences. And this one would certainly qualify. 

In the course of our interview, we’ll also get to all of the reasons she considers that trip to be life-changing. She’s even been kind enough to share a few of her in-the-moment journal entries with us. I’ve posted them along with the episode over at fisherofzen.com. We talk a little about impetus, a little about an average day on the river, and a lot about Zen of being disconnected from what one river guide referred to as “the fake world,” and immersed in the beauty that abounds in the real one. 

Support the show

]]> Cari Ray Buzzsprout-9926733 Tue, 11 Jan 2022 00:00:00 -0700 2757 2 1 full false FROM THE BORDER, with Love FROM THE BORDER, with Love A couple of years ago, we were awarded the unique opportunity to spend the Christmas holiday along the US-Mexico border just in time for a government shutdown spurred, at least in part, by a political dispute over that very border. Feeling the gravity of that situation as we explored the ruggedly beautiful terrain and the river that runs between our countries offered a unique vantage point from which to contemplate the situation.

Support the show

]]> A couple of years ago, we were awarded the unique opportunity to spend the Christmas holiday along the US-Mexico border just in time for a government shutdown spurred, at least in part, by a political dispute over that very border. Feeling the gravity of that situation as we explored the ruggedly beautiful terrain and the river that runs between our countries offered a unique vantage point from which to contemplate the situation.

Support the show

]]> Cari Ray Buzzsprout-9804630 Tue, 28 Dec 2021 00:00:00 -0700 802 1 10 full false RIO PEQUEÑO: The Headiness of Fly Fishing Headwaters RIO PEQUEÑO: The Headiness of Fly Fishing Headwaters Like rivers, sometimes the biggest adventures start small. This certainly proved to be the case as we set out from our August basecamp to head up over a high mountain pass in the San Juans of Colorado. Besides the beauty of the Alpine Tundra, I had my heart set on visiting a few of the natives who have called these mountains home for some 70,000 years.

Support the show

]]> Like rivers, sometimes the biggest adventures start small. This certainly proved to be the case as we set out from our August basecamp to head up over a high mountain pass in the San Juans of Colorado. Besides the beauty of the Alpine Tundra, I had my heart set on visiting a few of the natives who have called these mountains home for some 70,000 years.

Support the show

]]> Cari Ray Buzzsprout-9720289 Tue, 14 Dec 2021 11:00:00 -0700 1096 1 9 full false ON LIFE & FLY FISHING : An Interview with Jordan (JP) Ross ON LIFE & FLY FISHING : An Interview with Jordan (JP) Ross JP Ross is thoughtful guy. I'm not talking about the "oh, isn't he nice?" kind of thoughtful, though he's probably that, too. I mean to say that from what I can tell, he approaches everything he does with focus and a great deal of thought. As though it matters. Because to him, it does. He's also a rod designer and builder who believes, passionately, that a fly rod is more than merely a tool to catch fish, it's an instrument of zen. Which is probably why we hit it off from the start. My interview with him meandered from a doctor's office parking lot in Utica, NY, where he was first introduced to fly fishing as a child, to his experience owning a fly shop and designing fly rods, and ultimately, to a discussion about the human and Devine forces that compel him. Terms you don't often hear in conversations about fishing came up—like happiness, belonging, and believe it or not, even enchantment...

Support the show

]]> JP Ross is thoughtful guy. I'm not talking about the "oh, isn't he nice?" kind of thoughtful, though he's probably that, too. I mean to say that from what I can tell, he approaches everything he does with focus and a great deal of thought. As though it matters. Because to him, it does. He's also a rod designer and builder who believes, passionately, that a fly rod is more than merely a tool to catch fish, it's an instrument of zen. Which is probably why we hit it off from the start. My interview with him meandered from a doctor's office parking lot in Utica, NY, where he was first introduced to fly fishing as a child, to his experience owning a fly shop and designing fly rods, and ultimately, to a discussion about the human and Devine forces that compel him. Terms you don't often hear in conversations about fishing came up—like happiness, belonging, and believe it or not, even enchantment...

