The Orvis Fly-Fishing Podcast: Recent Episodes
Tom Rosenbauer, The Orvis Company
The Orvis Fly Fishing Guide Podcast provides weekly tips from acclaimed fly fishing author and lifelong fly fishing enthusiast, Tom Rosenbauer. Get the most from your time on the water!
This episode was originally published on August 6th, 2021.
This week my guest is Colby Trow [38:08] of Mossy Creek Fly Fishing, one of the best smallmouth bass anglers I know. Colby talks about successful techniques in catching these critters in late summer, when they can be harder to catch than earlier in the season. The good news is that it's one of the best times to catch them on a surface fly like a popper or hair bug, which is always the most fun.
In the Fly Box this week, we have the following questions and tips from listeners:
A listener who makes the point that it's quicker to land trout on light tippets with a Euro rod.
Can I fish carp flies with an indicator?
Are treble hooks more harmful than single point barbless hooks?
What do I do when trout take my hopper patterns deep? Should I leave the fly in them?
I have trouble catching smallmouths in clear water. Any suggestions?
Where do you store your leader between fishing trips? A tip from Sam, fishing manager at Orvis Houston, on catching redfish in dirty water.
What are the advantages and disadvantages in using a pedestal vise as opposed to a C-clamp?
How do I choose which size hair stacker to use?
How can I fish size 18-22 nymphs in four feet of fast water?
A suggestion for using 7 1/2-foot leaders in small streams in the Driftless Region.
Can I put a 7-weight sinking line on my 5-weight rod?
If I am catching trout in small mountain streams where the water is cold enough, do I need to worry about them moving downstream into warmer temperatures after I release them?
How many phone calls and questions do you get per week?
When I switch from Euro nymphing to my regular trout rod, I keep breaking off fish. Is this normal?
My guest this week is Peter Jenkins [28:08], owner of the Saltwater Edge in Rhode Island and chairman of the American Saltwater Guides Association. Peter is a lifelong striper addict and has also followed the plight of the striped bass and the many management plans that try to preserve this valuable resource. He talks about the history of striped bass populations, why they are in decline right now, and what can be done to get back to the "glory days" of the late 1990s.
In the Fly Box this week, I try to answer the following questions: What are tipping guidelines for a fishing guide in Italy? Are big articulated streamers mostly for targeting trophy fish? I had three fish completely swallow my dry fly. Do you have any insights on why they do that sometimes? Is it wise to sometimes start with a small fly rather than a large one? If I only have a leader and tippet on the water, should I still mend? Is it OK to have drag if only the leader and tippet are on the water? I am going to Patagonia this year. Should I bring my own gear? They recommend 6 and 7-weight rods and I only have a 4-weight and 5-weight. Should I ask if I can tie my own knots? What flies do you recommend for bigmouth and smallmouth buffalo? My stream has lots of weed on the bottom, and my nymphs and streamers keep getting coated with weed. How can I fix this?
My guest this week is Orvis casting guru and fishing buddy Pete Kutzer [39:31], who makes a case for using trout Spey techniques not just for spring and fall streamer fishing but all summer long, swinging wet flies and soft hackles. Pete gets into exactly the right rod, line, leader, and tippet he uses, the fly patterns he prefers, and the techniques he uses for presenting the flies. He also gives us some great tips for two-handed casting in general—tough to do on a podcast, but they are helpful nonetheless.
In the Fly Box this week we have some great questions and tips from listeners, including: When fishing foam dry flies on a dry dropper rig, my leader keeps twisting. How can I prevent this? What essential gear should I take when fishing from my raft? I keep spooking carp with my heavily weighted flies but I need them to get down. How can I fix this? A listener tells us about a very clever method he uses for drop-shotting with nymphs that allows him to change weights easily. I saw dozens of trout stacked up in the middle of a run feeding in bright sunlight. Why were they there? I am trying to fish a short, deep plunge pool where the trout are in four feet of water. How can I get my flies down to them? My rooster hackle keeps twisting. What can I do to prevent this?
With warm and lower water levels in many western rivers, there's no need to sit out those hoot owl regulations. Some of the reservoirs in the Rocky Mountains offer the same spectacular scenery as trout rivers, fewer people, and challenging fish that might get you into your backing. Orvis-Endorsed Guide of the Year Dustin White [36:42] shares his passion for carp fishing in Montana and gives us some solid tips for finding and catching them.
In the Fly Box this week we have the following interesting questions and more: My cast keeps wrapping around my rod when doing the double haul. How can I fix this? What is the best way to approach a fly-fishing "personality" on the water? What should I do if I see someone violating fishing regulations? Is it ever appropriate to clear brush on a path to the river? What is the best way to evaluate a fly-fishing guide? Suggestions on a rod for fishing for sea bass. How should I approach a large pool with numerous fish rising. Should I work my way upstream or go to the biggest fish at the head of the pack? How can I find good redfish marshes using Google Earth? A listener suggests another instance of poor angling ethics—walking in front of an angler on the banks of a river. A recommendation for a good rod for fishing for smaller bass.
This episode was originally published on March 3rd, 2025.
Crayfish are prey that most gamefish can't resist. They're high in calories, abundant, and relatively easy for bass, trout, and many other gamefish to capture. Yet most of us don't know much about their life cycle and behavior (myself included). Guide Jake Villwock [47:02] has spent his life studying these critters, which gives him important insight on the right fly patterns, but even more important how and when to fish them. You'll learn a lot on this podcast. In the Fly Box this week, there are lots of good questions and I hope my answers will help you in your fly-fishing journey. They include: I can't seem to get my fly deep enough in bass lakes with my floating line. Should I get a sinking line for my 8-weight and fish surface flies with my 5-weight? A listener asks for help from listeners in ways to lessen the pain of losing his beloved fishing dog I fished a river that has always been full of trout and didn't see a thing. What happened to the fish? Should I apply my dubbing with clockwise or counterclockwise twists? Can I tie my dropper onto the tag end of my improved clinch knot? What are your thoughts and comments on how long a trout stays spooked? Why do you prefer a sling pack and where do you put your net? Do resident brook trout in a river get pushed around by migrating steelhead? Do they still feed? I didn't catch any fish in high, cold water. What should I have done? What do you think about tying a loop in the end of my tippet and attaching flies with a girth hitch? Why don't people use landing nets for striped bass? I saw an anti-reverse fly reel on EBay. What do you think of them?
I don't like to use the word etiquette as that implies rules and we should be able to fish however we want as long as it's legal. But there are traditions and guidelines for conduct on trout rivers that ensures that everyone has a good day on the water without infringing on the rights of others. And they do sometimes differ depending on whether you are floating or wading, and even form one river to the next depending on how crowded they are. Todd Tanner [34:22] offers a very thoughtful and interesting approach to this subject with lots of anecdotes on what he has seen on the many trout rivers he's fished in his lifetime. Do boomboxes and dogs belong on trout rivers? Listen to what Todd has to say on those topics.
In the Fly Box this week we have these questions and more: What do you think about the AI in relation to fly fishing? Does the Orvis Wading Staff really self deploy? How do I fish high, clear water? What do the trout do under this condition? How do I know when I am fishing deep enough for salmon and steelhead? My graphite ferrule does not seat all the way. Is this OK? Which sinking line is best for bass fishing? Brass is 7% heavier than stainless steel. Why don't we use more brass for our nymphs given the scarcity of tungsten? A listener makes the case for the Helios D rods for trout fishing What do you think about the Hovering Leech pattern? Will this technique work in rivers? Do trout release stress hormones when we play them? Do chubs and trout feed in different places in trout streams?
The Northeast has some of the finest small-stream brook trout fishing in the world. A hike in the Green Mountains of Vermont, White Mountains of New Hampshire, Adirondack Mountains in New York, or the mountains of western Maine can get you to unspoiled brook trout waters with minimal to no fishing pressure. And these are wild, native fish and one of the most colorful fish in freshwater. Nick Yardley [35:18] is an experienced hiker and climber, and loves brook trout fishing as much as he loves Atlantic salmon and steelhead. He's got some great tips on getting there and what tackle and flies to use.
In the Fly Box this week, we have these questions and more: Tips on why the Orvis landing net is so great. Will we be seeing stainless steel beads to replace the expensive tungsten ones? Or is this fake news? Controversy: A listener suggests that if we don't have more "Fly Fishing Only" trout streams, the future of fly fishing is at stake (and Tom disagrees). Bass follow my fly but don't commit. What should I do? A listener asks for advice on whether to get a 3 or 4-weight rod for Colorado. I have trouble casting big Clouser Minnows and Meat Whistles. I think my leader is at fault. Can you help me correct this? I have a friend that does weird things on the river. What would you do? I have an intermediate line for bass fishing. I have had conflicting information on whether it will be useful or not. What do you think? Can I fish for winter flounder with a fly rod?
This episode was originally published on July 22nd, 2024.
A couple months ago I did a podcast with Jason Randall [36:39] on trout vision, and it was so popular that I asked him to come back on the podcast to do one on a trout's sense of smell and hearing. Can trout hear your metal studs on the bottom when you wade, or the tip of your wading staff? Can they hear you talking? Can they smell your flies, and does it make sense to add scents to your fly? Can they smell hatches coming? I explore these and other topics with one of our foremost experts on what trout perceive in their environment. In the Fly Box this week, we have a great assortment of questions and tips from listeners, including: What could I tie with size 16 and 18 Keel Hooks? When working the same pool, should the nymph or streamer angler cover the pool first? Where should you park when you see a stretch of unposted land? A listener relates a fun story of his first carp on the fly What would make me choose the more expensive textured Pro fly line over the Smooth version? What is your rod, leader, and fly setup when fishing a small stream? Is there a difference between a dubbing loop and the split thread technique? Do Recons and Clearwaters go through the same process of improvements that Helios rods do? I saw a lot of bugs but no trout rising. Do you think they were overwhelmed by too much food? If trout in the East don't eat adult stoneflies much, why does the Chubby Chernobyl work so well? I find sunglasses in the evening a hindrance. What should I do to protect my eyes after the sun goes down?
This episode was originally published on June 23rd, 2025.
In the Fly Box this week, we have some interesting requests, including many questions about leaders and tippet. What fly line should I use on my Helios 2 rod for dry-fly fishing? What can I do to prevent my tippet from kinking? What can you do when small stream trout refuse your fly? I have been using heavier tippet and seem to be doing just as well as with lighter tippet. What is your take on this? Is there a big difference between various brands of tippet material? Can I just add a tippet ring to my 9-foot 4X leader to make a nymph leader? Should the butt section of my nymph leader be made from fluorocarbon? What should I take on a multi-day fishing trip that I would not normally think of? Why am I foul-hooking so many trout and whitefish this year? What do you think of furled leaders? What rod should I get for my 8-year-old daughter? What rig should I start her out with? What do you think of Crocs as inexpensive wading shoes? What can you tell me about an older Orvis rod I purchased? How can I tighten the drag on an older spring-and-pawl fly reel? What is the deal with all these multi-fly rigs? Am I missing something by using a single fly? Do people fish for trout with poppers? Do I need sinking agents as well as flotants? At the end of my drift I stripped in a dry fly and got strikes. Should I change my setup and move my flies a bit?
This episode was originally published on May 19th, 2025.
Every week I get some iteration of this question: "I hooked three fish and lost all of them before I could get them to the net. What am I doing wrong?" Well, often you did nothing wrong and it was just bad luck. But there are steps you can take to make sure you land the fish you've hooked and Josh Nugent [36:46], a regular on my podcast and one of the most thoughtful anglers I know, presents us with his Seven Deadly Sins. There are lots of helpful nuggets in this one. In the Fly Box this week, we have these questions and tips: You say I can fish small streamers on my 5-weight rod. What do you mean by "small'? I am using the Albright knot for larger sections of my leader. What do you think? A tip from a listener on how not to launch small brookies into the bushes when you hook them. Why am I losing half of my fish when using barbless hooks? Is there any situation where you would use an Improved Clinch Knot as opposed to the regular Clinch Knot? A tip from a listener on how to tie big foam flies that won't land upside-down. How do you balance various passions, family, work, and still have the energy and time to get out on the water? How do you set up your emergers, and what is your go-to emerger fly? Where can I find split shot that does not contain lead? How do you feel about the relative perceived intelligence of hatchery fish as compared to wild fish?
Want to spend less time untangling knots and more time with your flies in the water? Do you want to connect on more of the strikes you get to your nymphs? Want to know the best way to cast indicator rigs? Orvis-endorsed guide Matt Squillante [28:56] shares his tips from years of teaching fly fishers how to fish indicator rigs, and he shares some solid advice on this method.
In the Fly Box this week, we have the questions and tips: I was fishing for panfish and had a big fish make a huge run but I lost it. Any guess as to what kind of fish it was? I really enjoyed using the poly leaders Orvis used to sell. Any suggestions for a substitute? I am having problems casting my new Superfine rod after using a Helios D. Any suggestions on improving my casting with it? A tip on using a waterproof marker to color your thread if it's not the right color for the head of your fly. How can I fish my nymphs in pools that are 6-to 8-feet deep? What is the correct terminology when describing the size of a piece of moving water? What do you think of using the "washing line" technique in streams? My Double Davy Knot causes my big dries to lay off to one side but the clinch knot doesn't. Do you know why this happens? I was using a fly clip and the leader came back with a pigtail after I broke off a fish. Does this happen often with fly clips? Is there a way to quickly tell a wild trout from a stocked trout?
My guest this week, Chris Steinbeck [25:15] of the Blue Quill Angler in Colorado, shares his strategies for dealing with what we expect will be low water and possibly water that is too warm for ethical trout fishing. This doesn't mean you have to forgo fly fishing! There are many options for continuing your trout fishing through the summer, plus loads of alternatives to trout that are amazing fun on the fly rod. Chris has some solid tips for enjoying the summer with your rod, and for treating the fish properly in low water. Although Chris concentrates on Colorado fisheries, his advice is solid for any part of the Rocky Mountains. In the Fly Box this week, we have these questions and more: If I briefly hook a brown trout, do you think it's still worth trying for that fish? I have an old Orvis Bamboo rod left to me by my grandfather. Should I fish it, and if so how should I care for it? Is there a material you could wrap around a dry fly to make it float better? Which types of dubbing are best for dry flies? Can I use jig nymphs on a dry dropper setup? How can I strip "retired" flies of their dressing so I can re-use the hooks and beads? I fish a cold tailwater but have not seen or caught a trout. Why are there no trout in it?
My guests this week are Kirk Deeter and Matt Supinski [27:19], authors of the amazing new book A Fishable Feast. They talk about great meals they've experienced in lodges around the world, but also about what they actually pack for the day when they are fishing on their own. And then what to enjoy after a day of fishing—what to drink, what meals to prepare to celebrate a great day or console yourself after a lousy day. And they even wax poetic (at least Matt does) about what a day on the water really means. It's a fun discussion and I hope you enjoy it.
In the Fly Box this week, we have these questions and more: Should I put floatant on my CDC flies or should they ride below the surface? How will I get my flies deep enough now that tungsten beads are getting scarce and expensive? Should I get a moderate or fast-action rod for all-around fishing in Colorado? Can I use a surgeon's knot to connect nylon to fluorocarbon? I have been using tippet rings. How short can my shock tippet get before I need to replace it? Is the improved blood knot good for adding shock tippet? How do you know when a river's fish population is not worth your time? If I see trout swimming quickly, are they feeding when they do this? How much extra tippet do you carry when fishing?
Before you rule out this podcast because you don't live in southern California, you may want to listen to my interview with master saltwater fly fisher Al Quattrocchi [24:46] because he gives lots of great advice on fishing in the surf in general. You'll get tips on lines, leaders, approach, and how to find fish in the surf. So, whether you chase striped bass or redfish in the surf, I think you'll get some great tips here.
In the fly box this week, we have some great tips as well as interesting questions, including: How can I keep my dropper tag from tangling around the standing part of the tippet? How can I find out about etiquette on local rivers? A tip from a listener on fishing streamers with a Euro rig in low, clear water I am confused by fly casting instructions. Lefty Kreh recommended that we pretend our arm is on a shelf and then flick the wrist. Should I try casting this way? My local river is high but there are some ephemeral side channels. Do you think these are worth fishing? Is it true that tungsten beads will become expensive and hard to obtain? A tip from a listener on using a Magic Eraser for cleaning cork grips. I fish some tight, brushy rivers. Would it be better to get a trout Spey rod or a 10-foot 4-weight for fishing these streams?
Orvis-endorsed guide Alberto Rey [33:22] just completed a trip around the world, fishing and exploring on six continents—and he did it all with only two 6-piece Clearwater Rods and two reels and a handful of flies. He has some great stories and great tips for travelers from his experience and shares them with us. In the Fly Box this week, we have these questions and tips: * Should I be adding 4 feet of tippet to my 7 ½ foot leader for a dry dropper rig? * A tip from a listener about using pieces of pool noodle to store pre-make fly rigs * I saw a video where a guy fished four flies at once on droppers. How do you avoid tangles with this many flies on the leader? * If the new Recons are 20% stronger, if I want to get a 6-weight rod should I order a 5-weight? * A tip from a listener (with a caution from Tom) about using micro spikes for wading * How can I easily get the hook out of trout and still keep them in the water when they struggle? * I saw an otter on the river and got skunked. Do the fish vacate an area when an otter is around? * My knots keep slipping and fish were breaking off with various highly-regarded knots. What do you think happened? * How can I fish a big articulated streamer upstream without the fly fouling? * A tip from a listener on just slipping cones on the leader above a streamer to get them to sink faster.
My guest this week is guide and fly shop owner Taylor Edrington [34:16] of Royal Gorge Anglers in Colorado. His home river, the Arkansas, has an amazing hatch of these bugs, but they also hatch on trout streams throughout the country some time between Tax Day and Mother's Day (and often beyond). It's a great hatch but often tricky as trout will many times key on the emerging pupa and not the adult. But Taylor has some tricks to help us solve the puzzle.
In the Fly Box this week, we have some questions that I think will be helpful to many people, such as: Can I fish streamers on bright days in a river without much insect life? Can I use a reel meant for a 7- to 9-weight rod on my 6-weight rod? When you are fishing with other people on mountain creeks, do you ever use two-way radios? I have trouble fishing really large rivers. What should I look for in giant rivers? Will carp in a trout stream harm the trout population? Can I use a Perfection Loop in my backing to attach a fly line? Why aren't there different leaders for each line size? Some casting instructors tell you to move your arm back and forth and other tell you to never do that. Is there a correct way to cast? Do you think a recent flood hurt the trout population in my river? I have not seen as many trout after the flood. Do you carry a multi-tool when you go fishing?
My guest this week is Simon Perkins [1:11], president of The Orvis Company and a third-generation family member to run the company. You may have heard about some major changes in Orvis' business over the past couple years, and Simon relates both his emotional struggle with restructuring the company and also his optimism about a laser focus on Orvis' core values: Fly fishing, upland hunting, and protection of our natural resources. Why there will be a greater emphasis on independent fly shops. And also the greatly streamlined Orvis apparel offering and how that affected which Orvis retail stores remained open.
Many of our favorite places to fish for wild trout are located on Forest Service lands. My guest this week is Paul Hendricks [29:45], executive director of The Conservation Alliance, which is an outdoor industry organization dedicated to maintaining the health of our public lands. Some recent developments threaten the continuing operation of the US Forest Service, and Paul tells us what these proposed changes are--what we can do to help mitigate some drastic changes, and ensure that the dedicated people who help maintain many of the places we love to fish have the resources they need.
In the Fly Box this week, we have these questions and more: How can I make a 6-foot leader for fishing for trout in small creeks? I always get tangled when fishing with multiple flies but not with a single dry fly. What am I doing wrong? Why do brook trout in the Shenandoah area appear to grow bigger than they do in most northeastern streams? How can I fish subsurface flies for panfish in very weedy waters? A listener relates yet another story of trout feeding at night when a bright light shines on them. How do I strip strike? Do I wait until I feel the fish? Is there a difference between tightening with your rod as opposed to tightening with your hand? When fishing small, unpressured streams for trout and smallmouth bass, how long should I wait in between trips to the same spot? When floating down a chute in my kayak, fishing for smallmouth bass, I know most of them will be at the bottom of the chute. Should I just float down over them and try to fish for them, or should I portage around the shoot? How spooky are they to a boat floating over them?
Permit on a floating fly? Don't you need to fish heavy flies that get right to the bottom, where permit feed? Sometimes, but over the past decade permit anglers have discovered that permit eat crabs on the surface, and if you've spent enough time on salt water you will see crabs swimming along the surface. Fishing floating crabs make a lot of sense as you'll learn when you listen to this podcast with film maker and permit angler RA Beattie [27:05].
In the Fly Box this week, we have some questions that might solve problems you have had, including:
I have trouble with my fly wallet, either losing flies or tearing out the fleece. Is this a matter of user error? Should I apply flotant to foam flies and flies with deer and elk hair, or will they float by themselves? Do jig nymphs harm smaller trout? If I use large beads on my nymphs, will they inhibit hooking qualities? I have trouble with my line tangling when striper fishing. Do you have any tips? Do featherwing streamers offer any advantages? Why do people fish streamers smaller that a size 10 and when is it best to use them? The hooks on my bonefish flies keep breaking . Why is this happening?
Urban fly fishing is fun and presents some challenges—like bystanders getting in the way of back casts and sometimes fishing from a location high above the water. And it's essential to know how to fish around bridges as these are sometimes the best habitat for urban fish. Marc Fryt [38:33], whose new book The Guide to Urban Fly Fishing is a treasure trove of tips for exploring this exciting world.
In the Fly Box this week we have some interesting questions and tips, including:
Is there a place I can explore saltwater fly fishing on foot without a guide? I can't afford one right now. When storing fly tying materials, what should I do to prevent damage? Will excessive heat or cold in a garage or attic affect them? Do you have any tips for catching my first grayling in a lake? How should I set the drag on my reel? Are Orvis' mid-priced rods like the new Recons just blanks from older versions of premium rods or are they completely new designs? A listener reports that he uses a light for trout fishing at night and it does not spook the fish. Why do my loop knots keep breaking when streamer fishing? Why do you cast with your right hand and then reel with the same hand? What do you think of competition jig hooks that ride upside-down? I have a Clearwater 10-foot 4-weight that I use for dry-fly fishing and want to try Euro nymphing with it. Should I get a new reel or spool with a separate line or just switch my leader?
I have been meaning to get Charlie Craven [37:41] of Charlie's Fly Box in Denver on the podcast for quite some time and we finally connected. Charlie talks about what new materials and tools excite him and also how to approach the topic of assembling essential materials for the beginning fly tier. We also explore some other topics as only a couple of geeky fly tiers can when given the chance.
In the Fly Box this week, we have some great questions and tips from listeners, including: I have been using a clear floating line for sight fishing for striped bass but noticed the fish sometimes shy away from the fly. Do you think this is because the clear line reflects too much sunlight? A tip from a listener on another way of taking fishing photos without risking losing your valuable smartphone in the water. My leader lands in a pile when I am casting. But you say that sometimes you want your leader to land in loose coils. Is it too much to expect my leader to fully straighten? Advice from bamboo rod guru Shawn Brillon on cleaning cork grips. I was using mouse flies at night and got strikes but could not connect. What did I do wrong? Is it true that you can shine a red flashlight at night to see your fly because the fish won't notice it? Is it worth it to go from a mid-priced fly-tying vise to a really expensive one? What do you get in a $500 vise? What is your take on using non-standard, "buggy" variations on standard fly proportions? Is the Double Davy Knot stronger than an Improved Clinch Knot?
Join me as we explore the fascinating world of early season olive hatches with expert fly fisherman Blake Katchur [35:42] of Anglers All in Denver. No matter where you fish, you'll find this hatch any time from early March to early June. Discover effective tactics, fly patterns, and timing tips to enhance your fishing success during this prolific hatch. In the Fly Box this week, we have these questions and more: Can I use my 7-weight fiberglass rod for bonefish in Belize? Why can I catch brook trout in smaller streams during the winter but not in a bigger river? If I leave off the trailing hook in articulated flies, how do I compensate for the lack of weight? Will it affect the swimming action of my flies? For Alaska silver salmon and big rainbows, should I get a 9-foot or 10-foot 8-weight Helios rod? And should I pick Helios D or F? Do the scents from resins and glues put off the fish? Is there anything that can cover up these scents? Are wings on dry flies absolutely necessary? Where did we get the "X" system we use for leader and tippet diameters? What do you have on your fly-tying bench that you can't do without?
Recently, Tom took time to chat with Reid on the Orvis Hunting and Shooting Podcast about his 50 years at Orvis. If you're interested in hunting, shooting, or the great outdoors in general, consider subscribing to Reid's show, too!
(Crosspost from the Orvis Hunting and Shooting Podcast)
"Tom Rosenbauer, longtime Orvis employee, writer, and host of the Orvis Fly Fishing Podcast, joins Reid for a wide-ranging conversation about his nearly 50 years with the company. They talk about the early days at Orvis, the great outdoor writers who shaped the culture around Manchester, Vermont, and how a lifelong fly fisherman found his way, occasionally, behind a shotgun. Along the way Tom shares stories, history, and a perspective on the outdoors that few people still carry."
This episode was originally published on August 19th, 2021.
This week's podcast guest is especially exciting to me as he is one of my literary heroes. John McPhee [24:10] is a Pulitzer Prize-winning author (Annals of the Former World), and in his numerous other books he has written about such diverse topics as nuclear energy, the merchant marine, basketball, Alaska, bark canoes, oranges, continental drift, flood control, tennis, farmer's markets, and many other eclectic topics. Whether or not you are interested in a subject, you can be sure you will be when you finish reading one of his books you will be fascinated. John has also been a staff writer for The New Yorker since the 1960s. In our interview, he talks about his two favorite fish to catch on the fly rod--the American shad (which he wrote an entire book about, The Founding Fish), and the chain pickerel, which he did not write a book about but did pen a short essay on in his collection of stories The Patch. (I doubt is anyone in the world who would count those two fish in combination as their favorites--but he is never conventional.) I hope you enjoy the interview as much as I enjoyed talking to him.
In the Fly Box this week, we have some great questions and tips:
A reminder from a listener that I wrote an encyclopedia of fly fishing.
Some great tips from a listener on using tippet rings.
A question about what constitutes a watershed when concerned about transporting aquatic invasives.
A suggestion from a listener on ways to offset your carbon footprint when taking fishing trips.
Which is a better rod for fishing the surf and jetties--a traditional 9-foot 9-weight rod or a two-handed rod?
Do you always recommend using a net?
A listener calls me on the carpet for my flippant remark about manhandling carp.
A great thought from a listener that sometimes taking photos of fish hinders the moment.
This episode was originally published on February 17th, 2023.
This week is my guest Seth Berger [1:00:18], Fly Fishing Travel Specialist with Orvis Adventures. In his job, Seth visits Orvis-endorsed operations around the world and always packs his fishing gear, so he's a great resource for advising us how to travel with rods, waders, and flies—how to pack them, what to carry on, and pitfalls you should avoid. Seth also talks about what to pack, and items that are often forgotten or ignored by traveling anglers. Anyone who gets on a plane, whether it's a short hop or an international flight, will benefit from his knowledge.
In the Fly Box this week, we have some great questions and comment that run the gamut of the fly-fishing experience, including:
A listener who recommends the mono rig method, which is different from the standard Euro nymphing setup. And tries to tell me 20lb. mono casts just as easily as fly line (I'm not buying it)
Why not put a tippet ring on the end of a poly leader? I've used straight monofilament for a leader for bass and bream.
Why do I need a tapered leader, and do I need tippet?
When you fish two dry flies, what should the distance between them be?
Do I need to learn entomology to pick flies?
Is there any difference between picking flies for small streams vs. bigger rivers?
What do you look for to help you choose a fly?
Can I fish steelhead with my 9-foot 5-weight rod?
Is it true that lighter lines cast better in the wind because they have less air resistance?
Have you ever fished with just a bead on a hook?
Some great suggestions from a listener on how to keep fly tying materials away from young children.
I am coming from Korea to the US. Will I have problems brining flies and fly tying materials into the country?
Have you ever tried wiggle nymphs?
Why do Euro nymphers stand in the water and make short upstream casts while people with conventional lines try to fish as far away as possible?
Why don't we see a lot of blue streamers?
How deep can I effectively fish with a fly rod?
How can I tie patterns with partridge feathers smaller than size 16?
This week I interview Quint Rogers [31:43], a fly fishing guide specializing in shoal bass fishing in Georgia. We discuss the unique characteristics of shoal bass, their habitat, life cycle, and the best fishing techniques to catch this rare freshwater bass, perfectly suited to the fly rod. Quint shares insights on seasonal patterns, fishing gear, and the river environments where shoal bass thrive.
In the Fly Box this week we have these questions from listeners: How can I figure out which way to orient slotted beads on nymphs? Are six-piece travel rods any good? For small stream fishing, does it matter if I use a double taper or weight forward line? Is there any evidence to suggest which is the best way to attach droppers? Why does my leader always break at the tippet ring? Are there any alternatives to stripping baskets for beach fishing? How do you know when to replace a floating line? Can you do a podcast on how to train a dog to be a fishing companion? Why don't more saltwater guides use nets? What kind of games do I play when fly fishing? Where would you work if you didn't work for Orvis?
If you think mending is just lifting your rod and flipping it upstream—well sometimes it is—but there is so much more you can do with line mends to add slack in just the right places, and to deal with tricky currents. Mike Pease [30:41], Orvis-endorsed guide and great storyteller, gives us 10 tips for increasing the utility of your line mends. I learned a bunch of new tricks on this podcast and I am sure you will as well.
There are some helpful tips from listeners and some questions that may answer things you have been curious about, including: When would you use a drop shot nymphing rig? Have you ever used a dry fly, nymph, and wet fly at the same time? I am debating about which Helios rod to buy. Should I get the 9 foot 5 weight or the 9-foot 5-inch version? Can I use the longer rod for wade fishing? A listener gives his version of a Euro rig for steelhead. Which 10-foot rod should I get for Lake Erie steelhead? Do you think tying a dropper to the bend of a hook is any hindrance to fish taking the upper fly? Sometimes when I hook a big fish it takes line right away and my tippet breaks. Do you think my drag is set too tight? How tight should I set my drag? A great tip from a listener on an easy way to remove split shot with a tool everyone carries. You say that trout can always see the tippet. If so, why would I ever want to use something as fine as 6X?
When is a trout a steelhead and when is it a rainbow? Are steelhead just rainbow trout that migrate to the ocean? Is it something in their genes or just random chance? And in a given population of rainbow trout, will only some of them migrate to the ocean? And according to a biologist, are the Great Lakes "steelhead" truly steelhead? My guest fisheries biologist Katie Kobayashi [32:13] has studied these fish down to the genetic level and has some exciting information on their life histories.
In the Fly Box this week, we have some great questions that I think will be helpful to many of you, including: If I hook a trout in the back behind the dorsal fin, will it survive OK? And can I count this fish as "caught"? What is the most useful saltwater fly line for inshore species? For my smaller creeks in Pennsylvania, would an 8 ½ foot 4-weight or 7 1/2-foot 3-weight be better? Have you used articulated flies? Have you had success with them? Are there articulated subsurface flies other than streamers? I have an 8-weight rod for flats fishing in salt water and want a second rod for bigger stuff. Should I get a 9-weight or a 10-weight? For fishing in a Colorado tailwater, when should I use an indicator setup and when should I Euro-nymph? And when Euro nymphing, how can I get a tiny size 22 nymph down into the right zone?
My guest this week is Orvis-endorsed guide Joe Garza [32:54], a guide from JAG Fly Fishing, who explains the intricacies of still water trout fishing. He discusses common mistakes that anglers make, the importance of understanding food sources, and the need for patience in still water environments. Joe shares insights on matching fly profiles and colors to natural food, as well as effective techniques for using indicators. The conversation emphasizes the unique challenges of still water fishing compared to moving water, providing valuable tips for both novice and experienced anglers. He shares his extensive knowledge on fly fishing in still waters, focusing on techniques such as the hand twist retrieve, effective casting, and the importance of proper hook setting. He emphasizes the significance of maintaining tension in the line and understanding fish behavior, particularly in relation to external factors like weather and water temperature.
In the Fly Box this week we have a lot of questions about tackle and winter reading, including: Is "Sinking Gel" for nymph fishing a waste of money? What is the difference between the 7'1/2 foot 3-weight Superfine Graphite and the 7 ½ foot 3-weight Superfine Glass rods? Is there a book you recommend on trout biology? Are there some books you recommend on learning about hatches? Can you explain the differences between your three books: Reading Trout Streams, Finding Trout, and Prospecting for Trout? How do manufacturers set the line recommendations for their fly reel models? I am 6-feet, 2 inches tall. Does that mean where most people would recommend a 10-foot rod that I should get a 9-foot rod? What three fly lines would you recommend for a wide variety of fish in fresh and salt water? What fly patterns do I need to imitate the gigantic Cantaria beetle in Chile?
My guest this week is philosophy professor and fly fisher Thi Nguyen [33:31], who has spent his career studying the psychology and the value of games to our mental well-being. He argues that fly fishing is not one game but an infinite number of games that can be played by rules that we invent to challenge ourselves. And you might even change your rules within a single day of fishing. This podcast and my discussions with him have changed the way I view and teach fly fishing and I hope the interview will be equally fascinating to you.
The Fly Box this week has some interesting tips and questions. Perhaps not as thought-provoking but still interesting, and I hope helpful. Will a premium rod magnify my casting mistakes? Will my 4-weight Helios handle brown trout over 20 inches? Can you elaborate on why someone would want to use two indicators and how to set them up? Will my nymphs sink better with 12-pound fluorocarbon or with lighter tippet? I am confused by the differences in hook sizes recommended for various diameters of beads. They don't seem consistent. Can you help? A tip for using paper key tags to learn to identify various flies A tip for using parachute cord to eliminate the loss of small items Why do I see bugs under rocks in one part of a river and not in another?
In this episode, my guest is Brian Slusser [32:13], an Orvis endorsed guide based in Truckee, California, who tells us about the nuances of winter streamer fishing. With over 29 years of guiding experience, Brian shares his insights on effective techniques for fishing during the colder months, emphasizing the importance of adapting to the unique conditions of winter. He discusses the significance of dressing appropriately for the cold, the best times to fish, and the types of setups and flies that work best in winter conditions. Brian also highlights the advantages of using streamers over traditional nymphs during this season, providing listeners with practical tips to enhance their winter fishing experience.
In the Fly Box this week, we have the following questions form listeners:
What time of year should I go to the Florida Keys for tarpon?
Do I need to get a warm-water fly line for tarpon?
When fighting a tarpon, do I need to point my rod at them when they jump?
What do you think of treble hooks for Atlantic salmon in Quebec?
What are the crown jewels of your fly rod collection?
Which two-handed outfit should I get for swinging flies for smallmouth bass?
What is a good but relatively inexpensive reel for my 9-foot 5-weight trout rod?
What should I do if I get stuck in deep muck when wading?
I saw hundreds of trout in Alaska jumping into the air to catch tiny white flies and I could not catch them. What should I have done?
I have a whole bunch of flies but I am relatively new and never know what size I am pulling out of my box. What can I do?
Want to get away from the crowds? Want a high mountain lake or stream all to yourself? The best way to do this is to take a backpacking trip, but you need to prepare more than you would for a car trip or a trip to a lodge. What exactly should you take and what should you leave behind? What kinds of flies and accessories should you bring? How can you save weight and still have enough gear for a fun fishing trip? Derek Bargaehr [37:36], an experienced fly fisher and backpacker, gives us tips on how to make the most of your next backpacking trip.
In the Fly Box this week, we have some questions. A couple of which could only be answered by my co-workers at Orvis so we have responses from both Pete Kutzer, our casting guru and Shawn Brillon, our bamboo rod craftsman. How can I easily estimate how much backing is on my unlabeled reels? A listener relates how some podcast advice on emergers helped him and his son have a successful trip I took a lesson on two-handed casting and it was all done on grass. Was this wrong? What advice do you have on cleaning the ferrules on bamboo fly rods? Are Orvis bamboo fly rods impregnated? On a tarpon trip, the fish were in deep water so I used a sinking poly leader on my floating line. Should I have used a full-sinking fly line instead? Is the Albright knot a better knot than the nail knot for attaching a leader to a fly line or backing to a fly line? When connecting pieces of tippet I will normally go up two X sizes, like from 2X to 4X. Is this wrong? Is it OK to clear a casting lane on a trout stream? What can I do to find bigger trout during the dog days of summer?
This episode was originally published on July 14th, 2023.
I think most stream anglers are interested in foraging, since we're immersed in nature all day long and although we watch for fish and insects and birds, many of us don't pay attention to the plants. And there are many delicious plants along trout streams you can take home for dinner—most of which will be more nutritionally dense than what you buy in the store—and free. If you have done any foraging at all, you have probably read some of more of Sam Thayer's [40:38] books. In our household his books are the primary source. I was lucky enough to spend some time talking to Sam about why foraging along streams is especially good, and what we can expect to find there.
In the Fly Box this week, we have no phone calls but some great questions via e-mail, including:
Why do trout in small streams take flies more readily when the water is high?
Where do you recommend I go trout fishing in the East in July when I visit this summer?
A great story about a listener getting generous advice from a famous angler along a trout river.
A tip for keeping rod sections together using clothespins.
What is the best streamer reel, line, and leader for a 7-weight rod?
What do you do when there is a very heavy hatch and almost too many natural insects?
I am having trouble hooking fish using the hand-over-hand retrieve when striper fishing. What can I do to increase my hooking rate?
What are three things a novice dry-fly angler should pay attention to?
Do you ever tie up dry/dropper rigs at home prior to going fishing?
Will my 8-weight be enough rod for fishing for striped bass from a boat?
What are some tips on picking flies for striped bass fishing at night?
This episode was originally published on August 19th, 2022.
Want to know how a bamboo fly rod is made? How long it takes to make one? How many different hands touch an Orvis bamboo fly rod before you (and your children and grandchildren) become its lucky owner. And finally, what's so great about bamboo fly rods? How are they different from fiberglass and graphite, and what will they do for you on the water? This week I interview Orvis bamboo fly rod craftsman Shawn Brillon [45:09], who loves to talk bamboo rods as much as he enjoys making and fishing them.
In the Fly Box this week, we have some great questions and tips from listeners, including:
I could catch rising trout in one part of a pool, but when I moved 50 meters upstream I couldn't catch any. What was going on?
How do I determine the correct size leader if I am going from a single size 16 fly to a hopper or multiple nymph rig?
What are your thoughts on weed guards on flies?
I caught a dragonfly on my elk hair caddis. Am I the first?
I hooked a trout in the corner of the mouth and even with a barbless hook it bled and looked like it would die. Would it have been better if I left the fly in the fish?
I have been fishing with an 8-weight shooting head outfit for striped bass and halibut. I want to catch corbina but I hear they are spooky. Do you think my 8-weight is too heavy?
I keep seeing these large fish rising in a heavily pressured river but can't catch them on any multi-fly rig. What can I do to fool these fish?
What do you do to stay in shape for fishing?
What are the advantages of a big dry fly over a bobber?
Does bead size really matter regarding attractiveness to trout? And is there a seasonality to what color beads you should use?
I have been catching catfish on a fly. Does anyone else do this and is it a "thing" or is it bycatch?
I went to Banff to fish and they required that all my tackle, including lines and leaders, could not have been used for 45 days and had to be cleaned and treated. What do you think about the potential for things like lines and leaders to transfer invasive species?
This episode was originally published on March 10th, 2023.
Learn how to decide between a canoe and a kayak, what kind to get, and how to maneuver and cast using these hard-sided watercraft (next week I'll be doing a podcast on inflatables). Ryan Lilly [47:30] is a fly fisher and Old Town's expert on fishing from these craft, and has many great suggestions for how to make the most out of your canoe or kayak experience.
In the Fly Box this week, we have some interesting questions that I'm sure will be of interest to many of you, as well as some thoughtful tips from other listeners, including:
What do bead-head nymphs imitate?
Aren't flies tied without beads more natural in the water?
Isn't it more natural to use a nymph without any added weight?
How do you fish wet flies?
Do you use a single one or more than one? And do you ever use weighted wet flies?
I recently saw a bunch of large carp in a pond in Florida. Why didn't I see any smaller ones?
I had trouble getting a good drift against the slow water on the far bank of a river. Every time I tried to mend my line the small dry fly sank. What else could I have done?
Can I fish two dry flies at once?
A suggestion from a listener on why upgrading from an entry level fly line is a wise investment.
Are there any performance differences between a 6-piece rod and a 4-piece rod?
How can I get an extra tip for my Orvis rod?
A great tip from a listener on how to make a device to hold scrap pieces of tippet using two pieces of Velcro.
I am going to a place where they have stocked golden rainbows. Do these fish behave any differently from normal rainbows?
Can I use a Poly Leader for tarpon?
Is there any difference between up-eye and down-eye hooks?
A tip from a listener on how to change thread colors with a permanent marker.
A tip from a listener on how to keep a partially used tube of Aquaseal stay fresh.
Why do people hold bass by the jaw? I have heard that this can dislocate their jaw.
I am taking my first guided trip. Should I do a float trip or a walk/wade trip?
My guest this week is photography expert and co-host of the Petapixel podcast Chris Niccolls [28:39]. Chris has access to nearly every kind of expensive camera in the world because he evaluates photo equipment for his day job. But when he is fishing, guess what he takes most of his photographs and videos with? You guessed it—his iPhone. Chris shares tips on how to set up your shot, how to get a photograph and still have minimal fish handling, and what settings to use on your phone. He also gives great tips on setting up the scene so that your photos are better than just grip & grin snapshots.
In the Fly Box this week, we have these questions and tips: You say Orvis fly rods are true to line weight but you say you use a line that is a half-size heavy. Why? With a fly line that is rated for colder water, is it OK to use it for the occasional largemouth bass fishing trip in warmer water? A tip from a listener on how to get an estimate of a fish's length and weight using AI. A tip from a listener on great places to fish close to Chicago. Can I get a rod that is suitable for carp and for large salmon in the Great Lakes? How can I target suckers on a fly rod? Would a leader with a long stiff butt and abrupt taper be a good one for fishing big Chubbies in western rivers? What do you think of double taper leaders? What are some fly fishing books form the 1960s and earlier that are still worth reading? A great tip from a listener on using hockey laces for wading boots. A tip from a listener on a hot fly to use in the Driftless Region during the winter. Is there a trick for fly casting in rough seas?
My guest this week is Captain Dan Andrews [37:51], co-founder and CEO of Captains for Clean Water, one of Orvis' most trusted conservation partners. Orvis has been aligned with this grass roots group since their inception and it's been a valuable partnership. Dan tells us what is going on with the Everglades restoration project, what progress has been made, how it has affected the fisheries, and current threats to progress. He is also very optimistic about this winter's fishing conditions in Florida and looks into his crystal ball to predict how fishing will be in various regions of the Florida Coast this year. If you live in Florida or spend time visiting there during the winter you'll want to listen to this one.
In the Fly Box this week, we have some great questions and tips, including: -Do you think it's worth it to fish bugs on a marginal river with a lower fish count, or should you focus on covering water with a streamer? -Should I get my 14-year-old grandson a fiberglass or graphite rod for Christmas? -Why does the industry seem to push loop connections on fly lines? I had a problem with a loop system hanging up in the guides. Shouldn't people spend more time learning the blood knot or surgeon's knot? -Brian Fleshig and the late Flip Pallot recommend cutting the permanent loop off a fly line and replacing it with a nail knot. What do you do? -A listener who had great luck finding pinhole leaks in his waders using a flashlight. -For small stream fishing, should I get an 8/12 foot Clearwater of a 7'11" Superfine? -Will brass beads instead of tungsten allow a fly to drift more naturally in the current? -How would you deal with a couple anglers who high-holed you on a steelhead river? -I think I saw PMDs on a river in late October. Is that possible? What affects the hatch timing of mayflies? -How do you know when you have too much weight when tightline nymphing? -When fishing nymphs in deep water, why do the smaller fish get off easier but the bigger fish stay hooked?
I am not a big fan of using split shot but after this interview with Dom Swentosky [36:41] of the Troutbitten blog and podcast, I'm going to use it a lot more. Dom's method of using split shot is simple and convenient, and he teaches us about placement, adding shot, and removing shot easily—and how to keep it from sliding on your tippet without placing it above a knot. Whether you fish nymphs or streamers, Dom has some great suggestions on using split shot properly.
In the Fly Box this week, we have some great tips and questions form listeners, including:
Is a 10-foot, 4-weight fly rod a good all-around rod for fishing in New England? If I have a floating and full sinking line for bass fishing, would an intermediate line be the next one to try for largemouth bass? Why aren't there more resources like books on fly fishing for largemouth bass? How many different floating fly lines do you have at home? When you are taking a trip, how many floating lines do you take? I have been steelhead fishing in Alaska with a tight line presentation. In what situations would an indicator be beneficial? I don't quite understand why we would take food out of a fish's mouth by using a throat pump. How can you justify this? Will egg flies work in Colorado? Is it possible to shoot line with a bow-and-arrow cast? Are there any saltwater barbless hooks? Why do spawning shrimp patterns always have the egg cluster tied near the head? A tip on using small magnets to hold hooks at the fly-tying bench A tip on using a pool noodle to hold larger saltwater flies after tying them Is an 8-pound bass leader the same as a 3X leader? A tip from a listener on how to alleviate shoulder pain when fly fishing.
Confused about which floating trout line to pick when you need a new one? I'm not surprised as today there is a dizzying array of options and nearly everyone is confused. If you understand what the various options offer the decision is much easier, so I asked product developer Jesse Haller [41:00] to help all of us make this important choice. We talk about what you get in the more expensive lines that you don't get in the price-point lines. We discuss tapers, whether your fly line should be a standard weight or a half- or quarter- or full-size heavy, smooth vs. textured, clear vs. opaque, fly line colors, and other options. And take heart, we also give you the best option for an all-purpose floating trout line. In the Fly Box this week, we have the following questions and tips from listeners: * Help in picking an array of fly rods and lines for fishing for various species in Pennsylvania. * How to get deeper for crappie in fall. * Is there a way to determine the line size of older, non-labeled fly lines? * Is putting a spoon on a fly rod considered fly fishing? * I bought a Euro rod but don't like that method. How do I use my 10-foot 3-weight rod for dry fly and nymph fishing from a float tube? * Where do trout go during droughts when the water gets painfully low? * Do you have tips for casting heavy flies like Clouser Minnows? * My son and I were frustrated during a blue-wing-olive hatch when the fish would just splash at our dry flies. Do you have any suggestions? * Do I need to cut the loop off my fly line and attach my leader with a nail knot? * Should I keep my waders away from electric engines when storing them? * A tip from a listener on using a pipe cleaner for a material clip on your tying vise. * I got a pigtail in front of my fly when using a Uni Knot. How can I prevent that in the future? * How much of a tag end does Tom trim off when he ties on a fly? I seem to use a lot of tippet in the course of a day.
I've had requests in the past for a podcast about chasing coastal cutthroats, so this week my guest is author, "retired" guide, and all-around thoughtful angler Dylan Tomine [33:12]. He tells us where to find them, what kinds of tides and conditions are best, and what flies and techniques work well for these fish that are close to many cities in the Northwest. In the Fly Box this week, we have these questions and more: * Advice on the best 6-weight to choose for all-around fly fishing. * I am having trouble deciding between a 9foot 5-weight and a 4-weight Superfine. Please help me decide * When should I use micro-swivels in my trout setup? * Should I worry about getting bitten by a snapping turtle when wading a smallmouth river? * Why do I see people playing steelhead with their rod held horizontally, pointing at the fish. Aren't you supposed to keep a bend in your rod? * Can I use the Orvis Knot as a loop knot? * Can you review how we should handle fish to increase their chances of survival? * What can I do to renew the floating properties of a line that seems to be in good shape?
I've wanted to get Brian Flechsig of Mad River Outfitters [49:59] on the podcast for quite a while and we finally made it happen. Brian is the star of many great YouTube videos and he loves to get into the details of tackle rigging. He's a knotted leader expert and he explains his simple three-part system for tying saltwater and bass leaders. He also talks about his use of furled leaders and the now-extinct Orvis Braided Leaders. Brian and I also discuss our favorite knots and a philosophy for choosing your own knots—always a hot topic.
In the Fly Box this week we have these questions and tips: When does it make more sense to modify a fly instead of changing flies? If you don't see any bug activity, can you still catch fish on dry flies? Why would you ever use a strike indicator when you can use a dry dropper rig? I live on a trout stream that hardly anyone else fishes. How long should I rest the river in between trips? Will the fish move out if I fish it too hard? I saw a bunch of dead and struggling rainbows in the shallows. What do you think caused this? How can I get my Comparaduns to fan out when I tie them? When wouldn't you substitute CDC, rabbit's foot, or a synthetic when tying Comparaduns? What are your thoughts on winding foam around a hook to make flies float better? What is your favorite cricket pattern? If modern graphite rods are so stiff, why design a 5-weight rod that is really a 6-weight? How should I orient my rod when I cast to make sure I take advantage of the spine properly? I have heard that you should fish a small stream downstream so the fish doesn't see your fly line. Is this correct? A tip from a listener on how to keep fly boxes dry when wading deep. Do you ever take backpacking/fishing trips?
You can catch salmon and steelhead on a fly in salt water before they enter rivers. The fish are bright and strong and may still be actively feeding but the problem is to find them in a big expanse of water. Reed Teuscher [41:01] of the Orvis Outfitters team tells us where to look for them, how to present the fly, what kinds of rods and lines you need—and of course what fly patterns seem to work best. In the Fly Box this week we have these questions and more: * How can I keep my dropper from twisting around the leader when Euro nymphing? * What kinds of flies are banned and why? * If I only fish a few days a year, how long will my fly lines last? * Do guides tell Tom "set!" when he fishes with them? And do they tell him where to put his flies? * Do brook trout feed less than brown trout during spawning season? * Am I missing something by not building my own leaders? * What does a 3-weight rod give me that my 4-weight won't? * When you under-line a fly rod and increase your line speed, does that detract from your accuracy? * On articulated flies with only a single hook, should I keep the hook in front or in back? * I want to learn to fly fish next season. Should I buy a rod now and practice over the winter before taking an FF101 class? * I had a frustrating day with spooky brown trout. I could not get 25 feet away from them without spooking them. How can I catch these trout? * What fly patterns use micro mink Zonker strips?
It happens to all of us, and sometimes it seems like every time we take a fishing trip, conditions are less than ideal. Water too high, water too low, water temperature too warm or too cold. Dirty water. You know the litany. James Spica [34:18], writer and fishing manager of the Orvis store in Royal Oak, Michigan, has some great tips on what to do when you encounter these situations—where to fish, how to fish your fly, and some patterns he would never go anywhere in the world without that help him deal with adverse fishing conditions. James gives us tips for both freshwater and saltwater trips and I took a lot of my own notes on this one! In the Fly Box this week, we have some great tips and interesting questions, including: * Are all fly lines today one size heavy? Can I use my 5-weight line on my new 6-weight rod? * A tip from a listener on the best way to carry multiple fly rigs to the river after constructing them at home. * How can I start my roll cast to get a decent amount of line out when I have no back cast room? * Can you skip a tippet size when adding a new tippet to a leader? * Do you think adding a small piece of orange or white yarn to a standard dry fly for visibility impacts fishing? * A tip from a listener on adding a lightly weighted nymph to his streamer rig when swinging flies. * A tip from a listener on how to seal the thread when finishing small flies. * I had trouble getting beads on some nymph hooks until I pinched the barb first. Does everybody do this? * I recently saw some freshly stocked trout chasing each other in circles in a pool. Is this spawning behavior or something else? * Do juvenile trout eat the same thing as adults? If I am only catching small fish should I try a different fly? * What is your favorite flotant for keeping a dry fly on top?
This episode was originally published on October 11th, 2019.
In today's podcast my guest is Shawn Combs, head of Orvis Rod & Tackle product development and Orvis rod and reel designer. The topic is "16 Things I Wish I Knew About Trout Spey Before I Started". If you have been thinking about trying to swing wet flies or small streamers for trout with a two-handed rod, also known as "Micro Spey", this will be a valuable lesson for you. These are light two-handed rods, in line sizes 3 and 4, designed for covering larger waters. It's especially effective in the fall, when trout are getting aggressive as the move into winter and brown and brook trout are migrating to their spawning grounds. It's a fun and for many of us a new way to fish for trout.
In the Fly Box this week, here are some of the questions and suggestions from listeners:
-I know there are large trout in my river. What kind of water do I look for and what else should I keep in mind when targeting these larger fish?
-I have been setting the hook on smallmouth bass by sweeping my rod parallel to the water. Can you take a moment or two to discuss the pros and cons of various rod angles when setting the hook?
-How can I tell if my waders are leaking or if I am just sweating inside them?
-My wife and I had over 40 fish rise to our dry flies and only hooked a couple. Any idea what was going on or how to land these fish?
-What, to you, is the essence of Atlantic salmon fishing?
-A tip from a listener on how to target flathead catfish on a fly
-If I take my nine weight switch rod to Florida, what line size should I use on it for fishing from the surf?
-A suggestion from a listener on another thing to be careful of regarding river etiquette.
-What is the best way to get unstuck when you hook your fly on an object?
-Do you have any recommendations on fishing crayfish patterns for smallmouth bass?
-When there is thick aquatic weed on a river, what do you suggest for nymphing techniques?
-Why am I suddenly beginning to hit my rod on my back cast?
-A suggestion from a listener on the benefits of multi-focal contact lenses.
This podcast was originally published on December 28th, 2016.
In this podcast Stefan Woodruff, Orvis-endorsed guide with Ellensburg Anglers in Washington State, reveals (some of) his secrets to catching steelhead, plus an overview of ths steelhead opportunities in his state. Trout anglers will also enjoy his tips on fishing the Yakima River, tips that should work anywhere.
In The Fly Box we range from tying gel-spun backing to fly line, how to fish with a friend and really fish together, what to do if you get snagged on a small stream, hooking fish on fiberglass rods, identifying jumping fish, what materials to save for fly tying from hunting trips, how to avoid drag when fishing to fish in a slow pocket on the other side of fast current. I also decline to give marital advice to one listener.
This week my guest is—me [34:55]. I asked Reid Bryant of the Orvis Wingshooting Podcast to interview me because I have worked at Orvis for 49 of those 50 years and lived through the various stages of Orvis rods, plus I just spent the past two months writing a history of the Orvis graphite rods. You'll learn about some interesting things that went on during those times that have never before been published. Some of them are quite surprising.
In the Fly Box this week, I answer these questions and more: What hatch makes large brown trout leap fully out of the water? Is there a hook sizing standard for fly-tying hooks? How can I hide the final whip finish on my bead head nymphs? What characteristics make for a good prospecting dry fly? What do you recommend for a fly-tying light? Can I use heaver hooks on my small nymphs? My lighter hooks keep getting straightened by large trout. Is there a database for fly fishing locations around the world? I travel a lot and like to fish various places. What rod should I travel with if I have no idea what I will fish for? What flies should I carry that will work anywhere in the world? What type of fly line should I put on older fiberglass and bamboo rods?
My guest this week is Josh Jenkins [43:59] of Scientific Anglers and originally I wanted to interview him just on knotless leaders—their design, how they are made, and how to modify them. But we soon took an interesting sidetrack into line/leader connections and also a new product he's discovered for fixing cracks in fly line coating so you don't have to buy a new line if your current line is damaged. I get many questions on both leaders and fly lines so I think this one will be interesting to everyone. In the Fly Box this week, one listener chides me for being reluctant to share my opinion on questions, plus these questions (where I do share my opinion!) * Is there a single weight rod I can take to Belize to fish for bonefish, permit, and tarpon? * What were your personal experiences with the old Power Matrix rod, and which one in the current Orvis lineup is most similar? * I inherited some 1980s-era fly lines in new condition. Are they still good, and how do the tapers compare to modern lines? * Can you explain the terms "skating a fly" and "swinging a fly" and explain briefly how to do them? * Is there any schedule for your tie-offs with Tim Flagler and Cheech? * I love my Ultralight Waders but I worry they won't last as long as other waders. * What is the proper way to store fly lines for an extended time period? * I am a steelheader that wants to fish for trout. Can you skate flies for trout? And when fishing streamers should I swing them or strip them? * What is the origin of the term "gin clear" * Why can't I find a fast-sinking clear line?
Mary Orvis Marbury, daughter of Orvis founder Charles Orvis, is an important figure in the history of American fly fishing. She was the first person to catalog and standardize American fly patterns, but she led a sad and mysterious life. Historian Steve Woit [37:50] has written and expansive and spectacular book about Mary and the artifacts that helped her catalog flies and has also uncovered some little-known aspects of her life. If you are interested in how our fly-fishing traditions have developed you'll want to listen to my interview with Steve.
Coming back to the present we have some great questions in the Fly Box that may help you on your endless fly-fishing learning experience: Can trout see tiny midges at night? Should I grease my leader? Will Mucilin hurt my bamboo rods? What should I do when a fish is hooked deep? What should I do if I inadvertently "high-hole" another angler? A great tip from a listener on how to travel through the woods with a nymph on a dropper. Is there a rule of thumb on how long to make a leader loop? Are there orthotics that can be used in wading boots? A tip from a listener on a great way to apply desiccant powder to dry flies. A tip from a listener on how to fly fish without stressing the fish. Why do other fish chase a hooked fish? I though snowshoe rabbit's foot would make my flies float higher. Why do you use it and how do you fish these flies? What is the best way to put a fly rod into a rod sock?
Before you write this one off if you don't tie flies, although this is a podcast on a fly tying material, there is much more in this one. Like how to fish small flies and how to see those tiny flies on the water. But we do talk about one of the most amazing materials in fly tying—pheasant tail fibers. And it's not only for nymphs. Learn about why pheasant tail is such a magical material, how to tie a durable pheasant tail body, and how to use it on dry and wet flies as well as nymphs. Craig Matthews [42:22] is a legendary fly tier, guide, and conservationist and it is always valuable to catch his words of wisdom.
In the Fly Box this week, we have these questions and more: Do I have to sight-fish in saltwater, or can I just fish my flies around likely structures? Are "hot spots" as effective on dry flies as they are on nymphs? Have you used those new clear-tip lines from Scientific Anglers for trout, and what do you think of them? Why did I not catch trout on my first day on a river, yet clean up on fish two days later? A tip from a listener on how to not lose your wading belt. Can I fish streamers for smallmouth bass upstream like I do for trout? All the videos tell me to cast at a 45-degree downstream angle. For fishing for striped bass from shore, is a 9-foot or a 10-foot rod better? What type of leader do you recommend for swinging wet flies and soft hackles? Have you ever tried to make your own amadou? What fly box should I use for my tiny nymphs? What is the best way to remove materials from a fly to re-use the hook and bead? Is there any etiquette about wading an alpine lake?
Mike Ward [46:32], owner of Adipose Boat Works, recently tied Del Brown's lifetime permit count with 513 permit caught on a fly rod. On a bamboo fly rod! Now Mike would be the first one to say he may not be the world's best permit angler, but he has put in the time and energy to catch more than anyone else in history. And along the way he's learned some tips that we could all benefit from. I asked Mike to share his tips with us and he happily agreed. And, yes, Mike has also been skunked for days at a time when chasing permit so it happens to all of us.
In the Fly Box this week, we introduce a new theme song and have some of the best questions of the year, including: I saw a couple cutthroats in a high lake spawning in August and none of the fish were rising, despite plenty of insects on the water. Would one spawning pair cause to whole lake to shut down like this? What are some tips for casts to use on small brushy streams? What are some tips for getting into saltwater fly fishing after a lifetime of trout fishing? What advice would you give to a young fly angler who wants to make a living in the fly-fishing world? Can you summarize when you might use a particular type of thread in fly tying? What can I do to prevent my fly line loop from cracking when I attach a leader directly to the loop with a clinch knot? Has your view of rod length for small streams changed over time? If I find a great pool on a small stream, how long should I rest it before going back? A week? A month? Next year? I have had some broken hooks from commercial fly patterns yet on my own flies they never do this. Are commercial flies tied on lesser quality hooks? And why do some hooks bend while others break? Do you recommend magnifiers for tying on small flies? My eye doctor says my close vision is fine but I still have problems. Should I replace my nylon tippet every year? Do fly shops make sure they rotate their tippet material so I don't buy older tippet?
This episode was originally published on August 14th, 2018
This week I have the pleasure of interviewing Jenny Mayrell-Woodruff [40:26]—the Orvis-endorsed Freshwater Guide of the Year for 2018. Jenny has recently relocated to Montana to run a lodge on Rock Creek and she took time out of her very busy schedule to share her knowledge of late summer terrestrial fishing. It's an educational podcast and a timely one.
In the Fly Box this week we explore a wide range of topics, as usual:
How to transition from small trout streams to big rivers.
Why do I keep missing fish when fishing mouse patterns at night?
Can I use perfection loops in the middle of my leader to add droppers?
What is the best way to touch up the blades of nippers?
How do I make my fly attract trout by its entry into the water?
What happens to Tricos when nighttime air temperatures don't go below 70 degrees?
Do tippet rings wear out?
Can I use my Clearwater line for trout fishing?
Do you measure the cast length from your body or from the rod tip?
How do you prospect for trout in long, slow pools?
What do you do if a big trout runs downstream and the water is too deep to wade below it?
I know a lot of listeners are relatively new to the fly-fishing game, and so I asked Phil Monahan [30:31], editor of Midcurrent.com (who also helps people through this sometimes-steep learning curve) to share with us ten pitfalls you may want to avoid when learning the game. And I am willing to bet that even you experts out there make some of these mistakes every time you go out. I know I do.
In the Fly Box this week, we have some basic and not-so-basic questions, including: What fly line can I use in the Bahamas and for fly fishing in the Northeast? Is the 'chuck and duck" method an ethical way to fish for Great Lakes salmon? Should I replace my old Power Matrix 905 with a newer model or should I invest in a 904 to have a more diverse quiver? I tie all of my juvenile tarpon flies on a size 2/0 hook. Should I invest in some smaller hooks? How long should I leave my dry fly in the water before pulling it out? How much tippet should I be going through? You say that fish can always see my tippet. So why is it necessary to go to a smaller tippet size? The tube in my New Zealand Strike Indicator always splits when I add yarn. I am using 5X tippet. What am I doing wrong? When fishing with trout Spey, should I concentrate more on my casting or what fly pattern I am using? And what is your favorite fly for trout Spey? Are red and green lights any less impactful when night fishing? Are weighted streamers recommended for night fishing?
My guest this week is Scott Barmby [35:56], director of the Orvis Chesapeake Fly Fishing Schools, who educates us on threats to the Bay's population of striped bass, and also the many fly-fishing opportunities in the Bay. It's a vast ecosystem that I didn't know much about, so it was interesting to me and I am sure it will be to you. I think you'll learn some surprising things about this national treasure.
In the Fly Box this week, we have lots of comments and tips from listeners as well as questions, including: A listener reminds people of the importance of making your presence known on the river A listener gives some other tips for night fishing for trout and smallmouth bass. A listener reminds us that catch-and-release is a valuable tool in certain fisheries, for both management and economic reasons. Do you have any tips on keeping track of what leader you have on your line? Do you think trout that are close to a hiking path avoid that side of the river because they are constantly spooked? A listener wants to know which vintage Orvis reel he should put on a small stream rod. Can you give me some tips on keeping the deer hair on top of the hook shank when tying Sparkle Duns? After making a cast with tight line nymphing, how do I tell when my point fly is on the bottom? Is a 6-weight rod strong enough for Labrador brook trout? Do you know of any way to remove rust from a hook eye to prevent abrasion of the knot?
