Phase Gear's Pete Utschig on FDNY, Surf Casting, and Outsider Thinking in Fishing Apparel
Saltwater Edge Podcast - Sharing Our Passion For Saltwater Fishing
Release Date: 05/22/2026
Pete Utschig — Florida's Surf, Bluefin from the Rocks, and Fish Worth Traveling For
Saltwater Edge Podcast - Sharing Our Passion For Saltwater Fishing
Pete Utschig — the surfcaster behind Phase Gear, Project Magic Hour, and the Surfcasters documentary series — sits down with Peter Jenkins in Newport, two weeks into his annual pilgrimage north from Florida. They cover how one weekend trip turned Florida into Pete's winter home water, and how a spare-room guide service became a full surf fishing lodge: all-inclusive, 20 minutes from the water, 45 minutes from three or four inlets, running December through April — exactly when nobody wants to be in the Northeast. Rods, lures, and food are provided; you bring board shorts and a...
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Chris Bishop of Yo-Zuri: Mag vs. Hydro, Darter Tactics & Northeast Colors
Saltwater Edge Podcast - Sharing Our Passion For Saltwater Fishing
Peter sits down with Chris Bishop, VP of Sales & Marketing at Yo-Zuri, during his annual June swing through New England. A 15-year company veteran and obsessive angler (snook and tarpon at home in Sebastian, FL; stripers at the Cape Cod Canal on the road), Chris explains the technology platforms behind Yo-Zuri's most trusted lures and how he actually fishes them. Covered in this episode: how the patented magnetic weight transfer system delivers distance and accuracy in wind; the difference between the Mag and Hydro platforms; why the Mag Darter's swim-plus-dart action excels around...
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The Rest of the Story: Rhode Island's Bonito & False Albacore Decision with Tony Friedrich
Saltwater Edge Podcast - Sharing Our Passion For Saltwater Fishing
Tony Friedrich of the American Saltwater Guides Association returns to break down a disappointing loss: Rhode Island DEM's rejection of common-sense bonito and false albacore regulations for 2026. Despite a proposal built on the state's own data, a compromise to match Massachusetts' five-fish limit, a generous commercial cap, and public comments running 60–3 in favor across two packed hearings, the effort was misrepresented and dismissed. Tony and Peter walk through the timeline, the advisory council's conflicts of interest, the tautog precedent that proves this approach works, and why this...
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Phase Gear's Pete Utschig on FDNY, Surf Casting, and Outsider Thinking in Fishing Apparel
Saltwater Edge Podcast - Sharing Our Passion For Saltwater Fishing
Pete Utschig spent 22 years with the New York City Fire Department before retiring to chase fish full-time. Today he's the founder of Phase Gear — a technical apparel company built specifically for surf casters, by a surf caster. In this conversation, Peter from The Saltwater Edge talks with Pete about: - Why his snowboarding business partner kept asking "why is all your fishing gear so heavy?" — and what they did about it - The list of grievances every surf caster will recognize (hoods that blow off, soaked cuffs, gasketed necks, pockets that fill with water) and how Phase Gear engineered...
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The Truth About Rhode Island Squid Fishing | Tactics, Timing & Gear - Captain Greg Vespe
Saltwater Edge Podcast - Sharing Our Passion For Saltwater Fishing
In this episode of The Saltwater Edge Podcast, Peter sits down with Captain Greg for an in-depth conversation about one of Rhode Island’s most iconic spring fisheries: squid. Greg shares decades of experience fishing squid from both shore and boat around Newport and Narragansett Bay, covering everything from lights, tides, and jig selection to squid behavior, seasonal timing, and why Rhode Island offers such a unique squid fishery. The discussion also explores: How squid react to lights and shadow lines Why foggy nights can produce incredible fishing Best tackle and jig setups Mono vs braid...
