070: Fly Navarro on the Wildest Tie in Blue Marlin World Cup History and Why Anglers Need to Organize

**Fly Navarro on the Wildest Tie in Blue Marlin World Cup History and Why Anglers Need to Organize** This one is for anyone who fishes here in Washington but hasn't thought much about what it takes, at the policy level, to keep that fishing possible. Fly Navarro has run the only global blue marlin tournament in the world for over a decade, and it just produced the first tie in the event's 41-year history. He also sits on fishery boards back east, and had a lot to say about why our community needs to organize too. This one covers the tournament story, conservation vs. environmentalism, and hard-won lessons on decision-making, faith, and building a trustworthy circle. **Episode Overview** Guest Robert "Fly" Navarro is Tournament Director of the Blue Marlin World Cup, the only worldwide blue marlin tournament, now in its 41st year  The inside story of the July 4th tournament tie: two boats weighed blue marlin at the exact same 653 pounds  Why Fly believes the fishing and hunting community needs to organize the way environmental groups do  Conservation vs. environmentalism, and how it connects to seal and sea lion predation on Washington hatchery salmon Life lessons on decision-making, choosing your circle, and taking a leap of faith, from Fly's path from deckhand to running tournaments in Saudi Arabia  A direct invite to the Washington Tuna Classic in Westport, benefiting local veterans through Mission Outdoors **Key Takeaways** Two boats weighed blue marlin at the exact same 653 pounds, the first tie in the Blue Marlin World Cup's 41-year history. The fishing and hunting community needs to organize the way environmental groups do, before laws get passed that are hard to repeal. Conservation means protecting a resource for future generations; environmentalism means keeping people from using it at all. Seals and sea lions, protected since 1972, now eat a significant share of hatchery salmon. The best decisions come after you let the emotion pass, not in the heat of the moment. Who you let into your circle matters more than how big your reach gets. Failure isn't falling short of a goal, it's quitting after you fall. **Timestamps** 00:00 - Meet Fly Navarro and what this episode covers  00:04 - Fly's "why" behind fishing  00:14 - From $4-an-hour deckhand to running blue marlin boats worldwide  00:21 - Building a social media company and 1,500 free how-to videos  00:23 - How a marina visit in Jeddah led to Saudi Arabia's first fishing tournaments  00:28 - Why Fly and girlfriend Naomi chose the San Juan Islands  00:33 - Why fishermen and hunters need to organize like environmental groups  00:36 - Conservation vs. environmentalism, and the Marine Mammal Protection Act  00:52 - The July 4th tournament tie: two blue marlin, same exact weight  01:24 - Building a trustworthy circle and learning to trust your gut  01:41 - Faith, fatherhood, and what's happened to young men  01:59 - Closing question and the Washington Tuna Classic invite **Resources Mentioned** Blue Marlin World Cup: https://bluemarlinworldcup.com Washington Tuna Classic (Westport, July 24-25): https://missionoutdoors.org/programs/wtc/ The FlyZone Podcast with Fly Navarro: https://open.spotify.com/show/1jqRM7mm0xFWbeqr6XkEzJ Fly’s Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/flynavarro\_/ Fly’s YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/c/FlyNavarro Anglers Unlimited Gold: https://anglersunlimited.co/gold **About the Podcast** Fishing for a Reason is the Pacific Northwest saltwater fishing education podcast for new anglers and families who want to catch more salmon, halibut, lingcod, shrimp and crab in Washington waters. Hosted by Jamie & Scott Propst from Anglers Unlimited, each episode delivers practical techniques, local knowledge, and expert insights to help you get off the couch and into the fish. Perfect for relocated professionals, military families, and boaters who are just getting into fishing.