My guest this week is Joe Cermele [40:00], who you may know from his podcast "Cut and Retie", or from his work over the years at Field & Stream as a writer and videographer. Joe loves hunting big trout, and one of his favorite ways of fishing for them is night fishing with mouse flies. Joe is always fun and informative and I know you'll enjoy this one.
In the Fly Box this week, we have some especially interesting questions, including:
If I get a 10-foot 5-weight rod for nymph fishing and tight line fishing, will I sacrifice anything when I want to fish with dry flies or streamers? I keep breaking off large carp when they head for structure. Should I use something different than a surgeon's knot? Where do I find past live fly-tying videos and your tie-offs with Tim Flagler and Cheech? A listener who is also an aquatic toxicologist explains why smoke from fires may be deleterious to our rivers and lakes. What can I do to keep googly eyes from falling off my streamers? And do streamers even need eyes to be effective? Hiking the Appalachian Trail, should I take my 7 ½ foot 3-weight or 9-foot 5-weight? Why did a hybrid rainbow/cutthroat I played quickly turn belly-up? Do you think the fly-fishing culture should reflect more deeply on the morality of catch-and-release fishing? Do you have any suggestions for fishing hatches after dark? I typically high-stick with a dry fly and listen for the rise. When water warms up, do trout go into faster water to take advantage of the higher oxygen content?
This episode was originally aired on June 16th, 2023.
OK, I lied. There aren't 15 tips. There are probably more and if you want to count them up you can e-mail me and correct my mistake. But I get a lot of questions about fishing emergers, and I thought a podcast on how to identify when fish are taking emergers and how to fish them would be welcome. Not only that, world-famous and beloved fishing guide and author Pat Dorsey [36:05] gives us his favorite fly patterns for fishing emergers including a couple secret ones.
In the Fly Box this week, we have some thoughtful questions and a few tips from listeners, including:
A great tip on casting with your non-dominant hand
Will wildfire smoke affect trout populations?
If I hear there are native brook trout in a stream, how do I find out where they are?
A nice tip on untangling snarls of fly line.
Bigger brook trout started taking my nymphs on the swing instead of dead-drifted.
How should I take advantage of this next time?
How much of an incline in a small mountain stream can trout survive?
A listener was disappointed in my podcast with John Gierach because we did not discuss how anglers can have a positive impact on climate change.
Two listeners want to know what type of floating line to put on their Euro rods when they switch to dry flies.
Why are some articulated streamers tied with the hook down and why are some tied with the hook up?
I have a busy life. Am I missing opportunities by not tying my own flies?
Brown trout are invasive in my cutthroat stream. Should I take them home to eat them, or just kill them and throw them up on the bank?
Is it ethical to back and fish a place on my own if a guide showed me the spot?
I have heard if you cut the welded loop off a fly line you can't use it any more because it will absorb water. Is this true?
My guest this week is one of fly fishing's best writers and storytellers Monte Burke [31:35], whose writing you may have seen in Garden & Gun, Forbes, or The Drake—or perhaps you've read his book, and one of my favorite fishing books, Lords of the Fly. To discover who Monte, and many other people (including me) consider the finest fly-fishing guide who ever lived, you'll have to listen to the podcast. You'll also learn about his new book of stories, Rivers Always Reach the Sea.
In the Fly Box this week, we have some questions that I think will help many other fly fishers solve problems they may have, including: A listener informs us about the different grain weights in standard fly lines, and how there is a much bigger percentage difference in lighter lines than heavier ones. What do you think about hooks that get left in a fish's mouth? What would you look for in an ideal brook trout spot? How can I keep panfish from grabbing my carp flies? Is there an advantage to silicone fly boxes over ones with foam strips? If I practice casting with my 4-weight fiberglass rod, will that affect my casting on other rods? How do you use a dubbing loop and when do you use one? The solid metal eyes on my redfish flies sink too quickly. Should I use bead chain or plastic eyes instead? What is it about CDL feathers that make it worth using?
We've recently won a big battle for public lands, and my guest this week, Joel Pedersen [25:56] of Theodore Roosevelt Conservation Partnership, fills us in on what we've won and what we need to keep an eye on for the future. But the podcast is much more than that. Joel educates us on the differences between the major classes of public lands—National Forests, BLM land, National Parks, and Wilderness areas and just what uses are allowed on each—and who makes the decision on extractive industries in these vast tracts of land that WE as citizens and taxpayers own.
In the Fly Box this week, as usual we have some great questions that might benefit your own fly fishing, including:
I'm curious about who might be your successor on the podcast A listener informs us why he thinks a 4-weight rod is a better option for smaller streams than a 3-weight. Why do most of the hook eyes on flies orient horizontally? When would I want a fly with a vertically oriented eye? I have the Orvis Essential Trout Fly Selection. What else would I need for fishing the great Arkansas tailwaters this summer? Another listener asks if a 3-weight or 4-weight rod is better for small streams. When my indicator is bobbing along in riffles, does that action hurt my presentation? A good tip from a listener on how to get a stuck rod apart. What are the pros and cons of using a stand-up paddleboard for carp and pike fishing, and what brand do you recommend? I have not done well fishing as high water recedes. Is this typical?
My guest this week is Antoine Bissieux [38:28], Orvis-Endorsed Guide of the Year for 2025. Antoine, otherwise known as The French Fly Fisherman, regularly fishes with and communicates with the top French competitive fly fishers, and has developed methods of fishing nymphs and dry flies as well as dry/dropper setups adapted from what he has learned from these world-class anglers. You'll learn some new techniques to make your fly fishing more effective and more interesting no matter where you fish. In the Fly Box this week, we have some questions that I think will help many other fly fishers solve problems they may have, including: * How can I tell what line is on my old reel? * Should I get a 3-weight or 4-weight rod for small streams? * Do those devices to remove flies from fish quickly really work? * I have seen carp opening up their mouths and taking repeated gulps of food from the surface. Is this common and what do you call it? * A fly shop told me that using tippet rings is not a good idea because I would break off fish. Is this true? * A listener reports on conditions on the rivers in western North Carolina after the floods. * I put a nick in my fly line and have to cut off the last 12 inches. Can I still use this line? * My foam flies keep landing upside-down. How can I correct this? * How should I fish streamers in clear pools where you can see right to the bottom? * How should I cast to a fish that is directly below a branch trailing in the water? * A suggestion from a listener on using a room dehumidifier to dry out waders and boots. * Can I rig two flies on a blood knot, using both sides of the knot, one longer and one shorter? * Would a 9-foot, 9-weight rod be the right one for fishing in Chesapeake Bay? And can I use the same rod for steelhead in Michigan? * I see a lot of goose feathers on my local golf course. Can I use these for biots on flies and which part should I use? * What can I do with saltwater flies where the hook has gotten slightly rusty?
I offer no apologies for being a carp evangelist. They live almost anywhere, they are here to stay (they were stocked in many places in North America even before brown trout), and they are the hardest-fighting fish in fresh water. They are also fascinating creatures that can be a challenge to catch—which is why most of us fish with a fly rod. Rick Mikesell [49:05] of Denver is one of the best carp anglers I know and a terrific teacher and he gives us a great introduction on how to pursue these worthwhile fly-rod targets. In the Fly Box this week, we have some interesting requests, including many questions about leaders and tippet. * What fly line should I use on my Helios 2 rod for dry-fly fishing? * What can I do to prevent my tippet from kinking? * What can you do when small stream trout refuse your fly? * I have been using heavier tippet and seem to be doing just as well as with lighter tippet. What is your take on this? * Is there a big difference between various brands of tippet material? * Can I just add a tippet ring to my 9-foot 4X leader to make a nymph leader? * Should the butt section of my nymph leader be made from fluorocarbon? * What should I take on a multi-day fishing trip that I would not normally think of? * Why am I foul-hooking so many trout and whitefish this year? * What do you think of furled leaders? * What rod should I get for my 8-year-old daughter? What rig should I start her out with? * What do you think of Crocs as inexpensive wading shoes? * What can you tell me about an older Orvis rod I purchased? * How can I tighten the drag on an older spring-and-pawl fly reel? * What is the deal with all these multi-fly rigs? Am I missing something by using a single fly? * Do people fish for trout with poppers? * Do I need sinking agents as well as flotants? * At the end of my drift I stripped in a dry fly and got strikes. Should I change my setup and move my flies a bit?
This episode was originally published on November 20th, 2023.
Todd Tanner [43:02] is a lifelong fly fisher and journalist and spent years as a guide on the Henry's Fork, one of the best (and toughest) dry-fly rivers in the world. He also prefers not to fish nymphs. Todd shares his 12 tips on improving your success with dry flies this week, and they are solid and helpful. In the Fly Box this week, we have a great and varied selection of questions and tips from listeners, including: I don't see any brook or brown trout in the usual places this fall. Are they all upstream spawning? Two great tips from a listener for beginning fly tiers. Is a 10-foot 4-weight a good rod for both Euro nymphing and dry-fly fishing? A great tip from a listener on how to prevent your dry fly from getting too soaked before retrieving it for the next cast. A listener makes the point that watershed-level stream restoration is often not possible. If my stream is stocked with rainbows, will I find them in other parts of the river system and will they survive? Can I use a less expensive spool of fluorocarbon spinning line instead of the expensive stuff sold for fly fishing? If I use only the tip of a CDC feather, can I use the remaining fibers for something else? Kudos from a listener on a wonderful experience he had in the Orvis retail store in Atlanta What kind of insects are most common in infertile streams? Is there a reason Orvis makes a 10 ½ foot and 11-foot H3 rod and not a 10-footer? A great rattlesnake story from a listener I found a whole bunch of trout rising in a seam and tried everything but could not catch them. I tried all kinds of dries and nymphs and changed my tippet and my angle of approach. What do you think the fish were eating?
Many North Americans would love to catch brown trout in their native environment, and most of us think of the UK or France or Slovenia for wild, native brown trout. But, Spain has a long history of fly fishing in the Pyrenees (Hemingway loved fly fishing in the Pyrenees and called this region "the closest thing to heaven") and for the traveler, there are many rivers with public access. Spain has small freestone mountain streams, lakes, and tailwaters that offer excellent trout fishing and my guest this week, Ivan Tarin [35:59], of Salvelinus Adventures, has spent thirty years exploring these rivers and has many tips to offer. In the Fly Box this week, we have some interesting questions and also a listener who was upset by my attitude in a recent podcast: * Do you have any advice to help me catch more trout on dry flies? * Does it matter that jig flies ride upside-down? * Why can't I catch a fish on a Pheasant Tail nymph? * What is the best color for a background on a fly-tying table? * How do you keep track of the leader and tippet you have on a fly line? * How long with rivers in North Carolina take to recover from the devastating floods? * Why has trout fishing been so lousy in the Northeast this spring? * What should I do when trout are feeding on tiny flies? Small dries are too small for me to see. * Should I work a small bass river upstream or down? * I don't do well on dropoffs. How should I fish them? * What is the difference between Helios F and D versions, and what is the difference between the 9-foot and 9-foot 5-inch Helios 5-weight models? * A listener takes me to task for making fun of conventional bass anglers.
This episode was originally published on February 5th, 2024.
My guest this week is Charity Rutter [39:50], a great friend and longtime guide in the Great Smoky Mountains. She and her husband Ian have just finished a great book (I read the manuscript and loved it) and although it won't be available until April, you can pre-order it here:
https://randrflyfishing.com/store/fly-fishing-guide-to-great-smoky-mountains-national-park/
Charity shares her secrets for making more out of your time on small waters, and although she concentrates on her area, she has fished small streams throughout North America and her tips will help you no matter where you fish.
In the Fly Box this week we have a nice assortment of questions and tips on fly fishing and fly tying, including:
Why do you hate hook keepers so much?
Is it true that you should not hook your fly onto your stripping guide?
A listener recounts his first experience with selling flies he tied himself.
A number of people chide me for not using a wading staff—yet.
Will it hurt my fly line if I stretch it first before fishing?
A listener gives some good advice on how to get out of a dangerous situation while wading, and how to prevent your waders from acting like a sea anchor.
A tip from a listener on how he deals with litter during a day of fishing and one on how he carries rods on the back seat of his vehicle.
A listener tells me how pleased he was with Orvis reel repair service.
Should I wear socks when wearing the new Pro Approach Hikers in salt water?
Can I Euro nymph in lakes and ponds?
A tip from a listener on making more durable peacock herl bodies.
Where should I put the heavy section of mono on a shock leader?
A listener shares a tip on playing darts during the winter to keep those casting muscles in shape
I used rubber soled wading shoes on slippery rocks and had poor traction. Should I stud them or just get a pair of felt-soled boots?
In a remote lake with an inlet and outlet, will trout move into the outlet as well as the inlet?
How can I keep my dropper and tippet from slipping off my barbless hook when fishing with a dry dropper? And what knot is best when attaching a dropper to a hook bend?
I have a 9-foot 5-weight rod and want a rod for fishing for panfish and streamers for trout. What rod should I get next?
We're not talking about the poetry of a fly cast made by Pete Kutzer, but poetry about fly fishing, some of the well known poets who were fly fishers, and why the appeal of poetry and fly fishing have much in common. My guest, Andrew Grace [29:19], is a published poet and professor of English, and he'll read us some of his own work as well as from poets like Jim Harrison and Chris Dombrowski. It's a real departure from our usual subjects and I hope you enjoy it. In the Fly Box this week, we get more into our typical nitty-gritty subjects like: * Is there a rule of thumb for how long it takes a sinking line to get to a particular depth? * Can I fish in lakes with a shorter, softer fiberglass rod? * How do I elegantly get the fly line out of my rod before I start casting? * I catch trout in Alaska when they are eating eggs behind salmon, but at other times of year I can't catch them on dries or nymphs. Are they not in the same places at other times of year? * How many different flies are there in the world? s there a registry of them? And can they be copyrighted or trademarked? * If I can't use gel flotant once my fly has gotten wet, why don't I just use the powder right off the bat and forget about the gel? * I heard that when you cast a dry fly, you should pull back a bit at the end of the cast to develop some slack. But can this be executed in a smoother fashion? * Why empty my wallet for a Helios rod when the Superfines are so good? What will a Helios do for me that a Superfine won't? * Where can I find Hungarian partridge to tie smaller flies like size 16s? * Is there a way you mark what line is on what reel so you don't have to use a magnifying glass to look at those tiny line markers? * Is there a national registry of fly-fishing clubs?
Every week I get some iteration of this question: "I hooked three fish and lost all of them before I could get them to the net. What am I doing wrong?" Well, often you did nothing wrong and it was just bad luck. But there are steps you can take to make sure you land the fish you've hooked and Josh Nugent [36:46], a regular on my podcast and one of the most thoughtful anglers I know, presents us with his Seven Deadly Sins. There are lots of helpful nuggets in this one. In the Fly Box this week, we have these questions and tips: * You say I can fish small streamers on my 5-weight rod. What do you mean by "small'? * I am using the Albright knot for larger sections of my leader. What do you think? * A tip from a listener on how not to launch small brookies into the bushes when you hook them. * Why am I losing half of my fish when using barbless hooks? * Is there any situation where you would use an Improved Clinch Knot as opposed to the regular Clinch Knot? * A tip from a listener on how to tie big foam flies that won't land upside-down. * How do you balance various passions, family, work, and still have the energy and time to get out on the water? * How do you set up your emergers, and what is your go-to emerger fly? * Where can I find split shot that does not contain lead? * How do you feel about the relative perceived intelligence of hatchery fish as compared to wild fish?
I get frequent questions on the fly box about fishing for sea trout, or sea-run brown trout. I've never caught one and have never fished for them, so I brought in an expert on the subject, Krystjan [35:21] from Fish Partner in Iceland, owner of the organization Orvis uses for its hosted trips (and I'm hosting one in July) to Iceland and a fanatic fly fisher. He talks about seasons, conditions, presentations, and of course fly patterns to catch these hard-fighting versions of the brown trout we know and love in our inland streams. In the Fly Box this week, we have a great combination of tips from listeners and some questions that may help others who have wondered the same thing, including: * I have heard that you should only fish streamers upstream in smaller streams. Would that hold true for smallmouth bass as well? * I have heard that you should avoid getting into a river to keep from spooking fish. Should I do this all the time? * A great tip from a listener about how to keep track of what leader is on your reels or spools. * I saw a small, stocked stream in a suburban area that appeared to have very small trout in it. Could these be wild trout so close to a city? * What is the best connection to attach a tippet to a tapered leader? * Do you think a 7 ½ foot 4-weight rod is too short for my daughter to use on a trip to the Grand Teton/Yellowstone area? * Why did a fish try to eat my strike indicator numerous types and refuse the dry flies I changed to after it happened? * How do I keep from losing fish when using barbless hooks? * For making my own dry-fly leaders, should I use fluorocarbon or copolymer material? * A tip from a listener on how to make cool fly-tying gadgets with a 3-D printer. * A tip from a listener on how to organize beads and hooks on your fly-tying bench. * Do people ever use tandem dry-fly rigs?
Inside nearly every fly fisher is a budding writer, eager to share their passion with the world. I've done podcasts on how to write better fly-fishing stories in the past, and figured it was time to talk to an editor and publisher about how you can get your masterpiece published. Ross Purnell [32:15], editor and publisher of Fly Fisherman magazine, was happy to share his advice on this subject—and no one in the fly-fishing world has more experience in this topic than Ross. In the Fly Box this week, we have some great tips from listeners, some questions that I've answered before, and some fresh ones that I haven't, including: * How do I deal with leaders that get knotted up when I am ready to use them? * When you have fished a section of water, how long do you stay there, switching flies and techniques? Or do you move on? * From a listener, a great fly and technique for catching yellow perch. * A listener relays his approach for minimalist equipment when fishing close to home. * What is your opinion using balsa wood for fly tying? * My casting with a dry fly is OK, but I struggle with dry dropper and streamer rigs. What can I do? * Do trout get "lost" after being landed in another part of a river? * A listener adds some corrections to the proposed selling off of public lands. * When fishing a double nymph rig, do you put the bigger fly above or below a smaller fly? * How do I keep my dropper from slipping off my barbless dry fly? I don't like using separate droppers on the leader. * If I mess up and tie a dry fly with oversized hackle and wings, will it matter? * How many flies of a given pattern will you tie? What is the minimum number? * Is there an easy way to get beads on a size 18 hook?
I've had a number of guests on the podcast teaching us about urban fly fishing and it will be an ongoing process because everyone has different takes on how to approach it. There is nothing better than a few hours of peace before or after work, without needing to drive for hours, and you can find it, even in the middle of our largest cities. My guest Greg DeMars [40:25] specializes in the urban fisheries around Dallas, Texas, but the tips he offers are valuable for any urban area throughout North America—and probably beyond. Urban fishing can be exciting and interesting and challenging—it's not just about trout or permit! In the Fly Box this week, I thought we had some unusually interesting questions, including: * Will you ever have a podcast on targeting yellow perch on a fly rod? * Is there any need for a "shorty" Euro line if I want to Euro nymph with my regular weight-forward line? Can't I just attach a very long leader? * Are swimming holes "fish-free" zones or are they worth targeting in early season before the swimmers arrive? * Where can I find Orvis BigEye hooks? * When I fish in fast water I have problems shooting line because my excess line gets carried away by the current. I don't want to use a stripping basket. Is there another solution? * I never use tippet, only leader material. Do I need special tippet? * What knot would you recommend instead of the Perfection Loop? * I have problems catching flying insects over a trout stream and my hat doesn't work. What would you suggest? * How do you tell what fish are feeding on under the surface? * Can you elaborate a bit on why you should make your first cast count? How important is that and how do I do it without making a few bad casts first? * When tying nymphs, I have trouble getting CDC to wind evenly. And I don't like using a dubbing loop. Any tips on how to make my CDC flies look better? * What tips or recommendations do you have for getting into fly tying?
I get a lot of questions about wader care, storage, and washing instructions. Fit can also affect how long waders last and how comfortable they are. Waders are one of our most expensive purchases, outside of a rod and reel, and in order to make them last longer we need to take good care of them, so they stay waterproof and comfortable. My guest this week is Natalie Cullum [27:14], Orvis product developer in charge of waders and technical outerwear. She knows all about the fabric used in waders, the technology involved in their construction, and how critical fit is in their comfort and durability. If you are looking for a new pair of waders this season, or if you want to make your current pair of waders last longer, this podcast is essential listening. In the Fly Box this week, we have some interesting questions and tips from listeners, including: * Is the Orvis Tippet Knot a suitable substitute for the blood knot? * Do you think there is a chance that dry-fly purism will come back? * Does a saltwater line cast worse in fresh water? * Can you suggest a use for the fluffy material at the base of a Coq de Leon feather? * Do you have any tips for dry flies in salt water? * A listener suggests some kind of national organization to purchase public lands that are planned on being sold as part of the inflation reduction act. * Will there be Orvis Pro Wading Boots in size 15? * What is it that Tom brings on the water that most people might not have in their pack or vest? * I keep catching landlocked salmon of the same size. Can you suggest a way to target the bigger ones?
Tic Smith [37:18] is head guide at Orvis-endorsed Southeastern Anglers and is a veteran guide with many decades of experience on southern tailwaters. Our discussion centers on his home river, the Hiwassee, but the tips and tricks he shares will be valuable on many other tailwaters. He talks tackle, flies, presentation, and most importantly reading the water from a drift boat. In the Fly Box this week we have some great trips and interesting questions from listeners, including: * Can I re-use an old Depth Charge running line with a shooting head, and if so how should I connect it to my heads? * Can I put my reel in the water when landing a fish? * Would the 7-foot, 9-inch Superfine Graphite rod be a good one for redeye bass? Will it add to the fun factor? * A listener has a question about getting around another angler while fishing public water surrounded by private land. * A biologist answers a question from a previous podcast—where are all the baby carp? * What is this Tenkara stuff all about? Can I use conventional flies on a Tenkara outfit? * An anonymous listener please for listeners to contact their elected representatives regarding the defunding of the EPA's Office of Research Development. * How do native brook trout get so high up in remote streams? * I can catch fish in low gradient brown trout streams on nymphs and dries but streamers don't seem to work. Why? * Will floods that have increased flows tenfold in a river have a deleterious effect on the trout population? * Can you recommend a good long dry-fly leader that is knotless? Is it as good as a hand-tied leader? * What kind of fly-fishing gear should I avoid using in salt water?
It's always interesting to find out that public figures can be as obsessed with fly fishing as we are. People like Harrison Ford, Jeff Daniels, Tucker Carlson, Bette Midler, Jimmy Kimmel, and Dick Cheney are all serious fly fishers. (And no, I don't have any of them on tap for my podcast). But Rahm Emanuel [37:25] is a dedicated listener to this podcast, and when I had a chance to interview him I took it. There is no politics in this podcast interview—just a fanatic fly fisher who talks about why he loves it, how he finds time in his busy life to go fly fishing, and what excites him the most about it. This was a lively and fun interview with a fair amount of good-natured ribbing. In the Fly Box this week I have no voice files to play (hint, hint) but lots of great e-mails with interesting questions and a few tips from listeners, including: * A listener looks for advice on how to carry his fishing gear on a plane. * How do I fish plunge pools? Why don't I catch anything in the deep spot below the waterfall? * What rods do I need for fishing both small streams in Smoky Mountain streams and steelhead fishing in Ohio? * A listener gives advice on the Orvis Dropper Rig Fly Box and why you need to check local regulations before you use a 3-fly rig. * A listener relates a story of his great customer service experience * Why did trout smash my size 20 dry fly but not connect? * Will smallmouth bass and rainbow trout hold in the same water? * What knots do you recommend for different presentations and why? * What is the best way to get my fly under the mangroves without hanging up?
I get lots of questions about dubbing, which is a simple process that we sometimes complicate with hundreds of different blends and as many opinions on how to apply it. But it's an essential skill in fly tying, so Tim [35:18] and I spend a whole podcast exploring types of dubbing, when you would use them, and different methods of applying this essential material. Tim is always a fun guest and this one is no exception. In the Fly Box this week, we have a some great tips from listeners and of course plenty of questions, including: * A great tip from a listener on how to estimate a fly line size using a kitchen scale. * Does UV resin dry completely? * Can I add head cement to the head of my Elk Hair Caddis? * What is the protocol for tipping at a fly-fishing school? * When you carry extra lines to the river, do you put them on extra spools or carry extra reels? And where do you put them? * I have some 20-year-old tippet I was given. Should I use it? * Do you have any recommendations for easily transferable materials that can be used for fry flies as well as streamers? * A tip from a listener on how to safely carry a full-size camera when fishing. * Where do baby carp hide? I never see them. * Does adding split shot make it harder to hook fish? * A tongue-in-cheek story about using songbird feathers on flies. * I want to buy a house on a trout stream. What should I know before I do this?
My guest this week is country singer JD Clayton [35:35], a talented singer/songwriter and all-around nice guy who loves to fly fish for smallmouth bass in his native Ozarks. He fills me in on what their fishing is like, and why he loves this rural part of the country so much. In the Fly Box this week, I answer some questions and we have a couple tips from listeners, including: * What are some guides to western aquatic insects you recommend? * What wading boots do you recommend for hiking into remotes ponds and streams? * What water temperatures are ideal for trout, and are there certain temperatures to expect hatches? * What do you think the effect of dry summers and falls has on small trout streams in New England? * What time of year is best for crayfish patterns, and how should I fish them in smaller streams? * My large indicator dry flies keep falling over and landing upside-down. What do you think is causing this? * What can I do to preserve and clean the cork handle on my fly rod? * Great tips from a listener on a chair for tying flies and some lighting and magnification tips. * How should I wash my waders? * How can I determine the line weight of an old fly line with no identifying marks?
This week my guest Dave Zielinski [39:53], author of the comprehensive book Cicada Madness, tells us when and where you can encounter this year's brood of periodical cicadas—and if you can't make that event, he'll tell you how to find waters that host regular emergences of annual cicadas, which are not quite as large but can offer spectacular fishing if your timing is right. All kinds of fish go crazy over the giant bugs, from trout to bass to carp-- even gar and catfish. Learn how to fish these flies, and how to tie them in this highly informative and timely episode that will help you plan this year's cicada expedition. In the Fly Box this week, we have a good mix of interesting questions and tips from listeners, including: * What are your thoughts on drop beads for saltwater flies? * I am having problems with blood knots and leader sections ending up the right length. * On which Orvis rods will overlining help? * How can I get my fly deep enough to catch walleye on a fly? * A listener has various questions about fishing for striped bass on Cape Cod. * What line should I put on my new Orvis Superfine graphite? * Two fly-tying tips and a first aid tip from a doctor. * I am swinging 5 or 6 wet flies at the same time, all in line, and sometimes drop fish on the lower flies. How can I fix this? * How can you catch fish that are nearly impossible to approach in low, clear water? * Some great tips from a listener on how to stay warm when winter fishing.
Crayfish are prey that most gamefish can't resist. They're high in calories, abundant, and relatively easy for bass, trout, and many other gamefish to capture. Yet most of us don't know much about their life cycle and behavior (myself included). Guide Jake Villwock [47:02] has spent his life studying these critters, which gives him important insight on the right fly patterns, but even more important how and when to fish them. You'll learn a lot on this podcast. In the Fly Box this week, there are lots of good questions and I hope my answers will help you in your fly-fishing journey. They include: * I can't seem to get my fly deep enough in bass lakes with my floating line. Should I get a sinking line for my 8-weight and fish surface flies with my 5-weight? * A listener asks for help from listeners in ways to lessen the pain of losing his beloved fishing dog * I fished a river that has always been full of trout and didn't see a thing. What happened to the fish? * Should I apply my dubbing with clockwise or counterclockwise twists? * Can I tie my dropper onto the tag end of my improved clinch knot? * What are your thoughts and comments on how long a trout stays spooked? * Why do you prefer a sling pack and where do you put your net? * Do resident brook trout in a river get pushed around by migrating steelhead? Do they still feed? * I didn't catch any fish in high, cold water. What should I have done? * What do you think about tying a loop in the end of my tippet and attaching flies with a girth hitch? * Why don't people use landing nets for striped bass? * I saw an anti-reverse fly reel on EBay. What do you think of them?
This episode was originally published on January 30th, 2021
This week, continuing our series of podcasts on winter fly fishing for trout, I interview George Daniel, author and guide. George is also an Orvis ambassador and field tester, and teaches fly fishing at Penn State. As you'll discover, there are many similarities with winter fishing in other parts of the country, along with some flies and techniques a bit more appropriate for the Northeast.
In the Fly Box this week, we have some great tips and questions, including: Do you use touch dubbing, split thread dubbing, and composite loop dubbing techniques? I'm looking for a fly line to fish streamers for bass, trout, and panfish. Which line should I get? What leaders do I need for my Clearwater Trout Spey setup, for both Skagit and Scandi lines? What's your technique for catching largemouth bass, and what are your favorite flies? Why can't I get my dubbing noodle to behave? Which intermediate line should I get for fishing streamers and indicators in four to eight feet of water? A great tip on a method for wetting marabou and other materials without putting them in your mouth. I went fishing before a cold front and got skunked. I thought fishing was supposed to be good before a cold front. What line and leader and tippet would you use for trout in lakes in 15 feet of water?
This episode was originally published on January 14th, 2021.
My guest this week is Rachael Leinweber [39:38], general manager of The Angler's Covey fly shop in Colorado Springs. One in a series of podcasts about winter fly-fishing tips, Rachael has some great ones for us, and it's been interesting to see how each guide we've talked to has a slightly different take on effective winter tactics.
In the Fly Box this week, we have the following questions and tips: Is there an easier way to balance a fly rod than buying a heavier reel? How can I get my parents to approve of my fly-fishing passion?
My guest this week is Mike Tayloe [33:07], who is a fishing guide, EMT, and wilderness medicine trainer. Tayloe (he prefers this to Mike) has trained many Orvis-endorsed guides and lodges on emergencies that you'll encounter on the water. Basically, they're the same emergencies you'll find at home but without the ability to get a rescue squad or ambulance quickly. The bad news is that we can't give you training on wilderness medicine on a podcast. The good news is that Tayloe will tell us how to get training for these emergencies (an online course is not the recommended way to go) and how to put together your own first aid kit so that you are prepared to deal with common medical problems. He goes into great detail on what to include in your kit, and recommends places to either get a complete pre-made kit or where to buy the right components—and the best course is not to buy a cheap kit in a big box store. This podcast, with proper training and a good kit, could save your life or that of a fishing buddy. In the Fly Box this week, we have a number of questions that may answer questions you have had, such as: * When should I use split shot as an "in-line" rig as opposed to the drop shot method? * Is it better to use fewer big split shot or a number of smaller ones? * What can I do with egg yarn other than make egg flies? * Mayfly nymphs look flat. Why don't we use more flies with a flattened shape? * Should I cast my streamers upstream, across-stream, or quartering down and swinging? * Where should I look for striped bass along a marshy shoreline? * How important is color on emerger flies. Most of the patterns I see imitate the color of the duns but shouldn't we be more concerned with the color of the nymph? * Why are high-end fly rods more expensive than high-end conventional rods? * When tying flies, should I tie every size in the right range or should I skip sizes?
Dave is one of the best young voices in fly fishing [38:14]. He's the real deal—he is a fishy guy and can handle a fly rod with the best of them, but he's also a teacher of writing at the college level and a published author. (His new book is terrific and the title is Calling After Water.) Dave gives us what I consider a mini master class on how to write about fly fishing so that your stories are engaging, concise, and fun. I know you will find many useful tips in this podcast.
In the Fly Box this week, we have an assortment of great questions from listeners, including:
What are the benefits of tube flies?
Can I nymph fish for steelhead with a Spey rod?
Is there a benefit from using UV fly-tying materials?
What is the best way to attach pre-made droppers to my leader?
Tippet ring, surgeon's knot, or blood knot?
Why do people look down on swinging wet flies for trout?
How can I fish a bigger river without wasting my time trying to fish it all?
Is it better to go to a smaller streamer when fish are just bumping the fly?
How can young people help to improve our environment?
Many of our trout waters run through agricultural areas. We need food and clean water and we'd like to fish for trout in these waters, but sometimes these things don't play well together. It's when all user groups get together and come up with solutions that we have the best of both worlds. Cameron Aker [39:29] is the Outreach Coordinator for the Driftless Region of Iowa, and in this week's podcast he tells us how farmers, landowners, Trout Unlimited, and various government agencies have worked together to manage the land for food production while protecting sensitive coldwater fisheries. You'll learn how they do this, who funds the work, and how you can look into starting a similar initiative in your area. In the Fly Box this week, we have the usual roundup of basic questions, good tips, and more advanced questions, including: * How do I know when it's appropriate to use resin instead of head cement? * I am very new to fly fishing and want to keep my initial fly selection simple. Do you think that's a good idea? * Is it a good idea to tie a sacrificial mono loop at the end of my fly line to preserve the loop? * What size dry flies do you use in the East for dry/dropper rigs? * Are there more "vintage" Orvis reels that you still use? * Are there notable distinctions between the various kinds of dubbing? * I saw a single caddisfly on the snow recently. Is this unusual? * I had something snap my 12-pound fluorocarbon tippet in a clean break while fishing in salt water. What could have caused this? * What do you keep on your fly tying desk, other than the typical tools and materials? * What should I bring for a traveling fly-tying kit? * Great tips from a listener on how to lessen backache when tying flies. * How do you target cold, high rivers?
I often get questions about the proper way to play and release trout and I invited Jim McClennan [42:51] to talk about his tips and his philosophy on bring trout to hand. Jim has been a guide, fly shop owner, writer, and star of fishing films for as long as I have been in the business. He gives his tips on how to play trout quickly, how to land them, and shares a new trick I hadn't heard about for releasing fish without ever touching them with minimal stress to the fish. You'll have to listen to the podcast to find out this trick. In the Fly Box this week, we have some unusually great tips from listeners as well as some interesting questions, including: * Is there a performance difference between a hand-tied knotted leader and a knotless leader? * A tip from a listener on the best way to begin your life as a fly tier. * Do trout lose the rods and cones in their eyes when they get to be about 17 inches long? * Are there any colors you would avoid when fishing a Sparkle Minnow? * As a beginning fly tier, what tools and materials should I get first? * What is the effect of major floods on small brook trout streams? * A great tip from a listener on exactly what type and size of nitrile gloves are best for winter fishing. * Can you give us a history of Superfine Graphite rods, and what is the new release like? * If I use a 12-foot leader with a 9-foot rod, how can I easily land fish? * If my waders end up frozen, will that hurt them? * How can I fish in a river where everyone else is fishing indicators? I don't like fishing indicators. * Can I keep my fly rods in the trunk of my car over the winter? * A listener has a hard time wrapping his head around the fact that trout can learn and that trout in rivers with a lot of fishing pressure have learned to avoid certain flies. Is there any scientific research on this topic?
Well, maybe we're not creating new trout streams, but we are creating waters that now support trout and cold, clean water by mitigating abandoned mine runoff. These are streams have been lifeless in some cases for over 100 years. There are hundreds of thousands of abandoned mines leaking acids and toxic metals throughout the country, and until a recent law was passed if an independent organization went in to clean these up, they could be held liable for any damages. The technology is there but the law prevented them from helping. With recent passage of a Good Samaritan law, a number of test cases will be established to prove that independent organizations can work to clean up these mines without legal risk. Chris Wood, president and CEO of Trout Unlimited, [41:35] walks us through what has been done and what can be done in the future to ensure cleaner water for fishing, drinking, and swimming. Chris is always an articulate and interesting guest and we know you'll enjoy this podcast. In the Fly Box this week, we have some great new questions and tips including: * What is a good chair for fly tying? * What is a good light for fly tying? * How do you organize your tying desk? * What setup should I use to fish streamers in a narrow, brushy piece of water? * A piece broke off the jaws of my fly-tying vise. How can I prevent this from happening in the future? * Why don't they make polarized sunglasses with clear magnifying inserts? * A tip from a listener to always pack an extra pack with dry clothes in case you fall in. * Should I recycle my hooks after all the dressing has fallen off a fly? * I want a rod for pike and musky fishing. What is the difference between the 10-weight and 11-weight Clearwater rods? * Is it bad a stretch a leader by hanging a pair of forceps on it? * For small stream trout, should I get a Battenkill Disc or Battenkill spring-and-pawl reel? * If I want to practice casting to my "off" side prior to a float trip, should I practice casting with my left hand or use my right hand to cast over my left shoulder?
What benefits do you get when you upgrade from a $40 Big Box store rod to a Clearwater or Encounter? How much better is a Recon rod, and will you see and appreciate the performance improvements? And what are you missing out on by getting a Recon instead of a Helios? This is a common podcast question, and I've asked Shawn Combs [44:53], Orvis rod and reel designer, to walk us through the various price points of Orvis rod and how the rods differ. There is a true price/value equation in Orvis rod models, but is the difference important to you? We hope to guide you through those questions. In the Fly Box this week, we have some terrific questions. No phone calls this week so they are all e-mail questions, including: * Which river types are richer in insect life, and does that affect your success with dry flies? * Why is there so much shame about fishing around brown trout redds but not the same with brook, rainbow, and cutthroat trout? * How do you set up your leaders for striper fishing? * Why don't we go through the eye of the hook twice on every knot, as we do for the Trilene Knot? * Why is there so much spot burning with social media? * A listener who had a life-threatening experience in a kayak gives us some great tips on being safe on the water. * Any thoughts on organizing fly boxes? * A listener tells us that washing CDC feathers will not let them float properly but I respectfully beg to differ. * A tip from a listener on how to lessen line tangles when fishing from a pedal kayak. * What is meant by "nervous water"?
Peter Laurelli [40:07] is a film-maker and fly fisher, and specializes in fly fishing from a paddleboard. And not in just any place—Peter fly fishes off the northeast coast for striped bass and false albacore, and if you can fish from a paddleboard in these conditions you can do it anywhere. Peter shares his tips on launching and landing a paddleboard, as well as tips for rigging a paddleboard for fly fishing, and of course approaching fish and playing and landing them. If you want to see a sample of his fishing and filming in salt water you can see it here: Surf & Inshore Fly Fishing - SIFF18: Four Years For Life It includes some spectacular drone footage of striped bass and false albacore schools feeding on baitfish. In the Fly Box this week we have some interesting questions, including the inevitable queries about what rod and reel to buy and how to handle issues with leaders. Questions include: Can I replace the tippet ring I use in my leader setup with a Perfection or Surgeon's Loop? Can I use 6X or even 7X when hanging a size 14 nymph from a larger dry fly? Can you recommend a quality reel for the fiberglass rod I own that won't break the bank? What is your take on fishing tandem streamer setups? I'm planning on taking my first tarpon fishing trip to Florida in June. Is a 10- or 11-weight rod suitable or do I need to go to a 12-weight? Can I use my Mirage LT IV for bonefish? I want a rod for midwest trout and bass. Can you help me pick one? I typically modify my knotless leader back and forth. But at what point should I replace my leader with a fresh one? What are your thoughts on glow-in-the-dark fly lines for striped bass at night? Which species does Tom always go barbless for, and which does he stick with a barbed hook? What is your take on the no-targeting regulation proposed for striped bass?
This episode was originally published on January 27th, 2022.
This week, my guest is Orvis casting guru Pete Kutzer [47:31], and we talk about casts for difficult trout. Often you don't need great casting skills or special casts to catch trout, but there are times when a little razzle-dazzle will make the difference. Pete talks about those situations and what to do--and he also introduces a new way of making a Bow-and -Arrow cast that was new to me. I think anyone can benefit from Pete's advice.
In the Fly Box this week, we have these great questions and tips from listeners:
What do you think about tying on eyeless hooks and making eyes out of silk bead cord?
What do you mean by the term "swinging flies"?
Can I target grass carp on a fly?
Can you ice fish with flies?
How do I fish a lake for trout from my kayak?
What do you think of the electric socks that are controlled by an app?
A great tip from a listener on avoiding spooking trout in small streams.
Can a figure-8 knot be used in fly fishing?
What do you recommend for a rod for fishing larger eastern rivers?
How can I correct a casting issue where my fly gets caught on my line-to-leader connection?
Do I need to buy a specific saltwater outfit for Belize or will my current steelhead rod work?
Do you recommend weed guards for fishing in Belize?
How much do brown trout move in the fall?
Do you think it's possible that a stocked tiger trout could have moved 30 miles from where it was stocked?
Can I overline my 3-weight rod by two line sizes for really short casts?
My wife has problems with glare on the water. Do you think there is something wrong with her eyes?
Which precautions should I take releasing trout in subzero weather?
This week's show is a Backcast episode from January 8th, 2021.
This week, we're continuing our series on winter fly fishing for trout. I interview Antonio Rodrigues [42:50] manager of Front Range Anglers in Boulder, Colorado, and he has a different take on winter fly fishing, and some different methods. I've found it fascinating to see how each guest approaches this differently and hope you pick up some tips as well.
In the Fly Box this week, we have these questions and tips from listeners:
What do you use for a fly box when surf fishing?
I have not had good luck with guide trips and want to know what you recommend so I get a better trip next time.
Are fly rods built on continuous blanks and then cut into sections, or is each section made separately? And are sections interchangeable from one rod to another?
What is the purpose of adding flash to nymph patterns?
A tip on using special flies for casting practice.
What do I do about fishing places where lots of swimmers have been?
Are wire bite guards worth it?Can I tie a 3X tippet to a 3mm tippet ring?
Are all Orvis leader lengths built to the same basic taper or are they different?
Another suggestion on where to donate flies you don't want.
What uses do you have for magnets when fishing?
What do I use huge streamer patterns like the Manbearpig for, and how should I fish them?
Originally posted February 5. 2012.
In the fly box this week, we talk about where fly tying materials come from, getting wet flies to swing deeper, fishing logs, and fishing small flies under water. In the main topic, we discuss different kinds of trout and how to fish for them--hatchery vs. wild, and pressured trout streams vs. remote trout streams. We've had some great suggestions for podcast topics lately so keep them coming
Any kind of two-handed fishing is confusing for those of us who mostly fish with a single-handed rod. I asked the great Pete Kutzer [37:34]to simplify the selection of a rod, reel, line, leader, and tips for getting a start in swinging flies for trout and he then offers a number of tips for casting, attaching the leader, fly selection, and more. It's a great basic guide to getting started in this fun way to fish for trout.
In the Fly Box, I thought we had some unusually interesting questions this week, including:
Will weed guards on my flies help me from catching on oyster bars?
If the tip of my hook gets bent over, should I try to put it back into shape?
Can I catch striped bass in New England in the winter?
What can you tell me about Orvis boron rods from the 1980s?
Can I get one rod for tarpon, bonefish, pike, muskie, giant trevally, triggerfish, snook, redfish, and dorado?
Why did you not mention the Davey Knot when you talked about knots a few weeks ago?
How can I keep my yarn indicators floating?
I am having trouble getting long downstream drifts with a dry fly. I keep moving the fly. What do you suggest?
I can't seem to catch any fish on scuds. When, where, and how should I fish them?
A tip from a listener on learning to fall safely.
Can I use a Skagit or Scandi line on my 10-foot 8-weight?
I frequently get questions from listeners traveling to Europe, curious about fly fishing opportunities in Italy, France, Austria, and Switzerland. I've never fished there and don't have any answers, so I reached out to Miha Ivanc [40:52] of Krka River Lodge in Slovenia, who has fished all through the Alps. In the podcast you'll learn where to fish, what species to expect (like their native marbled trout), how to fish for them, and where to get permission to fish. It should be an eye-opener to most of us. In the Fly Box this week, we have some particularly interesting questions, including: * Can I use flies for ice fishing? * I mostly fish lakes and am having problems on streams. With long casts I get drag and with shorter casts I worry about spooking fish. What should I do? * Can I work downstream with a streamer and then work back up through the same water with a dry dropper? * Is there a risk in tippet material breaking down in sunlight when it is on a tippet holder exposed to the sun? * I see people catching trout on worms but I can't seem to fool them on flies. What am I doing wrong and do you have any tips? * Is it legal to raise jungle cock for feathers in the US, and is anyone doing it? * A listener corrects me on a statement I made regarding using molted feathers from songbirds to tie flies. * Do you have any tips for traveling to Chile to fish at Magic Waters? * If I see water striders and small baitfish in a pool, does that mean there won't be any larger trout there? * How much life can I expect from a leader I made myself? * Can I tell the difference between wild and hatchery trout by looking at them? * I can't seem to catch more than two trout from any one pool. What am I doing wrong?
Jessica Strickland [38:07] is Trout Unlimited's California Inland Trout director and is an expert on the historical and curent range of this rare trout species. Where do they live today as compared to their original range? Can you still fish for them, and do you need to hike for many miles or are they more acessible close to a trailhead? You'll learn the answer to these questions and many more in this interview.
In the Fly Box this week we have some great questions, including:
For Colorado and Oklahoma trout fishing, should I get a 5-weight, 4-weight, or 3-weight rod?
Is there a rule for overlining a trout rod when it is longer than 9 feet?
Can I Spey cast with a single-handed rod?
The welded loop on my running line broke. What is the best way to make a new loop to attach it to my head?
Do you have any tips for catching stocked rainbow trout after they have been in the river for a while?
A great suggestion from a listener on how to educate other anglers from walking on trout redds.
My felt soles have not been working well. Are there different grades of felt on wading boots?
What are the guidelines for tipping a guide?
When bushwacking should you carry your rod with the tip pointed forward or back? Can I leave the legs off small nymphs? I have trouble tying them in.
Can I tie a small fly on a bigger hook?
What are your tips for winter fishing in the Northeast?
Brant Oswald [23:20] is a veteran guide, teacher, and fly shop operator with over 40 years in the business. He's one of the best spring creek anglers I know and guides on them almost every day, so I asked him to come up with some tips on better spring creek techniques. Even if you never fish spring creeks, his tips really apply to any slow or low water situations so these tips will be valuable to any trout angler. In the Fly Box this week, we have the usual great tips and questions, including: * I have an old, heavy bamboo rod. I can't reel heavy enough to balance it. Is the balance between a rod and reel weight really that important? * I am frustrated with fish eating my strike indicator. Should I tie a big egg pattern to act as a strike indicator? * A suggestion for making a great cat toy out of old flies (with the hook cut off!) and a question about the use of cat hair in tying flies. * What is the proper way to prevent drag? Should I mend my entire line or just the leader? * A tip from a listener on how to keep fly line from wrapping around your rod tip. * A tip from a listener on the best way to hang up your waders for the season. * Why do waders often fail at the junction between the bootie and the upper? * I just bought a drift boat and want to learn how to row. Should I hire a guide to take lessons on rowing? * How do trout behave when the water gets higher and dirtier?
I get regular questions from people about getting a job in the fly-fishing industry, both in the podcast mailbox and in person at shows and store visits. It's a tough question and I don't have all the answers so I called upon my buddy Kirk Deeter [35:04], who as founding publisher of Angling Trade magazine and currently editor of Trout magazine, along with many other jobs in the industry, is the consummate fly-fishing insider. He talks about the joys and the pitfalls of looking for a job in this tiny niche. I think he has some great tips to share, whether you are a young kid looking for a first job or a seasoned veteran of another industry looking for a more rewarding career. In the Fly Box this week, we have some helpful tips, including: * How should I treat CDC feathers I got from a friend who hunts waterfowl? * A listener asks why people who write into the Fly Box don't just go out and try the things they are asking about. * A spooky Halloween story from a listener * How do I avoid a size 12 dry fly twisting on a 6X tippet? * What is the best Orvis rod for hopper fishing on western rivers? * Can I keep my fly rods set up all season? Do I need to wax the ferrules? * How can I do a better job of hooking trout on a downstream cast? * Am I missing something by not using tapered leaders when fishing for bass and panfish? * If a 6X leader makes a size 12 fly twist, why don't we just use 1X and 2X leaders on all of our flies, down to a size 24? * How can I get a single nymph down into deep, fast water without using split shot? * Would a longer rod help keep my Clouser Minnows from hitting the rocks behind me on my back cast? * I have a 5-weight rod and want to fish for bass, carp, and suckers. Should I get a 6-weight or a 7-weight rod?
Barry Ord Clarke [50:21] is one of the world's most popular fly tiers, through his books, videos, and web site. Originally from the UK but living in Norway, Barry keeps his pulse on the world of fly tying on both sides of the Atlantic. He discusses the fly patterns developed in North America that Europeans have embraced, and also details the history of some well-known and lesser-known European patterns and techniques that you may not have heard about. It's a good way to get a broad overview of the international fly-tying community. In the Fly Box this week, we have a short interview with bassist Daniel Kimbro [37:18] on a music festival he is organizing for flood relief in East Tennessee, and also some great tips and questions, including: * How do I keep my fly line from wrapping around my rod when I am tying on a new fly? * A listener is looking to add a 7-weight rod for bass fishing and throwing trout streamers and looks for advice. * Can I use a 6-weight sinking or sink-tip line on both my 5-weight and 7-weight rods? * Do you know of any good fly-fishing books for a 6-year-old? And what is the best first saltwater fly-rod fish for kids? * Is there a difference between Zonker strips and Rabbit strips? * Why have I gotten occasional bite-offs from large brown trout? * Do you have any tips for casting wiggle-tails? I have trouble casting them. * Do you think eyes make a difference on pike flies? * Can I legally keep songbird feathers that I find under my bird feeders? * A tip for using toothpicks at the fly-tying bench. * When tying a clinch knot, does it matter if you twist the fly or wind the tag end around the standing part? * Any tips for the bow-and-arrow cast? * How many more casts should you make in a small pocket if you miss a fish? * Would it be unethical to target swarms of trout during spawning season? * A listener gives a tip for tying a clinch knot at the bend of a hook to attach a dropper. * If I move a trout on a streamer but do not connect, does it make sense to come back for that fish later in the day?
Did you know you can catch trout and tarpon in the same trip, along with exotic jungle species? I didn't either, but Kevin Jackson [42:22] of Fly Fish Costa Rica shares with us the wide variety of fly fishing you can have in this diverse and well-preserved ecosystem. And also the rare wildlife you might see in this country that offers saltwater, jungle, and mountain trout fishing. In the Fly Box this week, we have some great questions and hopefully answers that will help many of you solve the same problems in your fishing, including: * I keep getting accused of "flossing" Pacific salmon when fly fishing for them but I see them aggressively take my flies. What are your thoughts on this? * What purpose does dubbing serve on a dry fly? Does it add buoyancy? * A listener thanks us for the podcast on knots and also on our support of policies to address climate change . * I recently opened a box of my grandfather's tackle from 1944 that includes a bamboo rod, gut leaders, flies, and a silk fly line. Should I use them? * What sort of performance should I expect from the new Orvis Superfine bamboo fly rod? * What impact will the recent disastrous floods in North Carolina have on the future of fly fishing? * I want to purchase a vintage Orvis bamboo fly rod. Would one be a reliable fishing tool? * When I switch dry flies, should I be more concerned with size, pattern, or color? * What can I do to prevent the unnatural curves in saltwater flies after they are used? * My brother and I were using the same streamer in a slow-moving river. I caught a bunch of fish and he didn't but I was casting my streamer at a different angle to the current. Do you think this made the difference?
Tom is on a fishing trip this week. While on this trip he learned his friend and legendary fly-fishing author, John Gierach had passed away at 78. In his honor Tom asked me to post his last intervew with John from May of last year and to share this with all of you:
"John Gierach was one of the finest voices in fly fishing. He passed away suddenly last week. Always humble and kind, his writing never reached into navel gazing but he just told great, honest, and funny stories and like all great writers he never wasted a word. I once had the pleasure of spending a week sharing a cabin with him in Labrador and he was exactly the man in person that he was in his writing. We will all miss him greatly."
Here is the show descrption from May 19, 2023
Our climate is changing, and regardless of whether you think it's human caused or natural it is changing. If you don't believe that you need to get outside more. John Gierach [58:00], thoughtful guy that he is, wanted to tal.k about this subject and how he deals with changes that have happened in his lifetime, and what we can all do to deal with climate change and still enjoy fly fishing, because as he says "we still gotta live" and to some of us fly fishing is life. I
n the Fly Box this week we have lots of questions, many of them quite basic but still fun to answer because you can always give them a new twist.
What is the best rig to catch trout with worms? (I hope he meant worm flies and not real worms)
What can I do to keep my Depth Charge line from tangling?
I am moving to Texas and want one rod for inland bass and one for inshore saltwater. Is there one outfit that can do this?
Am I better off buying one high-end rod or several lower priced rods if I fish in a variety of trout situations?
Can you overline bamboo and fiberglass fly rods?
I have a dog that likes to chase rocks and sticks.
Any tips on how to train a dog to be a good fishing companion?
Is there any way to tell a trout rise from a chub rise?
I am confused by fly line numbers and hook numbers. Can you explain them?
What do fish deep in a lake take my Pat's Rubber Legs fished quickly? What do the fish think it is?
How do you fish your Rabbit's Foot Emerger patterns?
What do I do with my rod when tying on a new fly or landing a fish?
Is there a better knot than a clinch knot for tying on size 18 to 22 flies?
My welded loop has cuts in it. What can I do to fix that?
What kind of dry/dropper arrangement do you use when there is nothing visibly hatching?
A good tip from a listener on walking the banks of your favorite rivers in low water to get a sense for the bottom structure.
Can you tell the difference between a male and female trout by looking at the anal fin?
We keep hearing that fly fishing is good for your mental health. It gets you out in the natural world, involves problem solving, and keeps you active and moving throughout the day (unless you sit in a drift boat watching a bobber). But is it always good for your mind? Are there times when fly fishing can make your mood worse, and are there things you can do to make sure a day on the water is good for you? I discuss this, and play devil's advocate a bit, with Melissa Ceren [35:20], who is both a fly-fishing guide and a licensed therapist. We had a fun conversation and I hope you enjoy it. In the Fly Box this week, we have some great questions from listeners, including: * If I break a section of a rod, why won't a section from a different rod fit it? Are the diameters different in different types of rods? * Are there benefits to fishing nymphs without an indicator? * When fishing, are you more likely to change the fly size up or down if the one you're using is not working? * Am I missing some flexibility by not carrying two rods when wade fishing? * What is the best way to fish for a trout that lives under a bridge? * When I get a tangled mess I usually cut everything off and re-tie. Should I be carrying a safety pin to untangle my leader? * I am having problems with drag when fishing straight upstream. Do you have any tips to help this? * I keep foul-hooking small brook trout when using a dry dropper. Why does this happen and what can I do to avoid it? * I accidentally dropped my fly box in the river. I don't see any rust on them, but should I throw all of them out? * What is "attitude" when discussing the choice of dry flies? * What is your current recommendation on the noise created by studded boots or metal wading staffs? * I have gone on 8 saltwater fly-fishing trips and have been skunked on 6 of them. It's a combination of bad guides and bad weather. What can I do to avoid this? * What is the best way of getting my fly off a branch if I don't want to wade in and spook the pool?
I have long enjoyed Robert Ketley's [31:06] column in California Fly Fisher magazine because he often delves deeply into aspects of fly fishing that we don't pay much attention to. And he's a tireless researcher. So when I noticed a deep dive he did on fly-fishing knots using a microscope I knew I had to get him on the podcast. You won't learn about which knot is best, but you will learn about why knots hold and why they break, how to tie a knot properly, and what happens when a knot gives way. In the Fly Box this week, we have some unusually good questions, including: * Will the 10-foot 7-weight Helios D rod offer me enough tippet protection when using 5X for steelhead? * My local wild trout stream has almost dried up this year. Where do the fish go, and how long until this stream can recover? * When wading deep, when I pick up the line and cast I notice I make waves in the water. How can I eliminate this? * When swinging wet flies in a tight stream I need to use a roll cast, but how do I make another roll cast after my flies complete their swing? * I see fish on the bottom of a spring creek but I can't catch them using my tight line technique. What do you think I am doing wrong? * I was scolded by an outfitter when I changed direction when fighting a big fish. He said it will wear a hole in their mouth and they will get off. Was I doing it wrong? * Can I go from a 4X leader with a tippet ring to a 7X tippet? Will not having tapered sections in there be bad? * I don't have much finger dexterity and have trouble saving my tippet scraps. Do you have any suggestions? * A listener reminds us that in lakes in Maine that are listed as fly fishing only, it is illegal to troll a fly. * When trolling a fly from my canoe, how can I get my fly deeper? * Which be the best Helios rod for fishing the Henry's Fork?
Who owns the banks of a river? Who owns the bottom? Who owns the water that flows through a channel? And what defines whether a river is navigable or not? There are often no easy answer to theses questions, and much of it is determined on a state-by-state basis. Beau Beasley [35:27] has spent years looking at specific cases of access controversies, and some of you may not like what he says because he often comes down on the side of a landowner who prohibits access to a piece of river. But Beau looks at the facts and the law and approaches these issues in an objective manner. It's a fascinating discussion. In the Fly Box this week, we have some comments, a bunch of tips, and some tricky questions, including: * Will I find steelhead in the same places I find resident rainbows? * How much time do you spend swinging a run for steelhead before moving on? * A listener makes a case for the positive cost/benefit ratio of fishing with a guide. * How much can a fly rod bend before breaking? * Do trout seem to have an affinity for one color of nymph over another? * How long does a frightened fish stay spooked? And do hatchery fish differ from wild fish in this respect? * If you use a barbless hook on a two nymph rig and attach the bottom fly to the bend, how do you alleviate the problem of losing the lower fly and tippet? * Do you fish a streamer in the same way you would fish a spinning lure? * How can I get smaller nymphs down into very deep, fast pockets in a river? * What would I consider the best roll-casting rod Orvis makes? * Do you have any tricks for hooking fish on a direct downstream presentation?
Panfish are easy to find and catch in the spring and early summer. But later in the season, not so much. Panfish are still around, but we need to look for them in different places and use modified techniques. Bart Lombardo [33:40] is an expert on all things panfish, and he gives us his secrets for finding and catching these delightful fly-rod targets as we approach late summer and fall. In the Fly Box this week, we have a healthy assortment of tips and questions from listeners, including: * A suggestion from a listener on a way to spot small dry flies if you have trouble seeing them on the water * Do you ever fish under bridges? Is it worth it? * When tying in palmered hackle, what is the point in tying hackles in tip-first? * What is your philosophy for selecting a dry fly when using a dry/dropper rig? * I recently caught some nice fish on the edges of strong whirlpools. Have I been missing something, and what suggestions do you have for fishing this kind of water? * If trout aren't actively feeding in higher water temperatures, what difference does it make if we stop fishing at 68 degrees? * I fish two different streams and the fly size recommendations for each one is different. Why such a discrepancy? * What knots do you suggest for tying a 65-pound fluoro shock tippet to a 20-pound class tippet for pike? * Do you think construction a half mile upstream of a spot has scared all the trout away? * Is it OK to move the fly when you mend? Is it OK to mend when fishing a dry fly? * Should you come in from the top of the eye or from the bottom when tying a knot to your fly? * I am only catching smaller smallmouth bass in a spot. How can I find the bigger ones?
What are the pleasures and pitfalls of running a successful fishing lodge? What's it really like behind the scenes? And how did a couple kids from New Hampshire end up running one of the most successful fishing and hunting lodges in Montana? (Hint—it wasn't due to trust funds or investment banker money). This week I interview Tim and Joanne Linehan [39:39], two of the nicest people on the planet and legends in the fly-fishing industry. Their story is a heartwarming success story of a lifelong partnership in love and life. And in the Fly Box this week we have some great questions and helpful tips, including: * Do you have any tips for fishing really muddy water or is it just not worth it? * Does a fish's sense of smell work better in warm water or cold water? * A great story about a listener breaking off a big rainbow and then coming back later in the day, catching the fish, and getting his fly back. * Any tips on a fly rod for a 6-year-old kid? * I have been nymph fishing with a fluorocarbon leader. Should I switch to a nylon leader when dry-fly fishing? * Do you have any tips for setting the hook when fishing dry flies? * Should I use side pressure when playing Atlantic salmon? * Can I use Water Shed on my floating fly line? * Any tips on catching smallmouth buffalo on a fly? * My line and leader won't go straight at the end of the cast and end up curling in on the cast. Any tips as to why this is happening? * I'm taking my first saltwater fly-fishing trip. Will the Battenkill Disc reel give me enough retrieve speed?
Joe Bibbo [32:10] has a great back story and is a wonderful storyteller himself. He's done a lot of DIY fishing, mainly from his home in the East to the Rocky Mountains and has some great advice on where to go for information as you plan your trip. He also has some wonderful advice on what not to do, based on mistakes he's made over the years. I get many questions from listeners about DIY trips so I am sure this podcast will be a popular one. In the Fly Box this week, I had no phone calls to answer (hint, hint) but some good e-mail questions, including: * I get conflicting advice on how close I can get to fish when tightline nymphing. Can you give me some guidelines on how close I can approach them? * Any tricks for seeing small flies in low light? * I bought some Stimulators and see they have wire wraps on them. Can I fish these as wet flies? * I struggle to get a bite from river smallmouth bass in July and August and I could consistently catch them in spring. Any suggestions? * How can I avoid creek chubs in a small weedy stream when I want to target the larger brown trout? * Would it be a good idea to put a small length of sighter material between my fly line and my leader? * Any tips for solo fishing from a raft? * I have been wading with old neoprene waders and Crocs as wading shoes. Do you think I would benefit from modern waders and wading shoes? * I live in Great Lakes steelhead country but sometimes want to avoid the crowds during the winter and fish for smaller trout in inland streams. Do you have any advice for late fall and winter fishing in these streams?
My guest this week is Lucas Bissett [38:42], executive director the AFFTA, the trade association for the fly-fishing industry. Lucas talks about the support they give to small, grass roots organizations for education and habitat protection—organizations that may not be able to apply for larger grants. One of their current projects, which we discuss in detail, is how ocean fish stocks will be managed due to the changes in migration patterns due to climate change. Lucas tells us that the federal organizations that set regulations for harvest and size lengths are very responsive to public input, so its something for which you can make a difference.
In the Fly Box this week, we have some great questions and tips, including:
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I was told the river we fished had lots of 15-inch fish but all we caught were fish up to 12 inches. Could the fish have been in the bottom of deep pools because of the warmer water?
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A tip from a listener, one I'm not completely sold on, for putting stick-on strike indicators on top of dry flies when using heavily weighted nymphs on droppers.
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How do you fish the famous Woolly Bugger in a small, slow moving, turbid stream?
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What two-handed rod should I use for fishing smallmouth bass?
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A listener asks for philosophical advice on whether to enjoy fishing for striped bass in Atlantic salmon rivers.
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A listener has been enjoying fishing for fallfish as trout streams warm and asks for a podcast on fishing for fallfish
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If you are fishing a tandem nymph rig and one fly is not working at all, should you switch out that fly?
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Do you change to a different fly line taper as you go up or down in line sizes?
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Why is there a cutter on tippet spools? Doesn't everyone carry snips?
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Does Tom have a succession plan for the podcast?
My guest this week is Lucas Bissett [38:42], executive director the AFFTA, the trade association for the fly-fishing industry. Lucas talks about the support they give to small, grass roots organizations for education and habitat protection—organizations that may not be able to apply for larger grants. One of their current projects, which we discuss in detail, is how ocean fish stocks will be managed due to the changes in migration patterns due to climate change. Lucas tells us that the federal organizations that set regulations for harvest and size lengths are very responsive to public input, so its something for which you can make a difference.