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Kayak Striper Masterclass with Eric Harrison: Big Bass, Soft Plastics and Tidal Strategy
Saltwater Edge Podcast - Sharing Our Passion For Saltwater Fishing
In this episode of the Saltwater Edge Podcast, we sit down with Eric Harrison, one of the Northeast’s most respected kayak anglers. Eric has spent over 20 years chasing fish from a kayak and has landed striped bass every month for more than a decade. We dive deep into: Why kayaks give anglers a stealth advantage How to target giant striped bass in shallow water Soft plastic retrieves that outfish plugs Jig head weights, tides, and current strategy Reading sonar and finding fish others miss Why conservation matters and how lure choices affect release survival Whether you fish from shore,...
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The Last 40 Feet: Capt. Ben Whalley on Fly Design, Presentation, and Problem Solving
Saltwater Edge Podcast - Sharing Our Passion For Saltwater Fishing
What matters more in fly fishing: the pattern, or the presentation? In this episode, we sit down with Maine guide and highly regarded fly tyer Capt. Ben Whalley to talk about the small details that make a huge difference when targeting striped bass and other saltwater species. Ben discusses the influence of legendary fly tyer Bob Popovics, his approach to designing large-profile flies that remain castable, and how observation and experimentation lead to better fly design. The conversation also previews the upcoming Saltwater Edge Fly Fishing Expo, where Ben will join a...
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John Field on Fly Casting Mastery: Less False Casting, Better Loops, More Fish
Saltwater Edge Podcast - Sharing Our Passion For Saltwater Fishing
What separates good fly anglers from great ones? In this episode, we sit down with John L. Field, author, conservationist, and FFI Master Casting Instructor, ahead of the Saltwater Edge Fly Fishing Expo on March 14th. This year’s Expo shifts from tactics to skill building, breaking down the habits and mechanics that consistently lead to success. John dives deep into: Why too much false casting costs you fish The mechanics behind tight loops and clean tracking How rod loading really works The difference between leverage and momentum in your stroke The building blocks every fly...
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Dan Wells: Cracking the Night Game — Estuaries, Big Flies, and Strategic Striper Fishing
Saltwater Edge Podcast - Sharing Our Passion For Saltwater Fishing
In this episode, we sit down with analytical angler Dan Wells for one of the most detailed breakdowns of nighttime striper fly fishing you’ll ever hear. Dan combines military-grade strategic thinking with years of obsessive local scouting to build a system for understanding tides, bait cycles, estuaries, and nighttime feeding behavior. We cover everything from silver-side patterns to herring runs, eel and squid behavior, two-hand casting for big flies, and how to build a 30-minute fishing radius that consistently produces. If you love the craft of surfcasting or fly fishing —...
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Roy Leyva on 500+ Species, World-Record Koi, and the “Why” Behind Every Bite
Saltwater Edge Podcast - Sharing Our Passion For Saltwater Fishing
Roy Leyva joins The Saltwater Edge to unpack a lifetime of fishing across fresh and salt. We talk Boston roots, 500-plus species, world-record catches from Jamaica Pond, and the universal toolkit of soft plastics and jigs. Roy explains cadence, structure, and why asking “why” beats chasing spots. We finish with the fish he would pick for one last day on Earth. Highlights include the world-record koi and landlocked salmon story in Boston and a practical breakdown of lures that work anywhere.
info_outlinePete Utschig spent 22 years with the New York City Fire Department before retiring to chase fish full-time. Today he's the founder of Phase Gear — a technical apparel company built specifically for surf casters, by a surf caster. In this conversation, Peter from The Saltwater Edge talks with Pete about: - Why his snowboarding business partner kept asking "why is all your fishing gear so heavy?" — and what they did about it - The list of grievances every surf caster will recognize (hoods that blow off, soaked cuffs, gasketed necks, pockets that fill with water) and how Phase Gear engineered them out - What it's like to fund a company out of your pension and keep inventory on the shelf one retirement check at a time - Why Pete has turned down investor offers - The single hardest skill to learn — in fishing and in business — and how it's the same answer twice - What's next for Phase Gear as it expands beyond the surf Show notes and the full conversation at saltwateredge.com/blogs/