MATT CANTER
Fly Fishing Guide | Owner, Brookings | Outdoor Experience Specialist
Guest Intro:
Matt Canter has spent over 30 years in the world of fly fishing, building his life around guiding, teaching, and creating experiences in the outdoors.
As the owner of Brookings in Cashiers, North Carolina, his work goes beyond a traditional fly shop. What started as a retail and guide service has grown into a space where people come to fish, learn, connect, and spend time. From local guided trips to destination experiences around the world, Matt has built a business centered around the full experience, not just the catch.
His path into this wasn’t accidental. With a background in outdoor leadership and years of guiding on the water, he developed a deep understanding of both the technical side of fly fishing and the human side of the experience. Over time, that perspective shaped how he teaches, guides, and builds his business.
In these episodes, Matt shares how Brookings evolved, what it takes to build something in a niche industry, and how people move through different stages in fly fishing. From learning to catch a fish to eventually valuing the experience itself, the conversation highlights how the environment, the process, and time on the water all play a role.
Links
Topics That Discussed on Podcast
➤ Building and growing Brookings as a business
➤ Creating a space for community, music, and outdoor culture
➤ Local guided trips and private water access
➤ Destination fishing trips around the world
➤ How fly fishing evolves over time
➤ The difference between catching fish and enjoying the experience
➤ Why hiring a guide accelerates learning
➤ The role of environment in outdoor experiences
➤ Teaching beginners and introducing people to fly fishing
➤ Fly tying and understanding the craft behind the sport
➤ Travel, exploration, and building relationships through shared experiences
➤ Learning through time on the water
"You can figure it out on your own… but you’ll save a lot of time with a guide."
BUILDING BROOKINGS
A conversation about building a fly fishing business, creating a space for community, and how Brookings grew into more than just a shop.
THE EXPERIENCE OVER THE CATCH
A conversation about fly fishing, guiding, and how the sport shifts from catching fish to valuing the experience over time.