In the Fly Box this week, we have some great questions and tips, including:
I was told the river we fished had lots of 15-inch fish but all we caught were fish up to 12 inches. Could the fish have been in the bottom of deep pools because of the warmer water?
A tip from a listener, one I'm not completely sold on, for putting stick-on strike indicators on top of dry flies when using heavily weighted nymphs on droppers.
How do you fish the famous Woolly Bugger in a small, slow moving, turbid stream?
What two-handed rod should I use for fishing smallmouth bass?
A listener asks for philosophical advice on whether to enjoy fishing for striped bass in Atlantic salmon rivers.
A listener has been enjoying fishing for fallfish as trout streams warm and asks for a podcast on fishing for fallfish.
If you are fishing a tandem nymph rig and one fly is not working at all, should you switch out that fly?
Do you change to a different fly line taper as you go up or down in line sizes?
Why is there a cutter on tippet spools? Doesn't everyone carry snips?
Does Tom have a succession plan for the podcast?
I take guilty pleasure in hearing horror stories from guides about their worst clients or other crazy things that happen on the river. Orvis-Endorsed Guide of the Year for 2019 Chip Swanson [41:00] is a great storyteller and has had some wild and funny incidents on the river over the years. I think everyone will enjoy these stories but just a warning—although not R-rated, some of his stories mention sensitive body parts so if your kids listen to podcasts with you, you may want to preview them first. Nothing very raunchy but you have been warned! Rated PG-13. In the Fly Box this week, we have some great questions and tips including: * I fish a lake that is stocked with rainbows and has a small tributary stream. Do you think the rainbows will run up into it? * Do you have any tips for being stealthy on a trout stream other than not stepping right into the water? * Can I use a sinking Salmon Poly Leader for trout? * When do you extend the butt section of your leader? * I am using a switch rod for distance in warm water fishing and have tried all kinds of lines but am not happy with my casting. Do you have any tips? * Any tips or tricks on how to travel; with waders and wading boots? I am concerned with my wet wading boots. * Can trout smell us and should I worry about it? * Do Zero-weight fly rods exist and what are they used for? * A tip from a listener about learning to cast at all angles to your body without moving your feet. * I fished a cold Colorado tailwater in the morning and a local angler told me I was on the water too early. Why? * All the hoppers I see have green, brown, or black wings. So why do we put white wings on many of our hopper patterns?
There's no doubt that casting a size 6 weighted streamer is more difficult than a size 14 Parachute Adams. The physics are different, no way around it. But casting guru Pete Kutzer [37:17] has some tricks that he shares to make casting big streamers, nymph rigs, and poppers easier by adjusting your casting motions. This is a frequent question on the Fly Box so I figured there was a need for an entire podcast on the subject. In the Fly Box this week, surprisingly I did not have any questions on casting big flies. But I did have these tips and questions: * I have been looking for brown trout redds on my favorite wild trout stream but have not seen any. When and where do they spawn? * Does it make sense to look at my dry flies from underneath, getting the same view as the fish? I have discovered a way of projecting my flies on the ceiling to look at them. * My fly line lands OK, but my leader and fly curl off to one side and don't go where I want them to. What am I doing wrong? * Why do trout in my river prefer Golden Stonefly nymphs over the bigger Salmonfly patterns? * How do I know where to place studs on my Orvis felt-soled wading boots? * I fish dry droppers on small streams, but in really shallow streams my nymph keeps snagging on the bottom. Do you still fish dry /dropper on very shallow streams? * What is a good foreign language to learn if you travel to fish internationally? * Do trout in cold tailwaters migrate closer to the dam in summer? * I fish a trout stream where the channel was recently put back into an old stream bed. How long will it take for insects and crayfish to repopulate this area? * I kept missing strikes on a weedless Sneaky Pete. Do you think it was the weed guard, or was it just bluegills pecking at my fly? * How do people get their car to the take-out when fishing from a raft?
A couple months ago I did a podcast with Jason Randall [36:39] on trout vision, and it was so popular that I asked him to come back on the podcast to do one on a trout's sense of smell and hearing. Can trout hear your metal studs on the bottom when you wade, or the tip of your wading staff? Can they hear you talking? Can they smell your flies, and does it make sense to add scents to your fly? Can they smell hatches coming? I explore these and other topics with one of our foremost experts on what trout perceive in their environment. In the Fly Box this week, we have a great assortment of questions and tips from listeners, including: * What could I tie with size 16 and 18 Keel Hooks? * When working the same pool, should the nymph or streamer angler cover the pool first? * Where should you park when you see a stretch of unposted land? * A listener relates a fun story of his first carp on the fly * What would make me choose the more expensive textured Pro fly line over the Smooth version? * What is your rod, leader, and fly setup when fishing a small stream? * Is there a difference between a dubbing loop and the split thread technique? * Do Recons and Clearwaters go through the same process of improvements that Helios rods do? * I saw a lot of bugs but no trout rising. Do you think they were overwhelmed by too much food? * If trout in the East don't eat adult stoneflies much, why does the Chubby Chernobyl work so well? * I find sunglasses in the evening a hindrance. What should I do to protect my eyes after the sun goes down?
Captain Drew Rodriguez [27:23] is the only Orvis-endorsed freshwater guide in Florida and specializes in largemouth and peacock bass in the canals near Miami and also the Everglades. In summer, peacocks are his main target as they just love hot weather, the hotter the better. He discusses how to find them, what flies to pick, and what tackle he recommends. They are a year-round target in the Miami area and, according to Captain Drew, a 30-fish day is a slow one. In the Fly Box this week, we have some interesting questions and great tips from listeners, including: * Can I fit my fly boxes, lunch, and a raincoat in the standard Orvis Sling Bag? * A tip from a listener on how college fly-fishing clubs can get involved with the Trout Unlimited Five Rivers program * A tip for taking notes on your phone to remind you of podcast questions * A tip for using desiccant packages in your fly boxes * Should I tether myself to my 7-year-old daughter when we are wading together? * A tip from a listener on "urban blue lining". * If I fall in, what steps should I take to dry out my gear? * What would be a recommendation for a basic surf fishing outfit for the East Coast, Florida, the Caribbean, and Central America? * How can I manage the fly line around my feet when it gets stuck on obstructions in the river? * Why don't they make longer fiberglass rods? * If I am catching more whitefish than trout, should I move? * What is the best way to fish nymphs without an indicator? * Is dry fly fishing on a lake better in calm or riffled water? * A hot tip from a regular listener on a great fly pattern
Brandon Dale [43:32] is a licensed New York State guide who specializes in fishing, of all places, Central Park in the middle of The Big Apple. You may not be interested in fishing for carp in Central Park, but Brandon offers some valuable tips on carp fishing in murky water, and has developed some innovative techniques that all carp fanatics will want to learn. In the Fly Box this week, we have a wide variety of questions and tips from listeners, including: * Any tips on finding places to fly fish close to home? * A tip from a listener on how to get studs in wading boots to mount properly * What about kapok dubbing and wing burners? What are your thoughts on using them? * How can I fish a small mountain stream when it gets murky? * Should I wear my wading jacket inside or outside of my waders? * How should I read the water in rivers for bass? * Is there an advantage to shorter rods when fishing for bass in rivers? * I caught two rainbows that looked exactly the same. Could it have been the same fish? * Do graphite rods get slower over time? * What advice do you have for getting a fly rod for a 5-year-old? * How do fish get rid of flies when you break them off? * I fished a river and all I caught was creek chubs. Is that a good or bad sign, and is it worth going back to that river? * I have problems when I cast bigger flies. What should I do to practice with big flies? * Are prescription progressive polarized glasses worth the extra cost?
I feel that European stillwater anglers are far more sophisticated in their approach to stillwater trout fishing and have studied it in more detail than most North American lake anglers. As a result, they use some techniques that are unlike what you see on most trout lakes and ponds in North America and both the flies and methods they use are worth experimenting with. My guest this week, Chad Critchley [48:21], is a guide and stillwater angler (and a lapsed competition angler) who shares some of these methods with us. In the Fly Box this week, we have these questions and more: * How should I retrieve Woolly Buggers for bass and panfish? * My knots to my flies are always slipping. What am I doing wrong? * Do you have any tips on fishing larger rivers? * Any reason, when fishing a popper/drop[per rig for bass, that I can't tie my popper on a separate dropper instead of tying to the bend of the popper hook? * If daytime water temperatures are around 70 but night time temperatures when I fish are 65 degrees, do you think it's safe to fish for trout? * Why don't fly anglers use braided line for tippet—it's very supple. * Do you take fly tying materials with you on a fishing trip? How do you decide whether to take them or not? * We saw huge schools of striped bass on a flat but they would not take any fly we presented to them. Do you have any tips? * How do you recommend I clean my polarized sunglasses, and what to you recommend to keep them from fogging up? * What kind of mayfly spinner patterns should I carry in the Northeast? * What is the best way to keep trout hooked when fishing downstream with wet flies? * I am young but I still have trouble seeing small dry flies on the water. What tips do you have for seeing them?
This episode was originally posted on March 10, 2022.
Josh Nugent of Out Fly Fishing in Calgary has been doing a series of “Seven Deadly Sins” podcasts with me over the past couple of years and this one is chock full of great advice [38:38]. Josh is a very preceptive angler and thinks deeply about how flies behave in the water and how trout react to them, and in the interview we go off on a number of tangents—all interesting and all about nymph fishing—and all of them with great advice on how to make your indicator nymphing game more fun and productive.
In the Fly Box this week, we have some great tips and questions from listeners, including:
A terrific tip on why tying tube flies is a great way to get kids started
What kind of other storage systems does Tom use around his roll-top desk?
Where can I learn more about fly fishing for largemouth and smallmouth bass?
What do you suggest for preventing cutoffs by chain pickerel?
Can I use sitka or axis deer, antelope, or goat hair for fly tying?
A great tip on replacing wing cases on smaller nymphs with a drop of UV cure resin
Should I use my leader straightener?
Can I do longline French/Spanish nymphing with a two-handed rod?
How can I locate pinhole leaks ion my waders?
How do older series of rods compare to the modern ones? What is better about the more recent models?
I know your higher-end rods are made in Vermont, but where do the components come from?
Why do Americans shoot and kill birds?
What is a good two-line rotation for streamer fishing in Michigan?
I kept my fiberglass rod in a hot car and now I notice it has a kink in it. Could the hot car have been the reason?
Last week we looked at urban fly fishing in the Rockies. This week we venture into the American south with Orvis Atlanta fishing manager Devin Lancaster for an expert look at how to find and catch interesting fly-rod species within your own city limits by using a method he calls Blue Dotting. You'll need to listen to the podcast to find out exactly what that is. In the Fly Box this week, as usual we have some interesting questions and helpful tips, including: * If I am fishing for smallmouth in a river that also hosts trout and the water temperature is 68 degrees, what should I do? * How can I cast to smallmouth in a river where I have almost no back-cast room? * In lakes with multiple species, when fishing from shore should I expect to find different types of fish at different times? * I have difficulty setting the hook on trout with a "trout set" and do better with a strip set. Why is the 'trout set" recommended for trout? * Do you have any tips on fly fishing for walleye? * Why do some nymphs call for a partridge collar and other nymphs use a CDC collar? Is there any difference? * A listener relates that the Ralph Cutter podcast on wading safety literally saved his life. * Are all the new Helios models four times as accurate, or just the 905? * Are there any dry flies tied with cork these days? * How can I get my fly into a deep pool directly below a waterfall? * What do you know about the old PM-10 and T-3 Orvis rods? * Is a double or triple surgeon's loop better than a perfection loop in lighter tippets? * Does hook shank shape affect hooking qualities? * How can I swing wet flies in small streams? * A great tip from a listener on wearing wool socks underneath neo socks when wet wading to avoid sand between your toes. * Is a George Harvey leader the same as a braided leader?
It's no secret that the more popular trout rivers in the Rocky Mountains have gotten more crowded in the past few years. Yet there are so many species of fish that are fun with a fly rod, closer to home, and that live in places that are far less crowded. Davis James shares his experience with the "25 On the Fly" event, where anglers in the Front Range try to catch 25 different species of fish on the fly rod in two days (no one has ever done it). He share his tips for what species are available, how to find them, what tackle to use, and what fly patterns to try. We all need to embrace these wonderful fish to have fun closer to home and to take pressure off our more productive trout streams. In the Fly Box this week, we have some great questions and tips from listeners, including: * What percentage of the time do you use a dry dropper or double dry rig? * What weight fly rod is best for panfish? And what flies should I use? * How do we ensure our fly fishing traditions are passed on to the younger generation? * How can I make my dry dropper rig drift tight to the opposite bank? * Is fly fishing for carp popular in Europe? * How do I organize and carry my wide assortment of trout flies? How does Tom do it? * How can I fish for panfish and largemouth bass in an old gravel pit that drops off steeply? * A great tip from a listener about how to tie a more durable egg pattern * I was fishing a double dry rig for fish rising to small mayflies and my imitation was perfect but I didn't fool as many fish as I should have. What should I have done differently? * I have trouble threading my tippet onto a small dry fly. Can I tie the tippet to the bend of the hook instead?
I get lots of questions about polarized sunglasses—how are they made, what exactly do they do, glass vs. plastic, what color lens should I pick, and do expensive ones really offer an advantage? And why can't I get clear polarized sunglasses for low light? My guest, Renato Cappuccitti [41:51], is an expert on polarized sunglasses and will answer your questions and mine about one of the most essential pieces of gear. In the Fly Box this week we have some thoughtful and interesting questions and comments, including: * Why can't I get braided leaders any more? * Can I just put a long level tippet on a braided leader? * My brook trout stream does not seem to have any fish larger than five inches. Do you think there are any bigger ones in there? * I was fishing a sulfur hatch and it started raining and the fish turned off completely. Why do you think this happened? * How can I eliminate wind knots when fishing a dropper rig? * My girlfriend has trouble stripping in fish. Do you have any tips for improving her coordination? * What are the pros and cons of furled leaders? * My floating line starts to sink after fishing for a while. Can I apply gel flotant to it? * A listener reminds us that for many balance problems while fishing the best place for help is to find a licensed physical therapist * My fly line broke eight feet from the tip. Can I still use it? * How many leaders should I carry in my leader wallet? * A listener reminds us that too often when wading we worry about dropping our rod or phone in the water at the expense of safety. * An expert on UV cure adhesives gives advice on using the right wavelength of light and the correct amount of time and distance to use the light. * If you have a 9-foot 5-weight and a 10-footer in the Helios models, what reason is there to have a 9-foot, 5-inch model? * How can I avoid putting a set into my bamboo fly rod? * How can I catch brook trout in high water?
What is a delayed harvest stream and how do the regulations work? Do you use different flies and methods for hatchery fish? How far do hatchery fish move and in which direction? You'll learn the answers to these questions and many more with Dustin Coffey [46:39], the winner of the 2024 Orvis Endorsed Guide of the Year award. In the podcast this week, as usual we have some interesting and thought-provoking questions, including: * Does fly line color matter? * Why don't my subtle baitfish patterns work in Patagonia? * Can I use my big brown trout streamers for Atlantic salmon since they are related to brown trout? * How deep do you insert studs when adding them to felt-soled waders? * How do I get my streamers deeper when fishing for sea-run brook trout in rivers where weighted flies and sinking lines are not allowed? * Is it acceptable if I troll from a kayak for striped bass, and what rod should I use? * A listener writes in to tell us that the orange goo found in some rivers is a natural phenomenon * What do I use for a practice streamer when casting on my lawn? * Does the noise from my wading shoes and wading staff scare trout? * Do trout live in streams with mucky bottoms? * Any other casting methods besides the roll cast I can use on smaller streams? * I fished over some rising trout with my nymph rig and didn't catch them. Should I have switched to a dry fly? * How should I rig for pike? * What are the pros and cons of using an 8 ½ foot rod vs. a 9-foot rod in Colorado tailwaters? * When do you put down your rod and take photos? * How can I get the cement off my hooks when I want to re-use the hooks from beat-up Clouser Minnows?
Breckenridge Outfitters is this year's winner of the Orvis Endorsed Outfitter of the Year Award and Tim West [44:07] is the glue that holds this fabulous guide service together. In the interview, Tim talks about how to decide which fly to tie on at the beginning of the day, or when you first approach the water. Do you start with a streamer, a nymph, a wet fly, a dry fly, or some combination of them? What clues should you observe to decide which one to try? We have some fascinating questions this week in the fly box, questions I am sure many of you think about yourself, including: * Can you explain the difference between fast, medium, and slow fly rods? * I noticed a bright orange sludge-like material on the bottom of my stream. Should I stay away from this one? * Do you think kayaks spook trout more than belly boats? * After a rod, reel, and line, what piece of gear should I consider next? * When tying to fill a fly box, should I tie one of each pattern or 4 or 5 of the same one? * Is there a disadvantage of using a perfection loop instead of a non-slip mono loop when tying on a streamer? * If I see a heron in a pool in a small stream, should I move on and avoid that pool? * Would it work to have a leader with a very long butt section, a short transition section, and a very long tippet? * Why do trout eat or reject an imitation of a midge pupa in a lake? * Do you think a 5-weight outfit is a good rod for taking to Alaska? * Why don't my marabou flies stay fluffy once they have been used? * A listener tip for tying a dropper to the bend of a hook.
Carp are difficult any time but around spawning time they can be extremely frustrating. But they can be caught on a fly. You need to know where to look and which fish to target. Guide Rowan Lytle [44:38] has it dialed in, and if you always wanted to catch a carp on the fly you need to listen to this podcast. Rowan, not yet 30 years old, has already caught 202 different species of fish on a fly rod, and some of them will surprise you. But you'll need to listen to the podcast to find out what they are. In the Fly Box this week, we have some great questions and tips from listeners, including: * I tip for taming your line and leader when you don't use a hook keeper * How far do I hold my UV lamp form the fly when curing UV epoxy? * What do I do on my local lake when the Power Bait crowd out-fishes me? * How do I catch catfish on a fly rod? * Do you fish different caddis pupa patterns for cased vs. uncased caddis? * How do different holes in a river change throughout the season? * Should I fish dry flies and nymphs in a lake different from the way I fish them in streams? * Do weed guards on flies actually work in thick vegetation? * If we see mayflies about size 12 hatching in our lake, should we use a size 12 nymph or one smaller? * What is the difference between flow, thin, and thick UV resins and when should I use each one? * My size 20 grizzly hackle keeps breaking. Do you have any tips for keeping tension and not breaking the stems? * What are the advantages and disadvantages of buying a complete outfit vs. separate components? * A tip from a listener on whether to use your wading staff upstream or downstream of your position. * I want to start tying flies. What pattern would you recommend I start with? * What are your favorite bass and bluegill flies?
My guest this week is Sarah Foster [54:15], executive director of The American Museum of Fly Fishing, on why she thinks learning about the history and traditions surrounding fly fishing are important and add to our enjoyment. She talks about recent exhibits and acquisitions, and what is in store for the future of the museum. It's a must-see for anyone visiting southern Vermont. In the Fly Box this week, we have some especially interesting questions and tips from listeners, including: * Why do I keep getting strikes on nymphs while stripping them upstream like a streamer? * Is the throat of a pool a common place to find trout feeding? * At what temperature does a brown trout start to actively feed? * When I see a pod of rising trout, why can I only fool one fish even though the other ones continue to feed? * How do older Orvis bamboo fly rods compare to contemporary models? * I found eggs in holdover brown trout in the spring. Were these fish that never found a mate? * I have trouble with rabbit's foot hair coming loose on my flies. How do I secure it better? * If you only had one line for striped bass from shore, what line would you choose? * How much time before the incoming or outgoing tide should I fish for striped bass? * Can you explain exactly what a shock tippet is? * What is your "last fly" during the evening hatch when it gets tough to see? * Do polarized sunglasses lose their effectiveness over time? * A listener gives a tip for an easier way to tie a surgeon's knot * A listener gives a caution about fishing below sewage treatment plants after a major flood event * My 70-denier thread keeps breaking. What could be the problem? * What feathers from a chicken are useful in fly tying? * I fish a 6-weight rod and want a different rod for smaller streams. What should I pick? * I always use a wading staff. Is the metal tip on the staff an alarm clock for trout, and have you ever put on a rubber tip to prevent this?
Scott [41:18] is an assistant professor of motor control and learning at Long Beach University, as well as a fly fisher and podcast listener. He has a small number of quick tests you can do at home to check your balance, and then simple exercises you can do at home without any special equipment to improve your balance in a matter of weeks. Wading safely and comfortably on a river involves both balance and confidence, and what you learn here will give you help with both. You'll enjoy your time on the water more. In the Fly Box this week we have so many great tips from listeners that I may be able to retire and turn the podcast over to you. But we also have some interesting questions that I'm happy to answer as best I can. Some of these include: * A listener suggests when a self-inflating PFD may be a good option * Two listeners weigh in on how to access scientific articles on fisheries science with paying a fee for access * A listener offers a great suggestion on how to easily attach a dropper to the bend of a hook. * Should I be concerned about fishing below a sewage treatment outlet? * A listener tells a great tale of his momentous catch on one of the new Helios rods * Should I be concerned about angling for fish when they are on their spawning run? * With the new Helios rods, do you still prefer the F version for trout and the D version for salt water? * If I dispose of the shiners I catch will it help the local trout population? * What do you think of using an indicator with a big nymph or crayfish fly for early season smallmouth? * Can you explain the difference between a shooting head and a sink-tip line? * A listener gives some expert advice on the choice of insect repellents * I am having trouble with short roll casts. Do you think it's my casting technique? * Is it helpful to pre-treat dry flies right after you tie them? * If I fish an indicator and split shot and a nymph, should I use a double taper or weight-forward line?
Ralph Cutter [36:53] is an extremely perceptive, pragmatic angler with a lifetime of experience in white water, both fishing and in watercraft and water rescues. He feels that what we’ve been taught to do if we fall in wearing waders is all wrong, and he has a number of tips for getting to shore safely that most of us don’t know about. He also recommends a second wader belt for wading in very tricky waters. He’s proven this through countless experiments on the water. If you spend any time at all wading in rivers, you must listen to this podcast—or you can read an article in Fly Fisherman magazine he wrote a number of years ago through this link: How to Wade Safely and Get Out of Dangerous Situations - Fly Fisherman
In the Fly Box this week, we have questions that range from the very basic to more advanced, and tips from listeners as well, including:
- Why do my CDC dry flies sink like a rock?
- I am not feeling strikes when I am nymph fishing. Are there improvements I can make to feel more fish?
- Would a longer rod help more in nymph fishing?
- Why aren’t knotless leaders marked with a small segment of color so that the butt, tippet, and transition sections are clearly demarcated?
- A listener clarifies the issue of whether northern strain brook trout were ever stocked in the southern Appalachians
- If I want to fish pools that are 8-10 feet deep with a Euro rig, do I need an 8-10-foot tippet?
- What do I do if I am fishing a dropper rig and my upper dropper tippet breaks off or gets too short? Do I need to tie another surgeon’s knot?
- If I am fishing straight upstream, do I need to mend my line?
- If my hook bends after removing it from a snag and I bend it back into place, will that weaken the hook?
- I have trouble tying a dropper onto the bend of a hook. I lose tension and pressure before cinching the knot down. Do you have any tips to help this?
- The water temperature was in the 40s and there was a mayfly hatch, but I only caught fish on nymphs and nothing was rising. Why did this happen?
- Does choosing a fly rod really depend mostly on the size flies you’re throwing? When I fish a small bass fly, I don’t want to try to land a bass on my 3-weight.
The use of the natural toxin rotenone to remove invasive, non-native species of trout to protect native species is a controversial topic. Does it really work? What does the poison do to the insect, mammal, and bird populations? Ted Williams [52:36], a proponent of these tactics in selected waters, discusses where reclaiming populations has been successful and also places where it would not make sense. Ted is one of the foremost environmental writers of our time and is never afraid to stick his neck out, so you may agree with what he says or you may not, but you’ll learn some important biology in the process.
In the Fly Box this week, we have a host of interesting questions and some great tips from listeners, including:
- A plug for Trout Unlimited’s “Trout in the Classroom” projects
- What is your favorite rod for small streams, what size flies do you use, and where do I find the biggest trout in small streams?
- Can I use nymphs in small streams? They have not worked for me.
- How do you test water temperature? Do you need to suspend the thermometer deep in the water?
- How can I catch walleye on my fly rod?
- At what water temperature should I fish for bass?
- How long do you stick with one fly before changing it, and what do you look for in new water?
- Have you found any difference between painted and unpainted flies on streamers?
- I want to do some writing about fly fishing. How do you handle criticism when you do this?
- What is the best practice for tipping guides?
- Do you recommend studs for rubber-soled waders, and how often can you remove them and then put them back?
- On cloudy days I can’t see as much with my polarized glasses? What should I do?
- How long does it take for trout to get back into their normal positions after a flood?
- Should you present streamers differently in the early season than you would later in the spring?
- The dry fly on my dry/dropper rig keeps twisting. What can I do to avoid this?
- How do you get your fly to fish in deep water running along the bottom?
- I keep breaking my tippet where it connects to my tippet ring even though I am using a lighter tippet to my flies. What can I do?
This week, my guest is guide BJ Gerhart [33:50], a longtime veteran guide at Three Rivers Ranch in Idaho and one of the savviest anglers I know. He shares his tips for getting around the common problems of early season trout fishing, mainly cold water and high flows.
In the Fly Box this week, we have some helpful tips from listeners, and some interesting questions for Tom, including:
- If adult trout can’t see UV light, as you said in last week’s podcast, what should I do with all the UV and flashy materials I have in my fly-tying collection?
- What kind of standard trout flies are closest to the kebari flies used in tenkara fishing?
- When fishing a dry dropper, all the trout took my dry fly yet when I removed the nymph I stopped getting strikes. What caused this?
- Why are beads on nymphs usually gold?
- Why is my casting worse when I use beadhead flies?
- What are the main differences between the 9-foot and the 8-foot, 5-inch Helios rods for a 10-weight line?
- Why is fly fishing for salmon in Great Lakes streams not as popular as steelhead fishing?
- When choosing a fly line for a two-handed rod, should I add the grain weight of the sinking head to the grain weight of the Skagit head?
- A great tip for wading safety with a buddy
- A listener raves about the Orvis rod repair team
- Do you think I should stop trout fishing at 60 degrees just to be safe?
- Are there public resources I can use to find out if a river might be too high to fish?
- A listener gives a tip for adding a long mono rig easily without the need to tie a clinch knot to the permanent loop in a fly line.
Can trout see color? Can they see UV light? How does a trout's window on the outside world affect how they feed and how they notice predators like us? How can a trout see so well at night and also in bright light when they have no eyelids, and their pupils don't constrict? Jason Randall [31:10] is an experienced fly fisher and scientist, and he stays up on the latest scientific papers on trout and also talks to leading scientists, and is one of the best at distilling this information for us ordinary anglers. This is a fascinating podcast and Jason does a great job of explaining trout vision. In the Fly Box this week, we have some great questions but also a bunch of great tips from listeners, including: * When water is low and the sun is bright, what tactics do you recommend for Great Lakes steelhead? * Four great fly-tying tips from a tier in the UK * I am looking at the 10-foot Helios rods. For all-around fishing, should I get the 3-weight F model or the 4-weight D model? * A guide from the mid-Atlantic shares tips on targeting snakeheads * A young fly tier asks for advice on a moderately priced vise for tying bass flies * Why do my 9-foot 6X knotless leaders keep breaking? * A new fly fisher from Ohio recounts a wonderful experience he had on the river * A listener provides some great tips on rooftop rod carriers * A listener asks for suggestions for a book on the history of trout in North America
My guest this week is Brandon Hoffner [35:55], executive director of the Henry’s Fork Foundation, and the topic is the diverse habitat and trout-fishing opportunities of this world-famous river that has influenced so many anglers, techniques, and fly patterns over the years. Like all trout rivers today, the Henry’s Fork also has its share of environmental issues and we’ll explore how the Henry’s Fork Foundation works to maintain this magical fishery.
In the Fly Box this week, we have a roundup of questions and tips from listeners, including:
- What is the advantage of a 9 ½-foot rod over a 9-footer or 10-footer?
- A great tip from a listener on how to remove salt water from flies you have fished
- When would you use a Tenkara rod over a traditional Western rod? And do you have a favorite Tenkara rod?
- Does Tom Rosenbauer actually tie the flies in the Orvis Tom Rosenbauer fly selection?
- What is the history of the famous Orvis Far & Fine graphite rod, and what line would you put on it?
- For small creeks, is it better to use a 2-weight or a 3-weight line?
- What can I substitute for goose biots on the tail of a stonefly nymph?
- Can you explain the pros and cons of polyleaders vs. sink-tip fly lines?
- What are the best fly lines on the new Helios 7 ½-foot 3-weight rod and the new 8-foot, 5-inch 7-weight rod?
- A listener talks about how he uses the new Orvis wading staff as a hiking staff as well.
- Will the heat inside a car in summer hurt my Orvis raincoat?
- A call from Captains for Clean Water with some great news from the Everglades
The Montana Supreme Court recently reversed a decision that would have blocked a copper mine on the headwaters of the Smith River. Where we thought we had a win in preventing a mine in the wrong place, we now may have to live with that mine. David Brooks [33:02] on Montana TU tells us how, at the very least, TU and other organizations convinced the mine to put in a number of mitigation solutions that were not in their original plan. Trout Unlimited has one more hail Mary on this issue, which you can learn about in the podcast. This is a tough subject to listen to, but we learn that we can never give up on environmental issues, even when it looks like we've won.
(To sign a petition in support of Trout Unlimited's position preventing the mine from expanding onto public land, click here https://montanatu.org/protect-the-smith-sign-the-mineral-withdrawal-petition/
In the Fly Box this week, we have some more fun and positive topics, including: * What is a tailing loop in fly casting? * To practice casting for a saltwater trip, should I just use yarn or should I use a hookless fly similar to the size I will be casting? * What is the purpose of a wing on a wet fly? * Does the loop at the end of a fly line cause energy loss? * How can I photograph striped bass beneath a bridge? * Can I keep fly rods in my cartop quiver in hot weather? * A great tip from a listener about using white poster board on the surface of an old rolltop desk. * Another tip from a listener on using inexpensive drill gauges to size hunks of deer hair and beads. * Would a one-piece rod be better than a four-piece rod? * How do I keep debris from drifting downstream when fishing the top of a riffle? * What is a good all-around fly line for bonefish and redfish? * I had a fishless day and then a guy with a spin rod caught a trout right in front of me. Should I have switched to a streamer earlier?
Josh Miller [43:10] is a guide and has been a competitive angler and coach for years and he, like many young fly fishers, is an innovative angler who doesn't rely only on older methods of fly fishing but develops his own techniques based on how he wants his flies to drift. This is a geeky one with some rambling, but I think Josh has some thought-provoking ideas that will get many of us thinking. In the Fly Box we have some interesting questions and tips from listeners, including: * What model of an older Orvis rod do you still fish? * Do you have any tips from casting a Spey rod from the beach? * The head on a fly I tied unraveled. Was it because I used Superglue and half hitches? * A tip from a listener on a product that will sharpen fly-tying scissors. * What conditions are best for fishing a bamboo rod? * Can I underline a fiberglass rod? * Can I cut the taper off an old WF5F line to make a lighter line for small streams? * How can I get my fly-tying thread to jump backward so I can tie in tricky materials? * What kind of setup do I need for catching snakeheads on a fly rod? * Why do smaller streams produce smaller trout and bigger rivers bigger fish? * What kind of PFD should I get for wearing under a fishing vest? * Why can't I find good brown and grizzly dry-fly hackle in size 12? * What do I need to do to switch between conventional nymphing and Euro nymphing? * Do most communities have fly-fishing clubs and how do I find them? * If I am going from a small stream to a lake, should I lengthen my butt section or lengthen my tippet?
This week, my guest is Orvis rod designer and my fishing buddy Shawn Combs [14:05], who uses the new Helios rods as an example of how a new rod series is developed. What kind of input goes into a new rod design? Why do we keep making new rod series? How are they tested? How many prototypes of a new rod are built before we decide on the final model? The Fly Box is short this week because I've caught up with questions and am doing this before I leave for a couple weeks. But they're good ones, including: * Do I need to set the hook in a different manner with a glass fly rod? * Is there something about the new Helios rods that is not covered on the web site and catalog copy? * Is there a place where I can still pick up a Helios 3 rod? * I am going to Cozumel and will be wade fishing from the beach. What should I know in advance? * A listener gives some great tips on fly fishing for trout in Missouri
This week, my guest is educator and aquatic entomologist Anna Le [18:57], who introduces us to the amazing world of trout-stream invertebrates. She tells us how to gauge the health of a river by looking at the bugs, and also how we can all be citizen scientists and alert the authorities when we see a decline of important indicator species. In the Fly Box this week we have the usual mix of difficult and easy questions, plus tips, including: * A great tip from a listener—don't try to fish while you are wading. * Can I put an 8-weight line on my 7-weight Pflueger Medalist reel? * A funny story from a listener on another way to break a fly rod * As I get older my eyesight and finger dexterity are not what they used to be. Is there an easier knot for attaching flies to my tippet? * Why don't more people fish for chubs, and why are they considered a trash fish? * Do you have any recommended cicada patterns? * A listener who is also a toxicologist warns that not all fly-tying materials are harmless and gives tips on how to avoid undue exposure to them. * I have trouble tying tails on size 18 and smaller flies. Do you have any tips?
This week my guest is Charlie Schneider [45:30] from Cal Trout, a great organization that Orvis has supported over the years because they are really effective in protecting wild trout habitat. Charlie talks about the many species and subspecies (or races depending on whether you are a lumper or a splitter) of wild trout found in California, some of are unique to California. The incredibly diverse topography and geology (and proximity to the Pacific Ocean) contribute to this array of salmonids and it's fascinating to get an overview of them. In the Fly Box this week, we have some great questions and tips, including: * Why do I have trouble Euro nymphing in slow pools when I have such good luck in faster water? * I catch steelhead from Lake Ontario tributaries during the colder months but I don't catch trout there during the summer. Why? * I am having trouble casting a Euro rig. What tips can you give me? * How can I wean myself off my spinning rod when it's so much more successful that my fly rod? * What are your thoughts on the Non-Slip Mono Loop for dry flies? * Have you ever tired the Australian Braid Knot as a replacement for the Bimini Twist? * Which is more important in choosing a line size—the size of the fish or the size of the fly? * Can trout spill over a dam into streams below? * Can you give me some tips on catching cutthroat trout? * How can I tell if there are trout in a small stream? * I am 17 and can't afford a hackle cape. Is there any way to save money on a cape, and what color would you recommend I start with? * Is it so bad if I want to keep a few wild trout to eat? Why the big emphasis on catch and release? * What is that protrusion on the opposite side of the spool from a reel handle? It can't be a counterweight. * If I have a medium-fast 5-weight rod, will a 6-weight line make it more of a medium action? * I lost 30-40 fish in the tail of a pool swinging flies. What was I doing wrong? * How do you select deer hair for Comparadun wings?
My guest this week is Charity Rutter [39:50], a great friend and longtime guide in the Great Smoky Mountains. She and her husband Ian have just finished a great book (I read the manuscript and loved it) and although it won't be available until April, you can pre-order it here:
https://randrflyfishing.com/store/fly-fishing-guide-to-great-smoky-mountains-national-park/
Charity shares her secrets for making more out of your time on small waters, and although she concentrates on her area, she has fished small streams throughout North America and her tips will help you no matter where you fish.
In the Fly Box this week we have a nice assortment of questions and tips on fly fishing and fly tying, including:
- Why do you hate hook keepers so much?
- Is it true that you should not hook your fly onto your stripping guide?
- A listener recounts his first experience with selling flies he tied himself.
- A number of people chide me for not using a wading staff—yet.
- Will it hurt my fly line if I stretch it first before fishing?
- A listener gives some good advice on how to get out of a dangerous situation while wading, and how to prevent your waders from acting like a sea anchor.
- A tip from a listener on how he deals with litter during a day of fishing and one on how he carries rods on the back seat of his vehicle.
- A listener tells me how pleased he was with Orvis reel repair service.
- Should I wear socks when wearing the new Pro Approach Hikers in salt water?
- Can I Euro nymph in lakes and ponds?
- A tip from a listener on making more durable peacock herl bodies.
- Where should I put the heavy section of mono on a shock leader?
- A listener shares a tip on playing darts during the winter to keep those casting muscles in shape
- I used rubber soled wading shoes on slippery rocks and had poor traction. Should I stud them or just get a pair of felt-soled boots?
- In a remote lake with an inlet and outlet, will trout move into the outlet as well as the inlet?
- How can I keep my dropper and tippet from slipping off my barbless hook when fishing with a dry dropper? And what knot is best when attaching a dropper to a hook bend?
- I have a 9-foot 5-weight rod and want a rod for fishing for panfish and streamers for trout. What rod should I get next?
Lindsay Kocka [42:30] is a fly-fishing instructor, formally trained natural movement and strength coach, mobility specialist, yoga teacher, and mindfulness educator. She taken her fishing experience and formal training to come up with a method to help us wade stronger and more confidently. Regardless of your age, you'll benefit from this podcast, which will give you lots of tips on how to feel more comfortable and confident on the water. You'll also learn about how to get your body and balance in better shape for your upcoming trips on the water. In the Fly Box this week, we have an unusually large number of useful tips from listeners, as well as the usual questions for Tom, including: * Will my Clearwater fly lines be OK in salt water? * Why don't we use grain weights instead of the AFTMA number system for identifying the weights of trout fly lines like we do for double-handed rods? * The fly shops are always out of my favorite fly pattern, the Purple Haze. I just want to tie those. Should I start with a kit or should I just buy the materials I need for that fly pattern? * A tip from a listener on how to attach a fly so that it does not twist your leader * When you work a section of water, should you work the near seam or the far seam first? * A tip from a listener on how to replace the permanent loop on your fly line with a new one * A tip from a listener on how to remove burrs or grooves in your fly-tying bobbin * A tip from a listener on why you should save old waders, and how to use them to patch new ones. * A tip from a listener on why it is important to support your local fly shop * Tips from a blind fly fisher on methods he uses to enjoy fly fishing, and a couple tips from him on how to make threading a fly easier—something that all of us can benefit from. * Tips from a listener on practicing your fly casting from the position you'll most often be fishing from. * What is the etiquette when wading anglers and boaters cross paths on the water? * Why would someone pick a 91/2-foot or 9-foot, 5-inch rod over a 9-footer? * What tips do you have for casting a sinking leader? * Can I keep my rods set up in or on my car for extended periods?
All about Floating Fly Lines, with Josh Jenkins What is the difference between freshwater and saltwater fly lines? How about warmwater and cold-water lines? How long do fly lines last? How do you care for a fly line? How do you clean a fly line? Why do we have over-weighted fly lines? These are questions I often get for the podcast, so I asked Josh Jenkins [49:28], head of R&D for Scientific Anglers, to answer these questions and more about floating fly lines. In the Fly Box this week, as usual we have some great questions and helpful tips from listeners they want to share with you, including: * What is the best rod length, line size, and leader for brook trout? * Can I throw a small Woolly Bugger with my 3-weight rod or do I need a heavier rod? * Are there any fly-tying materials that could have a negative health impact? * Do you know of a source for those bags used to hold fly-tying materials? * What flies can I use ruffed grouse feathers on? * Should I use my heavier nymph as my point (lower) fly? * I am looking at an Amplitude Creek line for small streams but it states the line is one size heavier. Will it spook the brook trout I am after? * How many flies do you lose every season, and how do you lose most of them? * How long should I expect a fly to last? * I love carp and bass fishing and have always been underwhelmed by trout fishing. What am I missing? * Are 6-piece rods any good, and would you take one on a long trip? * I got some old feathers that are bug infested. How can I clean them to make sure all the critters are gone? * A useful tip from a listener—to slow you down and help you observe a river better, don't string up your rod until you get to the river. * What do you do when you change species? Do you have separate fly boxes for each? * When coming up with a new fly pattern, how do you decide hook style and thread type? * Tip for keeping young kids away from a fly-tying area—use a baby gate * What is the most versatile fly for catching bass, carp, and panfish? * I get seasick. What is the best place to go bonefishing where I will find calm water?
Are there any tricks to spotting fish on saltwater flats, especially if it's your first time? You may be disappointed to hear that there is no magic bullet and every place you fish will offer different species, water color, and depth. But Jason Franklin [37:36] has a lifetime of experience helping his clients to spot bonefish and permit in the water, and he gives us some solid tips on how to develop this skill. In the Fly Box this week, we have an unusual number of great tips from listeners, along with some questions Tom attempts to answer, including: * Will a 2-weight rod give me more enjoyment than my 7 1/2-foot 3-weight when bluelining on my local streams? How about a 10 foot two-weight? * What is the purpose of tying a tippet ring on the end of big dry flies? * Three great fly-tying and fishing hacks from a listener * A listener describes how he fixed a bobbin that kept cutting thread using a fly-tying bead. * What hook sizes can I cast on my 5-weight when fishing for bass? And would it help to put a 6-weight on my rod when casting larger flies? * What do you think of trying weedless carp flies for fish that are in pockets between weeds? * If I am tying various styles of streamers in a range of sizes, should I get a rooster cape? * Do I need to dry out my fly line before putting my reel away? * I want to try a tenkara rod but my fishing buddy says it's not fly fishing. What do you think? * I could catch trout on Woolly Buggers but had trouble catching them on small midges. What should I try in this tailwater the next time I go? * Three tips from a listener on getting success when tight-line nymphing. * Is it possible to get transcripts for the podcasts? * What is the process for experimentation with new fly patterns? * A listener adds another common way to break a fly rod * When you talk about leader length, do you include the tippet?
This week's podcast is a recording of a live interview I did with Sue Doroff [48:56], co-founder and outgoing president of The Western Rivers Conservancy, which does amazing work throughout the West by buying valuable riparian land, making the surrounding habitat more natural and resilient, and enhancing public access to many of our important trout, salmon, and steelhead rivers. You'll learn how Western Rivers finds these areas, the financial model for how they do this, and how most are eventually transferred into public ownership. It's fascinating story of how a small organization punches well above its weight. In the Fly Box this week, we have lots of questions and valuable tips from listeners, including: * How to use forceps to smooth down weighting wire * How to easily reverse your tying thread using a dubbing needle * How do I get deer hair to behave? * Any tips for attaching eyes to Game Changers? * Why can I catch trout from tiny streams on dry flies but not on nymphs? * Advice on the differences between Helios and Recon rods * How do I get into commercial fly tying? * How far do stocked trout travel? * Can I catch a carp on my 8 ½ foot 5 weight rod? * Can I use split shot with streamers? * Advice on a fiberglass rod for bass and panfish * Do I need to adjust water type or tactics for browns vs. rainbows? * A great tip from a listener on how to avoid losing beads and hooks under your tying table * What should a non-angler do when going fishing with a fly fisher? * How can I prevent losing fish on size 24 flies? Should I keep the barbs on? * Does how you tie a clinch knot have any bearing on how it rides in the water? * A listener suggestion for another great writer of fly-fishing essays
How has fly-tying changed in the past 50 years? It's changed a great deal in the time Tim Flagler [43:55] and I have been practicing it, and I often get questions from people about what has changed over the years. Tim and I discuss the way information was shared, what hackle was like back then, innovations like beads and synthetic materials and chemically sharpened hooks, and advances in fly-tying tools. Our main conclusion is that fly tiers today have never had it better, and it continues to evolve almost daily. In the Fly Box this week, we have lots of rod questions and the usual queries that people can't seem to find an answer to anywhere else—and we're glad to help! Some of this week's questions are: * I am taking a rod-building class and want to know what rod I should add to my quiver (and he details the rods he already owns) * I have heard that Florida snook fishing is best from shore during the summer, but also that the season is closed. Can I still target them and release them? * What do you know about fly fishing in Bermuda? * Can I put a 9-weight line on my Clearwater 908? * What Mirage LT reel should I put on my 11-foot Blackout rod? * Are there any introduced cutthroat populations in the eastern US? * For fishing from a float tube for brook trout in Maine, should I get a 10-foot 3-weight or 4-weight rod? * Would it be bad to wear tick repellent when fishing? Will it harm aquatic life? * Why do reel manufacturers put the drag adjustment on the opposite side of the reel handle? I find it cumbersome to adjust my drag. * How will warm springs in my river affect bass behavior and feeding? * What is the minimum length of rod you recommend for most trout streams, other than small streams? * How do stocked spring creeks in Missouri compare to Colorado rivers? * Where can my friends and I find a good fly-fishing coach? * What clothing, equipment, and flies should I take for a bonefishing trip to the Turks & Caicos? * I am new to New England and have been frustrated with high water conditions. What can I do to have more success in high water?
We frequently discuss water temperature in regard to trout fishing but you seldom hear much about how water temperature affects popular fly-rod fish like bonefish, tarpon, permit, redfish, striped bass, and bluefish. Yet the water on the flats can vary dramatically depending on local weather patterns and tides, which will in turn affect where the fish move to and how actively they feed. Learn from Bonefish Tarpon Trust's science director Aaron Adams [51:35] (also a superb fly fisher) on the science of water temperature and saltwater species. In the Fly Box this week we have a great selection of questions, tips, and rants from listeners, including: * Is it appropriate to tip a guide when he or she runs a group class at a fly shop? * What kind of footwear do you use when blue lining when you are wet wading? * Does monofilament have a shelf life? * Is a fiberglass rod a viable option for carp, bass, or bonefish? * Has Tom developed any new insights on carp fishing in 2023? * My sister harvested a moose. What flies can I tie with moose hair? * I've often had good fishing before a thunderstorm but not after. Is there any validity to this observation? * A mild rant from a listener who does not like to chat on the water with other anglers. And a less mild rant about anglers who invade his space. * Can I turn my fly line around to the running line when I want to Euro nymph? * How have developments in fly fishing changed the productivity of fly fishing in the last 100 years? * Why am I not seeing many fish in rivers that run into reservoirs in the fall? * How can I tell the difference between my nymphs ticking the bottom and a strike? * A great tip from a listener on removing all of your backing and rinsing it at the end of a saltwater fly-fishing season. * Should knots ever break? * This fall I fished a river that was 18 to 24 inches deep and uniform without much structure. I fished hard with various methods and didn't catch a thing. How would you approach water like this?
This show on winter fly-fishing was originally posted on 28 January, 2011. Before we had interviews, the Flybox, or even call-ins, it was just Sir Tom rambling into a microphone.
Don't forget there are hundreds of shows from our archives that are freelly available on your podcast reader and at howtoflyfish.orvis.com.
Careful observation, active instead of passive, is the hallmark of a good fly fisher. They pick up patterns by observing exactly where in the river a fish came from , or how it behaved when feeding, or what weather patterns preceded a particularly successful day. Head guide Cliff Weisse [46:15] of Three Rivers Ranch in Warm River, Idaho tells us some things many fly fishers don't pay enough attention to, and thus lose the ability to improve their skills. In the Fly Box this week, we have some great questions and tips, including: * How many flies and leaders will I need for a single day of guided fishing in the Bahamas? And what gear will I need that I would normally not take for a day of trout fishing? * If I catch a trout from a small pool, should I assume the rest of the fish in that pool are spooked? * When should I strip a fish in, and when should I get the line on the reel? * My buddy and I lost 100% of the trout we hooked one day. WE normally land most of them. What did we do wrong? * What flies will imitate shad, small rainbows, sculpins, and small brown trout? * I fish a piece of water with lots of swirling eddies and have trouble with a normal hard strike indicator. What should I use instead? * How can I manage using multiple fly lines without buying a new reel or spool for each one? * Is it OK for a guide to give me an unsolicited lecture on etiquette even though I never crowd anyone? * If I only make casts at a maximum of 15 feet in a small stream, is there a special fly line I should be using? * I read somewhere that the author uses "gel flotant on all my flies". Am I missing something? * How do you determine the shuck color on a Sparkle Dun? * A great tip from a listener about using a "backing barrel" on a sighter leader when you have trouble seeing it. * How can I avoid spooking smallmouth bass on a small, clear stream?
Originally Posted on March 3rd, 2023
Back in 2008 when I first began this podcast I had two dreams—that I would have my two literary heros, John McPhee and Thomas McGuane as guests (they are both passionate fly fishers). I was lucky enough to record a podcast with John in August of 2021 and this week's podcast is with Tom McGuane [44:36], author of 20 highly regarded novels, screenplays, collections of short stories, and what is in my opinion the finest book of fly-fishing essays ever written, The Longest Silence. Most people who interview Tom want to talk about his crazy days in Key West in the 1970s, , fishing for tarpon with Jim Harrison, Guy de la Valdene, Jimmy Buffet, and other notable characters. However, in the podcast we talk about what he is doing now—his fascination with small-stream trout fishing, why he would rather wade than fish from a boat, his opinion on guides who yell at their clients, and how to grow old gracefully and still continue to fish with a fly rod. It was a real honor to chat with him and I know you'll enjoy this very special podcast.
In the Fly Box this week, we have some wonderful and thought-provoking questions and tips form listeners, including:
What is that white rod that Pete Kutzer uses in your casting videos?
Is there a written history of Orvis?
What is the best reel lubricant, and how should I maintain my cork drag surface?
Can dumbbell eyes damage fly rods? If so, what should I do to keep flies tied with them from hitting my rod?
Do trout eat those little black and brown stoneflies that hatch during the winter and early spring?
Can you explain when I would use weighted flies vs. split shot vs. poly leaders when fishing nymphs?
Can you compare the relative advantages of the 10 1/2-foot 3-weight and the 11-foot 3-weight Blackout rod?
I saw people catching fish on nymphs. I tried exactly the same patterns and didn't catch anything. Why?
I have a reel that takes a 9-weight line. Can I get an extra spool and put it on my 7-weight rod?
Todd Tanner [43:02] is a lifelong fly fisher and journalist and spent years as a guide on the Henry's Fork, one of the best (and toughest) dry-fly rivers in the world. He also prefers not to fish nymphs. Todd shares his 12 tips on improving your success with dry flies this week, and they are solid and helpful. In the Fly Box this week, we have a great and varied selection of questions and tips from listeners, including: * I don't see any brook or brown trout in the usual places this fall. Are they all upstream spawning? * Two great tips from a listener for beginning fly tiers. * Is a 10-foot 4-weight a good rod for both Euro nymphing and dry-fly fishing? * A great tip from a listener on how to prevent your dry fly from getting too soaked before retrieving it for the next cast. * A listener makes the point that watershed-level stream restoration is often not possible. * If my stream is stocked with rainbows, will I find them in other parts of the river system and will they survive? * Can I use a less expensive spool of fluorocarbon spinning line instead of the expensive stuff sold for fly fishing? * If I use only the tip of a CDC feather, can I use the remaining fibers for something else? * Kudos from a listener on a wonderful experience he had in the Orvis retail store in Atlanta * What kind of insects are most common in infertile streams? * Is there a reason Orvis makes a 10 ½ foot and 11-foot H3 rod and not a 10-footer? * A great rattlesnake story from a listener * I found a whole bunch of trout rising in a seam and tried everything but could not catch them. I tried all kinds of dries and nymphs and changed my tippet and my angle of approach. What do you think the fish were eating?
I get frequent questions from listeners on what I would recommend they read in fly-fishing literature, as there is so much out there it's tough to sort through it to find what's worth reading. Michael Checchio [38:10] is a retired journalist and investigative reporter and a student of fly-fishing books, so we spend some time discussing what he feels are must-reads (or maybe just interesting reads) in the vast river of what has been written about fly fishing. Here is Michael's list: Fiction * A River Runs through It by Norman Maclean * "Big Two-Hearted River" by Ernest Hemingway (short story) * Ninety-Two in the Shade by Thomas McGuane * The River Why by David James Duncan
Non-fiction * The Longest Silence by Thomas McGuane * The Angler's Coast and Dark Waters by Russell Chatham * The Curtis Creek Manifesto by Sheridan Anderson * "Hat Creek" and "Deeds Among the Steelhead" by Bill Barich (magazine articles; may be tough to find) * The Spawning Run by William Humphrey * Trout Bum by John Gierach * "The Same River Twice" by David Quammen (published in Outside Magazine) * "A Sporting Life" by Jim Harrison (magazine article, may be tough to find) * My Story as Told by Water by David James Duncan
In the Fly Box this week, we have lots of questions and tips, including: * How do I know when to strip strike and when to trout strike? * Do I really need to go barbless on small dry-fly hooks? * How do I know what size material to use if I want to lengthen my leader? * A great tip from a listener on learning to cast with your "off" hand * A tip from a listener on wetting new tying materials befor you use them to see what color they will be * Why do I only see larger wild brown trout in one section of a river I fish? * How do I see my sighter in difficult lighting conditions? * If I am fishing for stocked rainbows and grayling, where should I place my grayling fly—on the bottom or on the dropper? * Should I use my 10-foot 7-weight Recon that I use for steelhead for streamer fishing from a boat for trout? * What is the main difference between a Helios D and Helios F rod when fishing for bonefish? * My bamboo ferrule only fits ¾ of the way to full engagement. Is that OK? * Why do I see steelhead smolt in my river but never chinook salmon smolt? * Is there any way to get the bad smell off a bucktail? * Why don't people fish bucktails much these days? * Is there a way to tell a northern strain from a southern strain brook trout visually?
My guest this week is Chris Jordan [41:13], a scientist with NOAA who specializes in habitat restoration. His view is that, in our arrogance, we've gotten habitat restoration projects all wrong most of the time. We think we can engineer river systems to conform with what we think they should be, but rivers are dynamic and mostly unpredictable and that, whenever possible, we need to look at watershed solutions—helping rivers do the job with a lighter hand but a larger scope. Follow this link to learn more: https://www.restoringriverscapes.org In the Fly Box this week we have a wide variety of interesting questions, including: * Should I bother fishing carp flats when the water temperature is in the 50s and air temperature is in the 30s? * Will brown trout live in warm water rivers some of the time? Is it worth it to fish the mouths of cold-water tributaries for brown trout? * You always say that trout prefer to be in water that is two-to four-feet deep to feed. Yet I have caught my largest trout in pools that are 10-to 15-feet deep. I'm confused. * How does George Daniel attach his light nymphing leader to his fly line? * I fish small streams with a 10-foot, 4-weight Recon rod. I worry about spooking trout when my rod casts a shadow over the pool I'm fishing. Should I go with a shorter rod? * Some great suggestions from a listener about fishing with kids, and why we should make it more about building relationships and not always about catching fish. * I consistently foul-hook trout when fishing multiple flies. Am I striking too soon or too late, or striking too hard? * If most people fish barbless flies, why don't manufacturers make more barbless hooks? * Do states only stock trout in specific locations due to allocated quantities, or are there environmental factors in play? * Can I use a 6-weight Bank Shot line on my 11-foot, 4-weight Euro rod to try two-handed casting? * I have a friend who ties all my flies. What should I get him as a thank-you gift? * If I hook but lose a big lake-run rainbow, would it be possible to go back later in the day to try for it? * I have a small brook trout stream on my property. Should I put some trees in the river to help the fish? * A listener suggests that although smallmouth bass don't need much habitat help from us, they grow slowly so handling them with care is important if you want a trophy smallmouth fishery.
Besides breaking your fly rod in those boring old ways like car doors or ceiling fans, there are other, less obvious ways and most of them are preventable as well. This week I chat with Charlie Robinton [49:00], rod repair expert on the Orvis Outfitter Team, and we'll explore other ways fly rods are broken—including some unusual ways they have been broken over the years, thanks to stories from our terrific rod repair team. True, if you break an Orvis rod we can usually have it back to you in about five days—but a broken rod is still not a fun way to start (or end) a fishing trip. In the Fly Box this week, we have some perplexing questions, tips from listeners, and some listeners who take exception to some of the things I've said in the past, including: * Where can I take my sons and granddaughter on Route 20 in Idaho where they can easily catch trout? * What is a good rod manufacturer? * A listener describes a perplexing day on a difficult river and analyzes his day and asks Tom if he agrees. * Do you take all of your fly boxes when you fish or do you determine what you will likely need for the day? And where do you put your lunch, sunscreen, and raincoat? * Last year I had great luck for pre-spawn brown trout and this year I can't hook them. Should I keep trying different streamer patterns? * A caution from a listener on serious reactions to UV resins * A suggestion from a listener on sliding beads down your leader if you want to make any nymph a bead head. * A listener says he has never had fly-tying threads weaken over time and disagrees with my suggestion that they can weaken after a few years. * Are beaded or non-beaded flies more successful? * How can I use adhesives to keep the dumbbell eyes on my Clouser Minnows from rotating? * You have said trout eyes are designed to look up. When I catch trout they are always looking down. Why? * You recommend using a throat pump. But what good does it do you when you have already caught a fish? And then you take their food away? * Does gel flotant on a hook have a negative effect?
My guest this week is the great George Daniel [42:00], who is always pushing the envelope, evolving and experimenting. He tells us why he uses a 10-foot fly rod for nearly all of his trout fishing, even in smaller streams and he also introduces a new nymphing technique he has been experimenting with. In the Fly Box this week, we have a great variety of questions and tips, including: * Can I use a poly leader in salt water for stripers? * Why do I find fewer and smaller fish in low water conditions later in the season? * How often do you find yourself adjusting indicator depth in medium and large rivers? * What should I do with the reject flies from my tying bench? * Is a bow-and-arrow cast stealthier than a roll cast in small streams? * I see large crayfish in a stream. Why don't I see smaller crayfish? * Are fiberglass rods more sensitive than graphite rods? * Do creek chubs compete with brown trout? * What can I do to keep the wings on my parachute flies at 90 degrees once I start fishing them? * I found I could double haul better with some Orvis rods I tried than with entry level rods I have. Is it simply the difference between a premium rod and my current lower level rods? * I keep breaking off coho salmon. What could I be doing wrong? * Can I fish egg and worm patterns and streamers with my 7-foot, 4-weight rod? * A tip from a listener—if you want to find out where trout live in a particular river, observe them from a bridge. * Is there an organization devoted specifically to smallmouth bass?
Hal Herring [50:31] has been reporting on conservation issues in the American West for over 30 years for Field & Stream magazine as well as other publications. In this week's podcast, he explores the many complexities of trying to keep enough water in our rivers for both agriculture and trout populations, which has become an increasingly difficult juggling act. Hal also gently berates today's hunters and anglers about educating themselves on the science and the politics behind these issues. It's not enough to just complain about the lack of water—it's important to understand the issue before you can have a credible opinion. In the Fly Box this week, we have some great tips and questions, including: * Do bamboo and fiberglass rods load differently than graphite rods? * When you have a very limited time on a river, do you have a fishing method that gives you the most bang for your buck? * Is there an alternative to the "chuck and duck" method for fishing for salmon and steelhead on Michigan rivers? * If you are buying older fly tying material, what should you look for to make sure it has not been degraded? * How would you adjust your fly selection for smallmouth bass throughout the season? * Is rising or falling water better on a fluctuating tailwater? * Can I use my 10-foot, 8-weight rod in the surf? * If my Mop flies have fallen apart, can I easily add a new piece of mop material to the hook and bead? I am not a fly tier. * Are two three-turn whip finishes better than a single 6-turn whip finish? * A tip that textured lines in a long day of stripping flies can cut into your fingers * Is the San Juan Shuffle ethical? * Is a fast action 5-weight rod actually a 6-weight? * I have been lipping bass for many years. Why do you say it's bad for the fish?
Helen Neville [38:57] is Trout Unlimited's senior scientist and also an expert in trout genetics. In this interview, we talk about what scientists have learned about trout evolution and relationships in the past decade. They now have tools at their disposal that can tell them how closely two trout populations are related, how much hatchery trout have interbred with wild populations, and how various races and subspecies of trout have evolved. You'll also learn how they extract this DNA and study it—but you had better review your high school or college genetics first because it gets a bit complex. In the Fly Box this week, we have some great questions and a couple helpful tips from listeners, including: * A listener from Germany relates a horrible experience he had with a guide * Can I underline my Orvis bamboo fly rod? * What do you think putting a strip of material on a leader as a "worm attractor"? * A great tip from a listener of how to make a paddle and rod rest for a canoe * A warning from a listener that the drop shot method of fishing nymphs is illegal in California—and possibly other places. * A listener wants to know if he can effectively use the Euro nymph technique with a 10-foot, 5-weight rod * What is the best way to get polarized glasses for someone who needs a strong prescription. Do clip-ons work well? * Should I lubricate the zipper on my Pro Zippered Waders? * When fighting fish, is tippet size or rod weight the deciding factor? * When by myself, how do I take a photo of a fish so that I can later judge its size? * Why is fall fishing better? Do trout feed heavily in anticipation of winter? * What size leader and tippet should I use for carp, and should I use my 6-weight or 8-weight rod? * I tie my tippet directly to my fly line for small stream brook trout. What advantages will I have by going to a tapered leader? * Do brook trout in a small meadow stream move throughout the season?
The Battenkill is an iconic and often frustrating trout stream. It's a gorgeous river with a healthy population of wild trout but it has had its ups and downs over the years. Doug Lyons [49:48] is a lifetime Battenkill expert and knows the river perhaps better than anyone, and his new book Fly Fishing Guide to the Battenkill unravels many secrets of this special river—perhaps more than many of us locals are comfortable with! Doug and I had fun sharing our theories and thoughts about the river. In the Fly Box this week, I have some especially interesting questions from listeners, including: * I have been experimenting with streams on a floating line with a short leader with no success. What am I doing wrong, and what do you suggest? * Is there a way to tell the various subspecies of cutthroat trout apart? * What are the pros and cons of smooth vs. textured lines? * Why are reel prices so expensive these days? Aren't they just used to store line? * How can I tell what line size a bamboo rod takes? I bought an old rod that has no markings on it. * Why don't more fly shops sell nymphs with matte beads? * Will I save money by tying my own flies? * How can I identify the various mayflies and caddisflies I have in southern Michigan? * Why do I get tippet curls just ahead of my fly when I tie it on? I have tried a couple knots and they still seem to do it. * Will a Spey rod with a larger line size cast farther than a lighter one like a 6-weight? * A reminder from a listener about the perils to wildlife of using lead weights in fishing. * Will it hurt to store my fly line on the reel in the off-season? * What tools do you personally use in fly tying and which are the most important? * If I am making my own leaders should I use blood knots or surgeon's knots to connect the sections? * Does it matter which way your fly is oriented when fishing?
This week, my guest is long-time Orvis-endorsed guide George Hunker [49:26], who has won two awards (guide of the year and the coveted lifetime achievement award) for his excellence in creating wonderful experiences for his customers. George has a lifetime of experience in fishing alpine lakes in the Wind River range in Wyoming, and his tips will be valuable to anyone who fishes these wilderness gems for trout. In the Fly Box this week, we have a varied assortment of questions about tackle, fly tying, and techniques, including: * Am I missing out by just fishing close to home and not putting more exotic trips on the calendar? * How can I stop my streamer tails from wrapping around the bend of the hook? * Can I use a heavy switch rod for fishing in the surf in North Carolina and also for king salmon in Michigan? * Can I tie large nymphs or streamers on some old Mustad salmon hooks? How about saltwater flies? * I want to get an 8-weight rod. Should I get a Recon or Clearwater? * How do you fish scuds in lakes? * What is the best way to fish a short, narrow, deep, and fast pool in high water? * Why can't I catch many trout on dry flies in small Missouri wild trout streams? * Why do some 6-weight rods have fighting butts? Do I need one to fish for trout in Virginia? * What fly line do you recommend for striped bass in the Chesapeake region? * How can I keep the eyes from coming off my deer hair bass bugs? * Why not use a small perfection loop instead of a tippet ring? * Why would you not fish a dropshot rig with nymphs all the time? * How can I explore other parts of a favorite trout stream? What should I look for?