Support the show

]]> Cari Ray Buzzsprout-9641133 Tue, 30 Nov 2021 12:00:00 -0700 2852 1 8 full false TAILS FROM THE TANK: Adventure From an Unlikely Angle TAILS FROM THE TANK: Adventure From an Unlikely Angle When someone says "backcountry fly fishing," it doesn't typically conjure images of a granite boulder scramble past Mesquites and cacti in the heart of Texas Hill Country. But with a little imagination and curiosity, backcountry adventure can be found in the most humble and unlikely of places.

Support the show

]]> When someone says "backcountry fly fishing," it doesn't typically conjure images of a granite boulder scramble past Mesquites and cacti in the heart of Texas Hill Country. But with a little imagination and curiosity, backcountry adventure can be found in the most humble and unlikely of places.

Support the show

]]> Cari Ray Buzzsprout-9566263 Tue, 16 Nov 2021 00:00:00 -0700 1066 1 7 full false Everyone Has a Place in the Outdoors: Kate & Danielle Nolan of DNK Presents Everyone Has a Place in the Outdoors: Kate & Danielle Nolan of DNK Presents In this installment, I have a heart-to-heart with Kate and Danielle Nolan of DNK Presents, Brown County Bikes, and a nonprofit called Live Adventurously that awards a backcountry weekend to 4 deserving women from a long list of nominees annually. There wasn’t much of an agenda for this interview as I wanted to just allow these ladies to talk about what they are passionate about. And believe me, there’s plenty. But the main thread that runs through our exchange is a focus on empowering and educating people, especially women, to embrace their sprit of adventure and self-reliance. To reconnect with themselves be immersing themselves in nature. Sound familiar? 

Support the show

]]> In this installment, I have a heart-to-heart with Kate and Danielle Nolan of DNK Presents, Brown County Bikes, and a nonprofit called Live Adventurously that awards a backcountry weekend to 4 deserving women from a long list of nominees annually. There wasn’t much of an agenda for this interview as I wanted to just allow these ladies to talk about what they are passionate about. And believe me, there’s plenty. But the main thread that runs through our exchange is a focus on empowering and educating people, especially women, to embrace their sprit of adventure and self-reliance. To reconnect with themselves be immersing themselves in nature. Sound familiar? 

Support the show

]]> Cari Ray Buzzsprout-9471888 Mon, 01 Nov 2021 13:00:00 -0600 2367 1 6 full false YOU'RE GONNA NEED A BIGGER NET: Fly Fishing Oregon YOU'RE GONNA NEED A BIGGER NET: Fly Fishing Oregon On a recent trip to Oregon, I was fortunate enough to collect a fish story I'll likely still be telling when I'm old and grey. Later that night, around the absence of a campfire, courtesy of a regional burn ban, I sat down and told my tale to the page. One of the best things about telling a great story is getting to relive it again and again. And to unearth the nuggets of wisdom provided as you reflect.

Support the show

]]> On a recent trip to Oregon, I was fortunate enough to collect a fish story I'll likely still be telling when I'm old and grey. Later that night, around the absence of a campfire, courtesy of a regional burn ban, I sat down and told my tale to the page. One of the best things about telling a great story is getting to relive it again and again. And to unearth the nuggets of wisdom provided as you reflect.

Support the show

]]> Cari Ray Buzzsprout-9390881 Mon, 18 Oct 2021 14:00:00 -0600 1145 1 5 full false MINI VAN LIFE: Your Tiny Ticket to "Nomadland"? MINI VAN LIFE: Your Tiny Ticket to "Nomadland"?  When I heard that an old friend was having her minivan professionally outfitted for camping, I was intrigued—about the mechanics and the motivation. So when fate found me both 2000 miles from my home and 20 miles from hers within weeks of her taking delivery of her shiny new coach, I was determined to find a time to camp together. She was equally excited. So as the sun began to descend on a warm September evening, we headed out of the city and into the forest. Listen in on a conversation about Van Life between a newbie and a 6-year veteran.

