Ketter at the Cabin: Finding Stillness, Purpose, and a Fly Rod in the Driftless
- The Fly Box LLC
- Dec 22, 2025
- 6 min read
This interview was conducted by The Fly Box and featured in Casts That Care, our charity-driven fly fishing news.
Casts That Care brings you real stories, big ideas, and the heart of the fly fishing world — all while donating 50% of subscriber fees to a different fly fishing charity each month.
Subscribe today and use promo code: KETTER at checkout for 15% off your first month, and we’ll donate 25% more to our charity of the month
By The Fly Box | Casts That Care
The Pull Toward Something Simpler
For Brandon "Ketter" Kettering, the shift toward cabin life began about three years ago, during a transitional point when the pace and pressure of metro life no longer felt sustainable. Working fully remote gave him the freedom to reconsider what he wanted his days to look like, and he felt a growing pull toward something slower and more intentional.
His family owned a cabin in northern Minnesota, and on a leap of faith, he packed up his life and headed north to live there on his own. He knew it would not be easy. There would be quiet days, and lonely ones too. But there was also the opportunity to breathe, to unplug, and to reconnect with a simpler way of living that felt worth protecting.
Cabin life runs deep in the Midwest, especially in Minnesota. It is more than a place. It is a tradition rooted in time spent outdoors, shared meals, and moments away from constant motion. For Ketter, the cabin became a reminder that slowing down is not a weakness, but a choice.
“I felt the pull to slow down. To breathe. To get back to something simpler.”
To stay connected during that transition, he began creating content around daily cabin life. Nothing complicated. Just short clips shared online. Cooking over the fire. Hunting. Exploring the woods. Chasing pike on the fly rod. Those honest moments became the foundation of what would grow into Ketter at the Cabin.
Discovering Fly Fishing
Fly fishing entered Ketter’s life just before he made the move north. He was looking for something new to focus on, something challenging that demanded patience and attention. A good friend who was already an avid fly angler encouraged him to give it a try.
By early spring, Ketter showed up to the river with a fifty dollar fly rod kit from Fleet Farm and met his friends in the Driftless Region. The beginning was rough. Casting felt awkward, progress was slow, and for the first couple of hours, he genuinely did not enjoy it.
As the day unfolded, frustration gave way to curiosity. Walking through open pastures, listening to the water, and taking in the landscape shifted his mindset. When he finally landed his first trout, a six inch brown that smashed a pink squirrel, everything changed.
“That was it. I was hooked.”
From that day forward, fly fishing became far more than an activity. Learning the craft, reading water, studying bugs, understanding trout behavior, and respecting the land became part of his everyday rhythm. What started as curiosity turned into commitment.
What the Water Gives Back
Fly fishing has, for lack of a better term...saved me.
Over time, fly fishing became a source of grounding and purpose. On the water, distractions fade and clarity takes over. The rhythm of casting, moving through the river, and paying attention to the details creates space for reflection.
For Ketter, fly fishing provided something he did not realize he was missing. It offered challenge and failure, triumph and fulfillment, all wrapped into one practice. When he is fishing the Driftless, he feels exactly where he is supposed to be.
“When I’m on the water, I’m locked in. Everything else fades.”
Time on the water allows his mind to wander productively. Sometimes that means thinking through content ideas or life decisions. Other times it means simply being present. Either way, fly fishing offers mental clarity and balance that carries into the rest of his life.
"For me, though, fly fishing is a lifestyle. One that demands commitment, patience, and a lot of time. You know exactly what you’re signing up for when you choose that path. And even with all it asks of you, I wouldn’t trade it for the world!"
Content With Intention
As his audience grew, Ketter became increasingly intentional about what he shares. Fly fishing remains the foundation, but it does not exist on its own. It is woven naturally into a broader outdoor lifestyle that includes travel, camp cooking, and time spent working on small projects.
Camp Cooking, and Pop Up Camper
Long form storytelling on YouTube has allowed that full picture to come together. Videos might begin with fixing up a pop up camper, turn into a simple weekend trip, and end with fly fishing. That blend reflects how life outdoors actually unfolds.
At the same time, he is careful to protect his relationship with the outdoors. He regularly takes what he calls “no content days,” leaving the camera at home and fishing purely for himself.
“I never want content creation to take away from the love I have for fly fishing.”
Those days serve as a reminder of why he started. They keep the experience genuine and prevent the work from becoming performative.
As his platform grew, Ketter found himself wanting to go deeper than short clips or even long form video could always allow. That desire led him to launch a podcast through his youtube, creating space for longer conversations around fly fishing, outdoor life, mindset, and the stories that shape people who live close to the water.
The podcast extends the same values that show up in his cabin life and fishing content. It is unhurried, honest, and centered on real experience rather than performance. For Ketter, it is another way to connect with the community he cares so deeply about, while also learning from others who share similar values.
Stewardship and Responsibility
Spending so much time immersed in wild places has reshaped the way Ketter views conservation. What once felt normal in his youth is now something he recognizes as a privilege. Not everyone grows up with access to land, water, and healthy fisheries.
Being able to wade a trout stream carries responsibility. Protecting the land, the water, the fish, and the surrounding ecosystems matters deeply to him. That responsibility feels especially strong in the Driftless Region, a place shaped by history and geology and largely untouched by time.
Preserving that sense of wildness is essential. Without stewardship, the very qualities that make these places special are at risk.
“Being able to wade a stream and catch trout is a privilege, one that shouldn’t be taken for granted.”
Community Over Everything
While content creation brought visibility, community is what gives the work meaning. Ketter feels genuine gratitude for everyone who takes the time to watch, comment, or reach out. Those conversations, whether online or in person, are what make the experience fulfilling.
Meeting people on the river, at access points, or at events reinforces the importance of connection. Swapping stories, talking fishing, and sharing experiences are at the heart of why he continues to create.
“Creating content is rewarding, but building relationships is what makes it meaningful.”
Looking Ahead
“Fly fishing isn’t just a hobby for me. It’s a lifestyle.”
Looking forward, the priority is clear. Protect the love for fly fishing and the outdoors while continuing to grow creatively. Improvement matters, but not at the expense of authenticity.
Ketter plans to continue sharpening his filming and editing skills, investing in better gear, and leaning further into storytelling around cabin life and fly fishing. Time on the water will always remain central, even as life grows and priorities shift.
When something truly matters, space is made for it.
Where to Find Ketter at the Cabin
You can find Brandon "Ketter" Kettering on his Instagram on his TikTok and on his YouTube & he has his website coming soon!
There is a lot to learn from the way Ketter approaches fly fishing, content, and life outdoors. He reminds us that slowing down is not falling behind, that intention matters more than output, and that protecting what you love is just as important as sharing it.
In a world that constantly pushes for more, Ketter shows that choosing presence, patience, and connection can be enough. Fly fishing, for him, is not about numbers or performance. It is about place, purpose, and finding clarity in moving water. That mindset is something worth carrying with us the next time we step into a river.
Thank you for taking the time to read and support stories like this. Features like Ketter’s exist because of a shared love for fly fishing, the outdoors, and the people who choose to live intentionally within them.
This interview was conducted by The Fly Box and featured in Casts That Care, our charity-driven fly fishing news.
Casts That Care brings you real stories, big ideas, and the heart of the fly fishing world — all while donating 50% of subscriber fees to a different fly fishing charity each month.
Subscribe today and use promo code: KETTER at checkout for 15% off your first month, and we’ll donate 25% more to our charity of the month
By The Fly Box | Casts That Care
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