Northern pike are a fascinating and explosive fish to catch on a fly rod. There is not much that beats a big northern smashing a streamer close to the surface or eating a popper. Josh Nugent [47:05] is a very experienced pike angler and has a host of tips on tackle, leaders, flies, retrieves, and how to find pike all year long. This episode should really be called Everything You Need to Know about Fly Fishing for Pike, but Josh loves those Seven Deadly titles so I'm going with it. In the Fly Box this week, we have some great questions, both basic and more advanced, including: * What rod and reel do I need for chasing king salmon in Great Lakes rivers? * Are posts on parachute flies for us or for the fish? Do they imitate wings on a mayfly or are they just a strike indicator for us? * How do I keep my line from tangling in a canoe? * I have trouble seeing small ants and beetles on the water. What can I do to help see them better? * A listener offers another reason why we love trout fishing so much. * What is the best strategy for fishing in the rain? * What do you do when dry-dropper fishing in small streams with varying depth? Do you constantly adjust the length of your dropper? * Why do I see only one brook trout in a series of pools in tiny streams? And do brook trout populations fluctuate from year to year? * What detrimental effect would ammonia have on breathable waders? If it is not recommended, what should I use to wash my waders? * Is there a store-bought solution for leaders longer than 12 feet long? And do you have any tips on getting them to straighten? * Why are tarpon guides so obsessed with tying their own leaders? * How much does time of day matter when trout fishing?
You may have some amazing fly fishing right in your neighborhood even if you live in a big city. Urban fly fishing may not be pristine, but it has its own charms and moments of excitement, and you don't need to drive for hours to get to it. James Spica [46:05], fishing manager of Orvis Royal Oak, gives us good tips on finding this kind of fishing in your area, what species you might encounter, and some tips for making the most of your experience. In the Fly Box this week, we have some great questions as usual, including: * Are there any fly-tying materials made from plant fibers? * Are trout equally susceptible to stress in low water temperatures as they are in high water temperatures? * What is the best way to dye bucktails? * What feathers should I keep for tying from ducks I harvest? * What is the difference between the Blackout 8-weight rod and the Helios 3 8-weight rods? * What's a good rod for small stream brook trout fishing? * Do you need to open your casting loops with leaders over 13 feet long? * In a Pile Cast, will the line and leader butt hit the water before the tippet and fly? * Is it OK to put my rod and reel in the water when landing a fish? * What can we do about the flood damage in Vermont? What will the fishing be like in the near future? * What is the most effective way to interact with the people in a fly shop when looking for information? * Why can't I get white Woolly Buggers to work in my river? I hear people have good luck with them. * What's a good rod for smallmouth and smaller stream steelhead fishing? * Does underlining a rod help for longer casts? * What is a short heavy rod, like the old 7'11" Recon rod for 8-weight, used for?
My guest this week is Matt Miles [55:11], 2023 Orvis Guide of the Year. Matt has extensive experience guiding for trout in the Rocky Mountains, but has returned to his home state of Virginia to concentrate on warmwater species, especially smallmouth bass. Matt offers 10 great tips for fishing for summer smallmouth in rivers based on his extensive experience. In the Fly Box this week we have some interesting questions and also some great tips from listeners, including: * I got advice on the right fly patterns from local guides on my river but I am still struggling. What else would you suggest? * What flies do you suggest for targeting freshwater stripers in rivers? * I can only afford one guide trip. Should I pick an easier river with stocked (but large) trout or should I go to the more technical river with wild but tougher trout? * Why do you recommend cutting the back hook off an articulated streamer and not the front hook? Don't fish attack baitfish at the head? * I would like a longer fiberglass 3-weight rod for small streams. Why don't you make them in 9- or 10-foot models? * I am terrible at spotting fish. Do you have any tips? * Six great tips from a listener for novice to intermediate anglers on trout water * I have trouble tying Perfection Loops in material smaller than 3X. What do you suggest? * Some great advice from a listener on how to get a friend or spouse more interested in fly fishing. * I am having trouble Euro nymphing. I only catch a fish or two in a 3-hour trip. I know I am getting deep enough and I have the right fly patterns. Do you have any tips? * Do you have a systematic approach when working a piece of water? * Why don't my flies work as well as live eggs when fishing in murky water for pink salmon? * Anything I can do to land more fish that get downstream of me? * The fly shop said to fish big Stimulators but I couldn't hook any fish that rose to them. Then I went to a smaller Elk Hair Caddis and was able to hook them. Why? * If I am not catching any fish could it be there are no fish there? Or fish are there but not feeding? Or are they feeding on something else and I am not using the right fly? And how long should I stay in one spot if I am not hooking any?
My guest this week is Jeremie Prine [47:39], owner and head guide of Dunoir Fly Fishing Adventures of Dubois, Wyoming. He specializes in fishing small wilderness creeks (as well as larger rivers) in Wyoming and is one of the best small-stream anglers I have ever met. Jeremie shares his tips on finding these streams, how to fish them, and of course what flies he likes for bluelining. He also gives some great tips on exploring in grizzly bear country, and you should pay attention to his tips, because in a lifetime of chasing fish in the back country he has never had to use bear spray (but he still carries it every time he goes out).
In the Fly Box this week, we have some excellent tips form listeners, as well as many questions on fly fishing conundrums, including: * All the size 16 dry flies I had bent open in large trout. I bought cheap flies online. Is this common, or did I make a mistake? * I saw bass jumping for dragonflies and chasing baitfish but when I tried to match these, I had no luck on the bass. Any suggestions? * I have trouble shooting line. It either lands too hard or piles up on the water. What am I doing wrong? * Can I use a 2-weight or even a 1-weight rod on small streams if I am using smaller flies? * Should I expect rainbow and brown trout in the UK to behave the same way and eat the same flies in the UK as in the US? * A great suggestion from a listener that when fishing in the Big Hole Valley, it's as important to clean, inspect, and dry our wading gear as it is to take care in releasing fish. * I am having trouble making long downstream mends in the rain because the line sticks to my rod. What can I do? * A great tip from a listener on how to dye white rubber net bags to a darker color for better photos. * Is there any reason not to tie giant hopper patterns for bass? * Some great tips and new insights from a listener on how to land more big trout. * If I see certain nymphs when turning over rocks in a river, how far can I deviate from them when choosing my nymph patterns? * What can I do when faced with high, turbid water and bright, sunny skies? * Should we take the same care in releasing bass as we do with trout? * What is the best thing to do when I hook a trout deep in its throat and can't get the hook out easily?
This week my guest is guide and lodge owner Wade Fellin [45:48] of Big Hole River Lodge. Wade is on the vanguard of trout health in Montana, particularly in the Big Hole Valley, and they have been seeing trout die at the time of year when water temperatures and flows are optimum, which is concerning. Wade shares with us how they are obtaining samples of trout to send to a lab, and some possible reasons for this problem, and what might be done to address the issue. He also makes it clear that trout fishing in Montana is still awesome and that people should not cancel a trip or not plan a trip. Fishing is still great but we need to perhaps take even more care in releasing fish—and in deciding how many fish to catch in any given day.
In the Fly Box this week, there are some great questions, tips, and comments from listeners, including:
A listener shares with us how he analyzed a problem with his casting and solved the problem.
Are we over-using UV cure resins in our fly tying?
I can't afford new waders and have leaks in my old ones. Should I try to buy a pair of used waders?
When fishing dry flies in lakes, should I twitch the fly or just let it sit?
When aren't all nymph patterns tied on jig hooks?
Why am I missing so many small trout in a local stream?
With the severe flooding in Vermont, how will that affect my fishing when the water drops?
A listener wants to give a shout-out to two generous anglers who gifted him and his wife with a box of flies while they were on their honeymoon on the Henry's Fork.
Good tips on the benefits of a long-handled net
Why am I missing hook sets on my fiberglass rod?
How can I involve my family more in my fly fishing?
Do you have any tips for coiling line so that it does not tangle when I shoot line?
I am moving from DC to Dallas and I know there is no trout fishing around. Are there any fly-fishing opportunities near Dallas?
I think most stream anglers are interested in foraging, since we're immersed in nature all day long and although we watch for fish and insects and birds, many of us don't pay attention to the plants. And there are many delicious plants along trout streams you can take home for dinner—most of which will be more nutritionally dense than what you buy in the store—and free. If you have done any foraging at all, you have probably read some of more of Sam Thayer's [40:38] books. In our household his books are the primary source. I was lucky enough to spend some time talking to Sam about why foraging along streams is especially good, and what we can expect to find there.
In the Fly Box this week, we have no phone calls but some great questions via e-mail, including:
Why do trout in small streams take flies more readily when the water is high?
Where do you recommend I go trout fishing in the East in July when I visit this summer?
A great story about a listener getting generous advice from a famous angler along a trout river.
A tip for keeping rod sections together using clothespins.
What is the best streamer reel, line, and leader for a 7-weight rod?
What do you do when there is a very heavy hatch and almost too many natural insects?
I am having trouble hooking fish using the hand-over-hand retrieve when striper fishing. What can I do to increase my hooking rate?
What are three things a novice dry-fly angler should pay attention to?
Do you ever tie up dry/dropper rigs at home prior to going fishing?
Will my 8-weight be enough rod for fishing for striped bass from a boat?
What are some tips on picking flies for striped bass fishing at night?
Scott Sadil [41:39], author and Fly Fishing Editor of Gray’s Sporting Journal, is a pioneer in fishing the surf in Baja, and in his many years of experience he’s learned a ton of valuable tips. Even if you never plan on fishing Baja, you’ll find his advice helpful for finding fish along a wide beach, choosing which flies and tackle to use, and learning new techniques for moving the fly.
In the Fly Box this week, we have some fascinating questions from listeners, including:
I am having trouble casting a size 6 fly with lead eyes on my 5 weight. What can I do to correct this?
I am struggling with my distance casting. Any tips for helping with this, and for fishing large tailwaters?
When I hook panfish and bass along a shoreline, they always head for shore yet carp always swim to deep water. Why?
My Royal Wulffs don't float properly when I drop them in a glass of water. What can I do to help?
What kind of flies and colors do you suggest for fishing the surf in Costa Rica?
How should I dispose of old waders that leak?
Is there one rod I can use for surf fishing, largemouth bass, and streamers for trout?
If you float a river in a canoe of kayak by yourself, how do you get back upstream at the end of the day?
Should I use a 7-weight or 8-weight rod for throwing big streamers for trout?
How should I fish freshwater rivers that are tidal for bass and pike? And how do I get wire onto the end of my leader for the pike?
Why do people use a Bimini Twist? I would think it just pushes the weak spot in a leader further back.
Is bug spray harmful to fish?
If I am hiking into high alpine lakes, should I hike in my wading shoes?
Warning—this week's podcast with biologist Michael Miller [36:28] is not exactly uplifting, in fact it's downright depressing. I feel that neonic pesticides are the main reason we have seen dramatic declines of insects on our trout streams and may be even more of a threat to invertebrate populations than climate change. But it is a problem we can remedy more easily than climate change because it's mostly a problem in the United States (Canada and the EU have either banned or greatly restricted their use). I hope this podcast makes all of you take action and raise your voices to get the EPA to ban these dangerous chemicals.
On a happier note, we have some wonderful questions in the Fly Box this week, including:
It's great to hear that Tom gets skunked as often as the rest of us.
Why did I see mayflies when I was a mile from the nearest stream?
Do bright fly lines spook fish?
Why were fish slashing at my streamer without me hooking them?
I am having problems casting a 15-foot leader
Where should I take my sons fishing in the Bozeman/Livingston area if I can't afford a guide?
If I hook a fish deep in its throat, should I try to get the fly out or cut the tippet?
Can I get closer to fish in a riffle?
What are Tom's top 5 trout flies?
I am losing a lot of fish on my 10-foot 3-weight rod. What should I do differently? Where do big trout tend to live in a river?
If I am catching just small fish will there be any big fish around?
I can't get my floating line to float well, even after cleaning it. What can I do?
OK, I lied. There aren't 15 tips. There are probably more and if you want to count them up you can e-mail me and correct my mistake. But I get a lot of questions about fishing emergers, and I thought a podcast on how to identify when fish are taking emergers and how to fish them would be welcome. Not only that, world-famous and beloved fishing guide and author Pat Dorsey [36:05] gives us his favorite fly patterns for fishing emergers including a couple secret ones.
In the Fly Box this week, we have some thoughtful questions and a few tips from listeners, including:
A great tip on casting with your non-dominant hand
Will wildfire smoke affect trout populations?
If I hear there are native brook trout in a stream, how do I find out where they are?
A nice tip on untangling snarls of fly line.
Bigger brook trout started taking my nymphs on the swing instead of dead-drifted.
How should I take advantage of this next time?
How much of an incline in a small mountain stream can trout survive?
A listener was disappointed in my podcast with John Gierach because we did not discuss how anglers can have a positive impact on climate change.
Two listeners want to know what type of floating line to put on their Euro rods when they switch to dry flies.
Why are some articulated streamers tied with the hook down and why are some tied with the hook up?
I have a busy life. Am I missing opportunities by not tying my own flies?
Brown trout are invasive in my cutthroat stream. Should I take them home to eat them, or just kill them and throw them up on the bank?
Is it ethical to back and fish a place on my own if a guide showed me the spot?
I have heard if you cut the welded loop off a fly line you can't use it any more because it will absorb water. Is this true?
This week my guest is Josh Caldwell [32:30], director of the new movie (premiering in theaters today) "Mending the Line", about a combat veteran with PTSD who works his way back into society with the help of a fly fishing curmudgeon. The movie stars Sinqua Walls, Perry Mattfeld, and Brian Cox as the old curmudgeon (of course). It's a story that could easily fall into cliche but I found it to be heartwarming and compelling, and the casting is excellent. Josh talks about the trials and tribulations of making the movie in a short time frame, challenged by tough weather. It's a fascinating peak behind the curtains of an independent film.
In the Fly Box this week we have the following questions and helpful tips:
What is your opinion of an approved IGFA leader for tarpon as opposed to using straight 60- or 80-pound leader?
I am having trouble with the partridge hackle on size 20 soft hackle wets. Can you help?
How much time should I spend in each little pocket when bluelining?
I have a Recon Saltwater 7 and I want to get a 7-weight freshwater version. How much difference is there between the two?
Will a black bottom on my boat spook fish in shallow water?
A great letter from a fly fisher in Switzerland detailing how to negotiate the tricky fishing regulations in his country
Can I use a tippet ring with different tippet sizes, even ones that are quite different in diameter?
Do stocked trout move as much as a mile, or do they stay close to where they are stocked?
The better your casting, the more and fun you'll have and the more relaxed you'll be on the water. Pete Kutzer [46:13] is one of the finest casting instructors in the world, and not only that he's one of the finest anglers you meet, which means he teaches casting as a means to have more enjoyable fishing so he's pragmatic and flexible. He practices casting himself almost every day, and he gives us hints on how to practice at home no matter what kind of fishing you end up doing. You'll be glad you did—and so will your guide if you hire one.
I n the Fly Box this week, we have some interesting questions and helpful tips from listeners, including:
I need a rod for bass fishing as well as throwing streamers for trout. I only have light trout rods. Which rod should I choose?
What is a competition hook and how does it differ from a regular hook?
A good tip on how to make matte beads from shiny gold ones without painting or markers
I know you should not go more than .002" difference when knotting on a tippet. Can I get away from bigger differences in heavy butt material?
I have been fly fishing for 35 years and am looking for a more advanced course. Where should I go?
Do you know anything about fishing in Switzerland?
How can I target carp in dirty water?
I am going Atlantic salmon fishing in Norway. Can I use a single-handed rod even though most people use two-handers?
A tip from a listener on always mashing down the barbs of hooks when fishing with kids.
My line gets twisted when I fish with a dry/dropper arrangement. Is there any way to lessen this?
My tungsten beads crack when I hit my back cast on rocks behind me. Are there beads that are more durable than tungsten?
How can I fish the tails of pools in small streams without getting drag?
I can't get redfish running a surf line to eat my flies. Any suggestions?
Jacks are an under-rated gamefish and under-utilized resource. They take a fly aggressively, fight harder than most other saltwater gamefish, and are common in most warmer saltwater ecosystems. Yet most anglers, and most guides, pass them up on the way to chasing the glamor species like bonefish, permit, or tarpon. They're missing a lot of fun. RA Beattie [34:28] is a talented film maker who regularly has films in the International Fly Fishing Film Festival (IF4) (International Fly Fishing Film Festival® - IF4™ (flyfilmfest.com) and his spectacular film, produced by RA and Jako Lucas, called "Jacks", is currently on tour with the festival. He talks about making fly-fishing films, and also his love of fishing for jacks.
In the Fly Box this week, we have some fun questions and helpful tips from listeners, including:
Where can I learn Spey casting in preparation for a trip I'm taking?
I saw some large brown trout chasing shiners in the shallows. What fly pattern and tactics should I use?
I keep missing strikes on a balanced leech under an indicator. What am I doing wrong?
Great suggestions from a listener on how to train a dog to be a good streamside companion.
Why am I having problems with short casts on my 9-foot 5-weight rod?
Driving in Alberta, I see a lot of nice-looking rivers along the road. How can I tell if they have fish in them?
What other patterns should I try those cool wing cases made from saddle hackles I see on the Tom Rosenbauer's Deep Caddis Pupa?
A great tip from a listener on a special material for organizing your fly-tying bench. Where can I find flies with black beads?
A tip from a listener on how to keep cool while fishing during the summer in the deep South.
Why do I catch big wild rainbows in one pool and only smaller ones in the next pool downstream?
Any suggestions for setting the hook on brook trout in a very tight stream
Our climate is changing, and regardless of whether you think it's human caused or natural it is changing. If you don't believe that you need to get outside more. John Gierach [58:00], thoughtful guy that he is, wanted to talk about this subject and how he deals with changes that have happened in his lifetime, and what we can all do to deal with climate change and still enjoy fly fishing, because as he says "we still gotta live" and to some of us fly fishing is life. I
n the Fly Box this week we have lots of questions, many of them quite basic but still fun to answer because you can always give them a new twist.
What is the best rig to catch trout with worms? (I hope he meant worm flies and not real worms)
What can I do to keep my Depth Charge line from tangling?
I am moving to Texas and want one rod for inland bass and one for inshore saltwater. Is there one outfit that can do this?
Am I better off buying one high-end rod or several lower priced rods if I fish in a variety of trout situations?
Can you overline bamboo and fiberglass fly rods?
I have a dog that likes to chase rocks and sticks.
Any tips on how to train a dog to be a good fishing companion?
Is there any way to tell a trout rise from a chub rise?
I am confused by fly line numbers and hook numbers. Can you explain them?
What do fish deep in a lake take my Pat's Rubber Legs fished quickly? What do the fish think it is?
How do you fish your Rabbit's Foot Emerger patterns?
What do I do with my rod when tying on a new fly or landing a fish?
Is there a better knot than a clinch knot for tying on size 18 to 22 flies?
My welded loop has cuts in it. What can I do to fix that?
What kind of dry/dropper arrangement do you use when there is nothing visibly hatching?
A good tip from a listener on walking the banks of your favorite rivers in low water to get a sense for the bottom structure.
Can you tell the difference between a male and female trout by looking at the anal fin?
A few weeks ago we did a podcast on eastern caddis hatches and I promised to get an expert on western hatches. ME Sorci [43:40] is a student of entomology, a guide, fly fisher, and manager of Orvis Jackson Hole. You can tell by her enthusiasm in the podcast that she thinks caddisflies are fascinating, and she gives us some great tips on when, where, and how to fish these prolific hatches. I learned a lot on this podcast and you will, too.
In the Fly Box this week we have some interesting and unusual questions as well as tips from listeners, including:
How do I fish short, fast, deep plunge pools with streamers and what line should I use?
What tips do you have for fighting a big fish when it runs downstream?
Should I fish a 12-foot leader when bluelining? Can an old cork handle on an Orvis bamboo fly rod be repaired?
What line should I put on my 10-foot, 3-weight rod for fishing dry flies?
Why don't we use other feathers from peacocks besides the eyed tails?
Where can I find something that shows me pictures of saltwater prey so I can imitate them?
Should I change tactics when fishing at sunrise and sunset?
So I don't transfer invasive species how can I tell good algae from bad algae?
Is it possible to put too much hackle on a dry fly?
Why do we use dubbed bodies on dry flies?
Why causes a dry fly to not sit properly on the water?
I put small glass beads on my dry flies so I don't crowd the head. Do you think this is a good idea?
Where would Tom like to live (for fishing reasons) if he didn't live in Vermont?
Swinging wet flies, specifically soft hackle flies, is an often misunderstood method of fishing and many people try it but give up when it doesn't seem to work. But it's an elegant, relaxing, and fun way to cover a lot of water and probably the oldest way to fish for trout. There are some tips to rigging and fishing soft hackles, and wet fly expert Steve Culton [42:39] shares some great tips with us this week.
In the Fly Box this week, we have some interesting questions and great tips from listeners, including:
With the high water in Utah this spring, should I try to fish rivers or stick to lakes? And what flies should I use?
For float fishing smaller streams for bass, should I get a small raft or a kayak? Would it be better to use a double taper or weight forward line for small streams?
Are fly rod actions and recommended line sizes consistent across manufacturers?
Two great tips from listeners for getting the fly line out of your guides when you start fishing. At what point should I give up repairing my waders?
How should I fish a river that alternates between rocky rivers and slow, mucky pools?
Should I change techniques when going from one type of water to another?
When should I switch from a nymph to a dry in early season?
How can I prevent fish taking streamers form getting foul hooked?
Should I fish a pool with a nymph or streamer first?
Why did I see few fishing rising in an afternoon hatch and many more fish rising in the evening?
Where should I go to catch bonefish, tarpon, and roosterfish from shore without a guide?
I want to start guiding for striped bass. Where should I start?
No, I am not talking about buying a trout stream and locking it up in a private club. I am talking about buying a piece of a trout stream, fixing (basically rewilding) the habitat, and then ensuring public access on the water for perpetuity. That's what the good folks at Western Rivers Conservancy do, and in this week's podcast I talk to Josh Kling [45:30], their conservation director, about projects they have on the Yakima and Big Hole rivers—two rivers treasured by fly fishers and in need of help.
In the Fly Box this week, we have some great questions and tips from listeners, including:
I fished a 5-weight line on my 10-foot 3-weight rod and liked it. Is there anything wrong with this?
I foul-hooked a couple fish when using a dry dropper. Is there a way to avoid this?
A good tip from a listener on getting the line to leader connection out of your rod tip by using the current.
If I use a kayak for accessing wade fishing, should I park at the head of a pool and fish downstream or should I park at the tail and fish upstream?
How should I fish deep, slow-moving pools with a mud bottom?
Where in the US should I go on a fishing trip with my father?
Why are fly rod grips from different manufacturers so different?
I impacted my rod with a heavy bead-head fly. How should I inspect it to look for damage?
A great tip for attaching the leader to a fly line when using a mono rig. When did fly fishers first use backing on fly reels?
Can I throw big flies, as large as a 5/0, on my 8-weight rod?
What flies should I use for spawning carp?
How do I tell if a bass is on a bed and spawning as opposed to chasing bait?
Why did fish strike my Prince nymph when I stripped it and not on a dead drift?
Are rods getting stiffer and fly lines getting heavier?
There's some real positive news in the world of trout these days, from the mitigation of acid mine drainage in wild trout streams to replacement of perched culverts to an unprecedented funding opportunity for habitat projects. Chris Wood [38:36], president and CEO of Trout Unlimited, takes us through some ongoing and upcoming projects that have him excited and optimistic.
In the Fly Box this week, we have some very helpful tips and interesting questions from listeners, including:
I want to sell some of my flies. Should I start an online store or go through a local fly shop?
Why don't light-colored flies like the Light Cahill work in my streams? I
s there a database of older Orvis rods?
Brown trout from a larger river spawn in a tributary that holds a good population of native brook trout. Should I feel bad about fishing for those spawning brown trout?
For a small stream fly rod, I am looking at a 10-foot 3-weight and a 7 ½ foot 3-weight. Which should I choose?
How do you keep the body thin when tying a Comparadun or Sparkle Dun?
I fish small streams with tricky current. When it gets windy, should I fish a longer or shorter leader?
The trout got active when the wind blew some seeds into the water. Is that typical?
A great tip from a listener on using a balanced leech and an indicator in plunge pools.
My friend just fishes Clouser Minnows and outfishes me when I use my fancier Game Changers and Dahlberg Divers. Am I wrong to be wasting my time on these more complicated patterns?
What is the best way to get the leader knot out of the guides before you start fishing?
What recommendations do you have for fly fishing for crappie?
A terrific tip from a listener on a different way to rig a dry dropper.
How do I feel about yarn flies for gar and egg flies for carp?
I want to replace my fluorocarbon with nylon. Will I notice the difference?
Hey folks! This is Jamie, I produce The Orvis Fly-Fishing Podcast with Tom Rosenbauer. Today is the 15th anniversary if the show and to celebrate we are running the first episode that was published on April 17, 2008. It's short! Only 5 minutes or so.
We weren't sure if anyone would listen. Twenty-one million downloads later, we know you are listening, and more importantly, contributing to the show.
Thank you for all you have done to make this a real joy to be a part of, and thank you to Tom Rosenbauer for letting me be a part of it.
Let's do another 15!
Champions of clean water and an intact ecosystem have a lot to celebrate with our recent victory in the Bristol Bay region of Alaska. But this ruling only protects a relatively small part of Bristol Bay, which is a huge body of water. Nelli Williams [33:34] from Trout Unlimited Alaska, a veteran of this battle, gives us her perspective on what has been protected, what remains to be protected, and what we should all be vigilant about in this magnificent watershed. It's a feel-good story but a reminder that we need to keep our eyes and ears open in the future.
In the Fly Box this week, we have some interesting questions—and some phone calls that seemed to have come out of the woodwork!
How do I narrow my efforts in fly tying so I don't end up with 10 fly boxes?
A great tip from a listener on another way to separate stuck rod sections
What do people mean by a "technical" trout stream?
A bunch of great tips for fly fishing from a canoe from two different listeners
A tip from a listener on using deer hair instead of elk when tying small Elk Wing Caddis dry flies
What kind of fly-fishing questions are reasonable to ask from an AI chat? And is this ethical?
A great tip for fly tiers for keeping the hook eye open when finishing the head of a fly Where do I put the studs in my new Orvis Hybrid Wading Shoes?
This week begins a month of habitat/conservation podcasts as a celebration of Earth Month. We start the series off with Steve Davis [43:25], Chief Science Officer for the Everglades Foundation, and instead of talking about the boring aspects of Everglades Restoration like funding and politics we're delving deep into the science of how the water will be stored and cleaned, which plants aid in the cleanup, and how this process will aid in more fresh water to Florida Bay and the Everglades, and less polluted fresh water to estuaries on both coasts of Florida. We'll also talk about immediate benefits, but also how it will take seven years to completely fill the reservoir. And yes, we will talk about fly fishing topics this month in the Fly Box.
This week we have some great tips and questions, including:
I have a 5-weight, 6-weight, and 10-weight rod for fishing in the Mississippi. I may be catching fish up to 20 pounds. Do you think an 8-weight will handle them?
Three great tips from a listener on fishing from a canoe.
Is there a database where I can plug in the fly-tying materials I have and have it tell me what fly patterns I can tie?
What flies can I use India hen backs on?
I have trouble with my back cast hitting the water when I wade waist deep. How can I correct this problem?
I have been stumped by fish rising once and then not rising again for a long time. What are these fish doing and how can I target them?
What are your thoughts on intermediate lines for tarpon? Should I get tarpon flies in bigger hooks like 3/0 to 5/0?
Will a bit of bucktail under my pine squirrel streamers help to keep them from fouling?
A listener asked a bunch of specific fishing questions to a chat bot for a trip he was going to take to Grand Lake Stream in Maine and asked me to critique the answers he received.
How should I kill and keep the occasional stocked fish I want to eat?
If you see a nymph in the water that you want to imitate, how would you go about creating a pattern to match it?
Are hooks trending to shorter shanks and wider gaps? Is this a good thing?
I did a podcast a few weeks ago that was billed as a canoe and kayak podcast but my guest and I spent a lot of time on Kayaks and not much on canoes. Some of you took me to task and asked for more information on fly fishing from canoes, so I asked retired president and CEO of Orvis, Perk Perkins [49:06], to share his tips with us. Perk fishes from a canoe more than anyone else I know, and has been using these craft all his life. He gives us some great tips on making fly fishing from a canoe more fun and productive.
In the fly box this week, we have some fascinating questions from listeners, including:
Should l I use a double taper or weight forward line on my small stream rod?
If you fish barbless dry flies with a dry/dropper rig, won't the knot slip off the hook?
What can I do to lessen my shoulder involvement in casting?
I have severe arthritis in my right shoulder. Should I learn to cast left-handed?
Do tippet rings make tying on a dropper less fussy? Won't the fish see a tippet ring?
What is your opinion on attractor patterns?
What do you think of UV resins and tying materials?
If I want to fish a leader with a light butt section, what diameter should the permanent loop be on my fly line? The permanent loop on my fly line got damaged.
My fly line says "cold to moderate temperatures". Can I also use this line for fishing for bass during the summer?
Do flies need to be perfect and symmetrical? I
s road kill of any use in fly tying?
We were catching hickory shad on spoons we made using Krystal Flash and UV resin. People told us we weren't fly fishing.
What's your take on flies that aren't really "flies"?
How are fly rods most often broken?
What rod do I need to make my mono rig work better?
I see many color variations in pre-made dubbing blends, for instance one March Brown dubbing is brown and another one is light tan. Do insects vary in color? Does color even make a difference?
This week, my guest is Dom Swentosky of the Troutbitten blog [33:16], podcast, and guide service. If you have not seen his stuff it's definitely one of the most informative and thoughtful fly-fishing blogs out there. Dom devotes a lot of his blog to the mono rig, which is sorta like Euro-nymphing in that it uses a long leader and no fly line, but it's more of a method for everyday anglers than pure Euro nymphing, which is based on competitive rules that prohibit things like split shot. Dom goes through why it is such an effective method, how he builds his leaders, and how he presents his flies this way. It's just one more thing to try if you're interested in new ways of using a fly rod.
In the Fly Box this week, we have some helpful tips from listeners and an assortment of questions from rigging to watercraft to fly tying, including:
If I am using a drop-shot rig with a single nymph, can I just tie the weight on a long tag from the clinch knot I use to tie on my fly?
What is your opinion of traditional Catskill-style dry flies?
Could spawning affect a trout's diet?
In your canoe and kayak podcast, you didn't say enough about canoes. If I want to use my canoe for fly fishing, what considerations should I have? And should I put a trolling motor on my canoe?
I have a stream nearby that has nice gravel, cold water, deep pools, and nice riffles. I have not caught any trout there. How can I find out if trout even live there?
A great tip from a listener for finding tiny leaks in waders
Do trout use shelf ice as cover?
A listener suggests the float tube as a great option in the inflatable category, which I did not mention in my recent podcast on inflatables.
A great tip from a listener on how to cover up items in a boat that could snag your fly line.
When do you switch from a floating to a sinking line in streams?
A great tip from a listener on using forceps to hold tiny flies when tying them on.
I am looking at monofilament thread. What is the difference between 6/0 and G size, and where did the G designation come from? And is there any application in tying freshwater flies with monofilament thread?
This week, we delve into the confusing world of inflatable watercraft. There are so many styles to choose from, including SUPs, kayaks, and rafts. Which are best for fly fishing? What are some tips on how to fish from one? How do you handle anchoring and paddling while being ready to make a cast? Regardless of which type you choose, they are lightweight and packable (except for the larger rafts) and they'll get you into places where drift boats and motorboats can't go. Mike Dolmage is a fly fishing fanatic and is in charge of marketing fishing craft for NRS so his knowledge will help you make an informed decision and give you some tips on fishing from your inflatable.
In the Fly Box this week, I try to answer some easy and difficult questions. Some of the questions include:
Would you recommend a Power Taper or Bank Shot fly line for fishing for largemouth bass form shore?
How can I catch striped bass on the Hudson River?
I have a 6- and an 8-weight rod and I want to streamer fish in Montana. Do I need a 7-weight?
How can I get permission to fish private land when bluelining?
I am catching big trout on nymphs and want to get a rod longer than 9 feet. Can I fish Euro-style and still land big trout on a 10-foot 3-weight, or should I look at a 10-foot 4-weight or 5-weight?
How long do you think is too long to play a trout?
Can I use a sinking Polyleader with an intermediate line?
How do you fish attractor flies?
Do I just throw one out there or should I pay more attention to hatches?
What line should I get for tarpon fishing with my 11-weight rod?
Do brown and rainbow trout have different feeding strategies?
Is there a sinking fly line I can use with both streamers and nymphs?
Learn how to decide between a canoe and a kayak, what kind to get, and how to maneuver and cast using these hard-sided watercraft (next week I'll be doing a podcast on inflatables). Ryan Lilly [47:30] is a fly fisher and Old Town's expert on fishing from these craft, and has many great suggestions for how to make the most out of your canoe or kayak experience.
In the Fly Box this week, we have some interesting questions that I'm sure will be of interest to many of you, as well as some thoughtful tips from other listeners, including:
What do bead-head nymphs imitate?
Aren't flies tied without beads more natural in the water?
Isn't it more natural to use a nymph without any added weight?
How do you fish wet flies?
Do you use a single one or more than one? And do you ever use weighted wet flies?
I recently saw a bunch of large carp in a pond in Florida. Why didn't I see any smaller ones?
I had trouble getting a good drift against the slow water on the far bank of a river. Every time I tried to mend my line the small dry fly sank. What else could I have done?
Can I fish two dry flies at once?
A suggestion from a listener on why upgrading from an entry level fly line is a wise investment.
Are there any performance differences between a 6-piece rod and a 4-piece rod?
How can I get an extra tip for my Orvis rod?
A great tip from a listener on how to make a device to hold scrap pieces of tippet using two pieces of Velcro.
I am going to a place where they have stocked golden rainbows. Do these fish behave any differently from normal rainbows?
Can I use a Poly Leader for tarpon?
Is there any difference between up-eye and down-eye hooks?
A tip from a listener on how to change thread colors with a permanent marker.
A tip from a listener on how to keep a partially used tube of Aquaseal stay fresh.
Why do people hold bass by the jaw? I have heard that this can dislocate their jaw.
I am taking my first guided trip. Should I do a float trip or a walk/wade trip?
Back in 2008 when I first began this podcast I had two dreams—that I would have my two literary heros, John McPhee and Thomas McGuane as guests (they are both passionate fly fishers). I was lucky enough to record a podcast with John in August of 2021 and this week's podcast is with Tom McGuane [44:36], author of 20 highly regarded novels, screenplays, collections of short stories, and what is in my opinion the finest book of fly-fishing essays ever written, The Longest Silence. Most people who interview Tom want to talk about his crazy days in Key West in the 1970s, , fishing for tarpon with Jim Harrison, Guy de la Valdene, Jimmy Buffet, and other notable characters. However, in the podcast we talk about what he is doing now—his fascination with small-stream trout fishing, why he would rather wade than fish from a boat, his opinion on guides who yell at their clients, and how to grow old gracefully and still continue to fish with a fly rod. It was a real honor to chat with him and I know you'll enjoy this very special podcast.
In the Fly Box this week, we have some wonderful and thought-provoking questions and tips form listeners, including:
What is that white rod that Pete Kutzer uses in your casting videos?
Is there a written history of Orvis?
What is the best reel lubricant, and how should I maintain my cork drag surface?
Can dumbbell eyes damage fly rods? If so, what should I do to keep flies tied with them from hitting my rod?
Do trout eat those little black and brown stoneflies that hatch during the winter and early spring?
Can you explain when I would use weighted flies vs. split shot vs. poly leaders when fishing nymphs?
Can you compare the relative advantages of the 10 1/2-foot 3-weight and the 11-foot 3-weight Blackout rod?
I saw people catching fish on nymphs. I tried exactly the same patterns and didn't catch anything. Why?
I have a reel that takes a 9-weight line. Can I get an extra spool and put it on my 7-weight rod?
Why am I not catching anything when fishing nymphs in the winter?
Great tips from a world traveler on taking your vaccination records with you, and warnings about carrying gear when traveling to Mexico or New Zealand.
What environmental cues will tell you when specific flies are hatching?
Is it true that emerger patterns are more effective when they look messy?
How do you explain when trout take smaller insects and ignore bigger ones?
This week, we go into great detail about the life cycle of caddisflies and the various species found in the eastern United States. Tom Ames [33:05], author of the book Caddisflies is my guest and although we go into great detail on the various types of caddisflies, don't let it overwhelm you, as imitating these insects is merely a matter of observing what stage of their life cycle is present and what the trout are eating. It's not something you can predict in advance—you need to arrive at the river and then figure out the puzzle by your powers of observation. But this podcast does get geeky so be prepared!
Our Fly Box questions this week are much more basic, a good counterbalance to our discussion of caddisflies. Questions and tips include:
I want to go beyond my typical attractor patterns and match some hatches. What basic flies do you recommend?
A great tip from a listener on fixing rough fingertips for fly tying
Tom's thoughts on the Murdich Minnow fly
What three lines should I get for fishing lakes?
Why don't more people wear PFDs?
What color of Clouser Minnows should I get for smallmouth bass?
Can I tie my second Euro nymph fly onto the bend of the other fly, or can I leave a tag end long on the knot to the first fly and use that?
Several rod selection questions
Can I double haul with my bamboo fly rod?
Is it a good idea to pinch the line against the cork to put added pressure on a running fish?
Tips from a listener on wearing felt boots on a trail and drying out wading boots.
What rod is best for practicing my casting skills?
This week is my guest Seth Berger [1:00:18], Fly Fishing Travel Specialist with Orvis Adventures. In his job, Seth visits Orvis-endorsed operations around the world and always packs his fishing gear, so he's a great resource for advising us how to travel with rods, waders, and flies—how to pack them, what to carry on, and pitfalls you should avoid. Seth also talks about what to pack, and items that are often forgotten or ignored by traveling anglers. Anyone who gets on a plane, whether it's a short hop or an international flight, will benefit from his knowledge.
In the Fly Box this week, we have some great questions and comment that run the gamut of the fly-fishing experience, including:
A listener who recommends the mono rig method, which is different from the standard Euro nymphing setup. And tries to tell me 20lb. mono casts just as easily as fly line (I'm not buying it)
Why not put a tippet ring on the end of a poly leader? I've used straight monofilament for a leader for bass and bream.
Why do I need a tapered leader, and do I need tippet?
When you fish two dry flies, what should the distance between them be?
Do I need to learn entomology to pick flies?
Is there any difference between picking flies for small streams vs. bigger rivers?
What do you look for to help you choose a fly?
Can I fish steelhead with my 9-foot 5-weight rod?
Is it true that lighter lines cast better in the wind because they have less air resistance?
Have you ever fished with just a bead on a hook?
Some great suggestions from a listener on how to keep fly tying materials away from young children.
I am coming from Korea to the US. Will I have problems brining flies and fly tying materials into the country?
Have you ever tried wiggle nymphs?
Why do Euro nymphers stand in the water and make short upstream casts while people with conventional lines try to fish as far away as possible?
Why don't we see a lot of blue streamers?
How deep can I effectively fish with a fly rod?
How can I tie patterns with partridge feathers smaller than size 16?
Capt. Pete Scafaru [32:53] is a new Orvis-endorsed guide in New Orleans (he's not new at guiding, just new to the Orvis program), and he shares his vast experience on what to expect at different times of the season, how to present the fly, and how to target redfish in shallow water. Regardless of where you fish for redfish, his tips will be valuable.
In the Fly Box, we have some questions and tips that I think will be of interest to all fly fishers, including:
What tips or tricks do you have for an older angler who has problems threading small flies?
A tip from a listener about how he attaches a dropper nymph to his tippet with a clinch knot so he can change either fly without re-tying both flies.
A tip from a listener on how to estimate measurements using parts of your arms and fingers.
Why does Orvis not sell a 7-weight Superfine Glass fly rod?
Do you ever use indicators when fishing nymphs on small mountain brook trout streams?
Can I fish soft hackles during the winter?
Why are people so nasty when I post fly-tying videos on social media? Do you get those kinds of comments in the podcast mailbox?
Does it matter where I put my wing case on Perdigon nymphs, and why are some Perdigons relatively fat? I thought "thin for the win" was the mantra for these flies.
Why would people throw streamers on Euro-nymphing rods?
I bought an old 7½-foot, 6-weight Madison bamboo fly rod. Will this be better with a 5- or 6-weight line, and will it be OK for general trout fishing?
This week, my guest is Joshua Simmons [44:00], who with his brother Caleb hosts the podcast "Dads on the Fly". (It's not just for dads, it's for moms and families as well, but they just both happen to be dads and brothers who wanted to give back to the world of fly fishing.) In their podcast they explore the ways families can get together through fly fishing, and have talked to many people across the country about this subject, so Joshua has a lot to share from his conversations and research. If you have always wanted to bring your family together in fly fishing, you'll pick up some great suggestions.
In the Fly Box this week, we have an eclectic mix of suggestions and questions, including:
Why do I have trouble mixing my dubbing in an old coffee grinder? It comes out like rope. I
have trouble tying with a hackle cape with thick stems. What can I do?
I have trouble hooking steelhead. What am I doing wrong?
A comment from a listener on the growing movement that helps fish and game departments protect all aquatic species, not just gamefish and game animals.
How can I practice casting before my next bonefish trip?
What footwear do you recommend for wading the flats?
It seems like I can get closer to bonefish wading that from a boat. Is that usually the case?
I have a new baby coming. How can I childproof my tying area?
Phil Rowley says that eutrophic lakes offer the best trout fishing, but all the eutrophic lakes I fish in New Hampshire are too warm for trout. Why the disconnect?
Someone told me to switch from left-hand wind to right-hand wind when I go saltwater fishing (I am right-handed). Should I heed their advice?
Why don't more fly anglers wear a PFD?
If Tom had one final trip, where would he go?
A great tip from a listener on pre-rigging flies at home
I can't cast a Euro rig with my 905 rod. Should I invest in a specific Euro nymphing rod and what will it give me that my current rod does not?
This week, since we have not had any hard-core fishing podcasts in awhile, I thought I would give you all some tips on winter fly fishing with Chip Swanson [40:09] of Breckenridge Outfitters in Colorado. Chip won the Orvis-Endorsed Freshwater Guide of the Year in 2019 for good reason. He's fun, patient, superbly knowledgeable, and a terrific teacher. He also does a lot of fishing and guiding throughout the winter, no matter what the weather. He has some great tips on staying warm, techniques to use, and what conditions are best for winter fly fishing.
In the Fly Box this week, we have some especially helpful tips from listeners as well as some questions that will be helpful to many fly fishers, including:
Is using a scented fly for sturgeon not fly fishing? And do you have any tips for catching these giants on a fly rod?
I am having trouble casting a double nymph rig plus split shot and an indicator. What casting advice do you have?
When is water too cold to try a dry dropper rig?
Some good advice from a listener on kneeling instead of sitting in a canoe for easier casting
A fly shop owner told me not to fish a local river because the flows were too low. Why is this bad in the winter when oxygen levels are higher?
How can I use online product reviews to inform my tackle purchases?
Which ones are the most reliable? What should I look for in a pedestal for my vise?
What are Tom's top 10 fly tying materials for fresh and salt water? What is Tom tying right now?
Great advice from a listener on kayak fishing and first aid kits for fishing trips
How long will it take my local river to recover after severe wildfires last year?
What can I use to hold those tippet scraps I want to dispose of?
This week, my guest is Tom Kiernan [38:50], President and CEO of American Rivers, an organization Orvis supports and endorses highly for the world-class work they do to protect our rivers. I wanted to explore the ins and outs of the Clean Water Act, one of the most important pieces of legislation of the 20th century. I think it's important that anyone who enjoys time on the water understands just what it has done for us, and what it can do in the future.
In the Fly Box this week, as usual we have some thought-provoking questions, including:
What kind of personal watercraft do you recommend for lakes and slow-moving rivers?
Is the abdomen of a natural insect the only important thing to imitate?
What do you prefer when fishing, a rain jacket or a wading jacket?
If I can't use weighted flies because of regulations, how can I sink my nymph?
What's the difference between a nail knot and a loop-to-loop connection?
Is there a time when one is better than another?
How do I keep the bodies on my big foam flies from twisting around the hook?
What do you do with your rod when landing a fish?
What is a Bimini twist used for?
When do you know that a fish is too much for the rod you are using?
A great tip from a listener on how to teach kids to tie flies without using a sharp hook.
If there are people swimming in a small mountain brook, how far away will the fish be spooked?
This week my guest is award-winning investigative journalist Robert O'Harrow [44:45], who has been with the Washington Post for over 30 years. Last fall he wrote an extensive article on the threats to mayfly populations worldwide and is continuing to research this issue, so I thought it would be interesting to share his findings. Bob is also a lifelong fly fisher who admits he didn't know a lot about the plight of mayflies in the past, so he gives us a great perspective.
In the Fly Box this week, we have some great questions and phone calls, including:
What is a good net for wade fishing when pursuing multiple species?
I recently caught a bunch of large trout in a river but no small ones. Where do the small ones go?
Can a "working fly box" apply to non-competition anglers as well?
What does Tim Flagler use to cut his thread on his videos?
I am a beginning fly fisher and the trout in the larger rivers in my area are difficult to catch. Should I first concentrate on small streams, ponds, or reservoirs?
What is the best way to give a fish line when it's running without giving it too much slack?
Is it a good idea to put UV resin over my nail knots?
How do you determine how deep the water is so you can set the indicator at 1 ½ times the water depth?
I keep getting crowded by other anglers on Colorado rivers. Should I try to educate them?
I lost a big fish by following it downstream.
My buddy says I should have stood my ground and not followed the fish. What do you think?
Do you think it's a bad idea to use beard trimmings in my dubbing to imitate hare's ear?
This week, my guest is Orvis product developer Jesse Haller [43:48], who besides being responsible for products like nets, wading shoes, and fishing packs and vests spent many years as a fishing guide. Jesse discusses how to pick the right net, some cool tips and carrying a net, how to plan your netting before you get a fish close to you, how to get the fish in the net with a minimum of fuss—and some great tips on releasing the fish you've caught.
In the Fly Box this week, we have some fascinating questions and some helpful tips from listeners, including:
Do you think it's a good idea to blacken your tippet close to the fly with a sharpie?
What conditions decide whether you should fish a large or a small streamer for bass?
A listener has a conundrum about booking a guide who used to work for another outfitter.
Some great tips from a listener about safety when bluelining in the Smokies.
What advice do you have for fishing out of a canoe? I have trouble finding trout in larger rivers, coming from a small stream background. What should I do?
Where can I find trout in winter?
What should I do about families with kids throwing rocks in the water when I am fishing?
How can I fish small midge emergers just under the surface?
During a heavy hatch, is it better to look for an individual fish or prospect a likely seam or run?
A great tip on a device for letting people know where you are when fishing the back country.
If I am running multiple midge nymphs, should I use a light or heavy tippet?
What is the best beginner outfit for saltwater fly fishing?
Ian Rutter [43:06] is a long-time guide in the Smokies and one of our top field testers. He specializes in small mountain creeks (as well as their local tailwaters) and because I have had numerous requests for a podcast on "Blue-lining" I wanted to get him on to get the views from someone who does this in the heart of wild mountain brook trout country. For those of you who don't know the term, blue-lining refers to looking for new small trout water on a map and then exploring it to see what it holds. It's part hiking, part fioshing, and part discovery.
In the Fly Box this week, we have lots of tackle questions, some good tips from listeners, and some other technique related questions.
I was gifted a Helios 3 906F. What reel do you recommend for it?
I have a 7 ½ foot rod for panfish, a 4-weight for trout, and an 8-weight for steelhead and stripers. I want to fish streamers, redfish, and corbina. Should I get a 6-weight for that?
I have a Recon 10 foot 4-weight and a Blackout 11 foot 3-weight for Euro nymphing. What rod would you recommend for a standard trout rod for bigger rivers?
Can I catch smallmouth bass in stained water with trout techniques like big dries or a dry-dropper rig?
I have the opportunity to make my own bamboo rod. What length and line size do you recommend for small to medium0sized rivers? I listened to your podcast recommending a touch of parrafin on loose ferrules and thought I would do it later. On my next trip I broke my rod because of a loose ferrule and realized I should not have put it off. I see all these videos of people sight-fishing for trout but I almost never see them in the water myself. Should I practice spotting trout or is there something else I should do?
After reading the book Lords of the Fly by Monte Burke I decided I never want to fish for tarpon. And what do you think of guides who "discover" a spot and then claim it as their own and push other people out?
What is Tom's most memorable worst day of fishing?
What tips and tricks does Tom keep secret and not share with us?
Where does Orvis get its products. I know you make some of your rods but where does other tackle come from?
My guest this week, Sarah Baker [35:40] is a woman who has a job most of us would envy—she studies and manages the populations of wild, native brook trout in the mountains of northern Georgia. Learn more about these southernmost populations of brook trout, their life history, and where you can find them (no spot burning, just some general areas to investigate for yourself).
In the Fly Box this week, some great questions that range the spectrum of fly fishing, such as:
A listener is confused by recommendations for sinking lines for an Alaska trip
Can I tie flies smaller than size 18 with the regular jaws in my tying vise? Do I need to purchase midge jaws?
Someone told me not to use water-based head cement on size 20 and smaller flies. Why?
If I know I have a reasonable fly and good drifts, does it make sense to spend more than a half-dozen casts in one spot?
I am a newbie and other than the typical questions about what fly to use, what other questions should I ask in a fly shop that will be helpful?
If I want to try Spey casting with my single-hand fly rod, what fly line would be best?
Can smaller Spey patterns be used for trout and bass on a single-handed rod?
I am taking my first saltwater trip to Turks and Caicos. I have an 8-weight freshwater outfit. Do I need to get a special saltwater rod and line?
Can I use a 450-grain Depth Charge line on my 10-weight rod? And besides fishing for striped bass, what other saltwater applications are there for this line?
I am having trouble with my Clinch Knots breaking in cold weather. What am I doing wrong?
Any advice for tying on a size 22 Zebra Midge in cold weather?
Can you really catch giant cutthroat trout in the desert? Are they truly a native species? And do they really fish with ladders? You'll find out in my interview with Orvis-endorsed guide Mike Anderson [45:23], who guides for the Reno Fly Shop.
In the Fly Box this week, we have some wonderful comments and thought-provoking questions, including:
I can keep the knots in my rubber legs on hopper patterns. How do you do it?
What common fly-tying materials can I get from animals I have harvested, what parts should I use, and how to you prepare and store them?
What is the advantage of going from 140 denier tying thread to 70 denier and when and why should I use it?
A listener explains why he welcomes new people to the sport.
I just got an intermediate line for fishing in lakes. Will it be useful in streams?
I have an old rod with a loose ferrule. Is there any way of fixing it?
Is my 9 ½ foot 6-weight rod too light to throw big articulated flies for bull trout?
I know trout lie in seams in a river. Will steelhead be in seams as well?
Can I use sewing thread for tying flies?
My double surgeon's knots keep breaking. What am I doing wrong?
Are there special fighting techniques when you hook a fish on a downstream drift?
Why do people tell me to fish at high tide, when I can walk out farther at low tide?
Can I swing a streamer in salt water?
Do changes in air temperature affect fish in the ocean as much as in fresh water?
What do I do to take my trout fishing to the next level?
What should I concentrate on?
Why are bamboo rods typically shorter than graphite, and how do I travel with a two-piece bamboo rod?
I am losing more fish with large flies than I do with small flies. What is the issue?
Bill Sisson [27:29] is the founding editor of Angler's Journal magazine and his recently published book, Seasons of the Striper, is an elegant pictorial love letter to striped bass fishing. Bill has seen many changes in the striped bass fishery over the years, and his family goes back for generations of striped bass anglers — both sport and commercial fishing. He tells some great stories of past striped bass escapades, which I know you'll enjoy listening to.
In the Fly Box this week, we have some solid questions and some informative information from listeners, including:
On a recent podcast a listener described a method of pre-tying nymphs on a dropper with a perfection loop, but I can't figure out how to attach them to my dry fly with a loop-loop connection. How do you accomplish this?
A listener gives us some great background on the history of public stream access in the United States.
A listener warns of of an alarming trend of beaver misinformation
Why do I keep losing trout on my barbless flies? Am I putting too much pressure on the fish?
What tips can you give me on fishing with my fiberglass rod in salt water?
I fish for bass in spring creeks.
Do you think they will be active in late fall and winter?
How do the gases in the exoskeleton of a midge pupa form?
Is there any hope of fishing a dry dropper in winter?
Do you have any tips for fishing small streams when there is ice in a creek?
I get a lot of questions about midges and their life cycle, so I thought I would invite a professional entomologist to give us an overview of these insects and how to imitate them. Rick Hafele [3816] has not only been an entomologist all his working life, he's also a superb angler and fly-fishing author and perhaps one of the best authorities on aquatic entomology we have. Learn about what color midges to imitate, which part of their life cycle is most important to trout, and how to effectively fish these imitations. In
The Fly Box this week, we have some thought-provoking questions and some terrific suggestions from listeners, including:
I have used both rubber and felt soles and I still have problems wading. I am in good shape and have good balance. What wading shoes do you suggest?
I witnessed a huge hatch of insects but only caught largemouth bass. Is there a depth and current speed where fishing a dry fly is futile?
What type of poly leader would you suggest for my 5-weight rod?
How long should my leader be when fishing a poly leader?
What CFS do you consider safe to wade in a river?
If I catch a wild brown or rainbow in a brook trout stream, should I relocate that fish below a waterfall?
What is the purpose of releasing large hatchery brood stock trout into wild trout streams? Do they have any effect on a wild trout population?
How would you fish a slow, tannic river with a mud and sand bottom?
How long do you stay in one section of a river?
Should I match the diameter of the butt section of my leader to the diameter of my fly line?
What should I do if I hook a large striped bass and it thrashes close to me but does not take line. Should I try to get the line on the reel?
Some great tips from a South Dakota angler on how to find superb fly fishing close to home.
My guest this week is Steve Carew [40:58] of Fulling Mill Flies. Steve is the guy who gets fly patterns from an original sample to those gorgeous flies you see in the fly bins of your local Orvis store or dealer. How do commercial flies get made? Who are these people who tie flies for a living? Do they actually fish? How good are they? And how do they produce such consistent, high-quality flies in large volumes without sacrificing quality?
In the Fly Box this week, we have some helpful tips from listeners as well as some interesting questions, including:
A great tip on how to protect the tip of a fly rod when carrying it inside a vehicle fully assembled.
How do I know what color midge to use? Are there seasons and times when different colors work better than others?
I saw a carp feeding but tried a dozen flies and none of them worked. How can I catch these fish?
I fish a lake with trout, bass, pike, walleye, and perch in it. How can I target each one of these fish?
I am going to fish a lake and want to know what two fly lines I should take.
Does the newer technology Orvis uses in its fly rods make older rods obsolete?
I am fishing an older fiberglass rod and lost a bunch of fish. Do you think the rod is the problem?
I fish an aqueduct with steep banks that prevent a back-cast. Do you have any suggestions on fly lines?
A tip from a listener on gluing an aquarium thermometer to his net.
Do you think the occasional flip of my fins when using a float tube will spook fish?
Do you have any tips for mending a dry dropper rig without moving the fly?
What is Tom's favorite fly to tie and favorite fly to fish?
I purchased an old bamboo rod. How do I find out what line size it takes?
I saw some brook trout actively working a redd. Does that mean I should quit fishing that stream entirely?
My guest this week is Alex Waller [41:36] from New Zealand. You've likely seen his great videos on Orvisnews.com or on You Tube, in his channel Trippin on Trout. Alex shares his techniques for fishing nymphs in late fall and winter with us, and his techniques are a bit different than what most of us use, so you make pick up some tips for your own trout fishing wherever you live. And because he often fishes for migratory rainbows coming out of giant Lake Taupo, his techniques will play well with Great Lakes "steelhead".
In the Fly Box this week, we have a host of interesting questions, including:
What is the most buoyant natural material for dry flies?
Does adding UV resin to dry flies affect their buoyancy?
What is the best way to carry and store tube flies?
Is there a universal rule for what size nymph you can use on a dry dropper?
How do I keep my hook gap clear of materials so I don't miss strikes?
What should I do when a big fish shakes its head when fighting?
If black is the most visible color for flies, why do some anglers prefer black hooks when fish are spooky?
If black is most visible in murky water, why do some people recommend bright flies under these conditions?
I am stuck in the rolling plains of the Midwest, four hours from a trout stream. Can I still go fly fishing?
A local river is highly pressured with very clear water, so everyone uses tiny midges.
Would a bigger fly work sometimes?
What is the best upgrade I can make to my Clearwater outfit, without spending hundreds of dollars?
Do you ever swing wet flies in small streams?
If so what leader do you use?
When do you use a strike indicator instead of a dry dropper?
And what kind do you use?
I have a floating line for striped bass fishing and have done well with it. What other line would you recommend?
What do you suggest if I want to try night fishing for striped bass?
This week, my guest is Dave DiBenedetto, Editor-in-Chief of Garden & Gun Magazine, who is a lifelong fly fisher. If you read the magazine, you can see that they frequently publish fly-fishing stories, and also that they stress conservation. In their latest issue, they make public their Champions of Conservation Awards, which go to people who are making a difference at the grassroots level in all areas of conservation. Recipients range from Capt. Bennie Blanco in the Florida Everglades; to Savi Horne, who works to keep agriculture sustainable for Black farmers; to Dr. Jennifer Rehage, who has discovered shocking levels of pharmaceuticals in Florida's bonefish population—and seven other fascinating individuals who have made a difference. We also talk fishing, from marsh redfish to small-stream trout in the mountains of the South.
In the Fly Box this week, we have these questions and more:
What is your take on small river fishing from a kayak for smallmouth bass?
What is the best way to travel with a fully assembled fly rod inside an SUV or Jeep?
Can I fish a dry/dropper or indicator with my 10-foot, 3-weight Euro rod?
What is the minimal number of fly rods one can own for the most diverse situations and number of species?
And what rods should they be?
Is there any way to have a smooth connection from line to leader with the convenience of a loop-to-loop connection?
Do we need to be as careful when releasing bluegills and bass as we are with trout?
Is there anything wrong with adding colored marks to the end of my fly line and Euro-nymphing with a short leader?
Will trout that are eating tiny flies take a bigger dry at last light? Can I Euro nymph in small streams with a short rod?
What is the minimum and maximum amount of gear you would take for an afternoon of fishing?
The fish I get in my net quickly often struggle a lot. Should I play them longer?
Is there an app to analyze your casting?
Someone suggested using thinner-bodied Zebra Midges. Is that a good idea?
I've long been fascinated by the way geology affects the character and richness of a trout stream, and I know other anglers are as well. My interview this week is with geology professor Dr. Nelson Ham [40:36], who has been studying the effects of both geology and historical land use practices on the character of our trout rivers. The discussion also goes into the value of ground water on how productive our rivers can be. I learned a lot in this interview and I know you will as well.
In the Fly Box this week, we have some interesting an unusual questions and comments, including:
I have six Helios 3 rods and want to sell one. Which one should I sell?
Do you think the affect of COVID on swelling the ranks of fly fishers will go down?
I found an Orvis 1856 bamboo fly rod in the attic of my new house. Was it really built in 1856?
A listener encourages me to keep making fun of various kinds of fly-fishing methods.
In places I used to catch brook trout I am now only catching chubs. Do you think trout will re-inhabit these streams?
A listener reminds me that organizations like Project Healing Waters promote the therapeutic value of fly fishing in young veterans.
Do you think tube flies would be effective for golden dorado?
If it's legal, how many flies do you think are too many on a single leader?
When I fish a dry dropper, why do the smaller fish take my small Zebra Midge and the larger trout take a poke at my dry fly?
What flies and gear are recommended for catching Atlantic mackerel on a fly?
If I don't want to use head cement, is a double whip finish a good way to increase the durability of my flies?
When I use a throat pump on trout, why do my samples sometimes come up empty?
This week we take a trip Down Under to talk to guide Angus Reynolds [41:21] in Australia. Angus customarily guides trout anglers, but because of the recurring drought in Australia he has been pursuing alternate species and carp are one of his major targets. I thought we could learn some techniques to try on our North American carp, which are the same species, and Angus has some interesting tips on fishing a sunken dry fly for them. He also tells some great stories about catching Murray cod and eels on a fly rod!
In the Fly Box this week, we have some interesting questions and comments, including:
Can I use my 11-foot, 3-weight Helios Blackout rod for trout Spey? If so, what grain weight should I use?
When should I use jig hooks and slotted beads as opposed to regular nymph hooks and beads?
Do you have some tips for Eastern stillwater trout fishing? Is it much different than what they do in the West?
Is there a reasonable do-it-yourself repair kit for fly rods I can take into the field with me?
Does UV resin attract trout? And are UV materials really attractive to trout?
A listener from the UK says the whole idea of public water in North American blows his mind. He asks if it is really true that we can fish any river we want?
A listener takes me to task for insinuating that people who use Euro nymphing techniques are only after racking up numbers of fish.
What is the difference between graphite and fiberglass rods for small streams, and which is better?
If I see a beaver on one end of a pond and an otter on the other, which one should I stay away from when fishing?
A listener shares his experience of brown trout favoring one fly on his nymph rig and rainbow trout the other fly.
Originally Released Jul 09, 2021 This week I am delighted to have biologist John McMillan back as my guest [46:00]. John gives us a detailed view on the affect of water temperature on a trout's metabolism, particularly at the upper end of their safe range. In this summer of low flows and high water temperatures nearly everywhere in North America, it's a critical topic. And as usual, John puts his critical eye on how we, as anglers, can mitigate these effects by changing our fishing behavior. John is never without optimism, and I think you'll enjoy his discussion and learn more about trout biology and how we can be more responsible anglers.
In the Fly Box this week, we have some great questions and tips from listeners:
Why did my guide tell me to use heavier tippets? Why did she suggest this would put less stress on the fish?
A suggestion from a listener on getting an old bamboo rod and refurbishing it to bring one back to life.
What is the difference between hen and partridge?
How do I know where to find trout streams?
What size should I tie my ants in?
A new way of tying a clinch knot with heaver hooks is suggested by a listener
Why, when fishing with a dry dropper, do I only catch browns on the nymph and only cutthroats on the dry?
What do you suggest for catching pressured largemouths in summer?
A belated Father's Day message
Can I use the Euro nymphing method from a drift boat or float tube?
Why am I having trouble mending at 30 feet with a dry dropper?
When tying a Chubby Chernobyl, how do you get the legs to separate?
When you see a large mammal like a beaver or otter in the river, is it time to move on?
Why do I catch myself with my fly when casting?
Is it OK to dry my waders and boots in the sun?
How should I handle my gear for air travel?
Why do I keep losing fish when using bead head flies?
Does using a frog pattern change the flex of my rod?
Why do Scandinavians hold their rods so high when playing a fish?
Anyone involved in the world of fly fishing knows that young people are getting involved at a rate greater than any time in its history. Why? What do they want out of fly fishing, why does it appeal to them, and what do they see as the future of fly fishing? This is Part two of a podcast series where I interview young people about these questions, and this week my guest is a college student, Lukas Draugelis [37:14], president of the University of Vermont Fly-fishing Club—a very vibrant organization.