Support the show

]]>  When I heard that an old friend was having her minivan professionally outfitted for camping, I was intrigued—about the mechanics and the motivation. So when fate found me both 2000 miles from my home and 20 miles from hers within weeks of her taking delivery of her shiny new coach, I was determined to find a time to camp together. She was equally excited. So as the sun began to descend on a warm September evening, we headed out of the city and into the forest. Listen in on a conversation about Van Life between a newbie and a 6-year veteran.

Support the show

]]> Cari Ray Buzzsprout-9317569 Tue, 05 Oct 2021 11:00:00 -0600 2623 1 4 full false Be the River: Where Water Flows, Life Grows Be the River: Where Water Flows, Life Grows We had been driving across the flat, nearly featureless terrain for a couple of hours, and there was nary a tree for as far as we could see. This landscape had a unique, stark sort of beauty, but it's nearly impossible not to feel a little exposed in the presence of that vastness. We then descended from the mesa and into the Pecos River Valley just outside of Roswell, and immediately into what seemed to be an entirely different world as the flat earth gave way to a twisting, tree-lined river valley. Suddenly, we found ourselves in a shroud of green.

Support the show

]]> We had been driving across the flat, nearly featureless terrain for a couple of hours, and there was nary a tree for as far as we could see. This landscape had a unique, stark sort of beauty, but it's nearly impossible not to feel a little exposed in the presence of that vastness. We then descended from the mesa and into the Pecos River Valley just outside of Roswell, and immediately into what seemed to be an entirely different world as the flat earth gave way to a twisting, tree-lined river valley. Suddenly, we found ourselves in a shroud of green.

Support the show

]]> Cari Ray Buzzsprout-9136078 Mon, 06 Sep 2021 00:00:00 -0600 381 1 3 full false You, Me, and a Manatee You, Me, and a Manatee Have you ever had a brush with fame? At the airport, at a restaurant, on the streets of New York or LA? It's one thing to see a celebrity on television or in a movie. And I think most of us would agree that it's yet another, even better thing to attend a live taping, movie shoot, or concert. But if you've ever had that "brush with fame" in your daily life, you know that experience is in a category of its own. Now imagine you happen to run across that same person and instead of walking away, they come over and strike up a conversation with you and then ask you to rub their back. Well, that's basically what happened here. Only the airport was a Florida spring head and the rock star was a vegetarian with flippers.

Support the show

]]> Have you ever had a brush with fame? At the airport, at a restaurant, on the streets of New York or LA? It's one thing to see a celebrity on television or in a movie. And I think most of us would agree that it's yet another, even better thing to attend a live taping, movie shoot, or concert. But if you've ever had that "brush with fame" in your daily life, you know that experience is in a category of its own. Now imagine you happen to run across that same person and instead of walking away, they come over and strike up a conversation with you and then ask you to rub their back. Well, that's basically what happened here. Only the airport was a Florida spring head and the rock star was a vegetarian with flippers.

Support the show

]]> Cari Ray Buzzsprout-8912953 Tue, 17 Aug 2021 00:00:00 -0600 470 1 2 full false Into the Woods Into the Woods When I was 10, my parents acquired a 70-acre, mostly wooded slice of paradise. And while our prior residences had big yards and afforded me access to creeks and farm ponds full of bass & bluegill, tadpoles and turtles, it wasn't until we moved to what local old timers' referred to as "Pikeville Holler" that I began to find myself in the forest...

Support the show

]]> When I was 10, my parents acquired a 70-acre, mostly wooded slice of paradise. And while our prior residences had big yards and afforded me access to creeks and farm ponds full of bass & bluegill, tadpoles and turtles, it wasn't until we moved to what local old timers' referred to as "Pikeville Holler" that I began to find myself in the forest...

Support the show

]]> Cari Buzzsprout-8859503 Tue, 03 Aug 2021 00:00:00 -0600 273 1 1 trailer false