In the Fly Box this week we some great questions, as well as a bit of humor, including:
I get my fly line, rod tip, net, and flies stuck in trees and bushes, sometimes at the same time. Does this happen to anyone else?
How do bursts of rain and muggy days affect fly fishing? How about barometric pressure?
I have never seen a good hatch on a river. What kinds of environmental cues trigger a hatch?
What grain weight should I put on a fiberglass rod that calls for a 5/6 line?
What does the term “boat rod” mean in fly fishing?
I fish a wild trout stream with numerous small fish with the biggest around 14 inches.
How many and what size can I safely harvest?
Any tips on how to make my first casts in a pool as good as the ones I may 15 minutes later when I am “warmed up”?
How can I avoid foul hooking fish, and am I killing fish that I foul hook?
What does a fish sound like when it is spooked?
If I came fly fishing with you on small streams, what rod, leader, and flies would you be using?
Is there a good way to make an adjustable dropper on a dry/dropper rig?
This week, my guest is Austin Boswell [37:57], owner and guide for Eastern Oregon River Outfitters. I wanted to talk to Austin because I'm doing a two-part series on why young people are suddenly getting into fly fishing after many years of it being mostly an older person's pastime. I got into fly fishing at a young age, but in those days all the fly fishers I knew were older, and today we're seeing a great influx of young people taking up the sport. Why? I don't have any answers so for the next two podcasts I am going to be interviewing two fly fishers under the age of 30 to find out why it is so intriguing to them.
In the Fly Box this week, we have some interesting questions and comments, including:
I found my fly line wrapped over itself on my reel. How did that happen and how can I prevent it?
My normally easy-to-approach brook trout have become really spooky in the low water of summer. Will they be easier once the water levels come back up? Is my fly line scaring them and what can I do?
How long do felt soles last?
When did Orvis stop impregnating bamboo rods and why?
A great quote on harvesting fish by blogger and author Bill Robichaud
Is there a standard for reel foot sizing?
Are the reel feet different in different-sized reels?
What taper model are the various Recon models based on?
Why do my Chubby Chernobyl flies not float well?
Do trout eat woolly bear caterpillars?
How do I cast an open loop when using indicators or dry droppers?
Why do caddis flies and midges have a pupa stage and mayflies don't?
How do I mix dubbings with different textures in a coffee grinder?
We all get occasional aches and pains from casting, or as we get older we worry about getting them. Dr. Jason Smith [51:14] is an expert in sports medicine and has worked with many professional athletes in developing routines from strengthening muscles and connective tissue. He has some great advice on avoiding casting injuries, types of therapy to alleviate the pain of these issues, and also some easy exercises to avoid injury in the future. Fly fishing is supposed to be fun and any way we can take the pain out of it is welcome advice.
In the Fly Box this week, we have some controversy and some great questions, including:
If I am fishing an articulated fly in a place where only a single hook is allowed by law, should I cut off the back hook or the front hook?
I’ve tried night fishing without any success. What do you suggest?
If I am using a dropshot rig in very deep, fast water, how many split shot is too many?
A tip from a listener about a great suggestion for casting he got from George Daniel
If I am fishing two or three flies, is there any rule as to where I should place my heaviest fly?
I only have a 5-weight and a 10-weight rod and I want to fish for bass.
Can I use my 10-weight for bass fishing?
It’s still hard to reconcile catch-and-release fishing for ecological reasons with a carbon footprint from cross-country trips. And I heard that there is at least an 11% mortality rate in catch-and-release fishing.
Do trout eat whirligig beetles and water striders? And what do they tell me about a trout stream?
How should I adjust my fishing tactics when it rains?
I fish a catch-and-release pond with picky fish and heavy fishing pressure. If no one fished this pond for a year, would the trout get less selective?
A listener takes me to task for saying I try to avoid fishing for stocked trout. And then asks me what I would do if I lived in an urban area where there were only put-and-take fisheries for trout.
A listener is confused by the different sizes of aquatic insects and asks if the same ones hatch in different sizes.
A physicist weighs in on how to stalk trout, knowing how the physics of refraction works.
A listener gives me a list of the rods he owns and asks if there is something missing in his arsenal, especially for small streams.
Catch-and-release fishing for trout is not a conservation tool. It’s a way to manage trout populations for larger fish, based mainly on sociological or even political pressures. Sometimes it doesn’t even produce larger fish, and it can backfire when it inflames local anglers. Tim Traver [38:50], author of Lost in the Driftless, has spent years studying the effects of fishing regulations on both fish and human populations and I think your eyes will open to the limitations of regulations like “fly-fishing only” or “catch-and-release”.
In the Fly Box this week, we have lots of interesting questions and comments from listeners, including:
What can I do to avoid crowds on a heavily pressured eastern trout stream?
What is the best way to carry a net when using a sling bag?
A listener has some great comments on why bamboo rods are so special.
Why am I consistently breaking off large brown trout using 6X tippet?
If I don’t have a fishing backpack or vest, how can I carry a net?
How can I fish very fast water effectively with a dry dropper rig?
If most fish food is dull colored, why do we use so many wild colors in our flies?
A listener makes some great points on why fishing close to home is desirable.
A physicist weighs in on what a trout can see from underwater.
Can I effectively Euro-nymph with my 9-foot, 5-inch Blackout rod?
What are some good uses for squirrel tail in fly tying?
What is everyone doing in the northeast for fly fishing during the drought?
My guest this week is Sean Carey [48:31], drummer and keyboard player for the indie folk band Bon Iver, who also records solo work as S Carey. Sean has been fly fishing for many years, beginning when he was in high school, and we spend a lot of time discussing the concept of “growing where you were planted” or learning the pleasures of discovering fly fishing close to home. And of course we talk about how fly fishing has influenced his song writing, and also what the theoretical difference might be in the way a classically trained musician approaches fly fishing as opposed to the way a jazz musician might. At the end of the podcast is a special treat—a recording of his song “Yellowstone” (but no it’s not a fishing song even though we all associate that area with fishing).
In the Fly Box this week, we have a bunch of thought-provoking questions from listeners, including:
If I can see a fish in the water, does that mean it can see me? Or does a trout’s “window” work in reverse?
What do you think of tying the dropper onto the eye of the dry fly instead of the bend when using a dry-dropper rig?
Are those rock dams that people make in streams bad for trout?
What is your opinion of Jack’s Knot?
Will Tenkara fishing work on small, clear spring creeks? W
hy does the Crackleback fly work?
If I have a bunch of old reels with lines on them, can a fly shop tell me what size they are?
What kind of additional flies and gear do I need when moving form smallmouth bass fishing to tailwater trout fishing?
What do you do for protection in bear and cougar country?
What is your preferred method for fishing a nymph under an indicator?
I got an H3 rod as a gift and I don’t feel I am good enough to use it yet. What do you think about this?
Shawn Brillon gives me the answers on four questions about bamboo rods as a follow-up to his recent podcast
Would my 10-foot 7-weight rod be OK for bonefishing in the Turks and Caicos?
Bass keep throwing my heavy cone-head streamers when they jump. Would keeping tension on them when they jump prevent this?
How do you know what rod size to use?
How do you know what tippet size to use?
I get a lot of questions from listeners on how to get kids into fly fishing--what's the right rod outfit, what species to go after, how to structure (or not structure) a day on the water, what resources are available, and how to instill a sense of ethics and conservation in kids. My guest this week is an expert on the subject. Marsha Benovengo [40:20] is state chair of New Jersey Trout Unlimited, and this year she received the coveted Mortensen Award from TU for her volunteer service and dedication. She has a host of great tips for guiding kids through their fly-fishing education.
In the Fly Box this week, we have some interesting questions and tips from listeners, including:
I noticed trout living in a polluted pond near a garnet quarry. Don't trout always live in completely pristine water?
I have a kink in my fly line that I can't remove. Do you have any tips on getting it out?
What do you do to help your feet after a day of wet wading?
Can I travel with fly rods in a duffel bag?
A tip from a listener on using Lycra dive socks for wet wading How exactly do you check the balance on a fly rod?
Does Tom ever get to fish anymore?
How can I get more distance when surf fishing for snook?
I am doing well using Euro-style jig flies with an indicator and a standard 9-foot 5-weight rod.
Would I be even more successful with a Euro rod? And how do they fish dry flies with those 10-foot 3-weight rods?
Should I attach my nymphs with a loop knot?
How can I fish a high mountain lake with extensive weed beds?
Would my 12-year-old son be better off with a double taper line than the weight-forward line he is currently using?
A great story from a listener in Sweden who has a friend that has caught 100 species of fish native to Sweden, all on fly tackle.
Will fishing my "cold water" Bank Shot line in warm water and air temperatures damage the line?
How can I clean some peacock feathers I got from a friend?
How can I keep my fly lower in the water column when swinging streamers for smallmouth bass?
I have a small spring on my property and would like to see if it will hold trout. Should I dig it out and clean out all the willows around it?
Want to know how a bamboo fly rod is made? How long it takes to make one? How many different hands touch an Orvis bamboo fly rod before you (and your children and grandchildren) become its lucky owner. And finally, what's so great about bamboo fly rods? How are they different from fiberglass and graphite, and what will they do for you on the water? This week I interview Orvis bamboo fly rod craftsman Shawn Brillon [45:09], who loves to talk bamboo rods as much as he enjoys making and fishing them.
In the Fly Box this week, we have some great questions and tips from listeners, including:
I could catch rising trout in one part of a pool, but when I moved 50 meters upstream I couldn't catch any. What was going on?
How do I determine the correct size leader if I am going from a single size 16 fly to a hopper or multiple nymph rig?
What are your thoughts on weed guards on flies?
I caught a dragonfly on my elk hair caddis. Am I the first?
I hooked a trout in the corner of the mouth and even with a barbless hook it bled and looked like it would die. Would it have been better if I left the fly in the fish?
I have been fishing with an 8-weight shooting head outfit for striped bass and halibut. I want to catch corbina but I hear they are spooky. Do you think my 8-weight is too heavy?
I keep seeing these large fish rising in a heavily pressured river but can't catch them on any multi-fly rig. What can I do to fool these fish?
What do you do to stay in shape for fishing?
What are the advantages of a big dry fly over a bobber?
Does bead size really matter regarding attractiveness to trout? And is there a seasonality to what color beads you should use?
I have been catching catfish on a fly. Does anyone else do this and is it a "thing" or is it bycatch?
I went to Banff to fish and they required that all my tackle, including lines and leaders, could not have been used for 45 days and had to be cleaned and treated. What do you think about the potential for things like lines and leaders to transfer invasive species?
My guest this week is Cameron Mortensen of The Fiberglass Manifesto [51:24]. Cam is one of the most knowledgeable anglers when it comes to fiberglass fly rods. I know a lot of listeners are curious about glass rods, and so we can to answer the questions: What is the history of fiberglass rods? How do modern ones compare to the older styles? What are the advantages of fiberglass rods? What are the drawbacks of fiberglass rods? What are the new 4-piece Orvis Superfine Glass rods like? If you've been curious about trying a fiberglass fly rod, I hope this podcast answers some of your questions.
In the Fly Box this week, we have some thought-provoking questions, tips, and complaints, including:
What are the benefits of a strip set, and what is happening at the end of the line?
When should I use the strip set?
Should I buy an 8-weight or a 9-weight for a combination of saltwater and largemouth bass?
Why do largemouth bass follow my fly and not take it? Why don't people use duck-quill-wing wet flies anymore?
A listener takes Tom to task for making fun of Tenkara fishing
A guide makes a plea for clients to practice their casting before a day of fishing.
I have some 50-year-old flies that look to be in good shape and the hooks are not rusty. Do you think the hooks are still good and won't break?
A listener asks for advice between a 7- or 8-weight rod for bass and carp.
If the mono in my poly leader gets too short, should I cut back the coating to try to expose more of the core?
A tip on using crushed material from inside desiccant packages for a fly flotant
Do some fly tiers get royalties on the patterns they designed?
I see bass splashing up against the shore and logs. Are they chasing baitfish, and if so, how do I catch them?
How do I get the curl out of my leader when fishing big flies?
I had two 9-foot, 5-weight rods break in the same place, a half inch from the tip. What do you think happened?
What does Tom do when he gets frustrated and his casting mechanics break down?
This week, my guest is guide and author Matt Supinski [51:36], one of the most innovative thinkers in fly fishing with a long history in the business. The topic is selectivity, which Matt wrote an entire book about a few years ago. What is selectivity in fish feeding, is it always operating, why does it happen, and how can we use it to our advantage when fishing? It’s a fascinating topic and one Matt and I explore in depth.
In the Fly Box this week, we have some great questions and comments, including:
Do longer rods roll cast better than shorter ones? And do slower rods roll cast better?
Can I use one of those yarn practice rods to fine tune my double haul?
Why can I only find lead split shot? Isn’t it bad for the environment?
Who were your “media heroes” when growing up?
Do the vibrations from car-top rod carriers damage rods?
A listener takes me to task for suggesting people use a throat pump to see what trout are eating.
Why do trout sometimes not respond to heavy hatches?
The smallmouth bass in my local streams are quite small. Why don’t they grow bigger?
How can I catch trout in a small stream that runs into a local pond?
What can I do to make stripers on the flats take my flies? They keep following but don’t commit.
Why do fly shop employees get paid such a low wage?
Does green-colored tippet material offer any advantage?
How can I improve my dexterity and efficiency when tying knots on the water?
Can I use a reel suitable for an 8-weight line on my 5-weight rod?
This week, my guest is captain Drew Price [56:13], an expert on fishing large, multi-story, multi-species lakes. Drew has pioneered methods of catching unusual and fascinating freshwater fish like bowfin, gar, and freshwater drum. He also loves to fish for trout, bass, and carp but there are days on his home water, Lake Champlain, when those popular fish may not cooperate. And it's fun to fill your life list with new species, some of which may live in your own back yard. If you're looking for a new challenge, want to escape summer's crowded trout rivers--or if your rivers are too warm--learn about how you can fish large lakes for all kinds of cool fish.
In the Fly Box this week, we have lots of thought-provoking questions, including:
What should I pack for my trip to Alaska, and how should I pack my waders?
Why did they use heaver stuff, like size 8 wet flies and 3X leaders, back in the 1930s through 1950s?
Why am I missing brown and rainbow trout striking my leech pattern?
Why am I missing small cutthroat trout on my dry flies?
I see large brown trout very close to me in a heavily fished river, but they won't take any of my flies. Are they spooked?
Tips from a listener on how to store rods and other tackle Why do some rods not have hook keepers?
What fishing fiction do you recommend, beyond Big Two-Hearted River and A River Runs through It?
For fishing hopper patterns, should I go long and fine or short and heavy with my leader?
I caught some big rainbow trout but also saw some huge suckers in the same river. How can I catch those suckers on a fly?
Where is the best place to set down your rod and reel when switching flies or leaders?
If I see some debris on my nymph, should I clean it off?
How does the hard-sided Orvis stripping basket compare to collapsible mesh versions?
When I release trout, should I try to feed them mealworms or something to make up for them losing a meal?
This week, my guest is Capt. Benny Blanco of Islamorada, in the Florida Keys [37:38]. Benny talks about his life in the Keys and about how he came to realize that the fishery on which he made his living was threatened--and how he learned to make a difference. The Everglades will never be completely pristine again, but with people like Benny involved, it can regain much of its former glory. And it's not only the Everglades.
Restoration of the entire watershed will also help the world-class fisheries in Florida Bay, the health of the St. Lucie and Caloosahatchee estuaries, and the drinking water supply of the 9 million people in South Florida. It's a study in best practices that people in any part of the world can learn from to protect their treasured resources.
In the Fly Box this week we have some lighter topics:
How long does it take for a fish to remove a hook that has been left in it? Is there much of a mortality rate?
How do you fish with friends on a small stream?
Great tips from a listener for making sure you don't leave any gear behind on a trip
What parts of my fly gear can be damaged in a hot car?
Have you ever tried a "dry dropper" arrangement with a popper when fishing for striped bass?
Why are most imitations of mayflies so small?
If I am used to fishing small streams, how can I read the water in a big flat piece of water in a big river?
When fishing multiple flies, should I use a weaker knot on the droppers so I don't lose my entire rig?
How do I set the hook when stillwater fishing?
When fishing three flies at once, I foul hook a lot of trout. How can I prevent that?
This week, my guest is longtime guide, fly shop owner, journalist, musician, and all-around great guy Jim McLennan [40:26]. Jim is a thoughtful fly fisher who always has solid tips on fly-fishing techniques, and this week we talk about mayfly spinners—their mysteries, how to identify when they are active, and how to target trout feeding on them. Mayfly spinner falls are some of the best opportunities to catch large trout on a dry fly because trout gorge on them and sometimes get stupid, so it pays to have some intelligence on taking advantage of these opportunities. And this is a timely podcast because in most parts of the country, we are about to get into the prime season for the tiny Trico spinners.
In the Fly Box this week, we have some intriguing questions and tips from listeners, including:
Why can I do to prevent my mono eyes from breaking on my tarpon flies?
How do I clean my saltwater flies after a trip so they aren’t all mangled?
Can I use more than one subsurface fly with a dry-dropper rig?
How can I fish a deep plunge pool with a dry-dropper?
I have broken a bunch of rods in the past couple years. Is it due to my bad casting?
Some great tips from a relatively new angler on where to get the best help and advice.
What is a good way to enjoy a fly-fishing trip with a young family?
How can I break into writing stories and poems about fly fishing?
Is using a stomach (throat) pump unethical, and is it looked down upon by other fly fishers?
A tip for using neoprene socks when wet wading
In the short and long term, what do you expect the results of the Yellowstone flood will be?
You may have never heard of redeye bass or seen one. Yet they are a wonderful fly-rod fish. They live in spectacular, clear mountain streams and take a fly very well. They’re mainly found in the deep South, particularly in Alabama, so they’re a great fly-rod target in places where you would not ordinarily think of fly fishing. They’re a native species that deserve more visibility from the fly-fishing community and my guest, Matthew Lewis [44:27], is perhaps the world expert on fly fishing for them.
In the fly box this week, we have some interesting questions and great tips from listeners, including:
What percentage of the time do trout in lakes feed on the surface?
What is a go-to fly for late summer fishing on small streams?
What can I do to prevent foul-hooking so many fish? And when I hook a trout in the belly, is it sure to die?
Do oils from our hands harm trout?
Do you have some general rules of thumb for how rain affects fly fishing?
I am using wide gape hooks and missing a lot of small brook trout. Is it the hook that’s my problem?
I saw some large brown trout in shallow water around spawning season and could not get them to take a fly. What can I do?
What do you think of the Double Davy Knot?
A listener shares a killer nymph pattern he developed.
When I practice casting, why does the end of my leader fray and my fly line loop come apart?
Do you ever guide?
I fish a stream with rainbow trout, and for the first six months of the season I can’t find them. Where do they go?
How much less backing fits on a spool when I use 30-pound backing instead of 20-pound?
Are the natural materials we use for fly tying from ethically treated animals?
This week my guest is Paul Bruun [39:50], a legendary figure in fly fishing who has been involved with the fly-fishing world even longer than me.
On Thursday, June 30th, he received the Izaak Walton Award from the American Museum of Fly fishing for a lifetime of contributions to our sport. Paul is a guide, writer, newspaperman, and he developed the famous South Fork Skiff, which has recently been resurrected and redesigned by the famous Adipose Boatworks Company in Montana. Paul is a wonderful storyteller and he tells us about what it was like to learn fly fishing in South Florida in the 1960s—not an easy task!
In the Fly Box this week, we have some great questions and suggestions from listeners, including:
I am too slow in striking to small mountain trout. Is there a way I can fix that?
A listener alerts us to a water issue on an Oregon tailwater
A listener is confused by the differences in pound test and diameter on leader butts and wants to know if there is a rule-of-thumb for the correct leader butt section.
Do you think the studs on my wading boots are spooking trout?
Do trout in different micro-habitats in the same river choose different insects?
How small of a river is too small to use trout spey equipment? And should I use a Scandi or Skagit setup?
Is it useful to be able to cast with either your right or left hand?
I see larger fish suspended a foot from the surface over deep water. What are they doing there?
A listener suggests that a previous question about not being able to hook rising trout during a caddis hatch may have been due to mountain whitefish, which have a much smaller mouth than trout.
I am getting lost flies and a pigtail at the end of my leader when using a clinch knot. What should I do? Is there a better knot?
What is the best way to store fly rods in their tubes?
My guest this week is Timbre Pringle of Faceless Fly Fishing [46:26] and the topic is small stream fly fishing, particularly in the Rocky Mountains. Timbre has some great tips on fishing dries, dry dropper combos, and streamers in small streams, and the differences between the different species of trout in small streams. She also gives some great tips on avoiding encounters with bears, something that can be an issue when certain areas of the Rockies once you get away from the road.
In the Fly Box this week, we have some seasonally appropriate questions and some good tips from listeners, including:
Four good tips on storing tying materials from a listener
When do you use a dubbing loop, and when do you use the standard noodle method instead?
How do I avoid the numerous small steelhead parr on my local river?
Why did I miss 20 fish in a row when fishing a dry fly during a caddis hatch?
A listener takes issue with the advice of using heavier tippets to play fish quickly
Do trout get full and not rise when there is an over-abundance of bugs?
Why can I catch fish on dries and not on nymphs?
A listener asks my thoughts on nymphs with a bobber vs. a dry dropper rig.
A listener tore a small piece of the jaw off a trout because he forgot to pinch his barb. He wants to know if that hole in the trout’s jaw is a death sentence.
How should I get set up to swing flies for smallmouth bass?
How can I intercept a hatch?
What features should I look for if I want to try to wait on the bank for a hatch to appear?
Should I avoid putting flotant on the bodies of foam flies?
My guest this week is Brian Grossenbacher [42:45], one of the finest fly-fishing still photographers in the world. You’ve seen his work on the cover of many magazines and in Orvis catalogs. (Brian and I recently collaborated on a book entitled, simply, Trout, with his images and my essays. ) Learn how Brian’s career changed from being a full-time fishing guide to a professional photographer and glean some tips on how to go pro yourself—or at least improve the quality of your own images. Along the way, Brian tells a couple stories that had me in tears of laughter as I was recording this.
In the Fly Box this week, we have some interesting questions and great tips from listeners, including:
What impact does bug spray have on fish and the tackle we use?
My Elk Hair Caddis dry flies land on their sides. How can I prevent this?
Should I grease my leader when fishing with a dry-dropper rig in fast water?
I want to try carp fishing. Should I put my money into a better reel or a better rod?
A tip from a listener on how to keep materials out of the eye of a fly you just tied, and how to keep your hands warm in cold weather.
A tip from a listener on how he greatly improved his casting with all rods when he went from a 4-weight rod to a 9-weight rod.
What would you do if faced with three days of 25 mph winds and dirty water when on a saltwater trip?
Does cold weather make fly rods brittle?
I came up with a killer fly pattern that is unlike anything out there. Should I share the pattern on social media?
I am having trouble with carp. What fly patterns do you recommend, and how can I tell when they take the fly?
What tips do you have for making those quick deliveries when sight fishing in salt water?
My guest this week is well, me. I recorded a podcast and the file got corrupted and I couldn’t get my guest back in time to do a makeover. So this week is just the Fly Box.
In the Fly Box this week, we have some interesting questions and tips, including:
Do I absolutely need a full sinking line and a stripping basket to fish in the surf?
Do you pinch the barbs on flies for all saltwater species?
Will streamers and bucktails work throughout the summer?
Can I go heavier than 6X on smaller flies to get fish in quicker and stress them less?
Why do I catch many fish in a small stream and then see none on the next trip?
Any advice on tips for setting the hook when using a long cast?
Should I pursue traditional fly gear or just use Tenkara?
Should I use a 6-weight for a light saltwater outfit?
How can I get the hackle on my Parachute Adams to look better?
When would someone replace a dry fly as an indicator with a standard indicator in small streams?
What is the best way to attach 80 lb. shock tippet to a 20 lb. class tippet?
What is the best material for shucks on emergers?
What is the largest trout Tom ever caught?
If you are switching back and forth between tippets and modifying your leader, does it matter that you are using the same butt section and midsection all the time?
This week’s podcast is fun to listen to, even if you don’t need any tips on how to get a friend into fly fishing. Charlie Berens is a talented writer comedian with a midwestern flair (check out his You Tube videos) and Adam Greuel is a musician with the band “Horseshoes and Hand Grenades” and also has a number of solo albums. Adam recently introduced Charlie to fly fishing and their experiences are both valuable and funny [42:20].
As a bonus, we’ve included a song they did together at the end of the podcast.
In The Fly Box this week, we have some great questions and tips from listeners, including:
Sometimes I see trout from a bridge, other times I don’t. Is this unusual and why?
What is the difference between a $100 fly rod and a $1000 fly rod?
A suggestion on how to arrange your flies and droppers to lessen tangles
A suggestion on how to instill better etiquette on our waters I keep losing fish once they are hooked.
Do I need a better hook-setting strategy?
A great suggestion from a listener on how to tie a weedless bass fly—and techniques for fishing it.
If you find nothing is working for you on a trout stream, what do you do?
What is the best way to fish plunge pools on small streams?
What is the difference between a slow rejection to a fly and a splashy one, and what can I do when a trout rejects my fly?
I get a lot of questions about how fly rods are designed and I think there are a number of misconceptions about where that new rod, like the Helios Blackout series, came from. Where did the idea come from? How is the design created? If you want a 9-foot, five-inch 5-weight rod, do you just add five inches to an existing rod design? I think you’ll be surprised at what goes into a new fly-rod design, and think you’ll enjoy peaking under the hood with a rod designer [41:04].
In the fly box this week, we have some great comments and questions, including:
A great explanation of the spirituality of fly fishing
When I move from one tailwater to another, my techniques don’t seem to work. What should I change?
My small stream fished well last year. This year the water is colder and higher. What should I do?
Is it OK to cut my fly line back if it’s cracked?
What would you do if you see trout in shallow, clear water and they are not rising?
Do you have any suggestions for detecting carp strikes in cloudy water?
Is there a largemouth fly that is as weedless as a rubber worm?
What flies do you recommend for bonnethead sharks?
A cool suggestion for adding a dropper fly
What organizations do you recommend if I care about climate change and the environment?
You may wonder why I’ve done a podcast about beavers. You may be greatly surprised by the beneficial interactions between beavers and trout habitat—I know I was after talking to Ben Goldfarb author of the book Eager: The Surprising, Secret Life of Beavers and Why They Matter, [43:26]. Beavers have a much more positive effect on trout streams besides just making deep pools, and they don’t present any problems to migrating fish. And, yes, we do talk about how to fish a beaver pond, and how to find a good one. I think all fly fishers and nature enthusiasts will learn something new in this podcast.
In the Fly Box this week, we have some interesting comments, questions, and tips, including:
The state stocks big rainbows in my wild brook trout stream. What are your thoughts on this issue?
I saw large trout jumping out of the water during a caddis hatch and could not catch any. What do you think they were doing?
What are the advantages of a double-taper over a weight-forward fly line?
A great story about how an injury caused a fly fisher to re-think priorities What size leader butt should I put on my saltwater lines?
And should I use the permanent loop in my fly line for big fish like tarpon?
How have Vermont trout streams fared after hurricane Irene?
If I pinch the barbs on my flies with forceps, am I legal in places that specify “barbless hooks only”?
A comment from a listener on how a generic description like “fly fisher” is also inclusive of people who identify as non-binary
A comment from a listener who believes that encouraging women to fly fish will cause our rivers to become too crowded.
A story from a listener who cautions us to be careful about sinkholes along the banks of trout streams.
A great tip for practicing your cast before a big trip.
What can I do to keep my large dry flies from twisting my leader?
I’ve been asked to touch more on the spirituality of fly fishing in my podcasts, and honestly I’m not very good at that. So I asked a thoughtful friend and author, Dylan Tomine [32:54], to touch on these aspects of fly fishing. I don’t think we got very spiritual, but we do ramble on about the other aspects of fly fishing we enjoy besides catching fish, casting, and tying flies. It’s mostly about the people.
In the Fly Box this week, I had some great questions, including:
I am going backpacking and want to travel light but fish some streamers in the middle of the day. What should I take for lines?
Will my 6-weight Helios rod be too heavy for fishing Slough Creek in Yellowstone Park?
How do you decide when to give up when fishing a small stream?
For fishing the banks of small ponds, will my 6-weight Pro line be OK or should I try a Bank Shot line for roll casting?
Can I use straight level fluorocarbon for a leader for lake trout and small mouth bass?
My polarized sunglasses don’t work well for spotting trout. Are all polarized sunglasses equal in terms of seeing fish?
What line should I use on my 9-foot, 8-weight Encounter rod when fishing 10 to 15 feet of water?
What do you do when switching from nymph fishing to fishing a hatch? What about furled leaders?
I keep losing large rainbow trout when they jump. I am indicator nymphing. Am I doing something wrong?
This week, my guest is Thomas Larsen [45:47] from the Orvis Outfitters team. Thomas is a stillwater expert and gives us some great tips on how to find trout, and how to target them, when you don’t have the benefit of a watercraft. Maybe you don’t have a boat, can’t afford a raft, or backpack to high mountain lakes—this podcast is for you.
In the Fly Box this week, lots of good comments and questions as I have been gone for a couple weeks so the mailbox is filling up.
Thanks from a listener to turning him onto the Griffith’s Gnat dry fly
Euro nymphing seems just too efficient for me.
Am I being irrational by fishing less effective indicator rig?
A customer relates a great trip he had with Orvis-endorsed Brown Trout Flyfishing
What are the five or six “must have” items (after getting a fly rod outfit) you suggest for someone new to fly fishing?
Please give me five or six recommended flies for starting out.
I had a snapping turtle eat a trout as I was landing it.
What effect do catch and release fishing efforts have on fish populations?
For fishing the beach and canals and creeks in Florida or the Carolinas, what is the best all-around fly line?
I want to tie my own leaders. What sizes of tippet do I need? And can I tie my entire leader with surgeon’s knots?
Is a wire shock leader too much for lake trout? And what flies should I use?
How long does it take trout to recover after a spell of warm water?
If I can only catch trout on Rapalas and crankbaits but not on flies, what other types of flies should I try?
Great advice from a beginner on how much he learned about fish behavior by fishing dry flies
If fish can always see tippet, why is there a difference in effectiveness between tippet sizes?
What should I do if my fly line is cracked?
What is the difference between a standard clinch knot and improved clinch knot?
Why, when I catch multiple fish out of the same run, is the third or fourth fish often bigger than the first ones?
A guide attached my leader to my fly line loop with a clinch knot and the coating on the loop cracked. Should I cut off the loop and put my leader on with a nail knot?
This week, my guest is author, You Tube personality, and author Tim Cammisa [34:00]. We have a spirited discussion on fly patterns—which of the most common ones are untouchable, and which do we modify with different materials and techniques. And are they even the same fly if we modify them?
In the Fly Box, we have some great questions this week, including:
For streamer fishing for smallmouths, should I use my existing 6 weight or should I get a 7-weight rod?
Is the 10-foot 3-weight Euro nymphing rod the same as a 10-foot crappie jigging rod? If not how is it different? And is Euro nymphing really fly fishing?
Where do you use split shot and where do you use tungsten putty? Or is it purely personal preference?
I have been tying clinch knots by pulling on the tag end and it seems to be very strong. Do you think I am doing it the wrong way?
Can I use a Duncan Loop to attach a leader directly to a fly line?
Should I use a sinking line for streamer and nymph fishing?
How can I improve the durability of Dragon Tail flies?
Do striped bass prey on trout in freshwater rivers?
If I use a Berkely Gulp on my fly rod, is it technically a fly?
I am fishing for tiger muskie from shore. What type of line do I need?
Our rivers in Tennessee have an abundance of non-toxic salamanders. Do you think trout eat them, and if so how can I develop a fly to imitate them?
This week, my guest is Steve Davis, chief scientists for the Everglades Foundation [49:31]. Steve gives us an update on the Everglades restoration project, which will benefit fisheries and clean water throughout Florida and not just in the Everglades. And it’s an optimistic report, which we don’t always have when we report on conservation issues. So stay tuned for some good news—for a change!
In the Fly Box this week, we have some great questions of interest to most fly fishers, including:
What are the pros and cons of a loop-to-loop fly line to leader connection as opposed to a nail knot?
What rod should I get for small stream trout and panfish?
I want to give back to the fly-fishing community.
What organizations should I look to?
Tell me the realities of moving from a vest to a sling pack. Are eyes really important on saltwater patterns?
With improvements in rod technology, is a new Clearwater rod better than an older TLS Power Matrix rod?
What is your opinion on tippet length if I tie my own leaders?
Do trout and carp coexist in rivers and do they push each other around? I
s fishing for hatchery trout “cheating” and will I not learn anything useful fishing for them?
What is the product life cycle of a fly rod? Can you explain the differences between the various types of glues for fly tying?
I can catch fish on nymphs without an indicator, but I am having trouble when using one. What should I do differently?
I know fly lines are made to industry standards. Do the same standards exist for fly rods?
Josh Nugent of Out Fly Fishing in Calgary has been doing a series of “Seven Deadly Sins” podcasts with me over the past couple of years and this one is chock full of great advice [38:38]. Josh is a very preceptive angler and thinks deeply about how flies behave in the water and how trout react to them, and in the interview we go off on a number of tangents—all interesting and all about nymph fishing—and all of them with great advice on how to make your indicator nymphing game more fun and productive.
In the Fly Box this week, we have some great tips and questions from listeners, including:
A terrific tip on why tying tube flies is a great way to get kids started
What kind of other storage systems does Tom use around his roll-top desk?
Where can I learn more about fly fishing for largemouth and smallmouth bass?
What do you suggest for preventing cutoffs by chain pickerel?
Can I use sitka or axis deer, antelope, or goat hair for fly tying?
A great tip on replacing wing cases on smaller nymphs with a drop of UV cure resin Should I use my leader straightener?
Can I do longline French/Spanish nymphing with a two-handed rod?
How can I locate pinhole leaks ion my waders?
How do older series of rods compare to the modern ones? What is better about the more recent models?
I know your higher-end rods are made in Vermont, but where do the components come from?
Why do Americans shoot and kill birds?
What is a good two-line rotation for streamer fishing in Michigan? I
kept my fiberglass rod in a hot car and now I notice it has a kink in it. Could the hot car have been the reason?
This week my guest is Land Tawney [25:52], CEO of Backcountry Hunters and Anglers, and we discuss recent issues regarding public access on rivers in Colorado, Montana, and New Mexico. This is a timely topic, as public access advocates just won a big court victory in New Mexico (Phil please link to your blog post). I hope the podcast will get you up to speed on how stream access is handled by states, and I think you’ll see some positive news on all the great work Back Country Hunters and Anglers and other public access groups have been doing on our behalf. In the Fly Box this week, we have these questions and tips from listeners:
A tip from a listener on another natural material to use as a trailing shuck.
Is it wrong for me to ask a fly shop to let me test a fly line before I buy it?
How do you choose between using head cement or UV cure epoxy?
What do you think about using perfection loops to attach tippets instead of using a tippet ring?
What does Tom research before fishing new water?
A tip from a listener about another way to organize fly-tying materials.
A request for a podcast on tying classic salmon flies.
A listener expresses his disappointment in my not mentioning organizations like Casting for Recovery or Project Healing Waters in a discussion on the spiritual nature of fly fishing.
This week my guest is Noelle Coley [41:25] of Blackfoot River Outfitters in Missoula, Montana. Noelle is a serious winter fly fisher, with experience both in Colorado and Montana. She gives us great tips on flies, techniques, and of course dressing to keep warm. WE can all benefit from her experience and have more fun—and stay more comfortable—while fishing in the depths of winter.
In the Fly Box this week, we have some interesting questions form listeners, including:
What do you think about shaming on social media about how people handle fish?
What should I do if I see someone spin fishing in an area that is clearly marked “Fly Fishing Only”?
Will my 6-weight rod be enough for fishing for bonefish in the Florida Keys?
Which rod should I use for swinging wet flies?
What tips do you have for taming deer hair when tying Comparaduns?
What should I do with a bunch of older fly rods that I no longer need?
Can a dropper fly on a two-fly rig create problems with hooking trout?
Why do fly fishers use such light tippet when conventional anglers can get away with using heavier line?
What do you suggest for a natural material to replace Antron on an emerger shuck?
I fish three nymphs on a rig. What’s a good strategy for replacing patterns if the ones I am using are not working?
I have a 4-weight line and want to buy a fiberglass rod for fishing small streams. Should I get a 3-weight and overline the rod or stick to a 4-weight rod?
What tips do you have for traveling with fly-fishing gear?
I have an Encounter 5-weight rod and am just starting out. When will I know when it’s time to upgrade, and how much difference will an upgraded rod make?
Finding those tiny, unpressured trout streams is a delightful form of exploration. You won’t find them on the internet or in books or magazine articles—at least the ones you really want to fish. But finding a small stream that you’ll probably have all to yourself and discovering the delights of catching eager trout on dries and nymphs—and sometimes small streamers—is one of the purest ways of enjoying fly fishing. Donna Smith [48:38], a member of the Orvis Outfitter team and an expert on small stream trout fishing tells us how to go about it.
In the Fly Box this week, we have some perplexing and interesting questions, as well as some tips from listeners, including:
Do textured lines spook fish when making noise going through the guides?
What happened to the Orvis Superfine Fiberglass rods? I
have a very fast action 10 weight rod and it’s difficult to feel it load with a 10-weight line. Do you think I can put an 11-weight line on it?
Any thoughts on de-barbing bonefish and permit flies?
How about stocking minnows and crayfish in streams. Do you think it’s a bad idea?
If I am fishing a bunch of rising fish and a bunch of anglers are standing on the bank waiting for me to leave, what should I do?
Why can I catch lots of fish when I go out into the wilderness but not when I am fishing the stocked river that’s right in town?
If trout are so sensitive to drag on a dry fly or nymph, why do they take a swinging soft hackle?
Great suggestions from a listener on how to avoid over-pressuring fish by modifying our behavior.
What does Tom think are the most difficult techniques in fly tying?
Why are there no sea-run rainbows in Connecticut?
Is the casting technique you use to cast poly leaders the same as you would use for an over-lined rod?
This week, my guest is the executive director of the Native Fish Coalition, Bob Mallard [42:09], who tells us why the organization was formed and what they do. His group took issue with some of the sentiments expressed in last week's podcast with Kirk Deeter, so to give everyone a broader view of the issue of wild native fish (as opposed to just wild fish, and Bob explains the difference in the podcast) I invited Bob to come onto the podcast to explain to us just how precious native or indigenous species are. There is much food for thought here and I hope it makes everyone think about the issues involved.
In the Fly Box this week, we have the usual roundup of interesting and sometimes tricky questions, and some great tips from listeners, including:
How even native black bass in the South are threatened by stocking of non-native varieties
Why doesn't the Orvis Learning Center talk about the spiritual value and nature of fly fishing?
What is the best all-around color for polarized sunglasses?
What's up with bead heads? Insects don't have metal heads.
A great tip from a listener on how to apply eyes to minnow patterns without getting your fingers stuck together with Super Glue.
How can I straighten a bunch of old saddle hackles that have a kink in them?
How do you deal with negative attitudes you hear spouted on the water?
A tip from a listener on how to magnetize or demagnetize a pair of forceps or a dubbing needle.
What fly-tying material does Tom feel is underutilized?
A comment from a listener on how something said on a podcast had a big influence on him regarding the "hero shot".
Why am I only catching whitefish, and do people like catching them?
Why haven't we tried restocking aquatic insects in rivers where they have become scarce?
What is Tom's favorite non-fish wildlife encounter on the river?
Have we gone too far with native species? with Kirk Deeter This week, my guest is Kirk Deeter, editor of Trout Magazine. Kirk is never one to shy away from controversy, and our topic this week is the concept of native species and the feasibility of trying to turn back the clock. We also ramble a bit about the state of the fly-fishing world in general, but as always Kirk is thoughtful and incisive in his views. In the Fly Box this week we have some especially great tips from listeners and some interesting questions:
Some great tips from a listener on how to hook gar on the fly without resorting to yarn
A comment from a listener on the probability of tiger trout being produced naturally in wild trout populations.
Do I need a click-and-pawl reel on my bamboo rod, and do I need to get a special fly line?
Do you have some tips for catching bonefish in the Florida Keys by wading from shore?
How should I clean my waders if I fish multiple watersheds in a single day?
Because mayfly nymphs wiggle their tails in the water, why don't we tie more nymphs with flexible tails?
What are the essential fly materials to take if you're going to tie on a fishing trip?
How can I catch smallmouth bass on a fly in deep lakes?
A great tip from a listener on how to pick up beads and hooks around your tying bench--and also to recapture flies that fall out of your box on the river.
A great tip from a listener on how to practice casting heavily weighted flies.
I found a fly line that had been soaking in salt water.
Do you think it's still good to use?
How do I de-magnetize a pair of forceps?
How can I target trout in small creeks during the winter?
This week, my guest is Orvis casting guru Pete Kutzer, and we talk about casts for difficult trout. Often you don't need great casting skills or special casts to catch trout, but there are times when a little razzle-dazzle will make the difference. Pete talks about those situations and what to do--and he also introduces a new way of making a Bow-and -Arrow cast that was new to me. I think anyone can benefit from Pete's advice. In the Fly Box this week, we have these great questions and tips from listeners:
What do you think about tying on eyeless hooks and making eyes out of silk bead cord?
What do you mean by the term "swinging flies"?
Can I target grass carp on a fly?
Can you ice fish with flies?
How do I fish a lake for trout from my kayak?
What do you think of the electric socks that are controlled by an app?
A great tip from a listener on avoiding spooking trout in small streams.
Can a figure-8 knot be used in fly fishing?
What do you recommend for a rod for fishing larger eastern rivers?
How can I correct a casting issue where my fly gets caught on my line-to-leader connection?
Do I need to buy a specific saltwater outfit for Belize or will my current steelhead rod work?
Do you recommend weed guards for fishing in Belize?
How much do brown trout move in the fall?
Do you think it's possible that a stocked tiger trout could have moved 30 miles from where it was stocked?
Can I overline my 3-weight rod by two line sizes for really short casts?
My wife has problems with glare on the water. Do you think there is something wrong with her eyes?
Which precautions should I take releasing trout in subzero weather?
I frequently get questions about CDC or Cul de Canard, a special feather found on ducks that makes very effective dry flies, emergers, and nymphs. What is it? Where does it come from? Why is it so special? What kinds of CDC are there, and how do you use it? And when fishing these flies, how do you treat them. My friend (and friendly nemisis from our monthly fly-tyig tie-offs) Tim Flagler [46:41] and I tell everything we know about CDC and its uses. I hope this answers many of your questions. In the Fly Box this week, we have great tips from listeners and questions, including:
A tip for fly fishers who suffer from arthritis
Would it be better for me to take lessons on the water or hire a guide?
What are the best saltwater knots?
How do I avoid hitting myself and other people in the boat when fishing a heavy streamer?
Tips from a listener on repairing old bamboo rods, and advice for finding them at tag sales and reconditioning them
How do I pick up small hooks and beads that I drop off my tying table?
Can I overline my 3-weight fiberglass rod by two line sizes for fishing small streams?
Advice from a listener on cleaning and maintaining cork grips
What do you wear under electric socks?
Can I take some old flies and add a parachute to them?
What do you recommend I tie with all these game bird feathers I have been saving from my hunting trips?
When do you use wire, and when do you use beads on nymphs?
Do stocked fish push wild fish out of their normal places?
How do I keep my Elk Hair Caddis wing from rotating after I fish them for awhile?
Todays guest might make you mad. If you’re a trout angler he will certainly make you feel uncomfortable. Doug Thompson [37:29] is the author of The Quest for the Golden Trout, and the book is not what you think it might be from the title. He is a professor in geoscience and environmental studies and does research in geomorphology and hydrology. In examining critically what we do to ensure trout fishing, Douglas Thompson gores some sacred cows, including our obsession with stocking trout, non-native species we introduce, the way we manipulate the physical structure of rivers to benefit trout, and even the fishing tackle industry itself. You might think this book would make me angry, but it’s carefully researched and argued and has made me look differently at the structure of our entire trout-fishing industry.
In the Fly Box this week, we have some great questions and tips, including:
How do I repair an exposed thread and a bent ferrule on my bamboo fly rod?
How do I know when it's time to replace my sinking line?
How can I distinguish between weighted and unweighted flies? Do people fish for walleye and American shad with a fly rod? If so how do they do it?
Why do I foul hook fish when fishing with two nymphs?
Which floating line is best with my 10-foot 3-weight Clearwater?
Do you have some tips for casting with a sinking line?
A tip on feeling better about getting skunked
A story about why we should always debarb our hooks
What does Tom do when he is in a slump?
This week, my guest is Tim Landwehr [43:50], of Tight Lines Fly Fishing Company in De Pere, Wisconsin. Tim has decades of experience guiding for smallmouth bass and is co-author of a book on fly fishing for smallmouths. He shares some innovative and modern techniques for catching difficult smallmouths under all conditions, some you have probably never heard of or thought about.
In the Fly Box this week, we have some great questions, including:
When I am Euro nymphing, why do trout always take my fly on the swing, after it has finished its dead drift?
I have trouble seeing my beetle imitations on the water. What can I do?
Why did trout, after refusing countless dead drifts during a spinner fall, take my fly as I stripped it back to me?
If you had to fish nymphs that only imitated one order of insects, which one would it be?
If I simplify my nymph collection to more generic imitations, will I do as well as if I worry about imitating specific insects?
What is the difference between a Comparadun and a Sparkle Dun and which one is better?
If I have the same guide two days in a row, should I tip him or her both days?
How many indicators should I carry for a day of fishing?
Do you prefer the Helios 3 D or F model in a 9-foot, 5-weight rod?
A fly shop owner told me not to submerge my reel. Was he right?
What is the best way to store dry flies?
A listener gives another good reason to always tie or buy three flies of the same pattern
How can I eliminate wind knots in my dry dropper rig? What is the best way to fish in the surf?
This week, my guest is Todd Tanner [39:47], a journalist who writes for many of the fly-fishing websites and magazines and is Fly Fishing editor of Sporting Classics magazine. Todd is also the president of Conservation Hawks, an organization dedicated to educating fishers and hunters on the threats of climate change, and is the president of the School of Trout. Todd is a thoughtful guy, and he discusses the ten things he sees as essential to becoming a great fly fisher. And no, we don't talk about choosing the right fly or using the correct knot. I think some of his thoughts about this topic will surprise you and may make you think differently about your path to becoming happier and less insecure on a trout stream.
We have some great questions and tips in the Fly Box this week, including:
I want to start Euro nymphing. What's most important--should I look at a new rod, a new reel, or a new line?
Which is better for a bonefish leader--nylon or fluorocarbon?
A high school senior informs us of a conservation issue and an innovative way to raise funds for the cause.
What books should I get as a guide to western hatches?
Is it a good idea to attach my leader to a permanent section of monofilament with a blood knot as opposed to a loop-to-loop connection?
Tips from a listener on the value of journaling and how to make an insect seine out of your landing net.
Should I be using fishing clasps on my trout flies? Is it OK to practice casting in the snow?
What should I look at when upgrading my small-stream trout rod?
Can steelhead mate with resident rainbows?
A suggestion from a listener on why a "dangling" fly is attractive to trout.
As part of Trout Unlimited's weeklong emphasis on the Snake River salmon and steelhead restoration plan, my guest this week is Chris Wood [50:25], president and CEO of Trout Unlimited. Our topic is the plan to remove four dams on the lower Snake River, a monumental project that offers great benefit to this river's historic anadromous fishery, which has been in great decline over the past 50 years. When I first heard of this, I thought it would be a pipedream to even think of removing these dams that supply hydropower, transportation, and irrigation. But Chris has convinced me that those beneficial uses can now be replaced with alternative means, and there is a real possibility of seeing these dams removed in our lifetime. Hopefully, he'll convince you as well.
In the Fly Box this week, we have some great questions and tips shared by listeners, including:
How can I land large trout on tiny size 22 nymphs?
What can I do to move a big fish that sulks on the bottom?
Can you share a few of your DIY hacks for your fly-tying desk?
A tip from a listener never to buy or tie just one of a particular pattern.
Can I use an old Battenkill 3 reel on my new Clearwater 10-foot 3-weight for Euro nymphing?
If you hook a fish deep in the mouth, is it OK to leave the fly in the fish?
What is the best way to fish a dry fly directly downstream?
Are there special casts I can use? Why did the brown trout in my stream disappear around the middle of October?
Why do trout eat my nymphs after they have been hanging below me for 10 seconds?
What is a formula for a 15- or 18-foot knotted leader?
If I see creek chubs in a pool, should I expect brook trout will be there as well?
What is Tom's opinion on the practice of stocking cutthroat trout in eastern rivers?
A tip for keeping Sink Putty from sliding up your leader.
What are Tom's thoughts on what social media has done to fly fishing?
What are some techniques for catching trout that live in undercut banks?
I get frequent questions about fishing emergers and it's a confusing subject. Do I fish one like a nymph, or do I fish one like a dry, and how deep should I fish it. My guest this week, Tim Cammisa [41:06], is a well-known fly tier who specializes in doing presentations on tying and fishing emergers, so I thought it would be great to get his tips on them.
In the Fly Box this week, we have some interesting questions and thoughtful tips from listeners, including:
How do you deal with adding and removing split shot?
What should I use to touch up the finish on an old bamboo fly rod?
I have some old leader material that is difficult to tighten. Is it because the nylon is old?
Why do we think we need so much backing on reels?
And why are light lines as long as heavier lines?
Can I wear hunting waders for winter fishing?
Will stocked trout spawn in rivers if they survive to spawning season?
A great tip from a listener on handy modifications you can make to any fly-tying vise
Do you know of one pair of sunglasses that will adapt to changing light situations?
I am confused by all the hook styles and bead types for Euro nymphs. Can you narrow it down to three styles of hooks and beads in various sizes?
What do you think of fishing pegged beads?
If I tie a mono rig, can you clinch knot the mono directly to the permanent loop in the fly line?
For prescription sunglasses, what color lens and brand do you recommend?
This week, my best is Dr. Guy Fleischer [35:30], science advisor for the Wild Steelhead Coalition (wildsteelheadcoalition.org). We discuss the proposed closure of steelhead fishing on the Olympic Peninsula, how ocean changes affect steelhead survival, and the steelhead life cycle, with an emphasis on how resilient steelhead populations are if we give them half a chance. (we'll also be publishing a podcast in the next two weeks with Chris Wood, CEO of Trout Unlimited, on the potential removal of four dams on the lower Snake River).
In the Fly Box this week, we have some great questions and tips from listeners, including:
What flies do you like for the Green Drake hatch?
What should I do in the winter months to get ready for next season?
Can I land big fish on a Euro nymphing rod without worrying about the rod breaking?
When is it time to tie a whole new leader onto your line? How can I catch smallmouth bass in cold water?
How do I wade a body of water without spooking fish?
Advice from a listener on how to find spawning white bass Tips from a listener on a good way to create a fishing journal using free web resources.
How do I fish an emerger just a couple inches below the surface?
Would it be geeky if I took a bunch of Frisbees or other targets to a fly shop to evaluate a new rod at varying distances?
Has anyone been able to distill nine fly boxes into one to eliminate the bulk and clutter?
There is nothing more magnificent than a wild steelhead on the fly but because of poor returns this season fishing for them will be limited. That's no reason, though, to park your fly rods in the garage. The PNW has some alternative species that although are not native, they are a worthy target on a fly rod: carp and smallmouth bass. And they're not going away so we might as well enjoy them. Join my guest Kelsey Rosborough [52:15] from the Orvis Outfitter Team (those knowledgeable folks who answer your technical questions when you call, e-mail, or chat about fishing products) as he tells us where to find these fun fish and how to target them.
In the Fly Box this week, we have some interesting questions and great tips from listeners, including:
How can I stop crowding the heads when tying flies?
Where does the saying "bright day-bright fly, dark day-dark fly" come from and is there any scientific basis to it?
Why do I get left with curly ends when tying a clinch knot?
My fly line always gets tangled when walking from one spot to another. How do I fix that?
Should I expect spawning striped bass/white bass hybrids in inlets to a lake?
Recommendations from a listener in Sweden about how to stay warm when fishing in the winter.
How long is too long when playing a fish?
What is the right balance between not horsing them in and getting them in quickly?
How long does a typical fly last?
What do other people do regarding fly-fishing journals? Does Tom keep one?
Two tips from a listener on handling wires when tying flies
A listener in Australia wonders why he has more success with an Elk Hair Caddis than an X-Caddis
This week my guest is Charlie Robinton [52:00], one of the experts from the Orvis Outfitter team (the people who answer your technical questions when you call, chat, or e-mail). Charlie is an expert in California fishing, and he gives us a grand tour of northern California rivers and what to expect when you plan a fishing trip there. Lots of solid information form a lifelong fly fisher and California native.
In the Fly Box this week, we have some great tips and questions from listeners (as well as a complaint), including:
Is there a way to determine what size fly line is best on an unmarked rod at home?
What is your advice on fishing stocked-only streams?
Can I practice my double haul with the Practi-Caster?
A listener takes me to task for saying on a previous podcast that if I were back in the 1880s and had the choice of whether or not to stock brown trout, would I do it?
As well as avoiding reds during the spawning season, shouldn't we take care not to step on them throughout the winter?
Any advice for fishing for carp in moving water?
I forgot my leader and had to fish with just a couple pieces of tippet material, 3X and 5X. What would you have done?
How does the time of day and the moon phase affect trout fishing? I am fishing large bass flies and have little back cast room. Any advice?
I can't catch fish on beetle imitations. Any advice?
What advice do you have for someone who is used to small streams and wants to fish big water?
Why don't saltwater guides use nets?
This week my guest is Orvis-endorsed guide Erica Nelson [36:12]. Erica gives us tips on how to hire a guide, how to find the right guide, how to manage expectations with a guide, how to tip a guide, and what to do if your guide trip is a disaster. In the Fly Box this week, we have some great questions and comments, including: Can I use the 10-foot, 3-weight Recon rod for both Euro nymphing and small-stream trout fishing? What has Tom learned lately? Has he had any "aha" moments? A listener makes the point that the overharvest of menhaden, a valuable forage fish, threatens our saltwater gamefish populations on the Atlantic Coast, and gives a great book recommendation on the topic. A listener asks if he should consider the shorter 8-weight Blackout rod for a wide variety of fishing situations. Thoughts from a listener on the value of native fish populations A suggestion from a listener on two items every fly fisher who goes off the grid should carry I had a rainbow trout nose my fly and slap the fly with its tail six times. Why did the fish do that?
Everyone should experience Alaska at least once in their lifetime, and if you are a fly fisher it is a place like no other. But there are different seasons, even during their short summer, and if you have your heart set on a particular species you need to pay attention to the timing of your trip. Reed Teuscher [32:21] is one of 14 people in our Outfitter Group, full-time Orvis experts who handle your fly fishing questions when you e-mail fishing@orvis.com, call 888-709-4732, or when you use the chat on our web site. This team includes guides, past Orvis retail store fishing managers, and other experts. You're not reaching a random call center, you're connecting with experts in the field who understand fly-fishing conditions and tackle. Reed was born and raised in the Pacific Northwest, earning his fly fishing stripes chasing trout on Willamette Valley rivers and their tributaries. After relocating to central Oregon, chasing steelhead on the North Umpqua and Deschutes rivers honed his passion for 2-handed rods. Having now been in the fly fishing industry for almost 2 decades, 2 ½ of those with Orvis, he’s chased fish around a good portion of the world. Besides working in and running fly shops, he’s guided in the Pacific NW, western NY, and Alaska. I
n the Fly Box this week, we have some great questions from listeners, including:
Is casting a 10-foot, 3-weight Euro nymphing rod with a dry fly different from other fly casting?
If I am not very tall, should I consider a longer Euro nymphing rod because I can't wade as deep as some people?
How do you measure leaders and tippets?
When fishing a dry dropper, what is the percentage of fish caught on the dry as opposed to the dropper?
Why does Orvis no longer make one-piece fly rods?
What should I do when I see people keeping undersized striped bass?
Are bluefish declining?
Any thoughts on using tube flies?
How do I figure out fly sizes when picking them out of my box?
When is the best time to use a blood knot instead of a triple surgeon's?
When you only catch small fish in a spot, is it because they are easier to catch or because you are just fishing a spot where there are only small fish?
How can I stay off brook trout redds in the fall?
When fishing a dry dropper rig in a stream with brook and brown trout, I only catch brookies on the nymph but catch both brown and brook trout on the dry. Why is that?
Transcripts of Tom's shows are available 1-2 weeks after a show has been posted You can find them at howtoflifish.orvis.com.
This week my guest is Steve Ramirez [41:24], author of the book Casting Forward and the upcoming book Casting Onward. Steve is an articulate and passionate writer, and in the podcast we talk about the philosophical and personal aspects of fishing for native species, in his beloved Texas Hill Country and beyond.
In the Fly Box, we have some terrific questions this week, including:
Can I use my 7'11" 8-weight rod with a 5/6 reel and a 7-weight line?
I can hook fish on streamers using a floating line, but when I fish a sinking line I get lots of strikes but no hookup. What am I doing wrong?
An angler tells a tale of woe after getting scammed trying to buy a fly rod from an online swap forum.
I keep hearing about people catching 20 and 30 fish in an outing. Why can't I do that?
You said you throw out all your old nylon tippet after a year. Do I need to do that with heavier mono and old unused leaders as well?
I need a heavier rod than my 5-weight for redfish, pike, bass, and carp. Is a 9-foot, 8-weight Recon the right rod?
I have trouble casting a 12-weight and need help with my strength. What can I do to make longer casts with this rod?
Why is Euro nymphing more effective than fishing the standard way with an indicator and split shot? Is it because you spook fewer fish?
Why do people say fly fishing is not like it used to be?
I use an 8 1/2 foot 4-weight for brook trout but want to try a lighter rod like a 2-weight or 3-weight.
What are the advantages and disadvantages of going to a lighter rod?
Where on a trout are the taste organs?
My guest this week is Peter Jenkins [33:40], longtime striper angler and owner of the Saltwater Edge Fly Shop, outside of newport, Rhode Island. Peter talks about the seven different seasons of striper fishing on the coast, and also about the plight of the striper populations in the Atlantic. It's still an awesome and productive fishery, however we know it could be even better with proper conservation measures. In the Fly Box this week, we have some thought-provoking questions and comments, including: A comment on the lack of small fly shops these days and the bewildering variety of equipment Do I want a Spey rod for shoreline fishing and smaller steelhead rivers? Do you think that trying different fly sizes is something that applies universally Should tiers have more than one fly-tying vise? Since most people fish nymphs these days and they catch more fish than other methods, should we be limiting the number of fish we catch and release> Is there ever a time when you should go a size or two larger on a fly? What feathers should I save from grouse, pheasants, and wild turkey? I lost two large rainbows because I had trouble handling my slack line. What can I do to prevent this?
Leigh H. Perkins, or LHP as he was known, was the driving force behind Orvis from 1965 into the 1990s and was a legendary marketing and outdoorsman. He passed away this summer and I wanted to interview some of his favorite guides and fishing buddies to give people a sense of what he was really like in the field [47:52]. He was fearless, always cheerful, and never had a bad day of fishing no matter what the conditions--a lesson for all of us. I hope you'll enjoy LHP stories from John Kowalski, Lori-Ann Murphy, and Rick Ruoff.
In the Fly Box this week, we have some great questions, including:
Which kind of poly leader should I get?
How do I keep my hands warm when fly-fishing in the winter?
A new fly fisher shares stories of rudeness and kindness on the water
I have been fishing a variety of fly patterns on a North Georgia stream, all in size 14, and can't catch any fish. What am I doing wrong?
If I am catching whitefish and suckers, am I fishing in the right place? How do I sort out the trout from the whitefish and suckers?
Why are the trout that used to eat my black Woolly Bugger still striking at it but not connecting?
Can I fish tenkara-style with a standard fly rod?
Does Tom have any questions for the listeners?
Are species-specific fly lines any good or is it just marketing? I have some hooks that are marked as 2X long with a 2X extended gap. Aren't these just hooks that are one size larger?
My guest this week is Daniel Ritz [1:00:58], who recently completed the Master Caster level of the Western Native Trout Challenge. We talk about how he did it, what flies worked, and had a lot of discussion about what actually counts as a subspecies of trout. If you want to view his entire journey, it can be found at www.tu.org/magazine/author/daniel-ritz/
In the Fly Box this week, which was unusually long (either I talked too much or chose too many questions), we have these questions and tips:
Why does my line get twisted when I try to shoot line?
How do I know if the fly pattern I developed is really something new?
What would you recommend for a wing material on bonefish flies?
A question on exactly what hook shank measurements like 1X and 2X long mean, and what are they compared to?
Does a 10-foot 5 weight Recon have a softer tip or a heftier butt section as compared to shorter rods?
Is a 7-weight rod too light for pike fishing?
How do fall leaves in the water affect fishing and what should I do?
How do I get a non-weighted streamer deeper in the water column?
My old floating fly line has a tip that is sinking. Is there any way of fixing this?
Do brookies really drop down lower downstream in the fall after spawning?
I fish a small high-altitude stream and only catch small trout. Do you think there could be larger trout there?
What is a good step up from a cheapo fly-tying vise?
How do you gauge your speed on how fast to move in a small stream?
How do I catch the large trout in a small, clear stream with slow current? Is it ever appropriate not to tip a guide?
A transcript of this podcast will be available in approximately three weeks at howtoflyfish.orvis.com.
In this week's podcast, my guest is David Brooks [43:45], executive director of Montana Trout Unlimited. With prevailing drought conditions in the western United Sates and increased demand from many users, from agriculture to municipalities to recreational angling, how can we balance the use of water? David explains the difference between the riparian doctrine used mostly in the eastern United Sates, and the prior appropriation doctrine used in western states, and explains how users have come together to apportion water for human use and for keeping enough water in rivers to support healthy trout populations. It's not easy and often contentious but it's a fascinating issue and there is hope that with wise use of water by all stakeholders we can support ranchers, farmers, cities, and healthy trout populations.
In the Fly Box this week, we have some interesting questions and tips, including:
A note from The Mayfly Project on cities where they're looking for volunteers to help mentor foster kids in fly fishing
When I catch a fish and it jumps all over the pool, does that spook other fish?
What is the best way to kill and prepare a trout for eating?
How much distance do you gain from the double haul?
What are the reasons for strip setting in salt water and not for trout?
A tip on keeping your fly line from falling back inside the guides when making shorts casts on small streams
A heartwarming thank-you note to Nick Lyons
How can I keep my flies in the strike zone longer in fast-moving saltwater current?
What is the best way to light a fly while it's in the vise?
Why did people in a fly shop tell me that Euro nymphing is cheating?
What is an appropriate amount to tip a guide, and is it the same from multiple days as it is for a single day?
When the kokanee start running up into my trout stream the trout stop biting. Why?
Which way would you lean for a dry-fly specific rod?
My guide puts his thumb in the mouth of smallmouth bass to revive them. Is this effective and would it be valid for other species?
[This episode was originally posted in April of 2018]
This week I have a chat with Amelia Jensen, perhaps the best trout-spotter I have ever seen. I have always thought I was pretty god at seeing trout in the water, but Amelia can see fish I would never have spotted. Learn some of her secrets in this week’s podcast—you’ll be surprised at how often you can spot trout if you know what you’re looking for, even in fast, deep, or slightly off-colored water.
In the Fly Box this week we have the following tips and questions: · A tip from a listener on how to carry long pre-rigged fly assemblies
· A question about what fly to fish along with a streamer when swinging for spring trout
· A question on tips for spotting bonefish
· How should I fish the tails of pools?
· A listener tip on how to keep your hands warm when fishing
· Flashy vs. non-flashy nymphs and where to put them in your nymph rig
· A question about why fish get picky after catching a bunch of them from the same run
· Why do trout take dry flies when I don’t see any rising?
· Tips for avoiding spawning rainbow redds
Initially posted on July 28, 2019 This week, my guest is Davy Wotton, who is originally from Wales but now lives and guides on the White River in Arkansas. I get frequent questions about swinging soft hackles and wet flies, a technique that I am not the best at, so I brought in the angler whom I consider the ultimate expert on this kind of fishing. Davy blends the British traditions with American conditions, so he really has the best perspective on this kind of fishing, which can be both challenging and subtle—especially when fish are taking emergers. It’s a long podcast, but since I have never done one on this topic, I make up for lost time. And Davy had many interesting points to make. The Fly Box is a bit shorter this week because the main podcast is so long. But we cover some interesting questions, as usual: What can I do to keep my Stimulators floating? When do you fish a nymph and when do you fish a streamer? Can you use weed guards on trout flies? Why am I breaking off so many fish? Do some rod guides work better than others? More on pressure and its effects on fish What is the difference between a freshwater and saltwater rod? How can I see my fly in a fast riffle? How do I know if small streams hold trout? Why do trout bump my flies and why do they come off quickly?
This week my guest is Sascha Clark Danylchuk [1:05:54], executive director of Keepfishwet.org and a fish biologist who has intensively studied the science of releasing fish in a responsible manner. We've talked a lot about trout lately in the podcast, so this one is on recommended release techniques for bass, panfish, pike, bonefish, redfish, and tarpon--plus a little on cold-water releases of trout.
In the Fly Box this week, we had an unusually good collection of questions and tips--maybe because I was out of the office for a couple weeks so I had a lot to choose from.
I want to write a fishing book. What do you suggest?
What is the proper etiquette when I see other people on the river?
I need a Yellowstone cutthroat to complete my Utah cutthroat slam. They are only found in a small stream. How should I go about approaching this stream and what techniques should I use to make sure I complete my Slam?
Why is wet-fly fishing often called a "lost art"?
Why do I have trouble landing small brook trout on barbless hooks?
Why do the trout in France bump my hopper flies and not always eat them?
How do you approach a situation where insects are hatching but you don't see any trout feeding?
How can I catch large trout rising infrequently in a very slow pool?
A tip from a listener on how to get more fly-tying time
Do lakes and ponds fish well in the rain?
Some great advice from an Orvis-endorsed guide on fly-tying tips for beginners.
Why don't fly-rod manufacturers use foam instead of cork for rod handles?
How can I land large trout feeding on small flies?
A tip for using a common kitchen product for cleaning cork handles on rods.
Do modern ferrules still need wax?
Is it possible that the large rainbows in Colorado reservoirs could be fall spawners?
This week's podcast guest is especially exciting to me as he is one of my literary heroes. John McPhee [24:10] is a Pulitzer Prize-winning author (Annals of the Former World), and in his numerous other books he has written about such diverse topics as nuclear energy, the merchant marine, basketball, Alaska, bark canoes, oranges, continental drift, flood control, tennis, farmer's markets, and many other eclectic topics. Whether or not you are interested in a subject, you can be sure you will be when you finish reading one of his books you will be fascinated. John has also been a staff writer for The New Yorker since the 1960s. In our interview, he talks about his two favorite fish to catch on the fly rod--the American shad (which he wrote an entire book about, The Founding Fish), and the chain pickerel, which he did not write a book about but did pen a short essay on in his collection of stories The Patch. (I doubt is anyone in the world who would count those two fish in combination as their favorites--but he is never conventional.) I hope you enjoy the interview as much as I enjoyed talking to him. In the Fly Box this week, we have some great questions and tips: A reminder from a listener that I wrote an encyclopedia of fly fishing Some great tips from a listener on using tippet rings A question about what constitutes a watershed when concerned about transporting aquatic invasives A suggestion from a listener on ways to offset your carbon footprint when taking fishing trips Which is a better rod for fishing the surf and jetties--a traditional 9-foot 9-weight rod or a two-handed rod? Do you always recommend using a net? A listener calls me on the carpet for my flippant remark about manhandling carp. A great thought from a listener that sometimes taking photos of fish hinders the moment.
This week my guest is the great Amelia Jensen [53:09], one of the best trout anglers in the world and also a superb videographer. Our topic is one that is top of mind to a lot of people in the fly-fishing world this summer: how we can continue to fish for trout and get photos of them while minimizing mortality to the fish and reducing handling time. One of the best ways to do this is to take photos of fish (especially trout) without taking them out of the water. This does present challenges but it's not impossible to get a great photo of a trout while water is still running over its gills. Amelia shares the tips she has learned over the years. Lots of questions and tips from listeners in the Fly Box this week, including: How do I clean up the cork grips on my fly rods? Is there any difference in performance with a dry dropper when the nymph is tied to the eye of the dry fly instead of the bend? Is it true that by keeping trout larger than 15 inches we'll make more room for smaller trout in a stream? How do you know when to leave an area or continue fishing it? A great pep talk from an experienced angler on learning fly fishing without a mentor How can I get rid of clumps in my rabbit fur dubbing? How can I catch spooky catfish on a fly rod? Is there any difference between tying dumbbell eyes on top of the shank or under the shank? Some great tips on carp fishing from an experienced carp angler from Germany Is it a good idea to freeze my wading boots to kill aquatic invasives? How can I decide between a vest and a sling bag? Can I fish dry flies with my Euro nymphing line? Do brook trout migrate to get away from warmer water? Where do you use tippet rings? Is it a good idea to build knotted trout leaders with loop-to-loop connections? What should I look for if I am going bonefishing without a guide and I have never fished in salt water before? I am going bonefishing but to date have only fished for trout. What adjustments do I need to make? I need advice on setting the hook on steelhead when swinging Intruders If I bend a small hook in my tying vise, can I put it back into shape without ruining it?
This week my guest is Colby Trow [38:08] of Mossy Creek Fly Fishing, one of the best smallmouth bass anglers I know. Colby talks about successful techniques in catching these critters in late summer, when they can be harder to catch than earlier in the season. The good news is that it's one of the best times to catch them on a surface fly like a popper or hair bug, which is always the most fun. In the Fly Box this week, we have the following questions and tips from listeners: A listener who makes the point that it's quicker to land trout on light tippets with a Euro rod Can I fish carp flies with an indicator? Are treble hooks more harmful than single point barbless hooks? What do I do when trout take my hopper patterns deep? Should I leave the fly in them? I have trouble catching smallmouths in clear water. Any suggestions? Where do you store your leader between fishing trips? A tip from Sam, fishing manager at Orvis Houston, on catching redfish in dirty water What are the advantages and disadvantages in using a pedestal vise as opposed to a C-clamp? How do I choose which size hair stacker to use? How can I fish size 18-22 nymphs in four feet of fast water? A suggestion for using 7 1/2-foot leaders in small streams in the Driftless Region Can I put a 7-weight sinking line on my 5-weight rod? If I am catching trout in small mountain streams where the water is cold enough, do I need to worry about them moving downstream into warmer temperatures after I release them? How many phone calls and questions do you get per week? When I switch from Euro nymphing to my regular trout rod, I keep breaking off fish. Is this normal?
This week my guest is David Coggins [42:24], author of the new book The Optimist, A Case for the Fly Fishing Life. David is a traditionalist and I give him some good-natured ribbing about being an anachronism, but David handles it well and tells some great stories as well.
In the Fly Box this week, we have lots of questions and tips from listeners, including:
What is the best way to tie a fly for gar and how do I fish for them?
Why did I foul hook two trout in a row on dry flies?
What kind of rum do you prefer?
A great tip from a listener that rubber soles on wading shoes are far preferable to felt in the snow.
A tip from a listener that when urban fly fishing, make sure you look behind you as many people don't know you are flinging a hook through the air.
Do I need to worry about my rod and reel in a car-top carrier in the hot Georgia sun?
A tip from a listener on using heavier nymph hooks on foam dry flies to keep them from tipping over.
A listener asks me my preferences in fly-tying vise brands.
A listener asks about Orvis' commitment to diversity and climate activism and asks why we don't have a government relations office.
A suggestion from a listener for developing self-bailing waders
Why did I see a bunch of smallmouth bass jumping out of the water like crazy when there was not an insect hatch?
What can I do if I don't like a loop-to-loop connection on my leader?
How do I fish a bass popper in a fast-flowing river?
How can I get my crayfish pattern deeper?
In our campaign to take pressure off our over-stressed trout rivers during this hot, dry summer I figured a great topic would be how to find carp fishing spots. Not every place that holds carp is conducive to fly fishing, but when you find the right spot, you'll find endlessly fascinating opportunities to catch these often difficult gamefish that will test your drag like no other freshwater fish (besides steelhead and salmon). So I enlisted Dan Frasier [46:00] to talk about how to find the best carp spots, when and where to target them, how to present the fly, and how to determine when a carp has eaten your fly. Carp are tough and resilient and you don't need to worry about hurting them, no matter how warm the water temperature. Next to trout, they're the most interesting fish to chase in fresh water and the closest you'll get to saltwater flats fishing without leaving home. In the Fly Box this week, as usual we have some great questions and tips from listeners, including: Do certain trout get acclimated to either very high or low temperature regimes? Why do I foul hook a lot of fish when Euro nymphing? Why does my Euro rig break above the tippet ring? A casting tip using the analogy of a tomato on a stick Does Orvis have a secret warehouse full of older discontinued products? How can I keep track of tiny emergers in the surface film? Do you recommend felt soles or rubber with cleats for wading boots? When fishing for panfish, does having an indicator on the leader hinder my presentation when I strip the fly? Why are my surgeon's knots breaking when using 10-pound test for panfish? What is the difference between regular CDC and CDC puffs? Some tips from a listener on traveling with fly-fishing gear Is it OK to hold a fly rod on the blank above the grip when playing a large fish? A tip from a listener on using a lint roller to keep the fly-tying desk clean Is there any reason to put fly dressing on a yarn strike indicator? Will my freshwater reels work OK in salt water? Why do my foam dry flies sometimes land upside-down?
This week we continue our exploration of Trout in Trouble, specifically in Montana. Pat Byorth [52:56], Montana Fish Commissioner [52:56], and I discuss the current decline of brown trout in southwest Montana, what you should do if you fish there during this hot, low-water year, and what the future may hold. He'll give some good advice on being a responsible angler during this tough period.
In the Fly Box this week, we have some great questions, comments, and tips, including:
Not all Scandinavians hold their rods high when playing fish
What can I do to find trout in pools in big rivers?
Whay would a trout refuse my size 14 mayfly and then take a stonefly nymph?
Why is my back cast dropping?
A tip for making copper tungsten beads into matte gray beads with a lighter
How do I teach kids how to cast a nymph rig?
Why do my Elk Hair Caddis flies only float briefly?
What is the best way to renew a dry fly tied with snowshoe rabbit fur?
Some tips for a listener who had trouble mending line
How often should I fish with a guide and how often should I fish alone if I want to learn more?
Where is there no zonked gray squirrel available?
How do I repair streamers where the coneheads, beads, or dumbbell eyes twist after a few uses?
Why did I use five bluefish in a row?
Can you fish tandem streamers?
A listener corrects my physics knowledge
How can I fish nymphs on a day so windy it blows my indicator downstream?
A tip from a listener on using Euro nymphing techniques with an indicator.
Is there a standard for hook wire gauge so I can determine when a clinch knot won't work?
This week I am delighted to have biologist John McMillan back as my guest. John gives us a detailed view on the affect of water temperature on a trout's metabolism, particularly at the upper end of their safe range. In this summer of low flows and high water temperatures nearly everywhere in North America, it's a critical topic. And as usual, John puts his critical eye on how we, as anglers, can mitigate these effects by changing our fishing behavior. John is never without optimism, and I think you'll enjoy his discussion and learn more about trout biology and how we can be more responsible anglers.
In the Fly Box this week, we have some great questions and tips from listeners:
Why did my guide tell me to use heavier tippets? Why did she suggest this would put less stress on the fish?
A suggestion from a listener on getting an old bamboo rod and refurbishing it to bring one back to life.
What is the difference between hen and partridge?
How do I know where to find trout streams?
What size should I tie my ants in?
A new way of tying a clinch knot with heaver hooks is suggested by a listener
Why, when fishing with a dry dropper, do I only catch browns on the nymph and only cutthroats on the dry?
What do you suggest for catching pressured largemouths in summer?
A belated Father's Day message
Can I use the Euro nymphing method from a drift boat or float tube?
Why am I having trouble mending at 30 feet with a dry dropper?
When tying a Chubby Chernobyl, how do you get the legs to separate?
When you see a large mammal like a beaver or otter in the river, is it time to move on?
Why do I catch myself with my fly when casting?
Is it OK to dry my waders and boots in the sun?
How should I handle my gear for air travel?
Why do I keep losing fish when using bead head flies?
Does using a frog pattern change the flex of my rod?
Why do Scandinavians hold their rods so high when playing a fish?
This week I have no guest interview but a ton of questions waiting in the podcast mailbox so I did an all-Fly Box podcast to catch up on questions. By popular demand, I've started to recommend some books on the podcast. This week I recommend my three favorite books on trout biology and natural history.
In the long Fly Box this week, we have these great questions and tips from listeners:
A tip on putting a four-piece rod together
A tip on where to park your rod when landing a fish
Can I use my 9-foot, 5-weight rod for saltwater fishing in the Bay area?
Do you think we are in danger of interfering with the natural spread of species, for instance by removing musky from lakes that were not there historically but have spread there naturally?
Why do I keep breaking off large trout on a 3X tippet?
A very generous offer from a listener to pay for a guide trip for a young listener (from a past show) who has taken 60 trips for trout and has not caught one yet.
Should I use a sinking or intermediate line for stripers in the Bay area?
Are there any casting techniques I should practice before throwing bigger flies in salt water?
A tip from a listener (after getting a tip from me) on the proper way to insert Orvis studs in wading boots.
A great tip from a listener on using yellow sticky pads to keep coiled leaders in place.
While stripping in my coiled line gets tangled. How can I fix that?
How long do you use a fly before changing? And when do you decide to move?
Do you believe "Right to Roam" laws like they have in Scotland would be beneficial to Americans?
How do you properly de-barb a hook?
What midge patterns should I use in Wisconsin?
What would a well-rounded fly rod quiver for the eastern United States look like?
I keep bumping my rod guides when taking apart my rod. How can I fix that, and how can I fix a loose guide?
A caller letting me know that a co-host on one of our live events mis-spoke about how to assemble a rod.
I can catch fish on a Parachute Adams and swung wet flies in a small stream but can't catch them on nymphs. What am I doing wrong?
A listener who fixed a problem with breaking 4X tippet tied to a size 6 hook makes a suggestion on some great products.
I am curious to buy a bamboo or fiberglass rod. Where should I start?
What fly-fishing magazines does Tom read?
This week, my guest is Carolyn Parker of River Run Outfitters in Branson, Missouri [51:39]. Carolyn is a 20-year veteran of guiding tailwaters and a recipient of the Orvis Endorsed Program's Lifetime Achievement Award. Her specialty is fishing tailwaters, and you'll learn a lot about how to deal with fluctuating water levels and how to fish a river that has mostly midges and crustaceans instead of mayflies and caddisflies.
In the Fly Box this week, we have lots of questions and some long-winded answers, including:
Why don't more people use furled leaders?
When you say "don't land your fly line on the fish", does that include your leader and tippet?
Why do you recommend fishing worm patterns in high, dirty water?
How can I land striped bass in the surf?
For two-fly rigs under indicators, do most guides prefer the second fly "in-line" or on a separate tag?
How do you rank various considerations when picking a fly?
When you are on new water and don't know what bugs are around, how do you pick a fly?
Is a 9-foot 7-weight a good rig for fishing bass and streamers for trout?
Why do some rods like the Superfines have cork reel seat inserts?
Why does my leader kink when I use the Dorsey indicator method?
What would you do if rain started and the trout stopped feeding?
What rod should I pick to start fly fishing in smaller streams in West Virginia?
If I want to upgrade my rod collection to some higher-end models, how should I prioritize my choices?
Are centipedes a threat to fly-tying materials?
A suggestion for removing epoxy from the eyes of flies with micro drill bits (with a caution from Tom)
Suggestions for fishing for striped bass on the rocky shoreline in Rhode Island
Why does my dropper connection always break instead of my tippet-to-fly connection?
Why can't I catch any trout?
This week my guest is Neville Crabbe of the Atlantic Salmon Federation [39:13]. He tells us the details of a major project to eradicate smallmouth bass from the famous Miramichi River, one of the most productive salmon rivers in the world. We all love smallmouths, but they don't belong in this river system and were introduced by misguided anglers.
In the Fly Box this week, we have some great questions, including:
How should I fish an emerger? Can I fish it by itself?
Any tips on catching grass carp?
What's on Tom's bucket list for destinations?
Will packets of desiccant gel help keep my fly boxes dry?
Will cracks in my fly line change its grain weight?
Why do fish keep "bumping" my swung wet flies?
Any tips for fighting trout in shallow water?
Why do steelhead roll?
What is that little ring on the back end of the Chubby Duo Hopper fly?
What are the differences between the various trout species?
When Tom fishes with guides, does he use his own flies?
Will a two-handed rod help my casting when I have tennis elbow?
What fly line should I use for fishing for carp, bass, and pike in 10 to 15 feet of water?
My guest this week is Phil Rowley [55:20], author of the just-released book The Orvis Guide to Stillwater Trout Fishing and fellow host for The New Fly Fisher TV show. Phil is a stillwater genius and he helps us untangle the confusion around fly lines for fishing in lakes and ponds, and exactly which lines you need.
In the Fly Box this week, we have some great questions, including:
I have switched from a medium to fast action rod. Should I set the hook differently?
How do I fish beaver ponds?
Questions about Euro nymphing with a standard 9-foot, 5-weight rod and reel
Do brown trout move in and out of bigger, warmer rivers?
What is the best way to fish with midges?
Will a floating tippet hurt my dry-fly presentation?
What is the difference between up-eye, down-eye, and straight-eye hooks?
Which dry flies do you apply flotant on?
Where can I find good prescription polarized sunglasses?
Are lighter wire hooks better for hooking fish on a downstream presentation?
Why do fish follow my wet flies and not take them?
A listener takes me to task for badmouthing the Madison River (and I deserved it)
Why is Coq de Leon used so much for nymph tails?
How do I fish a low-gradient stream with large boulders?
How much backing do I put on my reel?
What is the best rod for small-stream trout fishing?
This week my guest is George Revel of Lost Coast Outfitters [@50:42], the only fly shop in downtown San Francisco. George is a lifelong fly fisher (he was a tournament caster when he was a teenager) and has intimate knowledge of the best fly-fishing spots in California. Whether you live on the West Coast and are looking for new places to explore, or if you plan a visit to California, this podcast is a must.
In the Fly Box this week, we have some great questions and comments, including:
If you are unsure where the fish are, how long should your drift be and where should you place your fly?
I have a 9-foot 5-weight rod and want one other rod to do everything else, from bass to steelhead to salt water. What additional rod should I buy?
Why am I foul-hooking so many trout this year?
A comment from a listener on why permit systems for our more crowded rivers may be needed.
In cold water, will trout feed deeper than four feet?
How important is it that my indicator and flies land in the same current?
What kind of line, or weight on my leader, should I use when trolling for pike?
Where is the best place to find an in-person fly-fishing mentor?
Would it be harmful to my boots or waders if I spray insect repellent on them to keep ticks away?
How far should you lead a trout you can see in a clear stream?
What surface flies should I use for stripers on Cape Cod in late summer?
How can I train my dog to be a good fly-fishing companion?
Will steaming an old cork handle off a fly rod hurt the blank?
Overcrowding is an issue on many of our more popular trout streams, and there is no easy solution. This week I join journalist Spencer Durrant [@40:06] to discuss what he sees are solutions to some of the problems, both in finding alternate places to fish and also how to behave if you find yourself on a crowded river.
In the Fly Box this week, we have the following questions and comments:
Are all gloves bad for handling fish?
What section of a river should I fish and what areas of a river should I target at different times of day?
Should I always fish a dry with a dropper and can I use this method in fast water?
Can I get permission to get a tattoo of Tom on my arm?
Are there any significant advantage of a 6-weight rod over a 5-weight?
How can someone get into raising poultry for the fly-tying industry?
How beat up can a streamer get and still be effective?
Any insight in getting a fly-fishing class set up in my school?
What do you think about people playing bluetooth speakers on steelhead rivers?
How do I decide what flies to bring on a trip?
Any old school tips you can share with us?
Some great tips from a listener on the use of game bird feathers.
My guest this week is Josh Nugent of Out Fly Fishing Outfitters, an Orvis-endorsed outfitting service and fly shop in Calgary [@52:23]. Josh is a lifelong student of fly fishing and actually did a college-level study on the eye movements of expert fly casters. His findings will open your eyes (no pun intended) to some little tricks that will improve your casting accuracy.
In the Fly Box this week, we have some great questions and comments, including:
Will stocked trout move around after they are initially stocked?
How do I keep from losing my droppers when using barbless hooks?
Can you give me some tips in fishing for bass in ponds in early season?
Where do our fly-tying materials come from? Are they just repackaged products from other industries?
How do I keep my rod sections from coming apart?
A listener suggestion for books on hatches in east Tennessee from a question on a previous podcast
I want to fish for smallmouths in a river and stripers in the ocean. What fly line should I get?
What fundamentals go through your head on every single cast?
A listener (and professional fisheries manager) takes me to task for badmouthing triploid trout.
I am having trouble hooking fish in a lake when using a sinking line from my kayak. What am I doing wrong?
I have an old South Bend bamboo rod. How should I fish with it?
How do I eliminate "creep" in my cast?
How can I get Dragon Tails to hold up better?
This week, I have a special guest--the world's foremost authority on the life cycle of cicadas and the most knowledgeable person in the world on techniques for fishing this "hatch". I've had a lot of questions on this topic and I've finally found the person who can answer them [32.53].
In the Fly Box this week, we have a number of very interesting questions, including:
Do you think fish decoys will work for attracting trout?
Can you tell us about the new electric fly rod coming out of Japan?
What is your technique for making a dubbing loop using a Bimini Twist knot?
Can I use UV cure epoxy for dry flies?
I found a dead possum in the road. Can I use this for dubbing, and how should I prepare the skin?
A listener who thinks his tippet material is defective
What is the correct way to tie a loop knot?
Advice on fishing a couple rivers in Montana
A question about swinging flies on New York's Salmon River
Is what I have done tenkara fishing?
Advice to a gentleman who wants to become a permit guide
Are egg patterns and San Juan Worms considered bait fishing?
My guest this week is Cheech from Fly Fish Food [@36:00], a highly regarded tier and teacher whose videos are popular with serious fly tiers. He's an engaging character who knows fly materials inside and out. We talk fly material substitutions, particularly hook styles, and ramble on all sorts of things related to fly tying. I hope you find it as fun to listen to as I did to record it. In the Fly Box this week we have these questions and comments: * What do I use for leader formulas? * I am used to graphite; what should I expect from a short, delicate glass rod? * Can I vary from the 60:20:20 formula if I tie my own leaders? * A discussion of brook trout habitat and survival * I broke four inches off my old Trident TLS rod. It's no longer under the 25-year guarantee as my dad bought it in a pawn shop. Is there any way I can still use it? * What is a simple buggy nymph I can tie up, as a novice fly tier? * Why is my casting more accurate with my short fiberglass rod than with my longer, heavier graphite rods? * Do all fish behave the same? * Can you recommend a good hatch guide for Tennessee?
This week my guest is Havard Stubo [@40:23] of Jazz and Fly Fishing. If you have not enjoyed one of their videos, it's a group of jazz musicians who also love fly fishing and decided to make some videos of their exploits. We think their films are quite entertaining and I think you'll appreciate their dry humor as a welcome respite from what you typically see in fly fishing films. Havard talks about fly fishing in Scandanavia, the relationship between jazz music and fly fishing (and tying) and other offbeat topics.
In the Fly Box this week, it seems like we have a spate of basic equipment questions, so unless you need some advice on rod, reel, and line selection you may want to skip right to the interview. Some of the questions include:
I am interested in a lighter fiberglass rod but I have noticed some manufacturers recommend two lines sizes, like a 3 or 4. Which one should I pick?
I want to fish a Depth Charge line down to 20 feet with my 8-weight. Should I get a 250 grain or 300 grain line?
If I want to fish 5 to 6 feet under the surface, should I get a sink-tip or intermediate sinking line?
Any advice on hook sets and fighting fish for rookie anglers?
What is the maximum size fly I can use on my Clearwater 9-foot 5-weight rod?
In nymph fishing, should I be watching the line or waiting to feel the strike?
What would be a good rod for backpacking into lakes?
Which sink rate should I choose when I buy a poly leader?
How do I tell if an old fly line that was given to me is still usable?
Should I get a 5-weight Clearwater or a 6-weight Clearwater for fishing small streams and small bass ponds in Pennsylvania?
Why don't I see fiberglass rods heavier than an 8-weight?
What are your thoughts about fishing for bass when they are spawning?
What do I think of pink flies? And how important is color anyway?
What do you do when a fish takes you down to your last couple turns of backing?
Ever wanted to take a fishing trip to Montana (who doesn't)? For a first trip to the Rockies, generally I suggest people center in the greater Yellowstone area because of the vast amount of public land and great trout streams in that area, which includes portions of Wyoming and Idaho as well as Montana. This week I have enlisted a real expert on that area (not a tourist like me). Joe Moore [@48:55] is a longtime guide and owner of Big Sky Anglers located right in the middle of downtown West Yellowstone. Joe gives us some great tips on timing, tackle, and suggested rivers. Essential knowledge for your post-Covid road trip.
Lots of great questions in the Fly Box this week, including:
How much backing should I put on my 6-weight reel? Is there such a thing as too much backing?
How do I get my significant other into fly fishing?
How can I fish for freshwater stripers in deep, murky water?
Can I use barbless hooks for bass, pike, and musky?
What is the best method for taking water temperatures?
How important is it that nymphs drift in the upright position?
I am taking a high mountain backpacking trip and only want to take one rod. Should I take my 3-weight or my 5-weight?
What is that little spring behind the jaws of my vise?
Do "triggers" on fly patterns work?
Do weed guard interfere with solid takes?
Do jig hooks really hang up less often that standard weighted patterns?
How can I repair a fly line with a cut in it?
Do you know anyone who has switched from casting right-handed to casting left-handed?
Why are triploid trout stocked?
Can I use a sinking poly leader for striped bass fishing?
This week my guest is Henry Cowen [@49:05], author of the new book Fly-Fishing for Freshwater Striped Bass, which is really a complete guide to chasing these great gamefish. They get huge, they often feed in shallow water, and are just about the perfect fish to chase with a fly rod. You'll learn their seasons, how to present your fly, and what tackle and flies you'll need to chase them.
In the Fly Box this week, we have some great questions from listeners, including:
How do newer Orvis rods compare to older ones like the All-Rounder?
Any tips for casting from a kayak?
How do the Orvis Hydros and Pro lines compare? Their tapers look very different
What do you think of Bob Wyatt's philosophy on trout in the book What Trout Want?
What direction should I cast when fishing streams?
Can all bead head patterns be tied with tungsten beads?
Why are my head cements too thick?
When looking for a new river to fish, what structure should I look for?
A tip from a listener that sometimes beaver activity seems to attract trout.
Does it matter which direction I twist my dubbing?
How will the 17-year cicada affect fishing?
Can I tie a piece of tippet to the main tippet above my lower fly with a clinch knot?
Why do people always tie their heavier nymph on as the lower fly? I have better luck tying the heavier nymph above my smaller fly.
Can I use the Palomar Knot to add a second fly above my lower fly without removing the lower fly?
In this week's podcast, we'll visit with the dynamic co-founder and president of Western Rivers Conservancy, Sue Doroff [34:50]. Over the past 30 years, Sue and her small, lean staff have protected nearly 400 miles of rivers with names like the Madison, Hoh, Klamath, and John Day--rivers beloved by fly fishers. If you've ever parked at Three Dollar Bridge on the Madison River, you can than the Western Rivers Conservancy for protecting that stretch of river from development and for maintaining public access. Find out about their unique special sauce and how they do this.
In the Fly Box this week, we have some great questions and tips from listeners:
I know you should keep a fish upstream of you when fighting it. What do you do when fishing downstream?
A warning and tip from a listener on the dangers of shelf ice in winter
Should I use big articulated streamers like the Drunk & Disorderly for steelhead?
Is a 9-foot 8-weight rod a good one for wading the beaches of Florida?
I don't want to fish weighted flies and I don't want to fish more than one fly. How can I get a good dead drift with my wet flies and nymphs?
I mainly tie steelhead flies, but for a trout fishing trip, is it more economical to buy or tie some dry flies?
When fishing across several lines of current with a floating line, what technique should I use to get a good drift?
How do you deal with casting an indicator rig when the indicator is set 6 feet or more above your flies?
A great tip on tapering synthetic fibers when tying streamers.
Should I use hemostats or small pliers for trout fishing?
What are the pros and cons of bead chain vs. solid metal eyes?
Swing, hit, and miss--why did you not connect with that fish? Did it just miss your fly? Did you strike too soon? Did you strike too late? Or did the fish refuse your fly even though it looked like a take? Dave Jensen and I [@44:47] discuss how you can (maybe) tell why you didn't connect--and it may not always be your fault.
In the Fly Box this week, we have some great questions and tips from listeners, including:
Why does my 7-foot, 4-weight rod make most things more difficult than my 9-foot, 8-weight rod?
Can I use a float tube in a river?
I have trouble getting my indicator or dry fly to flaot when fishing double tungsten nymphs. What can I do?
Is there one fly rod I can use for trout, bass, and panfish?
When fishing with unweighted leeches in a lake, the rainbow trout I catch keep getting off before I land them. What can I do?
What are your expectations when you go winter fishing?
Are traditional featherwing streamers as effective as more "modern" streamers?
How close can I get to stripers breaking on the surface?
Why do the dumbbell eyes on my Clousers keep breaking?
When fishing with an indicator and sight fishing, how can you tell exactly where your fly is drifting?
A great suggestion on labeling fly boxes and using reflective tape to help find lost ones.
How do I tell if old fly lines are still good?
Are cedar blocks a good alternative to mothballs for fly-tying materials?
I need a 10-weight rod for an Alaska trip. Should I get the Clearwater or Recon and will the fly line I use in Alaska be OK for saltwater and pike fishing?
I want one rod and one leader to do everything in my trout fishing. What do you recommend?
When Ernest Hemingway was a kid, he took great pride in catching trout on worms and jerking them out of small streams as quickly as he could. Later in life, he lived near excellent trout fishing in Sun Valley but didn't really like it much. He owned a lot of fly-fishing gear, but it didn't get much use. This week, I interview Hemingway Scholar Paul Hendrickson, author of the terrific book Hemingway's Boat, and we learn some interesting things about the man, including the sad story of why he finally gave up trout fishing for good, and how he influenced how we fight big fish on fly rods today.
In the Fly Box this week, we have many interesting questions and tips, including:
Am I missing out by not using split shot on my nymph rigs?
I spot fish from one angle, and then when I move into better position to fish, I can't see them. What can I do?
A tip on setting the hook based on current speed
My parachute hackles keep coming out at the tip. What can I do to prevent this?
An update from a young man whose parents did not approve of his fly-fishing habit
Are there advantages or disadvantages in using glass beads for fly tying?
How can I store longer pheasant tails and turkey feathers?
Should I use moth balls on my tying materials?
Do you see any disadvantages in using UV cure resin to attach slotted beads to hooks?
What type of single-handed rods are best for Spey casting?
A guide told me that stomach pumps are bad for fish. Do they really cause mortality in trout?
Should I use a loop knot on small dry flies?
When I try to do a dubbing loop, the materials wrap around the thread instead of getting trapped in it. How can I fix this?
A tip on keeping hands and feet warm by keeping your core warmer.
You may not be able to fish without a jacket every day on the Arkansas tailwaters but some day it's a possibility. A nice change at this time of year. I talk with Jamie Rouse of Rouse Fly Fishing [42:53] on what kind of conditions he sees during the winter, what tactics and flies he uses, and how to avoid late-spawning fish. Makes me want to head south.
In the Fly Box this week, we have these questions and tips:
What can I do to make the flies I tie float like the ones I buy in the fly shop?
Can you recommend any manufacturers of good quality barbless hooks? (Hint--it starts with an O)
A tip for twisting chenille and hackle together for making a more durable Woolly Bugger
Is it OK to remove a root ball in a river that is causing snags?
Is it OK to remove small trees along the bank to get more back-cast room?
Is it OK to shuffle downstream and then fish the chum line you create?
Can I get a regional fishing license for multiple states?
How do you train a dog to not run in the river and spoil the holes? Is there any etiquette for fishing with a dog?
Is there a reason NOT to put mono weed guards on a fly?
Do natural fly-tying materials have a shelf life?
Why do you like a sling bag as opposed to a vest or chest pack?
This week, continuing our series of podcasts on winter fly fishing for trout, I interview George Daniel, author and guide. George is also an Orvis ambassador and field tester, and teaches fly fishing at Penn State. As you'll discover, there are many similarities with winter fishing in other parts of the country, along with some flies and techniques a bit more appropriate for the Northeast.
In the Fly Box this week, we have some great tips and questions, including:
Do you use touch dubbing, split thread dubbing, and composite loop dubbing techniques?
I'm looking for a fly line to fish streamers for bass, trout, and panfish. Which line should I get?
What leaders do I need for my Clearwater Trout Spey setup, for both Skagit and Scandi lines?
What's your technique for catching largemouth bass, and what are your favorite flies?
Why can't I get my dubbing noodle to behave?
Which intermediate line should I get for fishing streamers and indicators in four to eight feet of water?
A great tip on a method for wetting marabou and other materials without putting them in your mouth.
I went fishing before a cold front and got skunked. I thought fishing was supposed to be good before a cold front.
What line and leader and tippet would you use for trout in lakes in 15 feet of water?
This week my guest is artist Bob White [36:41], a beloved painter of fly-fishing and bird hunting scenes. Bob has illustrated John Gierach's magazine pieces for years and also illustrated the current version of The Orvis Fly-Fishing Guide. Bob talks about making a career in the fly-fishing world, how he balances his painting life with his fishing life, tips for budding wildlife artists, and how his art affects his fly tying.
In the Fly Box this week, we have the following questions and tips from listeners:
How do I encourage guiding operations to hire more female guides and people of color?
I just bought a fly rod and am having trouble casting a 1/16 oz. spoon on it. What am I doing wrong in my casting? Should I go to a heavier lure?
Since I will never cast 90 feet with my light fly rod, can I cut off some of the fly line to get more backing on my reel?
People say there are no hatches on the streams I fish. So why am I catching trout on nymphs all the time?
What part of my line should I stretch? If I am using a Skagit setup, should I stretch my head? And do you stretch cold-water lines any different from warm-water lines? And should I use a leader straightener tool?
What resources can I use to figure out what parts of birds and animals I hunt should be saved for fly tying? And where can I learn the fundamentals of fly tying?
A tip from a listener on the best gift you can buy yourself--virtual fly-casting lessons.
Why do you want the trailing hook so far back on an Intruder fly?
A tip on wearing Nitrile gloves over thin merino gloves for fishing
The trout seemed to have disappeared from my river this winter. It runs into a lake. Do you think the fish have gone there?
My guest this week is Rachel Leinweber [39:38], general manager of The Angler's Covey fly shop in Colorado Springs. One in a series of podcasts about winter fly-fishing tips, Rachael has some great ones for us, and it's been interesting to see how each guide we've talked to has a slightly different take on effective winter tactics.
In the Fly Box this week, we have the following questions and tips:
Is there an easier way to balance a fly rod than buying a heavier reel?
How can I get my parents to approve of my fly-fishing passion?
When fishing large streams, and making casts too long for a roll cast, how do you get your fly out without catching trees and bushes?
Do ducks and muskrats and beavers spook trout?
Will the techniques I have learned on my local tailwaters in Utah translate to freestone (non-tailwater) rivers in Wyoming?
Can I use BigEye dry flies as sliding indicators on a dry-dropper rig?
How can I tell a wild from a hatchery fish?
Why did trout take my indicator and ignore my nymphs?
A tip that sometimes catching a trout from a pool does not spook the rest of them.
Why don't manufacturers put handles on both sides of a fly reel?
This week, we're continuing our series on winter fly fishing for trout. I interview Antonio Rodrigues [42:50] manager of Front Range Anglers in Boulder, Colorado, and he has a different take on winter fly fishing, and some different methods. I've found it fascinating to see how each guest approaches this differently and hope you pick up some tips as well.
In the Fly Box this week, we have these questions and tips from listeners:
What do you use for a fly box when surf fishing?
I have not had good luck with guide trips and want to know what you recommend so I get a better trip next time.
Are fly rods built on continuous blanks and then cut into sections, or is each section made separately? And are sections interchangeable from one rod to another?
What is the purpose of adding flash to nymph patterns?
A tip on using special flies for casting practice.
What do I do about fishing places where lots of swimmers have been?
Are wire bite guards worth it?Can I tie a 3X tippet to a 3mm tippet ring?
Are all Orvis leader lengths built to the same basic taper or are they different?
Another suggestion on where to donate flies you don't want.
What uses do you have for magnets when fishing?
What do I use huge streamer patterns like the Manbearpig for, and how should I fish them?
This week, it was my great pleasure to interview Nick Lyons, who I consider to be the godfather of modern fly-fishing books. Nick has edited and published books by some of our most famous fly anglers--Lee and Joan Wulff, Lefty Kreh, Dave Whitlock, and Swisher and Richards. He was also my first editor and I have so much to thank him for. Nick tells stories of the early days of fly-fishing books--his successes and failures and his journey through the past half-century of fly fishing.
In the Fly Box this week, we have some great questions, including:
When fishing an in-line dropper, I have problems with the dropper slipping off my upper hook. How can I fix this?
I want to fish flies for sauger along the bottom. What type of fly should I use?
My hunter friend has offered me some duck and goose feathers. What feathers should I ask him to keep?
Any tips on catching stocked trout in a pond?
What line would you recommend for trolling from a float tube?
Why is trout fishing more productive in Montana than in North Carolina?
Do you think those big "American-type" articulated streamers will work in Finland?
What kind of stream fish can I catch with a fly rod in northern Alabama?
A tip on finding trout at the mouth of cold-water feeder streams in summer.
Are "planted" and "stocked" trout streams the same thing? And do stocked trout ever reproduce naturally?
Can I attach backing to a welded loop with just a clinch knot?
Continuing our exploration of winter trout fishing techniques, this week my guest is angler and photographer Timbre Pringle [40:08]. You have likely seen photos of Timbre or ones taken by her and her husband Darcy in Orvis catalogs and ads, as well as many of the fly-fishing magazines. She doesn't exactly fish in the far north as she fishes in Alberta, in southern Canada, but for most Americans any place in Canada seems like the far north. Timbre gives her tips for fishing her local river, the Bow, in the winter, but she offers tips that will work during the winter in any trout stream.
In the Fly Box this week, listeners share the following questions, comments, and tips:
I have been taken to task for telling people to never trust anglers who tell them to "never" or "always" do something, yet I tell people to always check their knots.
A tip for carrying two rods in one case.
Will a textured Orvis Pro Fly Line give me more distance?
Where do you start making changes when things just aren't working?
How do you estimate the depth of the water where you're going to fish your nymph?
I saw a recommendation in a book for an 8-foot rod for 6/7 weight line for trout. Most other people in my river use 3-weights. What gives?
Can I fish a dry fly on my 10-foot, 3-weight Recon rod?
Are the flow levels I see online useful?
How do I fish nymphs in a deep, slow plunge pool?
Should I spit on my flies to get them to sink?
What do you think about UV tying materials?
I've begun a series on winter trout fishing podcasts with various experts around the country. I think it will be interesting to see how their approaches compare, what flies and leaders they use, and how they keep their hands and feet warm. This week's guest is Tim Johnson [38:41], who you probably know more as an artist on Instagram or on the Orvis Artist Collab series of H3 rods. Tim is also a longtime guide and experienced angler and has spent many winter days on his home waters in Utah. He's also one of the best storytellers I know so I think you'll enjoy the interview.
In the Fly Box this week, we have a great collection of questions and tips from listeners:
How much difference is there between a 9-foot and 10-foot 8-weight rod, and which would be best for both steelhead and bass fishing form shore?
Some people say always strip in a trout and others say always get a fish on the reel. Which method is correct?
A tip on using a bicycle tire patch for fixing waders.
How much damage will I do to a nymph hook if I bend it slightly?
I got skunked on a spring creek when trout were jumping for adult midges. What should I do the next time I see this?
Where can I go on the East Coast for some decent fishing but with lots of tourist attractions for my family?
In a cutthroat stream I fish, the brown trout are invasive and I want to kill them. Is it true that brown trout are not very good for eating?
A listener's take on the parallels between music and fly fishing.
A listener's complaint about tasteless fly names.
When should I use a parachute fly and when should I use a traditional hackled fly?
This week, my guest is Sav Sankaran [47:28], fishing manager at the Orvis store in Asheville. The subject is Late Fall and Winter trout fishing in the Southeast, and although Sav talks about his rivers specifically, there are many good tips for winter fishing anywhere in the world. You may have enjoyed Sav's bluegrass music on a recent Orvis Facebook Live event, and he's also the subject of an Orvis story on his special family holiday gatherings https://www.orvis.com/dinner-music. This podcast is just the beginning of a series I plan on doing on winter fishing throughout North America. With travel still restricted this winter, many of us will need to find fishing close to home, or at least within driving distance. We hope to make those outings more fun and enjoyable by giving you tips to make your time on the water a bit more successful. In the Fly Box this week, we'll explore some great tips and questions from listeners, including:
Should I get a 10-foot 6-weight or 7-weight for steelhead fishing in the Great Lakes (using a tightline method)?
Why do my hackles twist when I tie dry flies?
How can I catch trout rising under heavy foam?
A reminder from a listener that even though I said nylon tippet eventually breaks down, it takes a long time and anglers should never throw any kind of tippet in the water or on the banks.
Do I need to tie those really fancy patterns I see to catch pike?
How do I imitate gill plates on my streamers?
How common are big blanket hatches?
How important is it to make flies realistic?
A couple great tips from a listener on organizing fly tying materials.
Is it better to face the sun or have it at your back when approaching fish?
Why do I keep losing trout when fishing streamers?
Should I organize my trout fly boxes by size/weight or by insect type?
What is the best wading combo for hiking into very cold alpine lakes?
What type of intermediate line should I get for fishing cold alpine lakes?
This week my guest is the great guide and fly tier Blane Chocklett [39:45]. We talk about his development of innovative fly patterns like the Gummy Minnow and Game Changer, but also about his philosophy of imitating baitfish and how to choose the right streamer depending on conditions. I know you streamer, musky, and saltwater junkies will learn a lot in this one.
In the Fly Box this week, we have the following questions and tips from listeners:
How do I know what color combinations to use on my flies?
Can I put a 225-grain sinking line on my 7-weight fiberglass rod?
I have an 8 1/2 foot Clearwater 4 weight. What rod should I add to my arsenal for bass fishing?
How can I catch those difficult carp on my local lake in Norway?
What should I do with all the extra flies I tie?
How do you know when a nymph should be tied on a curved hook?
A great tip for organizing materials for single patterns by putting all of the materials in a tray.
Trout are supposed to be in deep, slow pools in cold weather but I see them in riffles and pools. Why?
Another great tip on organizing fly-tying materials using duct tape, ziplock bags, and a 3-ring binder
What is the nest leader for small-stream fishing, when you are mostly casting just the leader?
Many fly fishers have dreaded the thought of visiting their favorite trout streams after wildfires devasted many areas over the past few years. As threatening as they are to human lives and property, wildfires are not all that bad for trout stream ecosystems, as you'll discover after listening to this week's podcast. Becky Flitcroft [interview at 39:03], a fisheries biologist with the US Forest Service and an expert on disturbances to trout streams, presents some surprising results in the wake of fires. Not only are they not horribly destructive, they are actually beneficial in many cases. Should you visit a trout stream that was in a burned area next year? What will the future look like? Although every stream is different, Becky tells us what to expect over the coming years.
In the Fly Box this week, we have the following questions and tips:
I have trouble seeing my dry flies on small streams. What patterns do you recommend, and how can I spot them better?
Do you think it's necessary to replace nylon and fluorocarbon leaders each year?
Can I extend the length of my 7 1/2 foot leaders to 9 or 12-feet by just adding tippet?
Should I use my Clearwater Reel in salt water?
Can I use shorter or longer hackles than the traditional length on my dry flies?
What techniques would you recommend for fishing after dark during the winter?
A good tip on how to practice specific techniques in fly tying.
What would be a good rod for both salmon/steelhead rivers and bass lakes?
How can I practice my fish-fighting technique in the off-season before I go salmon fishing?
[This week's podcast is in two sections. This sections contains the interview with Brittany. The listener-questions section, or the Fly Box, is in part one.]
This week, I have a very special guest for my interview--Brittany Howard, the frontwoman for the wildly popular band Alabama Shakes, who also has a new (2019) album out, "Jaime", a solo effort that explores a wide range of musical styles. Brittany has performed with Sir Paul McCartney and at the Obama White House, and her albums with the Alabama Shakes have won four Grammy Awards. Her first love is music, but her second love is fishing, and she is a passionate fly fisher. Unlike some celebrities who have taken up fly fishing because it's a "thing", Brittany has the soul of an angler and has been fishing all her life. She ties her own flies, modifies her kayak for fly fishing, and when she is on tour she always prioritizes sneaking away to do some fishing. She's the real deal and a great storyteller, and I know you'll enjoy her tales of fishing on the road and her encounters with gender and racial bias while fly fishing. And as a special treat at the end of the podcast, we've included one of my favorite songs, "Future People."
We have some great questions, and some helpful tips from listeners, including:
A suggestion from a listener on the benefit of bootfoot waders for cold weather fishing
Can I catch shoal bass on a fly rod?
My 8-weight rod is not quite up to the task of surf fishing. Can I put a 9-weight line on my rod?
Why do some rods come with aluminum tubes and others with nylon-covered cases?
A suggestion from a listener that maybe I missed the point when asked about how I organize my fly-tying materials.
What is the best line for my 7-foot, 3-weight glass rod?
A suggestion from a listener on why some anglers fishing a Euro technique for steelhead lose fish on the jump.
Can I tie a Pat's Rubber Legs with dubbing instead of chenille?
I got a bunch of pheasant feathers from a hunter friend in a plastic bag and they stink. Can I salvage them?
Where should I half-hitch my bead head nymphs--behind the bead or in front of it?
I decided to take the plunge and buy good quality hackle capes. I have brown, grizzly, light ginger, medium dun, and cream. What other colors might I need?
Why are some wild trout streams with spawning fish open year-round and others closed?
How do I avoid getting hooked on the river?
How should I do the naked nymphing technique?
[This week's podcast is in two sections. This is the listener-questions section, or the Fly Box. The interview with Brittany Howard is in part two.]
This week, I have a very special guest for my interview--Brittany Howard, the frontwoman for the wildly popular band Alabama Shakes, who also has a new (2019) album out, "Jaime", a solo effort that explores a wide range of musical styles. Brittany has performed with Sir Paul McCartney and at the Obama White House, and her albums with the Alabama Shakes have won four Grammy Awards. Her first love is music, but her second love is fishing, and she is a passionate fly fisher. Unlike some celebrities who have taken up fly fishing because it's a "thing", Brittany has the soul of an angler and has been fishing all her life. She ties her own flies, modifies her kayak for fly fishing, and when she is on tour she always prioritizes sneaking away to do some fishing. She's the real deal and a great storyteller, and I know you'll enjoy her tales of fishing on the road and her encounters with gender and racial bias while fly fishing. And as a special treat at the end of the podcast, we've included one of my favorite songs, "Future People."
We have some great questions, and some helpful tips from listeners, including:
A suggestion from a listener on the benefit of bootfoot waders for cold weather fishing
Can I catch shoal bass on a fly rod?
My 8-weight rod is not quite up to the task of surf fishing. Can I put a 9-weight line on my rod?
Why do some rods come with aluminum tubes and others with nylon-covered cases?
A suggestion from a listener that maybe I missed the point when asked about how I organize my fly-tying materials.
What is the best line for my 7-foot, 3-weight glass rod?
A suggestion from a listener on why some anglers fishing a Euro technique for steelhead lose fish on the jump.
Can I tie a Pat's Rubber Legs with dubbing instead of chenille?
I got a bunch of pheasant feathers from a hunter friend in a plastic bag and they stink. Can I salvage them?
Where should I half-hitch my bead head nymphs--behind the bead or in front of it?
I decided to take the plunge and buy good quality hackle capes. I have brown, grizzly, light ginger, medium dun, and cream. What other colors might I need?
Why are some wild trout streams with spawning fish open year-round and others closed?
How do I avoid getting hooked on the river?
How should I do the naked nymphing technique?
In this week's podcast, I interview Jess Westbrook, co-founder of The Mayfly Project. This organization, a winner of an Orvis Breaking Barriers award, brings the joys of fly fishing to foster kids through individual, one-on-one mentorship throughout the country. For obvious reasons their programs have been put on hold for this year (I was looking forward to being a mentor myself last spring), but the organization moves forward, making plans for a time when we can comfortably get together in person. Jess has some heartwarming stories to tell of past successes that will make you smile and feel good about the fly-fishing community.
In the Fly Box this week, we have some great questions and I hope my answers are helpful to you. They include:
I recently got a new fly reel and when it's filled with line it's too tight.
What can I do to solve this?
A story from a listener on catching a channel catfish on a fly tied for swinging for trout--a Montana Intruder that he tied during one of our Monday live fly-tying sessions.
Why do the eyes on my saltwater flies keep coming off?
What feathers on grouse and woodcock can I use for fly tying?
Can you recommend some books so I can learn more about how watersheds work?
Why does my fly line keep catching itself on my forward cast and how can I fix it?
Can I use weighted streamers to catch walleye?
Why would a bunch of large trout be holding in slow, shallow water during a hatch?
What is the best saltwater floating line for Northeast fly fishing?
I have some fly materials with bugs in them. Would repeated thawing and freezing kill them?
What is the difference between a sink tip and an intermediate fly line?
Why does anyone ever use flies smaller than size 18? I can't see them on the water.
Why do I keep losing steelhead when they jump?
This week I interview Greg Vincent of Grand Bahama Island and co-owner of H2O Bonefishing [40:13]. Greg shares his tips for what distinguishes a great bonefisher from someone who just goes fishing for bonefish and permit. There's a big difference. Greg is the only person I know who has gotten a Super Grand Slam (bonefish, permit, tarpon, and snook) in just four casts. He also tells a great story and I am sure you'll thrill to his tales of chasing these fish on the flats.
In the Fly Box this week, we have these questions and tips:
I have a random assortment of grouse feathers from a hunter friend. What patterns can I tie with them?
If there are only a few good holes in an area, how long should you fish a spot before letting another angler try their luck?
I am a new fly fisher and have been fishing just with a tenkara rod and doing OK on panfish but not trout. What is a mistake that new fly fishers often make that prevents them from catching fish?
I want to fish the Charles River in Boston and Long Island for saltwater species. What two rods should I get?
How should I treat my waders if I move from one state to another?
Have you ever made your own amadou?
Havaard from Jazz and Fly Fishing wants to fish in Montana next May and wants advice on what town to base his travels out of. And is May a good time to fish in Montana?
What leaders and tippets do I need for salmon in the Pacific Northwest?
A great idea from a listener on using a streamer as an indicator when dead-drifting a nymph/streamer combo
This week I have a chat with Jonny King [41:00], one of the most creative and innovative fly tiers I know. Patterns like the Kinky Muddler and Splitsville dry flies come from his creative mind. I am always interested in where the idea for new patterns come from, how they are developed, and how they get evaluated. Join me as we ramble and discuss his creative process.
In the Fly Box this week, we have these questions and tips:
Where can I get a copy of your book on Small Stream fly fishing?
Can I leave my fishing gear in a very hot or very cold car?
How can I fish the shoreline of a lake without getting caught in trees, and how far do I need to cast?
Why do I keep breaking fish off on a strike?
How can I include a shock absorber into my outfit?
I have an old bamboo rod in good shape.
Is it OK to fish with it, and how can I find out what line size it takes?
What do you recommend for wading boots if I do a lot of hiking?
I can cast OK with nymphs but I can't get my dry flies to lay out with a roll cast. What am I doing wrong?
Where should I look to catch Pacific salmon in BC?
How do I handle spooky trout in small streams that hide under rocks?
How do I know for sure when trout are spawning?
This week, my interview is with Kip Veith [38:55], Orvis-endorsed guide and author of The Orvis Guide to Musky on the Fly, which has just been released. Fresh from lots of research and in the middle of his season, Kip has some great tips for those of you who want to chase this giant freshwater predator--and fall is known as the best time to chase them with a fly rod.
In the Fly Box this week, we have lots of interesting questions and some great tips from listeners, including:
I have some flies I tied that I don't like and want to salvage the hooks to use again. What's the best way to do this?
With big pike flies, I have trouble getting the fly moving on the first few false casts. How can I do this easier?
My floating line is sinking. What can I do to make it float, and if I can't make it better can I use the line for streamer fishing?
My yarn indicators won't float. What am I doing wrong?
How do you do the Joe Humphreys Bow-and-Arrow Cast?How do I use a BIgEye dry fly as a sliding dropper?
I lubricate my clinch knots with Chapstick. Why doesn't the knot hold?
My Dad raises chickens. Do you think I can use some of their feathers for fly tying?
When do most anglers change their leaders?
A tip from a listener on preventing gel floatant from exploding when you change altitude.Can I go from 5X to 7X using a tippet ring?
A great tip from a listener on how to politely engage someone on the river who is using poor fish-handling technique.
How do you cut Body Wrap when making Game Changers?
The issue of freshwater flow through the Everglades is an issue that Orvis has worked on for a number of years as one of our major conservation projects, and we've worked with some strong partners on the ground, like the Everglades Foundation, Captains for Clean Water, Now or Neverglades, and Bullsugar/Friends of the Everglades. This week we have a double feature on this national treasure. The first part of the podcast is with scientist Steve Davis of the Everglades Foundation [41:05], who discusses the recent progress and environmental conditions in the Everglades, in times of poor freshwater flow and healthy flows. The second part of the podcast is with Orvis-endorsed guide Jason Sullivan [1:28:17], who spends nearly every day in the Everglades and depends on its health for his livelihood. And yes, don't worry we talk fishing and what it's like fly fishing in the everglades--for tarpon, snook, redfish, and even tailing tripletail!
And in the Fly Box this week, we have some great questions to answer, including:
Can a clear fly line be made?
Why are cane fly rods so great?
If I can legally fish only one fly, how do I get my fly down to the fish when Euro nymphing?
How does a full moon affect fishing?
If a season for a species is closed, when is it OK to fish for them if I practice catch-and-release?
How does intellectual property work with fly patterns?
Is it worth it to pay to fish spring creeks?
Why can't I sharpen my hooks?
Is there any role in whimsy or "bluffing" when picking a fly pattern?
Can I use floatant on my Master Splinter fly?
Can I use unweighted streamers with a floating line?
I get frequent questions on targeting introduced Pacific salmon in the Great Lakes region, so I invited an expert [interview starts at 33:13] to give us guidance on where and when to fish for them, tackle to use, and recommended flies. Trent Jackson, fishing manager of Orvis Grand Rapids, is a lifelong Michigan resident and has been fishing for Great Lakes salmon and steelhead his entire life. He gives us a great overview of this fishery, and is a great example of the rich talent we offer in our retail stores.
In the Fly Box this week, we have a number of perceptive questions and suggestions from listeners, including:
Why do I have trouble hooking trout with a 10-foot, 3-weight rod when using unweighted flies?
Can I use the Hydros Salmon/Steelhead line for tightline fishing with a 20-foot leader?
If I have both smallmouth and stocked trout in my river this fall, how can I fish for both of them?
A listener takes me to task for killing fish for the table by "bashing them in the head with a rock", and gives us the preferred way to kill fish for the table, using a Japanese method called ikejime.
If I have a limited budget, should I spend more money on my waders or wading shoes?
Why did brook trout inhale my streamer one day and only chase it the next?
Once a running fish is on the reel, should I take my fingers off the line?
When you talk about a 9-foot leader, is the tippet included in that length? And should I tie a new tippet directly to my leader without modification?
This week I interview Dr. Aaron Adams [@38:29], chief scientist at Bonefish Tarpon Trust, and he explains some of the science behind proper fish handling techniques. Although we talk primarily about bonefish and tarpon, I learned some surprising facts about the question: "If a fish is hooked deeply, is it better to try to remove the hook or just cut the tippet?" I'm not going to tell you the answer. You'll need to listen to the podcast.
In the Fly Box this week, we have the following questions and tips from listeners:
Can you suggest few trout flies that are reliable and relevant year-round?
Why do I have trouble hooking trout in small mountain streams?
What is the proper way to set the drag on a reel before you begin fishing?
How much tension is added to your tippet when you have the whole fly line out on a running fish?Why doesn't anyone talk about frogs and toads as trout prey?
Why does my Improved Clinch Knot keep failing?
Are neat flies more effective than scruffy ones?
A suggestion from a listener about using the "wrong" color thread to tie a better fly.
Where should I spend most of my budget when assembling a fly-tying setup?
A suggestion from a listener about using a bobbin threader to tie a nail knot.
Stripping Streamers in the Fall, with Butch Wicks
With all the hype around trout Spey and swinging streamers, let's not lose sight of plain old streamer stripping, which is a faster-paced way of fishing streamers and often results in explosive strikes. Montana/Washington guide Butch Wicks of Healing Waters Lodge in Twin Bridges, Montana gives us some hot tips on stripping streamers in the Fall. The interview starts at 28:00.
In the Fly Box this week, we have the following questions and comments:
I am teaching a friend how to fish nymphs. Should I start him on dry dropper and indicator fishing or Euro nymphing?
Will my Trout Poly Leaders work OK for swinging flies for Lake Erie steelhead, or do I also need to get Spey Polyleaders?
Why could I not catch fish during a heavy Green Drake spinner fall?I had to cut my fly line. Is there any way to repair it without a bulky connection?
What should I keep in mind when tying some steelhead patterns to use on Pacific salmon?
A clarification to the podcast on the Clean Water Act from a retired EPA wetland scientist.
What to do if you see someone on the water with very poor fish-handling techniques.Is trout spawning temperature of day length dependent, and what behavioral clues should I look for?
I saw what I thought were carp feeding on the surface. Do carp feed on top, and if so what do they eat?
How do you set the hook when using a two-handed strip for striped bass?
When should I use a weighted vs. unweighted fly for striped bass in San Franciso Bay, and what fly line should I use?
This week I interview Monte Burke [@44:46], author of the recently released book Lords of the Fly. It's a chronicle of the history of tarpon fishing with a fly rod, and especially the magical period in the late 20th century where huge tarpon and the best fly anglers in the world converged on a little town on the Florida coast. This is truthfully one of the most interesting fly-fishing books I have ever read. Even if you have no interest in tarpon fishing, the story of the personalities, conflicts, and obsession involved in trying to catch a world record tarpon on a fly is one of the most compelling stories in fly-fishing history. Monte talks about his research and the process involved in writing the book. It's a tale of egos and gangsters and heartbreak.
In the Fly Box this week, we have lots of interesting questions and tips, including:
How does a new beaver dam affect a trout stream?
What is the difference between a 2-weight and a 3-weight Euro nymphing rod?
How should one approach a larger river with heavy fishing pressure?
How do you suggest handling a fish that has been foul-hooked?
If you were to spend two weeks in quarantine in a hotel room, what six fly patterns would you tie?
An example of great fishing close to home
What do you know about fly fishing for ladyfish?
I am taking my father fishing and he does not have much experience. Should I hire a guide or just get him an outfit and take him wade fishing?
What are the main differences between Eastern and Western fly fishing?
What effect will the wildfires have on trout streams?
Can I use UV epoxy to finish the wraps on a rod I am making?Can I dye my own fly tying materials?
This week, we chat with Bob Irvin [Interview starts at 42:00], president of American Rivers, an organization that does solid work protecting the aquatic resources we all love. Bob and I talk about the Clean Water Act and the Clean Water Rule--what these laws have done for us in the past, how they are currently managed, and threats to their effectiveness. It's not as much fun as talking about trout or steelhead, but it's important stuff to all of us.
In the Fly Box this week, listeners offered the following tips and questions:
What kind of water is best for Euronymphing?
Can you do it in really slow water for panfish?The booties on my waders are too tight for two pairs of socks. How can I keep my feet warm winter steelheading?
I have some streams in my neighborhood that people say used to hold brook trout. How can I find out if they still live there?
A suggestion that keeping the index finger on the top of your rod grip helps with sensitivity.
What is the best fly line to use when trying to cast the entire line?
Can I Spey cast for smallmouth bass?
My dad really outfished me using a Rapala. I tried all kinds of streamers but no luck. Is there a fly that is as good as a Rapala?
When I wade waist-deep I have trouble with my casting. What can I do to fix this?
How can you reconcile our obsession with drag-free drifts and the effectiveness of a swung wet fly?
I have a bunch of old fly lines. How can I tell what they are, and how can I mark them?
If you have a local stream that you fish often, how long should you rest it between fishing trips?
I am fishing for smallmouth and shoal bass during the day in weedy, rocky water. What's the best technique to use?
A tip from a listener on a great indicator you can make yourself.
Can you clarify the confusion behind the term "dropper"?
This week I interview biologist Nicole Watson [interview at 46:56], who has a fascinating job. She is working on developing strains of arctic grayling that will hopefully be able to repopulate some of Michigan's rivers. It's not widely known that prior to the arrival of Europeans to rivers such as the Au Sable and Manistee, the dominant salmonid in rivers in that entire area was not the brook trout, but a unique strain of arctic grayling. Learn about how the population was decimated, what is being done to restore them, and how soon we'll be able to fish for wild grayling in Michigan.
Here are some links to websites mentioned in the podcast
MI Grayling Initiative website:
https://www.migrayling.org/
Iron Fish Distillery- whiskeys to support research:
https://ironfishdistillery.com/arcticgrayling/
Iron Fish Arctic Grayling Research Fund (to donate to research directly):
https://manisteefoundation.org/component/funds/view/3933
In the Fly Box this week, we have the following questions and tips from listeners:
My 5-weight works fine with nymphs and dries but I have trouble throwing streamers. Is my rod too light for fishing Woolly Buggers?
How do you evaluate a new fly pattern for your own fishing? And what are the factors that make you keep the pattern in your fly box instead of cycling it out?
I have trouble keeping dubbing on the thread when I wrap it on a hook. Are there tips I can use?
Is it a good idea to start with a tippet ring on a brand new leader, and where do you place it?
Is it wrong to hold the index finger on top of a rod grip when casting?
Should I be able to throw a size 8 popper with my 5-weight rod?
What is the most humane way to kill a fish?
How can I "turn up the volume" of my bass flies for use in high, dirty water?
I want to try to catch a 12-inch brook trout in a small stream, but I want to go barbless. What would you suggest for landing my trophy?
I have a 7-weight Recon rod and want to fish heavier streamers. What fly line do you recommend?
What is the best way to remove a small hook from a trout?
What is the best way to travel with fly-tying materials?
This week, I interview Captain Joe Mattioli [43:31]i on a place I have always wanted to fish--New York Harbor. Despite having chased striped bass and bluefish with a fly rod for over 40 years, I have never had the pleasure of fishing New York Harbor and I have always wanted to. So join me as I interview Captain Joe and hear stories of this world-class fishery beneath the Statue of Liberty and off Coney Island.
In the Fly Box this week, we have lots of great questions, including:
I have issues with knots in my leader, especially with streamers and other heavy flies. How do I fix this?
I have a 9 ft 5-weight Recon and a starter fly reel I bought a few years ago. Should I buy a new reel to go with my rod?
When fishing for bass, if I use a heavier line like a bank shot on my 6-weight rod, how should I adjust my casting style?
Are there any trade-offs?
I use a double Uni Knot to join tippet, but I can't tie a Blood Knot to save my life. What are the relative strengths of these two knots?
I just upgraded my fly-tying vise. What other tools should I upgrade if I want to improve my tying?
My tippet keeps breaking when using sink-tip lines. What can I do to prevent this?
Would you recommend a Recon 2-weight or 3-weight for fishing small streams plus bluegill fishing with my kids?
How many flies do you lose in a day of small stream fishing?
Where would you go to catch a trophy brook trout?
What should I do with my dry fly when fishing still water?
Should I move it or let it sit?
What can we do to reduce the trauma to fish when we play them?
This week I interview Orvis-endorsed guide Jay Aylward [51:05], a largemough bass fanatic on the fly rod, about how to find and catch them. And not just any largemouth, but trophy bass. Or at least trophies on a fly rod...
In the Fly Box this week, I get some great tips from listeners and also some interesting questions, including:
Fly pattern suggestions for a road trip across Colorado
What are your top 10 trout flies I should tie?
How does water fluctuation below a dam affect trout behavior?
I can't catch trout on anything but worm flies and woollies in my local river. Why can't I catch them on standard nymphs?
How do I sort through the creek chubs to catch the nice brook trout below them?
Can I cut my poly leader back to make it shorter?
What line do I need to put on my 10-foot 8-weight single handed rod if I want to try some two-handed casts?
Why did a fly shop put a 6-foot leader on my outfit when I bought it?
A listener offers more suggestions on why you should tie your own leaders.A
nother suggestion on how to record small streams you fish--the Basemap app.
What is an affordable, dependable Orvis rod?
Why can't I catch the carp in my local pond? Do you have any suggestions?
[Interview @ 38:40]
There are few things more fun in fly fishing than catching bluegills with a popper or nymph. For the most part, once you find them it's easy and un-challenging fishing. But if you want to up your game and chase trophy bluegills, the kind that will put a big bend in a 3-weight rod, you need special techniques. This week Orvis-endorsed guide Kip Vieth shares his passion for big bluegills, and his special techniques for catching them--even in summer heat.
In the Fly Box this week, we answer the following questions from listeners:
I had a big brown trout chase my fly right after a big tumble of branches rolled down the river on top of him. Is this common?
What can I do with some grouse feathers I obtained?
Does a 7 1/2-foot knotless leader have the same level tippet length as a 9- or 12-footer, or is the tippet length proportional?
I started tying my own leaders but had a blood knot break. Should I go back to knotless leaders?
Would it be a good idea to tie smaller streamers with a shank and a trailing stinger as opposed to using a longer-shank hook? I have heard that long-shank hooks don't hold fish as well.
What are some good rules for keeping your distance on crowded trout streams?
I always hook my fly onto one of my guides but recently I had a guide break when I was pulling the rod apart. Is that a bad practice and am I weakening the guides by doing this?
When someone says they are fishing a 9-foot or 12-foot leader, does that length include the tippet?
I had a Davey Knot break on heavy tippet. Is the Davey Knot weaker in heavier materials?
How do I keep the fly line from pulling my leader back inside the guides when making short casts?
This week we continue our exploration of small streams with Brian Slusser in California [@37:47] and Brown Hobson of North Carolina [@1:24:38]. Both are experienced guides and love small stream fishing. Even if you don't fish these regions, you'll find plenty of great tips and fly suggestions for your own region.
In the Fly Box this week, we have some great questions and also some great additional information from listeners, including:
I have a small bass pond in my neighborhood. What would you suggest regarding patterns and techniques?
I have a bunch of old flies from the 1940s. How can I tell if they are still good?
Is there a comparable approach to Euro nymphing when fishing for steelhead?
Some great information from a listener on the confusion around greenback cutthroat restoration in Colorado.
Why aren't all hooks barbless?
Do you have any tips on tying with calf body hair?
What are some good crab patterns for fishing for striped bass in New England?
Can you suggest some tips on tying in biot tails for nymphs like the Copper John?
Should I always be fishing my nymphs dead drift or should I try imparting some movement to them?
A listener calls in with some great tips for finding small stream trout in Colorado
This week, continuing with my small stream double features programs, I interview Todd Fuchigami of the Ellensburg Angler in Washington [@ 45:48], plus Mel Hayner of Driftless Fly Fishing Company in Minnesota [@1:24:51]. It's been fascinating for me to learn about the similarities, and the differences in small stream techniques throughout the country. Regardless of where you fish, you'll pick up great small stream tips from these two.
In the Fly Box this week, we have the following questions and comments:
What is your preferred wet-wading outfit, or do you even wade wet at all during the summer?
If I need a longer dropper on my dry/dropper rig, should I add the extra length with another section of tippet added to the existing one or should I tie on a whole new dropper?
A listener takes me to task and says I should "spend more time on crowded public waters to better answer the fly box questions"
What is the best way to fish small streams when they get turbid from a summer rainstorm?
A couple book recommendations from a listener on small streams and alpine lakes
I normally take both my fly rod and a spinning rod with worms when trout fishing. What do you think of this method?
Are "bait chuckers" seen throughout the country or is it just my local fishing culture in Iowa? And what are some ways to help them see the beauty in fly fishing?
I have a bunch of old fly lines and rods. How do I figure out what line sizes I have?
What really matters when I stare into my fly box? What attributes do you look for and how do you rank them?
How often before you decide to switch flies?
How do I gauge the size of my hen hackles when tying soft hackles?
[Rachel Therkildsen interview 36:25]
[Brett Damm interview 1:04:52]
I have been interviewing guides across the country on their techniques for small-stream trout fishing and I want to get these out sooner rather than later, at the peak of small stream trout season. So this week, we have a special double feature on small trout streams East and West. We have Rachel Therkildsen on fishing high altitude streams (and lakes) in Colorado, and then we move East to hear about small stream brook trout fishing in the Rangeley region of Maine with Brett Damm of Rangeley Region Fly Shop.
In the Fly Box this week, we have the following questions:
I use mostly streamers in high mountain lakes. Should I be using nymphs and dries?
Is there a good resource for organizing my fly boxes?
Are there any podcast episodes on panfish?
A suggestion from a listener on wearing a wetsuit when fly fishing.
Do you have any tips on how to fish difficult waters?
I think carp are eating blueback herring spawn on my local river. Do you have any suggestions on how to catch them?
Can I fish emergers upstream?
If I take my new Mission rod to Florida to fish deep channels, when should I use a Scandi line and when should I use a Skagit line?
Is it OK to carry two rods with different rigs to maximize fishing time?
Is it OK to leave my wading boots wet for a day or two. I always dry them but do I need to do it every day?
If I plan to use my Euro nymphing rod for more conventional fishing, should I overline the rod?
[Interview starts at 37:17] This week, our podcast is all about carp. It's a more advanced carp podcast with my buddy Dan Frasier, who is one of the most knowledgeable carp anglers I know. Carp are almost never easy and sometimes they are damn near impossible. But they are a fascinating challenge, and a good fish to chase when you aren't able to travel to more exotic places for big fish--something we all need to concentrate on. I'm going to be doing more podcasts about fishing close to home--a bunch of small stream tips from various parts of the country, and also on bass and panfish. Stay tuned in the coming months. In the Fly Box this week, we have these questions and suggestions form listeners: * Can I fish steelhead with a single-handed rod? I can't find any information on it. * What type of stream bottom is best for rubber with metal studs on the soles, and what type is best with just rubber soles? * How can I find small wild trout spring creeks in the Northeast? * My flies don't look as good as the ones I buy in a fly shop? Should I still fish with them even if the bodies do not have as nice a taper or the wings are too long? * Does it matter where I put the rubber legs on my panfish flies? * A suggestion on how to hold onto big trout when they jump * If a fish in a certain feeding lie gets caught every week, will it move away or will it just become harder to catch? * What is the best knot for tying a light tippet to a hopper imitation? * A tip from a physical therapist who has developed an Instagram channel on mobility and strengthening articles just for fly fishers * Which H3 rod would be best for trout streamers and fairly large bass? * What is the difference between a good and a really great fly fisher?
[Interview starts at 41:18]
We could all use a little escapism these days, so why not listen to a podcast about adventures in the Amazon? Fly Fisherman Magazine editor and publisher Ross Purnell, in a pre-Covid recorded interview, will thrill you with his adventures with a fly rod in the Amazon, and you will be shocked at how he celebrated the trip. Few of us will be traveling to exotic locations this year, and many of us never will, but it is always enlightening to hear about what fishing is like in a different world. In the Fly Box this week, we have some great questions and suggestions: * Further warnings on UV cure epoxy vapors * How do I keep my fly tying organized in a small apartment with a wife, dog, and cat? * Can I use steelhead swinging techniques for skating a caddis when trout fishing? * How do I learn Euro nymphing? * How can I find and catch bigger trout than the 12-inchers I usually catch? * Are there any advanced courses to improve my skills in fly fishing? * More tips from a fishing guide about how to improve a client's experience * Will a very hot car in Texas damage any of my fly-fishing gear? * I lose trout when they jump. What can I do to prevent this? * Why didn't you mention Strike Putty in your TV show on using indicators? * I caught a trout and got slime on my fly, then the fly didn't work afterward. Does slime on a fly scare off trout?
[Interview starts at 55:00] This week, Joe Hebler of the Blue Quill Angler in Evergreen, Colorado, answers the question "How do I become a fishing guide?" Whether you are graduating from high school or college, or in another career looking to escape daily stresses and an unsatisfying job, Joe gives a great road map on what steps to take to successfully land a job in this competitive field. And if you aren't interested in becoming a guide, Joe also gives some great tips on current fishing conditions on Colorado streams. In the Fly Box this week, we answer some questions, share some tips from a listener, and alert people to a threat on one of Pennsylvania's finest trout streams. 1. Should I buy a 4-weight or a 5-weight rod for trout? 2. Whatever happened to that little barbed thingee that goes into the end of a fly line to attach a leader? 3. An alert about a proposal by a meat packing plant to withdraw 700,000 gallons of water a day from the springs that feed the headwaters of Fishing Creek. 4. Are wet flies a legitimate strategy when you have trout rising downstream of your position? 5. How do I get a large trout close to my net if my leader is long? 6. What could I have done to catch a smallmouth bass in deep, clear, swirly water? 7. What mouse pattern is best and how should I fish it? 8. A great list of tips on why starting out in a small stream will build your skills for fishing tougher, more technical waters later. 9. My father wants to remove the brush along our stream to make it easier to cast and for my kids to splash in the river. Should I try to talk him out of it? 10. What is the best way to remove wind knots from my leader? 11. A listener asks me about my top 3 places to fish 12. I foul hooked a brook trout in the belly but it was only a flseh wound. Do you think the fish will survive? 13. Should I match my leader length to my rod length?
[Interview starts at 37:18]
This week, the podcast is about native trout, specifically the Rio Grande cutthroat of New Mexico. It's the story of two communities, one a small New Mexico town and the other the Taos Pueblo tribe, told by Toner Mitchell of Trout Unlimited, and Talisa Puentes Ortega, a biologist who worked on the project with the Taos Pueblo. In the Fly Box this week, we have lots of questions, as usual, including: * Can I use Dragon Tails for trout spey?
* Can I use scaled down versions of classic salmon and steelhead for trout?
* Can I fix a cut in my 5-weight line?
* Do you ever wish you could go back in time and fish a particular river?
* Why do people often recommend different flies for tailwaters as opposed to freestone rivers?
* How should I rinse my Clearwater reel after fishing in salt water?
* Do creek chubs in a river indicate the absence of trout?
* Should I boil my leaders to straighten them?
* My buddy and I caught nice bass on small nymphs while fishing for sunfish. Is this a fluke?
* What are your recommendations for wet wading gear?
* I bought a hen cape and realize it's not good for dry flies. What can I use it for?
* What rod should I get for going after carp, smallmouths, steelhead, and Pacific salmon?
[Interview starts at 45:51]
This week's podcast was recorded prior to Covid 19 but I sat on it for awhile because it was about saltwater fly fishing in the San Francisco Bay area and I wanted to wait until sheltering at home restrictions were eased a bit and people could get out to try these ideas. Sarah Landstrom of Lost Coast Outfitters regularly leads trips for this accessible and interesting urban fishing, and she has some great tips, and even suggestions for locations to try. In the Fly Box this week, we have a number of interesting questions--plus a great e-mail from a listener on how he successfully uses two-handed rods for nymphing in Alaska. Some of the questions this week are: * Do you think planning a trip with a guide will help me learn new skills?
* What is the best way to go about asking for permission to fish on private land?
* I don't have much time to fish. How can I streamline things and become more efficient so I don't spend all my time rigging and tying knots?
* Do you think a surgeon's knot is visible to fish?
* Where on my leader do I put my indicator?
* Why can I hook trout on dry flies?
* What locations, flies, and weather conditions are best for night fishing?
* Should I use mothballs in my fly tying materials?
* Should I microwave my fly-tying materials?
This week I interview Devin Olsen, who you may know about from competitive fly fishing, but we’re not going to talk about competition. Devin walks us through what to look for when you first approach a stream and how to come up with a strategy for a day of fishing. His new book Tactical Fly Fishing is now available but we get a sneak peak on what you’ll learn from his book. In the Fly Box this week, we talk about: Moving kids from a spinning rod to a switch rod How to deal with muddy and bloody feathers from a duck-hunting friend How to display fly rods in your house If my jig hooks bend when I get stuck in a snag, should I just bend them back and re-use them? If a 5-weight is considered an all-around rod in graphite, is it the same for fiberglass rods? What is the difference between hen necks and hen capes? A great suggestion for carrying a landing net on a plane Do catastrophic floods ruin trout fishing and the insect life? What length and line size do you recommend for both smallmouth bass and steelhead? Can I catch catfish with a fly rod? How should I organize my bonefish fly boxes? Which grain weight in the Depth Charge lines is best for surf fishing?
This week I have an interview [starts at 39:52] that was recorded pre-Covid with Peter Bring, long-time Montana guide for Blackfoot River outfitters in Missoula. I always learn new things form every guide I fish with, but I thought Peter had some especially helpful tips on fishing with indicators and dry droppers. Being on the water every day and expected to produce fish in any condition, guides develop efficient, fun, and easy ways to catch fish and have polished their techniques through thousands of hours of helping other anglers become successful. In the Fly Box this week, we have the following questions * Has anyone ever caught two fish at once on a two-fly rig? * Can I use dog hair to tie flies? * I want to chase redfish, pike, steelhead, Pacific salmon, and muskie. Will an 8-weight rod handle all those species? * Can I use the 10-foot sinking Salmon poly leader for trout? Can I cast it on a 6-weight? * What can I tie with hen saddle patches? * What switch rod would you recommend for striped bass fishing in the surf? * What is the weight relationship between non-toxic wire and lead wire? * I live in Switzerland. What should I expect regarding European fly hatches? * I keep losing big trout when they run downstream. Do you have any suggestions on how I can land more of them? * A great tip on joining Trout Unlimited's Citizen Science Initiative * Can I use a popper/dropper rig for bass?
[Interview starts at 38:46]
This week I have the pleasure of interviewing one of my very favorite non-fiction writers, Mark Kurlansky. Author of such award-winning books as Cod, Salt, Paper, 1968, and A Continent of Islands, Mark is a tireless journalist who digs into the very essence of anything he does. His new book, Salmon, is his first book that involves sport fishing as well as the natural and economic history of both Atlantic and Pacific salmon. (And he has a book on fly fishing coming out next April). In the Fly Box this week, we have the following tips and questions: * Should I use a cauterizing pen to clean material out of the eyes of my flies? * A host of solid tips for the novice Spey caster from a listener * What makes a good skater fly, and how do you fish them? * Why don't more people use the drop-shot method when fishing nymphs? * How do you attach a dropper to a Euro rig with passing the bottom fly through the loop? * How can I fish a Euro rig in really tiny streams? * Is my 8-weight rod too light for pike fishing? * Where should I fish in relation to a tailrace below a dam, and is a Spey rod a good idea? * Why did I see a big smallmouth slowly cruising up a small creek? * What is the best way to break off a fly when you are snagged? * How can I fish plunge pools in a small stream? * Does using a UV light when curing epoxy harm your eyes?
[Interview starts at 27:44]
This week I have the pleasure of interviewing perhaps the nicest human being on the planet, Tim Linehan of Linehan Outfitters in Libby, Montana. I think you'll get a sense of what kind of person he is by listening in. We talk about how the recent pandemic has affected fishing guides and lodges, but on a more fun note, Tim describes his fishery in northern Montana--the only place in Montana where you can catch a true native rainbow trout (rainbows on famous rivers like the Madison, Bighorn, Missouri, and Gallatin were originally stocked). In the fly box this week, we have these tips and questions: * An easy way to make crab eyes
* Why don't people use a piece of yarn in between blood knots as a strike indicator?
* Will a 3-weight switch rod handle streamers for smallmouths?
* What can I do to protect flies and tying materials?
* Can I use springbok hair in place of deer hair?
* Can I fish tungsten nymphs on a sinking line effectively?
* When do I set the hook when sight-nymphing for trout?
* How do you re-sharpen fly-tying scissors?
* If I test my dry flies in water and they tip over on their sides, should I still use them?
* Some further information on how chemical sharpening of hooks works
[Interview starts at 37:13] This week I interview Sam Sifton, former Cooking Editor, now Assistant Managing Editor of The New York Times, and an avid fly-rod striped bass angler. It's quite a rambling discussion, from striper fishing on Long Island to the current state of striper populations to the writing of Peter Matthiessen. Along the way, of course we get some fish cooking advice but only for bluefish. Learn why Sam and I don't eat striped bass (and it's more than just about catch-and-release for the sake of the population). In the Fly Box this week, we have the following questions: * Do you have any tips for fishing a very large river? * How long do hooks stay sharp, and can I re-sharpen chemically sharpened hooks? * Why don't you develop biodegradable hooks? * Why am I having problems catching spring trout in Alaska? * I was recently fishing a delayed harvest section and caught some smaller, beautifully colored trout. Do you think they were wild? * Why am I developing pains in my wrist when casting my 8-weight? * Should I concentrate on getting really good at catching just one species, or should I try for all the species that are available in my area? * In a boundary layer between dirty and clean water, where will I find the trout? * In your TV show, you recommended a full sinking or depth charge line for bass in deep water. Can I use a sinking poly leader on my floating line as well? * I am having trouble tying off the hackle at the base of the post on my parachute flies like the Klinkhammer. Can you suggest some tips? * Can I get a fly rod that will be good for both steelhead and musky?
[Interview starts at 38:00] This week I interview Mark Melnyk, host and producer of The New Fly Fisher TV show and the co-producer of The Orvis Guide to Fly Fishing Season 2. We tell some stories about what it's like filming a show and share some nasty tricks we played on cameramen over the past year. The Orvis show premieres this week on World Fishing Network, but shows will also premiere for the next 13 weeks every Sunday on The Orvis Guide to Fly Fishing You Tube Channel. Season 2 will also appear on PBS and on Amazon Prime later in the year, once we have all the shows completed. In the Fly Box this week, we have a couple good tips from listeners (actually adding information to topics previously discussed on podcasts) including more detail on polarized lenses and why tilting your head helps, and also some additional information on keeping your muscles and joints in shape when fishing. We also have these questions: * Should I wait to buy a first fly rod now, or should I wait until I can go to an Orvis FF101 class once the stores re-open? * What suggestions do you have to help me tie on those size 20 and smaller flies? * I need up to 8 false casts to cast 60 feet. What am I doing wrong? * I enjoyed watching you tie a Clouser Minnow. How should I fish this fly for smallmouth bass in a river? * Why is it not OK to trim hackle on dry flies? * What data would you add to a streamside journal? * Do you think personal hygiene affects the sense of smell of trout? * Once I start traveling again I want to try some saltwater species. Which ones should I target on my trip?
[Interview starts at 36:56] Sooner or later, if you fish a lot you WILL develop issues with your elbows or shoulders. And it's not just us old geezers who suffer from these--I often meet much younger anglers with the same problems. Anita Coulton is both a fishing guide for Crosscurrent Guide Service and a physical therapist, so she is intimately familiar with the issues we face, how to help prevent them, and how to fix them when they occur. If you have ever had these problems, or if you just want to know how to keep your upper body in shape for fishing I think you'll benefit from the podcast. In the Fly Box this week, we have the following questions and tips: * How do I slim down my fly selection for small-stream fishing? * What is the best way to fish crayfish patterns? * A question about trout feeding times in relation to season and sunlight * I want to catch trout but have only been bass fishing. What fly line should I get? * Should I get a 6-weight or 7-weight rod for smallmouth bass? * I fish a really snaggy river. Should I tie all of my favorite nymphs on jig hooks? * Is a 9-foot or 10-foot rod better in the wind? * Should I get a Helios 3D or 3F or a Superfine glass rod for all-around fishing in Alberta? I want to get a 4-weight * What is the best all-around color for sunglass lenses? * A tip on retrieving lost flies with your magnetic net holder * When looking at a fly recipe, how do you know what order to tie in materials? * Why wouldn't my spin reel fit on my fly rod, and is it a good idea to put a spin reel on a fly rod?
Interview starts at 32:13
We’ve done a bit with trout Spey on the podcast, but never one specifically on flies for trout Spey. Luckily, Tim Flagler of Tightline Productions, who produces the best fly tying videos, has become a trout Spey addict and in the podcast he talks about tactics and tying special patterns for Trout Spey.
In the Fly Box this week, we have the following tips and questions:
- When king salmon move into a pool, do they push the resident trout around?
- During high water, do trout swim around a lot?
- A great tip on tilting your head for better glare reduction with polarized lenses
- Are long-shank hooks a good or bad idea for pike fishing?
- Why aren’t there more white trout flies?
- Why is it tough to catch trout in the Northeast during the winter?
- What advantages does a 10-foot 8-weight H3 rod offer over a 9-footer?
- I have heard that a heavier rod helps you land bigger fish. Won’t a lighter rod offer better tippet protection?
- Is there one line that will work for both Lake Texacoma and Gulf Coast salt water?
- Is UV resin toxic? Does it have a strong smell?
This week I interview the great George Daniel (interview starts at 48:40), who you will see soon in the new installments of the Orvis TV show. The show I did with him, on Euro Nymphing basics, should be premiered sometime in May. But until then, George discusses the pros and cons of using straight monofilament vs. and actual fly line for Euro Nymphing—both have their advantages and George gives us some good guidance on their use, as well as other tips on this deadly method of fly fishing borrowed from competition anglers. We also get sidetracked on the future of fly fishing and how both of us view the participation of younger anglers today.
In this Fly Box this week, we have some interesting questions:
- I am taking a six-day backpacking trip into the Appalachians. How much water should I expect to cover in a day of fishing?
- How do I combat the “old boy” network in fly fishing?
- What strategies do you recommend for carp in a small lake?
- What does “web” refer to in fly tying, and what is schlappen?
- Do you think a Helios 905F will be good enough for fishing the Blackfoot, Rock Creek, Gallatin, and Yellowstone Rivers or will I need a 905D?
- How do you go about experimenting with new fly patterns you have tied?
- Can I catch carp on a fly during the winter?
- I have trouble with “trout setting” in salt water. Should I use a strip strike in all my trout fishing to get out of the habit?
- Why doesn’t Orvis offer water testing kits?
- I know trout do 90% of their feeding underwater, but I have recently discovered how effective a dry fly can be, even when no trout are rising.
- Why should tippet size matter when fish can always see the hook?
- Do you have a recommended leader for juvenile tarpon, and also for barracuda?
Interview starts at 41:08
New York State’s Salmon River—you either love it or hate it, and some of us love and hate it at the same time. It’s an amazing resource, with large quantities of high-quality fish that are often chrome-bright and every bit as hot as their ocean-going relatives. It’s a beautiful river. It’s got great water for swinging flies. And then there’s the tough news. A river this productive will draw crowds, and some of them are not as well-behaved as most of us would like. But you can get away from crowds on this river, and Matt Ertzinger, veteran guide with Tailwater Lodge, shares his secrets on when to fish the river, how to avoid crowds, and what flies and tackle to use. Is it worth the trip? This podcast may help you decide.
In the Fly Box this week, we have the following tips and questions:
- Should I feel dirty about using Squirmies and similar flies?
- What rod can I use for bass in Mississippi and trout in Arkansas?
- Are there scuds and sowbugs in Eastern rivers?
- What advantages do the new Recon Euro-nymphing rods offer?
- Can I put a 9-weight line on my 6-8 weight reel?
- Can I prevent my fly line from stacking to one side of the spool?
- How can I fish a tiny, brushy stream in southern California?
- How can I get my flies deeper in fast, deep water when fishing for sea-run brook trout?
- What is the best ay to fish for pike in a small stream?
- How can I put the hatch guidebook that I bought to good use?
This week we talk about Project Healing Waters and the amazing things it has done for veterans with both physical and mental issues due to their service. Over 8,000 veterans have been introduced to the healing properties of nature and fly fishing in this program, with hundreds of chapters throughout the country and thousands of volunteers. Todd Desgrosseilliers, decorated Marine veteran and a beneficiary of this program personally, is now the president of Project Healing Waters and he talks frankly about his experiences as a participant and then as an administrator. Learn about the program and how you can get involved, whether you are a veteran in need of healing or as a possible volunteer.
In the Fly Box this week, we have the following questions and tips:
- What effects on fishing will the Australian wildfires have?
- If I see a lot of tiny black stoneflies in the water, does that mean I should be fishing imitations of them?
- A great additional suggestion on the benefits of a rotary fly-tying vise
- A stream near me is stocked with brook, brown, and rainbow trout but it can support wild trout. Why are there only wild rainbows in this stream?
- Can flies be made by machine?
- What stream conditions are best for a single-handed Spey cast?
- How do I tie a second streamer behind an articulated streamer?
- What should I teach my wife, who has never fly fished, before we go on a guided trip together?
- How can I practice for a tarpon trip if I only have an 8-weight rod?
- What technique would you use on the Green River in Utah?
- Is my 8 ½ foot 7 weight rod enough rod to use on the Salmon River in New York?
Interview starts at 51:28
This week’s podcast is a spirited discussion with Dr. Andy Danylchuk, Professor of Fish Conservation at UMass Amherst, Science Advisor for Keep Fish Wet (www.keepemwet.org) and Research Fellow for Bonefish Tarpon Trust. My question to Andy was about the effectiveness of catch-and-release as a conservation tool, and as always when talking with a scientist it depends on your definitions. Like “What is conservation?” and predictably that varies with a person’s values and experiences. I thought it was a thought-provoking conversation and hope you do was well.
In the Fly Box this week, we have these questions and tips:
- How do you put the hackle on a Stimulator?
- What’s the best way to be ready for smaller cutthroats or big bull trout at the same time?
- How can I maximize my success when fishing with my 4-year-old?
- How can I plan trip to fish the Rocky Mountains?
- Why do I keep losing fish?
- Where do natural fly tying materials come from?
- What is the best way to cast big streamers or nymph rigs?
- What rod do you recommend for fishing Chesapeake Bay?
- A tip for a great, inexpensive seine for trout streams
- Where do you draw the line between ethical and unethical use of electronics when fishing?
- What do you think of ultra-light fly fishing?
- Should I get a saddle or cape for tying flies?
- Do you recommend upgrading to a premium fly-tying vise?
- Can you explain the difference between tailwaters, headwaters, and freestone rivers?
Interview segment begins at 43:02
I get regular and frequent questions on the differences between nylon and fluorocarbon tippet—when and where to use them, appropriate knots, special properties, and shelf life. I used to be involved in the development process of tippet and have visit many places where tippet is made. But that was years ago and a lot of progress has been made since my time in product development. So I invited Josh Jenkins, R&D manager at Scientific Anglers, to talk about recent innovations in tippet material. Josh is intimately involved in the development and testing of tippet for both Orvis and Scientific Anglers, and his knowledge is far greater that mine. I think you’ll learn some surprising tips on both tippet material construction and knots because I learned a lot in speaking with Josh.
The Fly Box this week is a little different. This one was recorded live at The Fly Fishing Show in Edison New Jersey. Rather than telling you what kinds of questions were asked (none of which were prompted or ones I had heard beforehand) I’ll let you discover these on your own. You never know what might happen in New Jersey…
Being a camera gear geek, I was delighted to interview Chris Niccolls (interview starts at 47:16) of DP Review TV. (If you are also a camera geek, you probably read DP Review regularly.) Chis is a photography teacher as well as a video star, has worked in camera shops, and currently works in a fly shop in Calgary. In the interview, he gives some fantastic tips on how to take better fish and fishing pictures in both the video and still formats. He also suggests some brands and models of phones, cameras, and drones that he feels are best suited for fishing photography. I know I learned a whole mess of new tricks for taking better fishing pictures, and I am sure you will, too.
In the Fly Box, we cover plenty of topics that may help answer questions you have had about fly fishing:
- Should I get a 6½-foot or 7½-foot rod for small streams? What weight line is best, and should I get a Double Taper or Weight Forward line?
- Do you carry a small seine with you when trout fishing?
- How many wind knots should I expect in a day of fishing?
- I fish for salmon and stripers. Should I get a full-sinking or sinking-tip line in addition to my floating line?
- How do you travel with fly rods? Do you carry them on or check them?
- Would a 12-foot, 6-inch two-handed rod be OK for both stripers and smallmouths?
- What do you think offly clips?
- Should I use nylon or Fluorocarbon tippets for dries and nymphs?
- I have lost my passion for fly fishing. Does this ever happen to you?
- A suggestion from a listener on targeting white bass in Texas on their spawning runs
- If I only had one type of line for stripers, bass, and pike because of expense, what line should I buy?
- Do you have any suggestions for catching stocked trout when the spin guys are catching tons of them using corn as bait?
- Is there a big difference between the Battenkill IV Spey and Battenkill IV disc?
- Is there an advantage to using a rotary vise?
- How long does it take trout eggs to hatch?
I get frequent requests for suggestions on what fly-fishing literature to read during these long winter nights when you want to enjoy fly fishing but don’t want to snuggle up to something lighter. I invited David Van Wie (interview starts at 45:10), author of the recently published book Storied Waters—subtitled “35 Fabled Fly Fishing Destinations and the Writers and Artists Who Made The Famous”—to share with me his favorite writers and books. It is pretty much an eastern-oriented tour of these books, but don’t worry. I have an idea for someone to do a similar podcast on western North America writers on a future podcast so stay tuned.
In the Fly Box this week, we have some great questions and suggestions from listeners—and one who slapped my hands:
- A listener who took me to task for encouraging another listener to try to introduce mayflies from one watershed into another. Shame on me. I didn’t think about also transferring other unwanted critters and I should have known better
- Can I use the same nymphs under an indicator that I use when Euro nymphing and vice versa?
- A suggestion from a listener about the great classes available at Orvis stores
- What are the pros and cons of indicator vs. non-indicator nymphing?
- What is your opinion on click-and-pawl fly reels?
- Does anyone rent waders? I don’t want to pack them into my luggage.
- What gear do you carry when saltwater fly fishing that you would not carry on a trout stream?
- Can I attach droppers to a tippet ring?
- Why can’t I catch stocked trout when conventional anglers are yanking them in on Power Bait?
- I had a trout take my plastic strike indicator. Does this ever happen to you?
- Does perfection matter when tying flies? I have trouble tying a size 20 Purple Prince.
- Do midges migrate to Indiana during the winter?
- Why can’t I catch stocked trout on surface flies?
Tired of crowded trout streams? Looking for a new fish to catch on a fly rod that will give you a tussle and challenge your skills? Look no further than the white bass, which is a common fish in many parts of the US, from the Great Lakes to the Mississippi drainage and has even been introduced into some western lakes. My friend Jim Weatherwax is a white bass fanatic (he also fishes for wipers in the same waters, which are a freshwater sterile hybrid of a white bass and a striped bass) and offers solid advice on where to find these great fish, what tackle to use, and best techniques to catch them. Warmwater fish like this are great ways to spread out the fishing pressure that we all experience from time to time.
We have a long fly box this week, with lots of interesting questions and tips from listeners, including:
- What does it mean when a fly rod is rated for more than one line size, like 5/6?
- Should I use a full fluorocarbon leader when fishing with indicators?
- A suggestion on looking for blue cheeks and clean halos when trying to tell if a brown trout is wild.
- What is the difference between the new Recon 2 and the Helios 3 rods?
- Should I buy a wading shoe one size larger than my shoe size when buying wading bots online?
- What do you think of using 2X short hooks for small nymphs?
- I am not able to catch fish on streamers during the winter in a tailwater. What am I doing wrong?
- Are fluorescent hot spots on nymphs effective?
- Is it ethical to trim small tree branches in trout streams?
- Why do trout only take big attractor dry flies right after they land on the water?
- Are UV resins really effective?
- Why am I losing so many trout when fishing small nymphs? Am I setting the hook wrong?
- Do you have some suggestions for catching American shad?
- Is it worth it to tie your own leaders? And if I do, how can I attach them to my fly line without a loop-to-loop connection?
- Why do small brown trout attack huge streamers?
- Should I get a Helios 3 D or F version for fishing UK chalk streams?
- A suggestion for wearing nitrile gloves for winter fishing.
This week, I had the pleasure of interviewing Orvis Executive Chairman of the Board, Perk Perkins, who spends a great deal of time chasing fish on saltwater flats and is one of the best technical anglers I know. Perk and I share a fascination for barracuda. They are one of the most exciting fish you can catch on the flats, but are often ignored in favor of bonefish, permit, and tarpon. But cudas offer one of the most explosive strikes in fly fishing, run and jump like maniacs, and are often on the flats when other species are hard to find. You just need to modify your leader and your technique a bit to catch them, and Perk shares some tips on cudas that run contrary to popular conceptions—including the idea that faster is not always better on your retrieve, and that small, slim flies can work as well as bulkier flies designed for barracuda.
In the Fly Box this week, we have an assortment of questions and tips shared by listeners, including:
- A recommendation for a reliable carp fly
- A question about putting a 9-weight intermediate line on an 8-weight rod for wade fishing for striped bass
- A tip on modifying the Hare’s Ear Nymph
- A question about a simple dry/emerger that does not require hackle
- A suggestion for holding flies using the magnetic closure on some fly boxes
- A question about how to find winter hatches on trout streams
- A question about Euro nymphing using rods not designed for that purpose
- A question about the tip-flex rating on an older Orvis rod
- A question about hatches on alpine lakes just after ice-out.
- Are Helios 3 and Recon blanks made overseas?
- What is the best way to teach my 8-year-old son to cast?
- A suggestion for contacting local fly clubs for information when traveling to a new destination
- Are spin anglers less ethical than fly anglers regarding crowding on the river?
This week I have another podcast with John McMillan, as I have to confess I love talking to John about fishy stuff. His knowledge and enthusiasm and passion are infectious and I think his interviews are always enlightening. This week we talk about The Colors of Trout—can we tell anything from the coloration of trout about their life history? Is there a good way to tell a hatchery form a wild fish? What does it mean when trout carry parr marks into adulthood? How quickly can trout change their coloration? And are the spot patterns on trout like fingerprints? Warning—we come up with more questions than answers and you may as well.
In the Fly Box this week, we have these questions and tips:
- A way to get a dropper off a surgeon’s knot to stand at 90 degrees to the tippet
- A suggestion for an all-around rod for bass and Great Lakes steelhead
- How to carry a sinking line without lugging around a second rod
- Can I add 4X tippet to a 5X leader?
- What is the best way to dispose of tippet clippings?
- What is the difference between Euro, Tightline, Direct Contact, Spanish, Czech, and French Nymphing?
- Does it make sense to try a mouse fly during the winter?
- Do trout live in different places in freestone rivers than in tailwaters?
- Do mayflies live in warm waters?
- What is the best rod for an 8-year-old kid?
- What is the best way to thin UV Cure epoxy?
- If you see nymphs on the bottom, can you predict what adult insect to imitate?
There's no such thing as streamer season.
That’s the rallying cry of Courtney Despos, director of education and guide for Trouts Fly Fishing in Denver. Courtney is a self-professed streamer fanatic and she fishes them all season long, even in the dead of winter when most people are dragging nymphs along the bottom. Courtney shares her tips on winter streamer fishing, showing us how you can be successful fishing these flies all year long—as well as her tips for keeping warm when winter fishing.
In the Fly Box this week, we have the usual mashup of questions that range all over the place, including:
- When I am fishing a hopper/scud combination, why do I have trouble hooking fish on the hopper even though the trout appear to be taking it?
- A past fan of very fast rods details why she now enjoys rods with a more moderate action.
- A listener gives a detailed plan for killing carpet beetles in fly-tying materials
- Has anyone ever made a fly rod out of aluminum?
- When is the second season of the Orvis TV show going to launch?
- What are some good casting drills for the off season?
- A plea from a listener in Louisiana for fly tiers to use nutria fut
- What is a good entomology book for the Sierra region?
- What is your opinion on furled leaders?
- What are your thoughts on fluorocarbon? What sizes should I carry?
- Further advice from a taxidermist on curing hides for fly tying
- I need some advice on fighting large trout in a tight stream
- A specialist in opthamology and visual sciences weighs in on dizziness after being in a drift boat
- Can I use my 9-foot 6-weight bass rod for trout?
- Why does the loop in my clear intermediate line keep cracking and what can I do to fix it?
- Do whitefish and trout live in the same places?
- Can I use my 9-foot 8-weight rod uplined to a 9-weight for trout in northern lower Michigan?
This week I interview one of my fly-fishing heroes, Joe Humphreys. He’s been an innovative angler all his life (he was “Euro nymphing” before the Europeans) but even more impressive is his love of life and fly fishing, and his energy on the river in his ninth decade. Joe talks about hot to stay young on the river, how to fish nymphs at night, and about the inspirational new film about his life called Live The Stream: The Story of Joe Humphrey. It’s now available own and rent on the iTunes Store: or Go to www.livethestreamfilm.com to buy the film on Blu-ray, DVD, Digital Download and more platforms including: Prime Video, Google Play, Vimeo, and Youtube. I highly recommend this film to anyone who enjoys the fly-fishing world and its history and traditions—and who wants to learn how to retain the enthusiasm of a 12-year old on the water.
Here are the important links:
Buy the film on LTS site: www.livethestreamfilm.com
Buy/Rent on iTunes: https://apple.co/2Iw0fQj
Nomadic Studio: www.thenomadic.com
In the Fly Box this week we have many interesting questions and suggestions:
- What is the best way to manage fly tying both at home and in the office?
- I broke my Tenkara rod when I got my fly snagged. What is the safest way to try to retrieve a snagged fly when using this type of rod?
- Why won’t my clinch knots tighten properly?
- How can I get over my reluctance to fish emergers?
- A suggestion from a taxidermist on how to handle raw deer hides for fly tying.
- Do trout take Perdigons in unnatural colors out of curiosity or do you think they resemble food?
- What is an easy way to learn fly-fishing entomology?
- Why do the trout I take in mountain streams carry parr marks even into adulthood?
- What do I tell people who berate me for torturing fish?
- Are there circumstances when I should set my indicator shallower than 1 ½ times the water depth?
- I can’t seem to get away from the crowds no matter how far I drive. What should I do?
- If I find lots of creek chubs in a stream, does that mean it won’t also hold trout?
- If you are not certain how to pair two streamers together, does it make sense to fish just one?
- Can I use split shot to get my nymphs deeper when Euro nymphing instead of tying my own flies with varied weights?
- Do you have some tips for casting a Depth Charge line?
- Do you have some suggestions on how to swing flies for Great Lakes steelhead?
This week I had a couple guests lined up but we had to reschedule, and because I have not done a new podcast in a few weeks because of my travel schedule I decided to tell a story. It’s from a magazine piece I did a number of years ago for the now-defunct magazine Fly Rod & Reel, and I have been toying with the idea of doing an audio book of my magazine stories over the years so I’m trying this to test the concept. The name of the story is “Creeped Out in Lordville” and it’s about all the decisions we have to make in the prime part of the season when fishing is good almost anywhere. It’s a departure from the usual podcast format of nuts-and-bolts advice so I hope you enjoy it. And not to fear, there is still a Fly Box section where I do offer advice on simple technique and tackle questions if that’s the kind of stuff you’re looking for. In the Fly Box this week, we have the questions and suggestions from readers: Some great professional advice on that recurring theme of lower back pain while fly fishing What are the practical benefits of smooth vs. textured lines in the new Orvis Pro Fly Lines? What do competitive anglers do for their own nymphing when not bound by competition rules? How do you fish for brown trout at night? What are times to avoid when trout fishing? Is air temperature, flow, or water temperature the most important consideration for trout fishing when the heat of summer is over? Why did a brown trout swim over to me and rub my ankles? Is there one rod I can use for both Midwest steelhead fishing and musky fishing? A suggestion that Bigeye Hooks have benefits beyond just easier threading Why does my nymph rig break at the surgeon’s knot instead of the clinch knot connection to the fly? What’s the best feather for palmering wet flies? What are some “go to” patterns for Euro nymphing? After I catch a fish, should I stay in the same pool or move on?
In today's podcast my guest is Shawn Combs, head of Orvis Rod & Tackle product development and Orvis rod and reel designer. The topic is "16 Things I Wish I Knew About Trout Spey Before I Started". If you have been thinking about trying to swing wet flies or small streamers for trout with a two-handed rod, also known as "Micro Spey", this will be a valuable lesson for you. These are light two-handed rods, in line sizes 3 and 4, designed for covering larger waters. It's especially effective in the fall, when trout are getting aggressive as the move into winter and brown and brook trout are migrating to their spawning grounds. It's a fun and for many of us a new way to fish for trout. In the Fly Box this week, here are some of the questions and suggestions from listeners:
I know there are large trout in my river. What kind of water do I look for and what else should I keep in mind when targeting these larger fish?
I have been setting the hook on smallmouth bass by sweeping my rod parallel to the water. Can you take a moment or two to discuss the pros and cons of various rod angles when setting the hook?
How can I tell if my waders are leaking or if I am just sweating inside them?
My wife and I had over 40 fish rise to our dry flies and only hooked a couple. Any idea what was going on or how to land these fish?
What, to you, is the essence of Atlantic salmon fishing?
A tip from a listener on how to target flathead catfish on a fly
If I take my nine weight switch rod to Florida, what line size should I use on it for fishing from the surf?
A suggestion from a listener on another thing to be careful of regarding river etiquette.
What is the best way to get unstuck when you hook your fly on an object?
Do you have any recommendations on fishing crayfish patterns for smallmouth bass?
When there is thick aquatic weed on a river, what do you suggest for nymphing techniques?
Why am I suddenly beginning to hit my rod on my back cast?
A suggestion from a listener on the benefits of multi-focal contact lenses.
This week my guest is noted steelhead angler and scientist John McMillen of Washington’s Olympic Peninsula. John’s topic is The Secret Life of Steelhead, and his fascinating discussion of why they do what they do (and the challenges they face) held me in absolute fascination. I am sure you’ll feel the same. Besides being a lifelong steelhead angler (John was a tester on our new Mission Series of two-handed rods), john has spent hundreds of days snorkeling steelhead rivers observing them, and at one time he was fishing about 345 days a year. John has worked professionally for the US Forest Service, the Hoh Indian Tribe, the Wild Salmon Center, and recently for NOAA on the Elwha dam removal project. Despite his lifetime of studying the life history and ecology of steelhead, John remains an optimist on the future of steelhead and it gives us hope that someone who understands them so well feels they have a chance of survival. In the Fly Box this week, we have these questions and suggestions from listeners: How to clean waders with vodka! A tip on a simple tool for tying nail knots A suggestion for a quick change rig for catching barracuda when fishing for bonefish and permit Why am I having trouble hooking brown trout on terrestrials? What waders do you recommend for someone starting out? What safety precautions do you take on the water? When you first get to the river, how do you decide which nymphing technique to use? What regular fly line size works on the Practicaster? Is there a good way to mark large smallmouth bass so I can see if I am catching the same ones? Silver saltwater hooks don’t work well for me when I fish Clousers in salt water. Why? I have a box of old leaders that are between five and 20 years old. Should I use them? Can I fish for steelhead in Lake Ontario tributaries with a 9-foot 8-weight rod? Why do I see so many scarred fish in a particular river? What other presentations should I use in high, dirty water when streamers don’t work?
This week, my guest is Orvis COO Simon Perkins, a lifelong fly fisher with 8 years of full-time guiding experience prior to working for Orvis. The subject is “Seek the Inside”, getting detailed about reading the water in a place that many anglers ignore—and one of the best places to find trout. Learn how to find these inside places and how to fish them from a highly experienced guide and fly fisher—and a great story teller. In the Fly Box this week, we have these questions and tips: How do I keep my fine scissors sharp? What should I avoid cutting with them? I have an 8 ½ foot 5 weight Encounter rod and need something bigger as well. What weight rod should I think of for my next one? A great tip on how to relieve lower back pain when fishing all day. Why don’t we have wild rainbow trout in more streams if they are so easy to grow in a hatchery? What is causing my leader to twist when fishing with a dry dropper? What are some good fly patterns to tie for panfish, ones that are easy for a beginner to tie? What would cause a large brown trout to suddenly dart erratically in all directions and then return to the same spot? What can I do to keep the tip of my floating line from sinking? Why am I having so much trouble making short casts on small streams? Is a 5-weight rod too small for bass? Can Antron be used as a parachute post material? Why do the wings on my poly wing spinners sweep back along the body and how can I fix it? How would you approach an unknown stream if you only had a few hours to fish?
This week’s podcast is called “Secrets of Lake Erie Steelhead Tributaries” and my guest expert is Alberto Rey, a longtime Orvis-Endorsed Guide and is also Distinguished Professor for Research and Creative Activity in the State University of New York system. He is a fine artist who specializes in Cuban-influenced scenes and such esoteric subjects as steelhead and extinct birds. Alberto also does some fine work with a youth fly-fishing program. Despite all his interests and activities days on the river with him are surrounded by an aura of calm and he’s a wonderful person to share a day with on the river. In the podcast he gives us tips on seasons, fly patterns, techniques, and tackle needed to chase steelhead in the eastern portion of Steelhead Alley—although steelhead anglers will learn tips they can use on smaller rivers anywhere steelhead are found. In the Fly Box this week we tackle the usual array of both advanced and basic questions including: What retrieve should I use when saltwater fly fishing? I tried it in Greece and didn’t catch anything. Can I use Poly Leaders for both steelhead in Oregon and saltwater species in California on my single-handed rod? A great tip from a listener on how to use bobber stoppers to make an adjustable dry/dropper rig. If I want to extend the butt on my leader, how do I know what size to use? How do I modify my hook-setting technique on downstream dry flies? Why do some brook trout carry parr marks throughout their life? What do you recommend for targeting perch in France? How do you tell a male from a female brown trout?
I frequently get questions about Stillwater trout fishing, and although I love it I am not very good at it. So I enlisted one of the best Stillwater teachers I know, Phil Rowley, and asked him to discuss something more advanced that relates to Stillwater trout fishing. The result is a very detailed discussion of fishing nymphs, especially midge imitations, on a very long leader. With this technique you can fish surprisingly deep—if you are patient! In the Fly Box this week we have the following questions: Is there any value in underlining a fly rod? How do I get foul odors out of my waders? How do I target stripers and smallmouth when the water is over 70 degrees and trout are also present? What is your go-to technique in a trout stream if you don’t see anything feeding? If you could only select one sequence, would you pick odd or even sizes of fly rods? My lower back is killing me after a long day of fishing. What can I do to alleviate this problem? How do I approach a stretch of river with deep pools and virtually no current? How can I teach my friends to recognize a strike to a nymph? Is it safe to bring the line/leader connection inside my rod guides? I am going to the Yellowstone area. Is it worth it to hire a guide?
Secrets of catching sipping trout with Dave Perkins This week I interview Dave Perkins, Orvis Vice Chairman and one of the best technical anglers I know. Dave loves geeky challenges and is an expert at catching those picky large trout that lay up against the banks and sip small flies—ones that most anglers don’t even notice. In the Fly Box this week we have the following questions: Can I use a Bimini Twist knot to attach my leader to my fly line? Why does a trout that is sipping quietly suddenly attack my dry fly? Is there a way to land large trout in a small stream without a net? A tip on using split ring pliers for removing split shot. How do you choose where to go fishing when there are so many options? What books did you use when starting out, and where do you get your information these days? How do I avoid foul hooking fish when dry dropper fishing with a nymph on a short dropper Which is better, a fiberglass or bamboo rod? Is there a way to connect a tarpon or cuda fly directly to my bonefish fly? I have heard it can be done with a loop. How do I know how fast to set the hook on rising trout? Is it ethical to target bass on spawning beds?
This week the main topic of the podcast is the issue of etiquette on our more crowded trout streams, in particular the conflicts that have arisen due to the popularity of fishing from drift boats and the issues that have developed both with boat and wade anglers. My guest is Wade Fellin, Montana native, lifelong fishing guide, and lodge owner. Wade gives some examples of recent poor etiquette he’s seen on his home river, the Big Hole, and how these kinds of conflicts can be avoided. We also explore some ways that clients as well as guides can help mitigate these issues. In the Fly Box this week, as usual we have some interesting questions (and tips) that I hope will be of interest to everyone. Some of the topics we explore are: What do you think of flies with spinner blades in front of them? Are Tenkara rods good in small brushy streams? Should I be worried about fishing in a lightning storm with my graphite rod? What are your thoughts about orientation on articulated hooks? What can I do about CDC getting slicked back on my flies? Is swinging flies for smallmouths a valid tactic? Can I swing wet flies with my level competition line? What can I do about red dye running from materials on my flies? Is it OK to use a level leader when surf and jetty fishing? What can we do about fish in heavily fished areas getting mangled mouths? Can I catch catfish on a fly? I have heard people say they catch trout with 80-foot casts? What is a practical casting distance?
This week, back by popular demand is Tim Flagler of Tightline Productions, who is one of the best fly-tying teachers around and also produces the best tying videos on the Internet (like our One-Minute Fly Tying Tips, available on Orvisnews.com or in the Orvis Learning Center.) Tim and I talk about great new patterns and old patterns that should be resurrected, as well as taking old patterns and incorporating modern materials into them. We also discuss that state of fly-tying today, which is probably more exciting than at any other time in history because of the great interchange of ideas in places like Instagram and You Tube.
In the Fly Box this week, we have some great questions and suggestions:
- Suggestion on how to keep your split shot from sliding down the leader
- Suggestion on how to remove water from dry flies that won’t cost you a cent!
- Do nymphs work all season long? What method should I start with?
- Should I do anything to maintain my old Orvis Green Mountain outfit?
- What do you think of foam posts for parachute flies?
- How do I catch rolling tarpon in deep water?
- How can I catch gar on a fly?
- Can I use big streamers on small streams in Central New York?
- I like short rods. Should I get the 6-foot Superfine Carbon or 6/12-foot Orvis Superfine Glass rod?
- Can I buy the right Comparadun hair online?
This week my guest is Davy Wotton, originally from Wales but who now lives and guides on the White River in Arkansas. I get frequent questions about swinging soft hackles and wet flies, and honestly I am not the best at this technique so I brought in who I consider the ultimate expert on this kind of fishing. Davy blends the British traditions with American conditions so he really has the best perspective on this kind of fishing, which can be both challenging and subtle—especially when fish are taking emergers. It’s a LONG podcast, but since I have never done one on this topic I make up for lost time. And Davy had many interesting points to make. The Fly Box is a bit shorter this week because the main podcast is so long. But we cover some interesting questions as usual: What can I do to keep my Stimulators floating? When do you fish a nymph and when do you fish a streamer? Can you use weed guards on trout flies? Why am I breaking off so many fish? Do some rod guides work better than others? More on pressure and its effects on fish What is the difference between a freshwater and saltwater rod? How can I see my fly in a fast riffle? How do I know if small streams hold trout? Why do trout bump my flies and why do they come off quickly?
This week’s podcast is not about using alternative methods to a bobber or strike indicator. It’s how to make your fishing more effective—and more fun—when you do use a bobber. And my special guest is Ben Sittig from Colorado, better known to those of you who follow You Tube and Instagram as The HUGE Fly Fisherman. His videos and posts are helpful but funny, and as he admits, a bit snarky. But in a good way and his advice is solid. Ben talks about how, by concentrating on the indicator itself we don’t realize what is going on beyond it, down where our flies are drifting, and offers some solid advice. And then we run out of bobber stuff to talk about so we both get up on our respective soap boxes and talk about the state of the world of fly fishing, particularly when it comes to social media. I hope you find our ramblings entertaining.
In the Fly Box this week we have lots of interesting questions. One of the best batches in a long time. Maybe I’m training you to ask questions I can answer or maybe it’s just because everyone is fishing and has some great thoughts in their heads.
- When you make a heavier fly rod, do you use the same taper and just add material?
- How to I kill off carpet beetles in my fly-tying capes?
- Why can I catch brown trout in four to five feet of water but not in those 10-foot pools?
- I have to drive over two hours to catch trout. How can I learn more about fly fishing?
- Is it easier to hook trout on a Tenkara rod than on a conventional rod?
- Is there any function in different eye types on hooks?
- Do you know of a good way to make an adjustable nymph dropper for a dry/dropper rig?
- Why won’t trout that are feeding on smaller flies eat my Stimulator?
- What is the best way to add four feet of level tippet to a fly line when streamer fishing?
- How far do stocked brown trout move?
- Why can I only catch trout on olive streamers when my river has sculpins in it?
- Why does my tippet get twisted when I fish big foam flies?
We all learn something every time we go fishing, even the amazing vacuum cleaner Jesse Haller, our resident Euro nymphing expert. So I asked Jesse what he has learned over the past 12 months, and it’s a fun and eye-opening interview that got me excited about trying some new ideas and strategies for Euro nymphing. I hope you enjoy this one as much as I did.
In the Fly Box this week, we have the following questions:
- Is there a good way to figure out what fly sizes I can use on a given rod?
- Can I use big trout streamers for Atlantic salmon? Why are traditional salmon flies tied they way they are?
- I have trouble with line handling with two-handed rods. What should I do?
- I can’t find smallmouth bass in my river even though I know they live there. What kind of water should I look for?
- Why do some hook styles come in odd sizes like 13 and 15?
- I can’t get enough distance on big lakes with my 9 foot 6 weight Recon rod. Would a longer rod help? Would a two-handed rod get me more distance?
- Is it necessary to pinch the barb on hooks smaller than size 20?
- Why can’t I get flies shipped from the US to Canada, and is there any way to get around this?
- If I catch a big fish, is it OK to go back to try and catch it again in the same day?
- I am having trouble deciding on the right line for bass fishing on my 909 rod. Some bass bug lines are rated two line sizes heavier. What should I do?
This is a special backcast episode in that we also are posting an accompanying video over on the Orvis Fly-Fishing Video Podcast. Check it out wherever you get your podcasts and subscribe! Here is Tom's summary from when this ran in March of 2011: We have a very exciting podcast for you this week. Many of you have asked for a pike podcast, and we've delivered what I think is one of our best presentations in two parts. Part 1 is an audio interview I conduct with pike expert Drew Price, where he goes into great detail on where, when, and how to catch pike. Also in part 1, we have some tips in the Fly Box section on fishing CDC flies, choosing one rod for bass and trout, and how to get your nymph deep in small plunge pools. Part 2 is a video where we have tips on pike fishing (along with some shots of nice pike caught on a fly), courtesy of The New Fly Fisher TV show. I know I learned a ton from interviewing Drew and watching the video and can't wait to get at the pike this spring.
It’s not difficult to catch walleye on the fly if you know where and when to go after them. I have gotten frequent requests from listeners on how to catch walleye on the fly and have never been able to find the right expert guest. Then, a few weeks ago while filming a bass fishing episode for the upcoming second season of the Orvis Fly-Fishing Guide TV show, I found my expert—Ted Putnam of Hawk Lake Lodge. Ted has shown numerous experts how to catch not only just walleye but trophy walleye on the fly, and he shares his expertise on when and where, what flies to use, what lines to use, and how to retrieve the fly. In the Fly Box this week, we have the following questions: Why can’t I get bass to eat my mouse flies? Why don’t the fish on my river eat salmon flies? How often can I fish a population of trout and will it hurt them? More discussions on fish and changes in barometric pressure. (This will be an ongoing discussion) Why do I keep losing fish when using a heavily weighted barbless fly? Can I use my 9-foot 5 weight rod for bass fishing? What is the strangest fly material you have ever used? When should I use Comparaduns? What kind of roadkill can I use for fly tying? Why did mahi in the Gulf Stream ignore my flies? How does water temperature affect fish and insects? Why do people not fish dry flies much any more?
In honor of Father's Day and since Tom is still out on the road, we've pulled a popular show from the archives on how to teach young people how to fly fish.
Happy Father's Day to all the dads out there.
Tom should be back next with your questions.
This week’s podcast is one of the biggest eye-openers I have ever done. Not only did I learn a lot, I have actually changed my views on a number of topics, including the effects of the moon on fishing and the effects of a change in barometric pressure. My guest, Russ Carpenter, is a neurologist at Stanford who studies the brains and senses of fish, specifically rainbow trout. He answers lots of question about a trout’s sense of smell, vision, and hearing. Including UV vision. I hope you learn as much as I did in this podcast. In the Fly Box this week, we have these questions: Do you really fish with bamboo rods? Aren’t graphite and glass better? Why did I see large steelhead in a Great Lakes tributary in July? What is your opinion on stocking fish in wild trout streams? Is a 6-weight line from 30 years ago the same size as a modern 6-weight?Can I dye a fly line with RIT dye? What is the best saltwater weed guard? Are some spooky fish truly un-catchable? Is there anything I can do to try to catch them? Is there a difference between a Scottish brown trout and a German brown? I am landing trout up to 20 inches without letting them run. Am I doing something wrong? What do you think about weighted soft hackles? With modern runner soles like the Michelin sole on the Pro Boot, is there any need for studs?
This week we’re talking about a spectacle of nature that happens every year in the Rockies in June—the salmonfly hatch. This is a giant stonefly that excites big trout and fly fishers—but it’s difficult to plan for and not as easy to fish as you might imagine. John Way of The Tackle Shop in Ennis, the oldest fly shop in Montana, gives his tips on the life cycle of this giant stonefly, how to fish the hatch, and how to avoid some of the inevitable drift boat traffic the hatch attracts. If you are planning a trip to the Rockies soon this is one you won’t want to miss. In the Fly Box this week, we have these questions and comments: How do I catch the big trout I see on Instagram? I never see them myself when I am on the river. How long before stocked trout tune into feeding on natural foods? If I accidentally kill a fish in a catch and release section, should I try to keep it to eat or just let it die? Is there an advantage to tying my second nymph to the eye of the first fly? When should I do this? When is a drop-shot rig better than conventional weight on the leader? Should I get a 5-weight or 6-weight rod for fishing indicator rigs on a windy lake? What fly materials are fairly universal and can for used for a variety of patterns? Why did I see some big trout in a tributary to a larger trout stream? A special tutorial on how to open a pair of forceps (you won’t want to miss this one!) How do we get younger people involved in organizations like Trout Unlimited?
This week I have a chat with Scott Bosse of American Rivers on the Montana Headwaters Security Act, a 7-year program that will hopefully come to fruition in 2020. It’s draft legislation for new Wild and Scenic river designations on some of the best rivers and streams on public lands in Montana. This draft legislation is the culmination of seven years of outreach to a broad cross-section of Montanans from across the state. During this time they have met with over 500 business owners, watershed groups, land trusts, recreation groups, riverside landowners, sportsmen and sportswomen, conservation organizations and other stakeholders. What they heard at those meetings mirrored what they learned in two bipartisan polls in 2013 and 2016 – Montanans love their rivers and want to see more of them protected using the Wild and Scenic Rivers Act. It’s appropriate that this major legislation is happening in Montana, because the idea for the original Wild and Scenic Rivers legislation was born in Montana and was signed into law by President Johnson in 1968. In the Fly Box this week, we have questions and suggestions from listeners, including the following: The reason for the T-designation for sinking heads Can I use Tenkara flies with standard fly-fishing tackle? Why can’t I catch fish on nymphs? Do you have some tips for limestone streams? When it is advisable to purposely un-match the hatch Can I use hiking bots in place of wading boots? Can I use midge-sized flies all year long? They only work for me in the winter. Can I use an unweighted fly with a Euro-nymphing rig? Is it a good idea to use gear lubricant on my fly line? Why is fly-fishing gear so much more expensive than conventional gear? Where should I add split shot in relation to my streamer? Is there an easy way to remove split shot?
This week I was down in the Catskills and stopped in to chat with Evan Lavery of The Beaverkill Angler in Roscoe, New York. The topic of our podcast is hatches of the freestone rivers of the Catskills, in particular the Beaverkill and Willowemoc Creek. These are rivers rich with tradition and also rich with a diverse insect population--although they don't have the quantity of insects seen in the Catskill tailwaters like the Delaware, they have a more diverse population so you never know what you'll see. Plus, for the wading angler, these rivers don't have drift boats thus they can be more pleasant for fly fishers on foot. In the Fly Box this week, we have these questions and more: What leader should I use for pike and muskie? How do I fish for grayling in high mountain lakes? Do trout eat moths? What fly line is best for short casts? What indicators do you prefer? How do I tell the difference between a wild and stocked brown trout? Plus a harrowing tale of an "extreme angler"
Tom is on the road this week so we are posting a backcast episode from January of 2011 on emergers. This is one of Tom's "Black Diamond" episodes where he shares some more advanced fly-fishing techniques.
This week, fresh from the Orvis Guides’ Rendezvous in Montana, I returned with a bunch of stories and tips I recorded with some full-time, professional Orvis-endorsed guides in a bar. Some stories are bizarre, some funny, and some touching. I also asked each guest for a tip so it’s not all pure entertainment. There is just a bit of bathroom humor around body functions, so just be warned in case you listen to these with kids. Nothing I would not share with my kids but just in case… In the Fly Box this week, we have some interesting questions and a couple great tips from listeners. A series of great tips on what to focus on when teaching a friend to fly fish. If jig hooks ride point up, why do fly tiers put the wing case on the side that points down when it is in the water? If trout face upstream, and you should approach them from downstream, why do all these people catch lots of fish using Euro nymphing methods when fish are directly across or even downstream from them? I have a 9 ft 6 weight Recon. I want to fish in small trout streams and for panfish. What lighter rod would you recommend? My big tungsten beads keep slipping over the hook eye. What can I do to prevent this? I fish in a river that has stocked trout and native smallmouth but I am really targeting the smallmouth. Why do I only catch trout this time of year? Why don’t your rods have hook keepers? I have been told to make my fly cast like I am holding a pretzel rod and I should be making a motion like I am trying to break the pretzel. But I get fatigue in my wrist. Is this a good casting tip? What is the dumbest way you have ever broken a rod? If you don’t have the correct fly size to match an insect, is it better to go one size smaller or one size larger when matching the hatch?
So you thought you knew something about fly-fishing history? This week I have a chat with Paul Schullery, in my opinion the premier fly-fishing historian in North America. When I have a question about history Paul is my go-to guy. He’s the author of at least 50 natural history books, was a historian for Yellowstone National Park, and when he lived in Vermont was executive director of The American Museum of fly fishing. In the podcast, you’ll learn that not many things are new in fly fishing. Tenkara-style fishing was used in Europe hundreds of years ago. People were catching bass on a fly in Florida since revolutionary days. Euro nymphing? Drop shot techniques? Fly fishing for pike? Saltwater fly fishing? Those were all done hundreds of years ago. Paul also goes into some detail on women in fly fishing, and how women have been involved in the sport since the very beginning. In the Fly Box this week, we have the following questions: Is it worth it to buy prescription polarized sunglasses and where do I buy good ones? What works best for early season brook trout in Vermont? Am I cheating if I use a small wireless fish finder on my pontoon boat? Why do you call this The Orvis Fly-Fishing Guide podcast? Is it just for guides? Why doesn’t anyone make a fiberglass rod longer than nine feet? How do I search the podcasts for a topic? What is the best way to catch white perch on a fly rod? I bought an old reel with a fly line on it and the line is all kinked up. Can I fix the line or should I trash it? Can I use fluorocarbon spinning line as a leader? Why did I have trouble catching fish when they were rising? I can catch them on nymphs. What is a good rotary fly-tying vise in the $100-$200 price range?
A few weeks ago I did a podcast with Josh Jenkins of Scientific Anglers on floating fly lines. Not only was it popular, I hinted that we might do one on sinking lines, which produced a minor barrage of requests for one. So here it is. You’ll learn about how sinking lines are made, what those designations like IPS, Class V, and T-14 mean and how to use them in your fishing. You’ll also get some hints on how to pick the right sinking line for your own situations. In the Fly Box this week, we cover the following suggestions and questions: A suggestion on how to get a nice flat shape when tying nymphs A heads up about the FFI Fly-Tying Awards Why do I lose so many trout using size 22 hooks? Should I bend the hooks out a bit? Can I substitute monofilament for fine wire on my Elk Hair Caddis? How do I extend the butt section of my leader? Exactly what knots do I need? Is it OK to use flies tied for different species in other habitats? How do I catch walleye on a fly? I am legally blind and want to catch brook trout on small mountain streams? What is the best method for me? Can I use UV resin instead of head cement on smaller flies? What are the most effective colors of Dragon Tails? What sinking line is best for any given body of water?
This week my interview is with Jeremy Wade of “River Monsters” fame. You may remember the episode where he caught a huge arapaima on an Orvis H3 and Mirage reel. He doesn’t always use a fly rod, but he does enjoy everything from those giant fish in exotic locations to a small wild brown trout river near his home in the UK. We talk about lots of things other than river monsters—what he enjoys about fly fishing, how he stays in shape for fighting those beasts, and about the pleasures of getting to know a water intimately instead of the pressure of having to produce for the camera. He has a new TV show and a book coming out soon—you’ll learn all about them on the podcast. In the Fly Box this week we have some great questions: What is the difference between wild, native, and holdover trout? How do I get small beads on hooks when they don’t want to go over the bend? What is the correct way to “haul in a fish”? Will upgrading my rod make me a better angler? Would it make sense to overload my 8-weight rod for pike and musky with a 9-weight line to throw those bigger flies? What is the best way to collect insects from my local river for reference? Who are some older authors you recommend for pleasure reading? Can I use my “saltwater” fluorocarbon leaders in Alaska? What things currently restricted by the rules of competitive angling would competitors use for their own fishing? And finally, yet another great tip by a listener on how to keep Thing-A-Ma-Bobbers from slipping on thinner sections of leaders
We’ve all heard about going to remote camps in Labrador or Quebec for large brook trout, but less well known are the drive-in rivers of Ontario. Ontario has some amazing wilderness fishing for large brook trout that can be accessed without a float plane, and Mark Melnyk, co-host of the TV show The New Fly Fisher has explored many of them in the course of scouting locations for his show. The fantastic part of the story is that he hardly ever needs to resort to a subsurface fly and most of the action is on the surface with mice and other floating imitations. Listen in to Mark’s tips on where to go and how to catch these trophy fish on a budget. In the Fly Box this week, we have some interesting questions and also some great tips from listeners (if these tips get any better I’ll be out of a job!) I only have a 7 ½ foot rod and it’s a bit short for working larger rivers. Can I use my 9 foot 8-weight for trout? Is tungsten toxic? A great tip on how to keep split shot from sliding on the leader A great tip for keeping Thing-A-Ma-Bobbers from sliding on your leader Can I fish the same big dries I use on the headwaters of a creek further down in the watershed? Where can my friend go to get help with his tailing loop? Are knotted leaders better than knotless leaders? Is it better to use a nail knot on my line instead of a loop-to-loop connection? How do I keep some old treasured wet flies from degrading? Are tactical barbless hooks better than just mashing the barb on a standard hook? Is it more effective to use a hackled dry fly or a Comparadun-type during a mayfly hatch? A great tip from a listener in Ireland on a method of fishing soft hackles called The Escalator Method
This week’s podcast is a discussion with Captain Tuck Scott, head guide at Bay Street Outfitters of Beaufort, South Carolina. Tuck gives us solid tips on choosing flies for saltwater inshore species, concentrating on redfish and speckled sea trout. Of course we would be remiss to discuss fly selection without some advice on how to present them, and Tuck also shares his advice on how to fish various types of baitfish and crustacean imitations. Tuck is also going on the road! He is bringing his Maverick flats boat to various Orvis retail stores and giving free seminars on how to fish from a flats boat—how and when to take your shots, how to adjust to changing conditions—and most importantly, how to build a team with your guide. You can see Tuck in person based on the schedule below ORVIS GREENVILLE, SC FRIDAY, MARCH 22, 2019 11:00 AM 1:00 PM ORVIS CHARLOTTE, NC SATURDAY, MARCH 23, 2019 12:30 PM 2:00 PM ORVIS ASHEVILLE, NC SUNDAY, MARCH 24, 2019 12:30 PM 2:00 PM ORVIS ATLANTA, GA SATURDAY, APRIL 13, 2019 11:00 AM 1:00 PM ORVIS ALPHARETTA SUNDAY, APRIL 14, 2019 11:00 AM 12:00 PM ORVIS CHARLESTON SATURDAY, MAY 18, 2019 11:00 AM 1:00 PM Store location to be announced. ORVIS RICHMOND, VA THURSDAY, MAY 23, 2019 11:00 AM 1:00 PM ORVIS MANCHESTER, VT SATURDAY, MAY 25, 2019 11:00 AM 12:00 PM ORVIS MANCHESTER, VT SUNDAY, MAY 26, 2019 11:00 AM 1:00 PM
This week I interview Devin Olsen, who you may know about from competitive fly fishing, but we’re not going to talk about competition. Devin walks us through what to look for when you first approach a stream and how to come up with a strategy for a day of fishing. His new book Tactical Fly Fishing is now available but we get a sneak peak on what you’ll learn from his book. In the Fly Box this week, we talk about: Moving kids from a spinning rod to a switch rod How to deal with muddy and bloody feathers from a duck-hunting friend How to display fly rods in your house If my jig hooks bend when I get stuck in a snag, should I just bend them back and re-use them? If a 5-weight is considered an all-around rod in graphite, is it the same for fiberglass rods? What is the difference between hen necks and hen capes? A great suggestion for carrying a landing net on a plane Do catastrophic floods ruin trout fishing and the insect life? What length and line size do you recommend for both smallmouth bass and steelhead? Can I catch catfish with a fly rod? How should I organize my bonefish fly boxes? Which grain weight in the Depth Charge lines is best for surf fishing?
To continue our celebration of flies with the Giant Fly Sale, this week I have a long talk with Tim Flagler of Tightline Productions, maker of the finest tying videos on the web. This is always one of the most eagerly awaited podcasts of the year, and it’s also one I look forward to because I enjoy talking to Tim about fly tying and always learn so much from him. I get a lot of questions about material substitutions, so what Tim and I decided to do was to take six popular flies, dissect them material by material, and recommend our favorite substitutes for each step. Here are the flies we include: Parachute Adams Clouser Minnow Prince Nymph Woolly Bugger Tunghead Zebra Midge Drunk & Disorderly Deceiver (we had to put one complicated pattern in there) In The Fly Box this week, we have the following questions: How do I keep split shot from sliding on my small diameter tippet Why do I keep losing fish? How do I get a tiny Baetis nymph deep? When is an indicator better than a Euro nymphing rig? What is a Cuda Tube? How do feeder streams affect fishing in a lake? What rod would be best for smaller streams in the East? Why could I not catch trout on a Zebra midge when there were midges all over the water later in the day? A terrific suggestion from a listener on how to turn a landing net into an insect seine by using panty hose How should I fish scuds in a spring creek? What is meant by “big streamers” as opposed to “small or medium streamers” and what line sizes work best with them.
Editor’s Note: To celebrate the kickoff of the 2019 Giant Fly Sale, here’s a great backcast epiaode about choosing the right fly for a given situation. This week, I interview aquatic biologist and fly fisher Peter Stitcher, who not only has a great way of organizing fly boxes (a question I have always neglected to answer properly), but he also has some great guidance on how to figure out what is in the river and how to pick a fly from your box that will do the best job of imitating that insect—without any detailed knowledge of entomology. If you learn his acronyms PAUSE and MATCH, I am convinced you will have all the knowledge you need to be more successful. Listen to the podcast to learn what these acronyms mean.
This week I interview Dom Swentosky of the Troutbitten blog, which is one of my favorites because I like the way he thinks about fishing problems and solutions. We titled it “Old School Streamer Fishing” and that’s how it starts, but Dom also discusses an innovative way of fishing streamers on mono, on a tight line, similar to the way a lot of people fish nymphs today. So in my view it’s a mix of old and new techniques. In the Fly Box this week, we have the following questions: What kind of sinking line do I need for walleyes in 10 feet of water? What is the best way to organize fly-tying material? Do you have a good way of testing streamer patterns during the winter when you can’t fish them? Does it matter what kind of material I use for wings on bonefish flies? How do I modify my knotless leader? Do you have any suggestions for fishing beaver ponds? What suggestions do you have for swinging steelhead flies when the water depth varies greatly? How can I fish leech imitations in a river that is 15 to 30 feet deep for walleyes? What is the best way to fish an incoming tide for stripers? How should I target sharks on the fly? How do I catch carp in a deep muddy lake where they don’t come into the shallows except to spawn?
This week’s podcast is about a relatively rare but also easily accessible fly-rod fish—the Guadalupe bass. I was lucky enough to get Alvin Dedeaux of All Water Guides to talk about these interesting members of the bass/sunfish family. They sound like the perfect fly-rod target, available year-round in central Texas. They are a native species, they eat a lot of small prey, they fight well, and they are readily accessible on smaller rivers on public water. In the Fly Box this week, we have the following questions: What setup do I need for fishing from shore in southern California salt water? Will my 8-weight Encounter rod work? What is fishing in Cuba like? How do I keep from foul-hooking steelhead? How do I play one or should I break it off? And is it ethical to take a photo of a foul-hooked fish? Why don’t more anglers use nets on smaller trout? What tips would you give a younger Tom if you could go back and give yourself advice? Should I use fluorocarbon leaders on small mountain streams? How should I clean my Ultralight Waders? Can you recommend one or two all-around adhesives for fly tying, for someone on a budget? What material is best for tails on parachute flies? Do you wrap shiny-side-up or shiny-side-down on parachute hackles? For bass, panfish, pike, stripers, and bigger trout water, should I buy a 6-weight or 8-weight fiberglass rod? What do I do to emergers to get them to float just in the surface film?
Our friend and Orvis-endorsed guide Josh Nugent of Out Fly Fishing Outfitters in Calgary was in town last week, and I grabbed him to do a podcast. Josh did one a few years ago with me entitled “The Seven Deadly Sins of Sight Fishing” and it was really popular, so we decided to do “The Seven Deadly Sins of Streamer Fishing”. If you think streamer fishing is just chucking a big piece of meat out there and stripping back, Josh has some revelations for you. Revelations based on thousands of hours on the water. In the Fly Box this week, lots of interesting questions and suggestions: What do you see as the biggest revolutions in fly fishing technology and the biggest flops? Is there a difference between dry fly and nymph dubbing? If trout are sensitive to cold temperatures why do we catch them ice fishing? Why are fly rods always made in 6-inch increments? How do I substitute hooks when a tier on YouTube mentions a specific model? If I am fishing a tandem streamer in a place where only single hooks are allowed, which one do I cut off? Why do trout jump out of the water? Is a digital thermometer better for fishing than an analog design? Which hackles should I buy for dry flies or wet flies? Which YouTube Channel do you recommend for reliable fly patterns? Do boots without felt really decrease the possibility of spreading invasive species? How do I get the perfect consistency with head cement? Do I need a stripping basket when using my switch rod? Why did you make H3 rods with that ugly white label? A great suggestion from a listener on buying lunch for your guide (this is often required when fishing in salt water) What 10-20 flies should I tie next after going through all the flies in the kit?
This week I interview Josh Jenkins, Research and Development manager for Scientific Anglers, and who, along with his crew, is responsible for all the cool new technology in fly lines. Floating lines are confusing because there are so many options, so Josh explains how they are made, why coatings and cores determine what kind of water they’re used in, and how tapers affect the performance of fly lines. Are double taper and weight forward lines the same for the first 30 feet? Is there any difference between a saltwater and freshwater line, or between a cold water and warm water line? These are questions I get asked all the time in the podcast, so I figured I would go to the ultimate expert to answer them. In the Fly Box this week, we have lots of intriguing questions, including: Why can’t I make my furled leader perform? Is my tippet too long or too short? What is Tom’s job? Does he get to fish at all? How do I set my drag for trout fishing? Can Spey casting be used in lakes? How should I target rainbows in the fall? Is that when they spawn? At what temperatures do bass become active enough to catch on a fly rod? Can I get some tips on making my golden pheasant crests behave? Is it worth it to prospect with a small dry fly in winter? Are there small trout streams that are just impossible to fish with a fly? What are the pros and cons of using a sink tip line instead of a poly leader? Can you help me decide between a 4-weight or 5-weight rod? Do you have any tips for when a head cement jar won’t open? What kind of watercraft should I buy for New England rivers? What is color preserver? Do you have any tips for tying the tails on an RS2? How do I organize all the fly fishing information I encounter? Can bigger trout be caught on soft hackles?
Long-time listener Dan Frasier put together this mock interview with Tom and we just had to share it. While there is no offensive language, if you have small children present, or are easily offended, you may want to skip this one. Thanks, Dan!
There’s lots of discussion about what makes a good guide and why some are better than others for a whole host of reasons. But the guide/angler connection is truly a team effort, and to get the most out of a guide trip there are things a client can do to get more out of the experience and have a more enjoyable and educational trip. Simon Perkins, Orvis COO, was a fishing guide before he hung up his oars for an office job. He shares his experiences, good and bad, and suggests ways we can be better clients. He also shares a few stories about his best and worst days of being a guide and a client. A couple are quite colorful and I think you’ll enjoy them. In the Fly Box this week we have the following questions: How can I roll cast big streamers? How do I fish streamers in small brook trout streams? What is the best tool for measuring water temperature and how cold does water have to be before trout stop feeding? Where is that new Clearwater Euro nymphing rod? Can I use my 5-weight rod for surf fishing in the ocean? Are wool fingerless gloves any good? Is 20-lb fluorocarbon too light for the butt section of a leader? What are gut leaders? Is a UV light essential for fly tying? Is roll casting more difficult with a shorter rod? My wife and I fished some big articulated streamers and had no luck. What were we doing wrong? I have a pile of old flies. How do I identify what they are?
A number of listeners have been asking for a show about landlocked Atlantic salmon, and for that I can think of no one better than a native Mainer. Jeff LeBree has been fishing for landlocked salmon is his native state for over 50 years, and for 17 of those years has been a guide at Orvis-endorsed Libby Camps. He shares his knowledge about when to go to Maine for landlocks, how to fish for them, where in the river to look for them, and of course what flies to use. Jeff is quite a character and we have a lot of laughs. I hope you enjoy his downeast humor. In the Fly Box this week, we cover the following questions: Is it necessary to use a strike indicator when winter nymphing? My soft hackles don’t distribute around the hook well and stay on top. What should I do? Can you give me some advice on making hook substitutions for fly patterns? How does George Daniel add a dropper with the Orvis knot without running the flies through the loop? Can I use tandem fliy rigs for bass fishing? If you say that flies can last 50 years, why do you tell me to throw away my thread after two or three years? What rod should I buy for Euro nymphing? I can’t afford the Helios 3. How do people carry fly rods onto a plane?
My interview this week is with the highly respected angler, writer, and guide Landon Mayer of Colorado. He has a new book out this week—The Hunt for Giant Trout and that’s exactly what we talk about—times, places, and flies for taking the largest trout in a river. We talk a lot about the various food preferred by the larger trout in a body of water—how to identify them and how to select flies and techniques to imitate them. As usual Landon is bursting with great ideas for you to try on your next fishing trip. In the Fly Box this week we cover the following questions: Tips for catching sheepshead on a fly Is my bonefish tackle OK for stripers on Long Island? A tip for practicing strip-setting that incorporates a willing cat When to use poly leaders Can I use and indicator when fishing small BWO dry flies? What are the advantages of using shanks over beading wire for tying articulated flies? A tip for carrying tippet rings on a snap swivel instead of a safety pin Is the Orvis Spey Line a Skagit line? How to fish streamers in tight quarters How to catch shallow water stripers in a Tennessee river at night Can I keep my fishing gear in a cold garage all winter? Will keeping my rods strung up hurt my leader? Which end of a surgeon’s knot should I use for the dropper, and should I take two or three turns? Should I get a starter rod or go right to the best rod I can afford?
This week we talk fly fishing with Chris Pandolfi, vocalist and banjo player for The Infamous Stringdusters, a multiple award-winning bluegrass band (including the 2018 Grammy for Best Bluegrass Album, “The Laws of Gravity”). Chris tells us what it’s like trying to fit in fly fishing while on the road, how the band supports Trout Unlimited, how fishing has influenced his music, and offers some great fly-fishing tips for novices. Speaking of tips, in the Fly Box this week we have the following questions: What are some tips for winter tailwater fishing in the Northeast? What can I do when the bass don’t bite? How do I catch suckers on a fly? Can I use my 6-weight for carp? What do you do when you’re rowing and someone hooks a fish? How do I find information on small streams in my area? How do I move on from tying big streamers to smaller trout patterns? Is there a good way to practice setting the hook? What is a good place to visit to fish small trout streams in the winter? How much information can I ask my local fly shop for, without being a pest? Why are fly rods today so stiff? What is the best way to fish nymphs in water ranging from one foot to ten feet deep while floating? What is the best way to practice casting when I have a variety of rods?
This week I have an interesting chat with Cameron Mortenson, the man behind the wildly popular blog The Fiberglass Manifesto. Learn how he got started, what he does for his day job, and of course his thoughts on the state of the fiberglass fly rod world today. And of course we talk about why someone would even want a glass rod and what advantages they offer. In The Fly Box this week, we explore the following: A great tip for keeping your hands warm for cold-weather fishing A great tip for relieving neck and upper back pain while fishing Can I fix a broken Poly Leader? How do I remove the smell from flies I have coated with UV-cure epoxy? What switch rod is best for stripers? Has the Koi Foundation been established yet? And if I want to practice for koi fishing, can I try for the goldfish in my backyard pond? How to lessen foul hooking trout when fishing a nymph with a dropper. Will long stretches of straight, shallow water be devoid of trout in small streams? Can I use a poly leader for nymph fishing? And can I use split shot instead of a poly leader for streamer fishing? What does “turning over the fly” mean? Can I tightline for steelhead using my 10-foot 7-weight rod? What is the most versatile sinking line to get if I only have a floating line now?
How do people compete in fly fishing contests? How are they scored? How do the teams work? Where are the competitions held? Most of us don’t have any interest in competing in fly fishing—some of you probably hate the idea—but this discipline has stimulated some great ideas in fly fishing and has led to the interchange of ideas throughout the world. There’s no money involved, just lots of camaraderie, and competitive fly fishing does not hurt the resource or even get in the way of our enjoyment of trout waters except for a few hours a year on a particular stream or lake. I think you’ll be fascinated by the inner workings of this unusual competition. In the Fly Box this week, we have the following questions: Why can I land smaller fish but not land the bigger ones when tightline nymphing? How much can I remove from the tip of my fly line without hurting its performance? How are most trout waters stocked? Why didn’t I catch any fish on a recently stocked river? Where do small stream brook trout go during the winter? Will wearing the required blaze orange clothing during hunting season ruin my trout fishing? Do you think fish can see the post on parachute flies? Why don’t my Klinkhammer flies always float upright? How do I keep my neck and shoulders from hurting when I am fishing all day? Can I strip streamers for Lake Erie steelhead? Do bright headlamps spook largemouth bass? How can I minimize tangles in my net when fishing multi-fly rigs? How can I fish my Depth Charge line to minimize snagging on the bottom? Can I use my old Orvis Impregnated Bamboo rod for trout fishing? Can I tie 6X tippet to a tippet ring? Mine keeps breaking.
This week I talk to someone I have wanted to interview for a long time, and a subject that is long overdue—fly fishing the Texas Coast for redfish and speckled trout. Dave Hayward, manager of Swan Point Landing Fly Shop, was in a past life an Orvis store manager in Houston for many years and also an Orvis sales rep. He’s been running Swan Point for 10 years now, and is recognized as one of the most knowledgeable authorities on fly fishing the Texas Coast. In this podcast you’ll learn about how the fishery changes with the season, what tackle you need, fly patterns to choose, and how to approach these fish. Dave is honest about the increased pressure in his fishery, but also shares some spots that get off the beaten patch. It’s also exciting to hear about the developing tarpon and snook fisheries along the Texas Coast. In the Fly Box this week we have our usual smorgasbord of topics, including: Tips on re-using tippet bands for identifying fly lines on spare spools How do I put a new leader on my fly line? Is it a good idea to practice on suckers before I go trout fishing? Is there any risk when carrying a fully assembled fly rod in your vehicle? Is it worth it to try to target lake trout during the summer when they are deep? Will the loud clicker on my reel scare trout? Why does my fly get caught on my forward cast? How do I reverse my fishing slump? Is trolling an acceptable way to fish a fly in salt water? How do I get more distance when casting in the surf? I am 6’6” tall and my Mom is 5’ tall. Can we use the same rod and casting stroke? Are saltwater wading boots worth the price?
Stream Access Now! This is the title of a very useful guide produced by Back Country Hunters and Anglers (available on their web site or on the Orvis Learning Center) that gives you the stream access laws for all 50 states, plus some fascinating essays on the varying ways states treat stream access. It’s also the title of this week’s podcast with Rob Parkins, Public Waters Access Coordinator for BCHA. Rob details how laws vary from state to state, how you can find access points, and dos and don’ts of fishing on both public and private lands. It’s essential knowledge for the traveling angler, particularly if you don’t fish with a guide and are unsure of the legality of entering a stream in a state where you have not fished before. In the Fly Box this week, we have the usual mix of great questions and suggestions from listeners: If my fly comes back with empty caddis cases on the hook, does that mean the caddis hatches are over and I should not fish a caddis? Are sea-run Pacific steelhead any more delicate than Great Lakes steelhead? If I harvest a deer, should I try to use any of the hide for fly tying, and how do I deal with it? Is it OK to fish a click-and-pawl reel for smallmouth bass, and does reel “balance” matter? Why don’t people fish much with winged wet flies anymore? How do I keep my Double Bunny Rabbit strips from getting stiff? How can I see my dry fly when looking into strong glare? What is the best camera for capturing the brilliant colors of fish?
Your FAQs answered! This week I interview my old friend Jeremy Benn, longtime Orvis employee and head of our Outfitter Team in Roanoke , Virginia. These are the wonderful people who answer all your tackle questions via e-mail, telephone, and live chat. There are certain questions they get (and I get on podcast requests) over and over again, including: What rod do I need for….? Can I use the same fly rod outfit for … and >>>? Do I really get something more when I buy a more expensive rod? How much backing do I need? What leader do I need for …? I am going to …. What flies do I need? What is the best knot? In the Fly Box this week, here is a sample of the kinds of questions I try to answer: How do I become a fishing guide? When do I fish upstream and when do I fish downstream? Why do you put barrel swivels on your braided leaders? (We don’t.) How do you avoid breaking your rod when getting flies out of trees? What will be the effects of the recent hurricane on trout and saltwater fishing in North Carolina? How often do you fish parachutes and Sparkle Duns as opposed to traditional dry flies? How long can you keep a trout in a net if it has cool running water in the net? Can I use my switch rod for schoolie stripers? What flies should I use for landlocked Atlantic salmon? How do I target cruising salmon and steelhead on the Chicago shoreline? What happened to the Orvis app? Why can’t I catch trout in tailwaters on streamers from my canoe? Plus two great fly-tying tips from a listener.
My guest this week is Sascha Clark Danylchuk, science advisor for KeepEmWet.org. Sascha is an angler and a scientist who has studied the effects of various catch-and-release techniques and has also kept up with the scientific literature on the subject. There is a lot of false and misleading information on the interweb regarding catch-and-release and she sets us straight on a number of topics. I thought I was well-versed on this subject but I learned a lot, and will modify my own practices in the future based on our talk. In the Fly Box, we have the usual mashup of topics, including the following: Two inexpensive ways of making wet-wading shoes suggested by listeners Will a good mender outfish a good caster? Do nymphs work in high mountain lakes? What is a good sink-tip option for a 4-weight rod on small streams? How to catch trout in very deep plunge pools at the base of a waterfall. How do I get sand out of my ferrules? Is it ethical to catch a bunch of big trout by nymphing at night on a full moon? Why do trout keep splashing at my Chubby Chernobyl? Should I spend the same amount of money on a trout reel as I spend on my rod? A great tip for keeping the hair on an Elk Hair Caddis from slipping around the hook. How can I catch the big brown trout in a small infertile stream in Oregon?
Do you stop fishing for smallmouth bass when summer ends? You could be missing the best bass fishing of the year and the chance at your biggest smallmouth if you do. Mike Schultz of Shultz Outfitters in Michigan is one of our foremost experts on smallmouths (and the designer of some of our most popular flies) and this week he shares a wealth of knowledge on how to modify your tactics to continue to catch smallmouth bass on the fly rod well into winter. This is a topic that no smallmouth lover wants to miss. In the Fly Box this week, we have a number of reactions to last week’s discussion with Steve Rinella, the Meat Eater, as well as questions on these topics: Can I put a 3-weight or a 7-weight line on a size 5/6 reel? How do I store poppers with weed guards? Do you have some suggestions for catching catfish on a fly? How do I attach a wire bite guard to my leader? How do I find wild trout in a small, clear stream with sandy bottom that does not have a high fish population? Do fly tying materials go bad with age? How should I store my hackle capes and deer hair? Do you have tips for catching lake-run brown trout? Can I use a switch rod in Belize? Do you have a suggestion for a pair of cheap wet-wading shoes? When do you recommend catch and release and when do you recommend keeping fish? How can I get the elk hair on my caddis flies to keep from rolling around the hook shank?
This week I have a fun discussion with Steve Rinella of the “Meat Eater” podcast and TV show and book. If you’re a diehard catch-and-release always angler you may want to pass this one up. But if you occasionally kill fish and want to honor fish with proper care and preparation, you’ll find some very helpful advice. And some interesting side discussions along the way. In The Fly Box this week, we have the usual array of questions about tackle, techniques, and fly-fishing philosophy. Including: Can I get one rod for pike, carp, musky, and Pacific salmon? What lines and leaders do I need for surf fishing? Can I have permission to use my stripping basket on trout streams? What flies will I need in Hawaii, and can you recommend a guide? Will dry flies work in the rain? How do I carry a net on my sling bag? What sunglasses do you recommend? Why do I keep missing strikes from smallmouths on a popper? Should I use a stinger hook? How do I get trout to come out from undercut banks to take my fly? Does smoky air from forest fires change the way insects hatch?
This week I have the pleasure of interviewing Jenny Mayrell-Woodruff—the Orvis-endorsed Freshwater Guide of the Year for 2018. Jenny has recently relocated to Montana to run a lodge on Rock Creek and she took time out of her very busy schedule to share her knowledge of late summer terrestrial fishing. It’s an educational podcast and a timely one. In the Fly Box this week we explore a wide range of topics, as usual: How to transition from small trout streams to big rivers Why do I keep missing fish when fishing mouse patterns at night? Can I use perfection loops in the middle of my leader to add droppers? What is the best way to touch up the blades of nippers? How do I make my fly attract trout by its entry into the water? What happens to Tricos when nighttime air temperatures don’t go below 70 degrees? Do tippet rings wear out? Can I use my Clearwater line for trout fishing? Do you measure the cast length from your body or from the rod tip? How do you prospect for trout in long, slow pools? What do you do if a big trout runs downstream and the water is too deep to wade below it?
Fly-Fishing with your family, with Derek Olthuis This week Orvis Ambassador Derek Olthuis and I talk about fishing with your kids and family. Derek has three young children and he fishes as much as anyone I know, so he has some great tips on how to make it a fun and rewarding experience for all members of the family. If you’ve wanted to introduce kids to fly fishing you’ll get some great advice from this podcast. In the Fly Box this week, we have some interesting questions and comments, including What do I do with saltwater flies after I’ve used them? How do companies that sell fly patterns evaluate new ones? How do I keep annoying sea grass off my fly and leader? Should I feel guilty about hooking tarpon that were chilling in a marina behind a boat? Should I worry about keeping my fishing gear in a hot car? How do I quickly tell if a stream has a rich food supply or if it is more infertile? Can I use this to adjust my fishing techniques? What do I do if a trout tries to eat my strike indicator? How long should removable studs last? Why could I not catch smallmouths that were chasing baitfish? Why don’t more anglers use soft-hackle flies? How long should I rest a pool before trying a new fly pattern? What’s an easy way to identify mayflies and caddisflies in the air?
In this week’s podcast my guest is Eric Eikenberg, CEO of The Everglades Foundation and our major partner in this important conservation effort. For the past few years Orvis has taken a leading role in the effort to get the word out to the fly-fishing community about this critical issue, which affects Florida Bay, both coasts of Florida, and of course the Everglades, which as a National Park is owned by all citizens of the United States. It’s an update on where we are for a solution to the issue, and you’ll be happy to know we are guardedly optimistic about the future. Also in the Fly Box week we have these question: Why do I keep losing small brook trout? How can I take the coils out of old leaders? Will my old Clearwater Reel be OK in salt water? Why don’t fly shops stop selling feathers from endangered birds? Do women wear sling bags? Does the pigtail at the end of a broken knot always indicate a poorly tied knot? Why don’t people use the oval or Belgian cast more often? Why do I keep losing big trout and steelhead when they get downstream of me? What do I do for a leader if I encounter both striped bass and bluefish?
If it does not go up until next week no big deal. This week my guest on the podcast is the great George Daniel, one of the finest anglers in the world and a wonderful teacher. George is also refreshingly un-dogmatic, and even though he is an expert on nymph fishing he does not stick to only one method, but uses all kinds of techniques depending on the conditions. There are scores of good tips in this podcast so if you enjoy nymph fishing don’t miss it. In the Fly Box this week, you’ll find answers (or at least my attempt to answer) questions about: How do I keep my reel from getting tangled at the end of the day? Is a fiberglass rod a disadvantage for distance and in the wind? Do you have some tips on fishing mayfly spinner falls? Can I catch carp when they are spawning? How do I make my Humpies more durable? Can I catch channel catfish on a fly rod? Can I fish a Gurgler on an intermediate line? Will textured fly lines hurt my rod guides? How can I land big fish by myself without high-sticking my rod?
This week I have a chat with noted permit guide and film maker Captain Will Benson. We discuss the idea of an angler as athlete, and how he and some of his clients prepare for big permit tournaments, both mentally and physically. You may have no interest in fishing tournaments, but for some of your fishing trips you may have invested a lot of time, money, and emotional expectations. Will gives some great, and most unusual, ideas to make sure you get the most out of your trips. In the Fly Box this week, we cover the following questions from listeners: · Do trout ever get “information overload” during a heavy hatch? · What is a basic saltwater outfit for fishing the Gulf? · How do spring creek trout differ from stocked trout in tailwaters? · What aren’t all flies sold with barbless hooks? · What is the difference between a $15 spool of fluorocarbon tippet and a $10 200-yard spool of spinning line? · Will two-handed casting ruin my overhead casting technique? · Why do I miss fish when trolling for trout? · Can I fish lakes on a backpacking trip with a Tenkara rod? · What are sme good basic books on trout stream insects for New England?
In this week’s podcast I interview a very interesting man. In fact, he is the original Most Interesting Man in the World, Jonathan Goldsmith, who is a lifelong fly fisher and not only an interesting guy, but a really nice person as well. He talks about the importance of tradition in fly fishing, his lifelong love affair with it, and most appropriately the importance of his father as his fly-fishing mentor. We’ll also catch up on what he has been doing since the beer company decided a younger man would be more interesting. (Big mistake) In the podcast this week, here are some of the questions and suggestions from listeners: A geeky way to splice old fly lines to make a special line for throwing bass flies on a 5-weight I make a couple suggestions on books to read How to deal with feathers you obtain from a shooting preserve Can I eat a trout that has whirling disease? Is a 10-weight rod enough for cobia and king mackerel? How to deal with tarpon guides who get upset when you blow a strike How to hold your fly and fly line in the “ready position” for saltwater fly fishing A suggestion for an all-around saltwater rod How to keep hopper patterns from turning upside-down in the water Suggestions for catching ultra-spooky trout in a small stream Can I use stocking foot waders on sandy beaches? How to fish a dry dropper when moving from deep pools to shallow riffles.
This week’s main topic is the Smith River in Montana, a near-wilderness river that requires a five-day float and is on many fly fishers’ wish lists. It is definitely on mine. To talk about fishing and floating the Smith, and a threat to its pristine ecosystem, my guests are John Herzer, a veteran of many decades of floating the Smith, and David Brooks, executive director on Montana Trout Unlimited. In the Fly Box this week you can enjoy the following tips and questions: Why do I see carp jumping at the base of a dam like salmon on their spawning run? What is an economical way to explore new rivers without always hiring a guide? Can I use braided leaders for carp? How can I do better when setting the hook on quick-striking brook trout? What is the best way to attach a leader to a fly line if you don’t have a welded loop on the end? How can I catch smallmouths lying in eight feet of water next to a large boulder? A listener tip on how to use a polarizing filter on an Iphone (or similar smartphone).
On this week’s podcast my guest is RA Beattie of Beattie Productions/Off the Grid Studios. You have no doubt seen some of his wonderful films, or perhaps you have enjoyed his latest venture—Fly Fishing films on Amazon Prime video. RA shares some tips on both video and still photography with us, and there are some good nuggets in there to help you move beyond the cliched grip & grin shots that have over-saturated social media. Warning—if you don’t understand the relationship between aperture, shutter speed, and ISO it might be worthwhile to do a little research before you listen to this one. In The Fly Box, lots of interesting tips and questions: Why do I keep losing bass when I play them? Should I get a 10-foot 3-weight or 4-weight rod? Can I throw big poppers with a 9-foot 5-weight rod? A warning about the legality of Tenkara rods in rivers designated “fly fishing only”. Are newer graphite rods better for tippet protection than older models? A tip from a listener on pike fishing as practice for saltwater fly fishing. When measuring sections for tying a knotted leader, are the specs for the section before or after you tie the knot? Why do largemouth bass sometimes sniff my fly but don’t attack it aggressively? What is a good recommendation for an inflatable kayak? How do I avoid creek chubs when trout fishing? What is a good starter outfit for northeast saltwater fly fishing? How much better are rubber soles with metal studs? And should I worry about scratches they make on rocks? How do I read the water on ever-changing rivers like the Bighorn?
I occasionally receive a fishing book that really strikes my fancy as being totally original, and last winter I was lucky enough to get an advance copy of The Feather Thief by Kirk Wallace Johnson. Much more than a fishing book, it’s the story of a young Atlantic salmon fly tier who stole priceless bird skins from a British museum and then used them for his own tying and sold them on the internet. Kirk researched the story thoroughly and even tried to trace some of the feathers that were purchased to get them back to the museum. The book truly reads like a whodunnit and I found it fascinating reading. To use a well-worn cliché I literally could not put it down. Some of you fly tiers may be not agree with the stance he takes on tiers obsessing over rare and unusual materials so I think it may create some lively discussions. Regardless, I think you’ll find our discussion fascinating. In the Fly Box this week, we get into more conventional and non-controversial questions, such as these: Why do two dry flies work better than one? How do you fish a Sneaky Pete for smallmouths in fast water? What size and color Woolly Bugger is best? What does the Woolly Bugger imitate? What color polarized sunglasses are best and what are some good brands? Why can I land 18-inch fish but not the ones that are over 24 inches? Are grayling selective? Is it normal to tie a Clouser Minnow with a red head? Is it normal to reel all of your line in before playing a fish? Why am I not catching bigger brook trout on streamers?
I occasionally receive a fishing book that really strikes my fancy as being totally original, and last winter I was lucky enough to get an advance copy of The Feather Thief by Kirk Wallace Johnson. Much more than a fishing book, it’s the story of a young Atlantic salmon fly tier who stole priceless bird skins from a British museum and then used them for his own tying and sold them on the internet. Kirk researched the story thoroughly and even tried to trace some of the feathers that were purchased to get them back to the museum. The book truly reads like a whodunnit and I found it fascinating reading. To use a well-worn cliché I literally could not put it down. Some of you fly tiers may be not agree with the stance he takes on tiers obsessing over rare and unusual materials so I think it may create some lively discussions. Regardless, I think you’ll find our discussion fascinating. In the Fly Box this week, we get into more conventional and non-controversial questions, such as these: Why do two dry flies work better than one? How do you fish a Sneaky Pete for smallmouths in fast water? What size and color Woolly Bugger is best? What does the Woolly Bugger imitate? What color polarized sunglasses are best and what are some good brands? Why can I land 18-inch fish but not the ones that are over 24 inches? Are grayling selective? Is it normal to tie a Clouser Minnow with a red head? Is it normal to reel all of your line in before playing a fish? Why am I not catching bigger brook trout on streamers?
This week I have a chat with Amelia Jensen, perhaps the best trout-spotter I have ever seen. I have always thought I was pretty god at seeing trout in the water, but Amelia can see fish I would never have spotted. Learn some of her secrets in this week’s podcast—you’ll be surprised at how often you can spot trout if you know what you’re looking for, even in fast, deep, or slightly off-colored water. In the Fly Box this week we have the following tips and questions: · A tip from a listener on how to carry long pre-rigged fly assemblies · A question about what fly to fish along with a streamer when swinging for spring trout · A question on tips for spotting bonefish · How should I fish the tails of pools? · A listener tip on how to keep your hands warm when fishing · Flashy vs. non-flashy nymphs and where to put them in your nymph rig · A question about why fish get picky after catching a bunch of them from the same run · Why do trout take dry flies when I don’t see any rising? · Tips for avoiding spawning rainbow redds
This week I have a chat with Josh Greenberg, owner of Gates Au Sable Lodge in Michigan. Josh talks about the ecology of his streams, which is unique and provides fascinating fishing for wild trout year round. Josh is a very perceptive and canny angler, and regardless of your interest in Michigan streams you’ll learn some great tips and some interesting thoughts. Josh is also an ardent conservationist, picking up the mantle from his mentor, the late Rusty Gates. After this week, I won’t have a podcast for two weeks because I will be off the grid
Today we do a deep dive on the newest trend in fly-fishing for koi, that elusive fish that many people think cannot be caught on a fly rod. Nothing could be further from the truth; although these fish are challenging targets on a fly rod, they are available in many places close to home. The most exciting part of this fishery is that you can fish for them anywhere you want. In the Fly Box this week I have an unusually interesting bunch of questions, including: · What is the single greatest trout stream in the United States? · What is the impact of the legalization of marijuana on fly fishing so far? · When you take a float trip in a drift boat or raft, how do you get back to your car? · What is that big pocket in the back of a fishing vest used for? · How to do the triple haul · If I only have 30 minutes to fish on a business trip, is it better to use a 9-weight or 12-weight when targeting permit? · Why don’t you teach shadow casting in your schools? · Can I make a fly out of food? · What are the best organic fishing spots in New England? · If I’ve got a great fishing spot on a crowded river and nature calls, what is the best way to take care of things and not lose my spot?
This week’s podcast interview is all about fly-fishing high mountain lakes. My guest is Bob Terwilliger of Colorado Outfitters, who specializes in horseback fishing trips into some of the most remote wilderness areas in the lower 48. Fishing high mountain lakes has its own special techniques and philosophies—although here it is as much about the scenery and the trip as it is the fishing. If you enjoy getting away from the crowds and true wilderness fishing, this is a podcast you won’t want to miss. In the Fly Box this week, as usual a mixed bag of questions and comments from a wide range of topics. · Why you should get a fly-tying kit · Recommended lines for small stream fishing · Can I use the Bank Shot line for fishing midges? · What is the best fly rod for bass, pike, and the occasional trip to the Florida Keys? · When using tiny nymphs, should I set the hook keeping my fingers off the line and just use drag pressure from the reel? · What do I do if my head cement gets too thick? · How can I keep my ferrules from slipping? · Which is correct, the upstream reach cast or the downstream reach cast? · Is it worthwhile to fish midges once winter is over? · Why don’t all big trout have a hooked jaw, and what do various color and spot patterns in brown trout indicate?
I frequently get requests for a podcast about drift boats, and although I enjoy rowing one most people don’t let me row their boat unless they are really desperate. So I called on an expert, Montana guide Hilary Hutcheson, to get her advice on getting a boat, rowing a boat, and most importantly all the responsibilities that go with getting down the river safely and with courtesy. Even if you never row a boat yourself, you’ll gain a new appreciation for the skill set your guide employs every day. In the Fly Box this week, we get these questions and tips: · How can a color-blind fly fisher identify the flies in his box? · Why am I only getting fish on my lower egg pattern in a two-fly rig? · A great suggestion on dealing with tippet rings · What kind of crab patterns do I need for striped bass? · What flies should I use for small stocked rainbows? · What are your thoughts on leader degreasers? · A suggestion on training as a whitewater guide prior to becoming a fishing guide · Why do black bucktails and marabou stain my hands? · What are some tips on purposely dumping your back cast? · What is the difference between a clear and a solid blue intermediate fly line? · Can I make a dubbing loop with monofilament tying thread?
Panfish are the way many of us relieve the frustration of snotty trout, spooky carp, or saltwater fish that can't be reached because of bad weather. They're always on the prowl for a snack and seldom very fussy. But you do need to know where to find them, and for the larger specimens a little finesse is often in order. So this week I talk to Bart Lombardo, panfish aficionado and guru. We concentrate on the sunfish family. Although many smaller freshwater fish fit into the panfish category, sunfish are the most abundant and widely distributed. I think you find some great tips for maximizing your fun with these feisty little guys. In the Fly Box, here are some of the questions and tips we cover: Is there one rod I can use for both tightline (Euro) nymphing and dry flies? I found out why my knots were breaking on tippet rings! Rattles for redfish When you might want tapered leaders for bass What is the difference between freshwater and saltwater fly lines, and the difference between coldwater and warmwater lines? What lines do I need for coastal fishing in the Northeast? Do I need to take special care when wearing wading boots on my inflatable SUP? What do you eat to keep going during a full day of fishing? Can I imitate both Hendricksons and March Browns with one fly pattern? Can I use my 6-weight Clearwater rod for stocked trout? What does good carp water look like?
How do I become a guide? Should I get a job as a guide? How do I train to be a fishing guide? What skills do I need? I get these questions all the time on podcast requests, and because I have neither the skills nor the temperament to be a guide I asked our good friends at World Cast Anglers, specifically Mike Dawkins, to talk about the guiding life. They should know as they probably employ more fly-fishing guides than any other operation, and they have also been running a guide school for years. Listen to this week’s podcast about the pleasures and perils of being a fly-fishing guide. In the Fly Box this week, here are a few of the questions I try to answer: · How do I land giant alligator gar? · Where should I put my weight in relation to my tippet ring? · What are your top three suggestions for teaching someone to fish with a fly rod? · Should I get a weight forward or double taper fly line? · Can I use tightline nymphing techniques when fishing downstream? · How do I simplify and lighten up my gear when backpacking? · I get corrected—a listener has seen seen trout eat adult early black stoneflies and yellow sallies · How do I fish a long, clear, shallow stretch with no riffles without spooking fish? · Is it OK to put a perfection loop in my fly line? · Can I use a sinking poly leader when indicator fishing? · Why am I losing fish that I have hooked while fishing nymphs during the winter? · Why did I not catch fish while fishing nymphs during the winter?
This is a Backcast Episode from May 21, 2010. It is fun to see how much the show's format has changed since then! Thanks for listening!
Tom thinks even the best casters can sometimes use a little help when it comes to line control. In this podcast he gives his top ten tips for what to do once your line hits the water. Have a suggestion for the podcast? Drop us a line at podcast@orvis.com.
When we think of largemouth bass, most of us either have a vision of a small farm pond or a big wide-open lake. But there are many excellent largemouth bass fisheries in rivers. And the advantage for a fly fisher is that these fish never get into a zone where they are tough to target with a fly rod because they are always in shallow water. Texas has a number of great largemouth rivers, and this week I pick the brain of Winston Cundiff of All Water Guides in Austin, Texas. He shares his techniques for catching these fish, the tackle he uses, and the fly patterns he favors. I think fly-rod bass anglers from around the country will get some solid tips on catching largemouths in moving water. In The Fly Box this week, we explore a number of interesting questions and suggestions: · How are fly hooks tempered, and does bending a small hook in your tying vise weaken it? · Should you approach spooky small-stream trout in still pools from upstream or downstream? · How to make a 4X leader into a 7X leader. · Why do I keep missing strikes when fishing streamers? · What are some tips for catching trout in rivers with high fishing pressure? · Can I fish a soft hackle as a dropper behind a dry fly? · How can plus-size anglers sneak up on trout? · What is a level line? · A tip from a listener on how to avoid pricking your finger on the hook when tying flies.
I have gotten numerous requests on doing a podcast on fly fishing from a kayak and finally was able to corral my friend Damon Bungard of Jackson Kayaks, who has a broad experience fishing from kayaks all over the world, from tarpon flats to trout streams, and also designs kayaks. It’s a very detailed podcast, covering everything from picking the right craft to approaching fish to anchor systems to dealing with line handling to fighting and landing fish from a kayak. And lots of good stories in between. Fly fishers have different needs than conventional anglers when it comes to kayak fishing, so I am sure you will benefit from the wisdom of a true expert. Also in the Fly Box we cover questions on: · Whether you find the same hatches on different stretches of a river · Why a guide had an angler fight a fish with the rod in a vertical position · How far upstream to cast a nymph with an indicator, and how much to let it hang downstream · Will there be a kit to convert a Helios 3 D version to an F version (no, sorry they are totally different tapers) · Why are my knots breaking at the tippet ring but not when I attach it to a fly? · Are mop flies evil? · Why did I not have the same luck when I went back to the same trout stream a few weeks later? · For small flies, do I need to tie all sizes between 18 and 24? · Is a poly leader as good as a sink tip (to a blind horse?) · A seriously disappointing etiquette question (for which I don’t have a good answer) · Why aren’t jig style hooks used more often?
This week I interview Damon Newpher of Adventure Bound on the Fly, a guide service that specializes in fly fishing from all sorts of craft, including stand-up paddleboards. Damon uses his SUP to chase steelhead, bass, and even muskies in his western New York location, but has ranged as far away as Belize and the Yucatan with inflatable boards, and has even floated remote rivers and lakes in Chile from them. He advises us on why you would want one, what to look for, how to accessorize one, and how to navigate moving water. These craft offer great advantages because they can get into places no other craft can go, with more stealth than any other method. Plus you are up above the water so you can spot fish and subsurface structures easier. And of course an added benefit is that you’ll stay in great shape while you fish!
In this week’s Fly Box, we cover, as usual, an eclectic range of things:
· Why did my wife get skunked fishing a streamer while I was using two at once?
· How to evaluate a fly rod in a shop
· Pike fishing from shore
· How do I fish emerger flies?
· What is the perfect fly rod for tiny streams?
· Should I buy a 10-foot 4-weight or 5-weight for tightline nymphing?
· Are practice casting rods any good—other than just to torture cats? ·
And we have a new acronym, thanks to a listener: WINTER. Len from PA gives us great advice on how a fly fisher should spend the winter preparing for spring.
This week I interview aquatic biologist and fly fisher Peter Stitcher, who not only has a great way of organizing fly boxes (a question I have always neglected to answer properly), he also has some great guidance on how to figure out what is in the river and how to pick a fly from your box that will do the best job of imitating that insect—without any detailed knowledge of entomology. If you learn his acronyms PAUSE and MATCH I am convinced you will have all the knowledge you need to be more successful. Listen to the podcast to learn what these acronyms mean. In The Fly Box, we have all sorts of great questions this week: · The difference between braided and furled leaders · How to Euro nymph rivers with spooky trout · Fishing a midge larva behind a streamer · The difference between “freshwater” and “saltwater” rods · How to transition from saltwater to freshwater fly fishing · Can I use my steelhead reel in salt water? · How to travel with a large net · Tricks for avoiding bulk when tying tiny flies · When to put a fighting trout on the reel · Tips for making very short roll casts · Using cat fur for dubbing · Decreasing hooking mortality on small brookies · How to avoid large cracks in fly lines
This week’s podcast is my annual bull session with Tim Flagler of Tightline Productions. Instead of us picking a topic, we decided to ask listeners for questions. We both field questions on making a dubbing noodle out of short-fibered dubbing (along with a bunch of other tips on dubbing), choice of articulations for jointed flies, mono weed guards on bonefish flies, black vs. gold beads on nymphs, consistently reproducing patterns, proportions in cutting hair and fur, mixing dubbing to imitate specific insects, the differences between various types of natural dubbings, and discussions on what makes a “good” hackle feather. And of course we ramble a bit. But that’s what fly tiers do when they have an hour to kill. We went on so long that there’s no fly box this week. Just one long fly box, and all about tying.
After a long Christmas break, we’ve finally gotten back into a regular podcast schedule. This week our guest is Conway Bowman, known for his targeting of large mako sharks on a fly rod. But Conway also loves trout and tarpon fishing, so he gives us his tips on playing and landing large fish on a fly rod, whether it’s a 500-pound mako or a 22-inch trout. Conway is a great teacher and I am sure you will benefit from his tips. In the Fly Box this week, we have questions on taking an extra reel along, dressing for success and comfort in winter, making unweighted saltwater flies ride inverted in the water, factors that make a trout stream great, how to decide whether to go with weight-forward or double-taper lines, streamers in high altitude lakes, casting practice on snow, and a couple of discussions on tippet rings. I hope you enjoy the show
This week’s podcast is all about snook. I have never done a full podcast just on snook fishing, but it is the most popular gamefish in Florida so I figured it was high time. I enlisted Captain Dan Andrews as a guest. Dan, besides being a lifelong snook chaser and guide, is also executive director of Captains for Clean Water, a great organization that Orvis strongly supports. In the Fly Box this week, we have questions on occasional risers, whether you can handle a 22-inch trout on a 10-foot, 3-weight Recon, smelly head cements, targeting walleyes on the fly, pulling trout out of deep, slow pools, casting weighted streamers on a 5-weight, and some tips for steelhead anglers on the Great Lakes. There is also a story on a most unusual animal that took an angler’s mouse fly—but I won’t spoil the surprise here.
This week’s interview is with Steve Galletta of Bighorn Angler in Fort Smith, Montana. The Bighorn fishes well all winter long, and with Steve’s many seasons on the river he shares his tips on how to catch tailwater trout all winter long. Even if you don’t plan on fishing the Bighorn any time soon, Steve’s tips will give you valuable intel on how to fish your local tailwater. In The Fly Box, we have questions about the effects of fly flotants on knots, disappearing brook trout, releasing fish in fast water, using switch rods on lakes, why streamers work well in the fall, using UV resins for fly tying, fishing mouse patterns on lakes at night, keeping track of tippet rings, smells on carp flies, and how to apply techniques learned in one fishery to other species and places.
This week we get a special peak behind the curtain about how fly rods are developed. How long does it take to design a fly rod? How many prototypes are built? How are they tested? How are materials selected? And where do the ideas come from? Shawn Combs takes us into the depths of the Orvis skunkworks and tells us a few secrets (and withholds just as many) about how his team of engineers and technicians develop Orvis fly rods—specifically the new Helios 3 series. In the Fly Box this week, we talk about fishing emergers subsurface, the perils of using the wrong super glue on casting cuts, how long to let a bass popper sit, water temperature guiidelines for trout, fly fishing for crappies, a tip on keeping the trailing hook of a tandem out of the way when tying, leader lengths for stocked trout ponds, species-specific leaders, correct water depth for setting indicators, and how to fish multiple-fly rigs when the flies are barbless.
This week’s guest is Joe Cermele, fishing editor of Field & Stream magazine and the one-man-band behind the terrific web series “Hook Shots” (if you have not seen his videos they are always fun and offbeat). Joe is wild about fishing big flies for big fish—regardless of species. Our interview is about mousing for trout, a sorta-night-fishing, sorta-streamer-fishing technique that has become popular in recent years. But it’s not about fishing mouse flies for wilderness fish in Alaska or Kamchatka, it’s about fishing them in local, heavily fished rivers. Mousing is a great way to avoid the crowds and catch one of those big trout you seldom see during the day. As usual in The Fly Box we have a wide variety of topics: missing strikes on topwater bass flies, the difference between a desiccant and a flotant (again!), finding tailing carp, fishing streamers and high-stick nymphing in spring creeks, fishing bamboo rods for larger trout, tying with peacock eyes, questions on rod models, when to buy multiple reels as opposed to one reel and an extra spool, trout that disappear in early spring, correct depth for setting your indicator (there isn’t one), deciding which fly-tying tools to put most of your budget into—and finally what is that white rod Pete Kutzer uses for his casting videos?
This week Jeremy Kehrein from Orvis Travel joined me to share his knowledge of travel planning and packing tips. Most people know how to plan travel (just call up our Travel Department!) and know how to pack a suitcase, so we focus on what travelers often forget—what questions do they forget to ask when calling a travel agent, guide, or lodge, and what do people often forget when packing for a fishing trip. Arriving in a remote destination without an essential doodad can, while not exactly spoiling a trip, make it less enjoyable. In the Fly Box this week there is an extremely helpful tip from a listener that can benefit every angler—of all ages and all genders. I won’t spoil the surprise by telling you want it is. There are also questions on building a 7X leader that won’t collapse, how to land very large trout on a 3-weight rod and 6X tippet, how often multiple anglers can fish a single riffle, a recommendation for a good book on small-stream trout fishing (guess what that is?), studded boots making noise in the water, how to imitate a Rooster Tail, how to catch snotty whitefish, and how to keep a foam fly floating all day long. There is also an excellent tip from a listener who is a personal trainer on the right exercises to prepare yourself for fishing.
I get repeated questions about switch vs. Spey: people interested in two-handed fly fishing but not sure which setup they need. Even though I think I have answered this question before, I thought it was time for a fresh look so I asked the incomparable Pete Kutzer, YouTube star and Orvis casting instructor, for his advice. Pete is a very serious two-handed angler and just got back from a couple steelhead rivers on the West Coast, so the topic was fresh in his mind. I hope it helps to answer some of your questions. In the Fly Box this week, questions are wide-ranging--casting accuracy, dropper flies tangling, flashing trout, Atlantic salmon guides, and trout short-striking streamers. Plus an interesting tip on what may be an interesting way of sharpening hooks.
This week I interview Captain Aron Cascone of Westerly, Rhode Island for his tips on finding stripers on foot along the New England Coast, and then choosing the right fly, the right tide, the right time of day, and the right retrieve. Aron is one of the fishiest guys I know and he’s spent a life on the water. I learned a number of good tips despite fishing for stripers with a fly rod for over 30 years—so I’m sure you’ll learn some good stuff as well. In the Fly Box this week we answer questions on fly reel choices, making a presentation so that the fly passes over the fish before the leader, suggested camera gear for fly anglers, how to keep cleats from coming out of your wading boots, and how to make a simple saltwater leader. Plus suggestions from listeners on lubricating knots with fly paste and how to carry a second rod to the river.
This week’s podcast is an interview with Orvis VP Steve Hemkens about why he took a trip to Washington. The podcast may raise your hackles or it may give you hope for the future. You’ll have to listen to find out why he went to our nation’s capital and why someone responsible for the sale of fly-fishing products and responsible education in the outdoor world would want to meet with politicians. On a lighter note, the Fly Box this week covers a diverse group of questions, including targeting Texas redfish, repairing a severed fly line (hint—don’t), how to find a place to fish if you don’t know anyone, finding feeding trout in the weeds, the difference one tippet size makes, minimalist bass fishing, how to kill and clean trout, and how to a Get Drunk and Disorderly to stay under water (that sounds like cruel and unusual punishment). There is also a great suggestion from a listener on how to keep EP Fibers in line, and how to use the Fly Trap for storing dropper rigs.
This week, I take a break from interviews and do a podcast like we did in the old days by interviewing myself. It’s a shameless plug for my newest book, Hatch Strategies, published by Rizzoli/Universe. I call it Twelve Tips on Fishing Hatches That Might Surprise You. I’m sure that many of you agree with most of the tips, especially if you’ve spent any time chasing trout when they are feeding on insect hatches. But I am willing to bet there are a couple you may not have thought of, that run contrary to what you have heard in the past, or might even think that Rosenbauer guy is full of fish feces. If you don’t agree with me, I’d love to hear about it, which may produce some interesting podcasts in the future. In the Fly Box this week, I answer (or try to answer) how to fish small streams with a 9-foot rod, the use of tippet rings, how to avoid spending a fortune on hackle, what percent of the time you should be hooking fish that rise to your dry fly, whether to fish for steelhead in a river where they are threatened, the use of scents on flies, how to avoid foul-hooking trout, the use of loop knots in trout fishing, and delicate dry-fly presentations at short distances. There are also a couple of great letters from listeners with comments—one on angling ethics and another on how to move from trout fishing to saltwater fly fishing on the West Coast.
This week Chris Wood, president and CEO of Trout Unlimited, visited us in Vermont and we got to pull him aside for a great podcast (and take him fishing for brook trout). Chris is a master at distilling complicated environmental issues down to their essence in the way anglers can understand them, and he enlightens us on some current issues like Pebble Mine, the Clean Water Rule, and western water laws. And it’s not all bad news!
In the Fly Box, questions range from requests to have me MC a rehearsal dinner for a wedding (not gonna happen) to switching from trout to other species to getting another season out of a pair of waders. Plus questions on Village Idiots and herons and redfish and fishing diaries. Plus a couple of cool tips from listeners on fly tying.
This week we have a timely podcast—fishing for large brown trout in the fall. Noah Parker from Land of Enchantment Guides in New Mexico tells us how they fish for large browns in the fall, and they use some techniques in northern New Mexico and southern Colorado that are different from what most of you probably do. In the Fly Box, questions come up on catching fussy trout in small streams, gel-spun backing, swinging nymphs, fishing 4 people at once, what the Copper John imitates, and some great fly-tying tips from listeners.
This is a Backcast Episode from March of 2014. Tom will be back from vacation with new episodes soon! This week we have what I feel is one of our best podcasts ever—an interview with Colby Trow of Mossy Creek Fly Shop on his advanced tactics for catching smallmouth bass. I learned a ton in this podcast and it makes me want to head south to chase some right now. And in this extra-long podcast there are plenty of fly box questions: Using a stomach pump on trout, how to keep your indicator from sliding, whether bright silver and gold beads are a thing of the past, how to find secondary feathers on a goose wing, and good substitutes for deer hair on a Comparadun wing.
Tom is on vacation this week so we are bringing you a video this week. Want more videos? Let us know at podcast@orvis.com.
Welcome to another installment of “Ask an Orvis Fly-Fishing Instructor,” with me, Peter Kutzer. In this episode, I demonstrate how to make aerial mends in your line, creating an upstream or downstream mend before your line touches down on the water. This is a great technique for when you’re casting across varying currents, and it will help you achieve better and longer dead drifts. By making the mend during the cast, you avoid having to break the surface tension to move the line, as you would with a traditional mend.
An aerial mend is quite easy to make, but there are two parts that will require some practice: the size of the mend and where it occurs along the line. By simply drawing a “C” or a “D” with the rod tip, you can create the belly required for a mend. The size of the letter you draw determines the size of the mend. How long you wait after the rod stops on the forward cast determines where that mend will occur. If you want it to be far out near the tip of the line, draw the letter right after the rod stops. To make a mend closer to you, wait a bit before drawing the letter.
With a little practice, you’ll get a feel for both the size and the location of the mend. Good luck!
OK, get ready for this—it’s a long one! I figured since I had not done a podcast in a couple weeks I would give you your money’s worth, and this podcast includes a long interview with Will Benson, noted permit guide and film maker. As you’ll hear, Will has strong passions for many things—permit, guiding, people, and the environment—and I had trouble cutting this one off. But it was a fun and educational interview, and very inspiring for me. I hope you enjoy it as much as I did. And furthermore, it’s a longer Fly Box than usual, with questions on finding a guide school, big fish getting off the hook, Clouser Minnows riding sideways, catching big stripers form shore, remembering Mel Krieger, catching carp in North Dakota, a recommended outfit for Atlantic salmon on the Gaspe peninsula, fishing caddis egg-laying events, and where and how to go fly fishing in the Greek Islands (spoiler—I have no idea).
This week I have an interview with an old friend, Joe Demalderis, of Cross Current guide service in the Catskills. Joe knows the Delaware system about as well as any human, and has a common-sense approach to fishing hatches that I love. We talk about how to fish hatches from a drift boat or other craft, which at times can be more difficult than fishing hatches while wading, but at other times can reach fish in water that is too deep of otherwise inaccessible to the wader. In the Fly Box, we range from questions on getting droppers ready before you go fishing, caddis pupa tactics, fish rising to tippet rings, brook trout on streamers, the effect of heat on tippet material, shirt colors on trout streams, and suggested bonefish books.
My guest this week is guide David Mangum, renowned tarpon guide, filmmaker, still photographer, fly tier—and well the guy is just incredibly talented. In the interview he gives us some fascinating tips on presenting a fly to tarpon, and you may be surprised at what this seasoned guide recommends. He also gives tips on presenting the fly to other species—no surprise that accuracy, not distance or power, is the most important factor. And prior to the interview, in the podcast we answer questions on why you don’t need to change leaders every time you hit a different water type, handicapping fly anglers, sunken hoppers, fishing a new landlocked salmon fishery, nymphing for bass, playing fish on Euro-style nymphing rod, setting the hook on the wet fly swing, diversity in fly fishing, stinky hackle, and attaching backing to fly line.
This week I have a more-or-less black diamond podcast with Josh Nugent of Out Fly Fishing Outfitters in Calgary. With the peak of hatches upon us, now is the time to tune up your sight-fishing game, and Josh provides with some meaty tips (As well as The Seven Deadly Sins). In the Fly Box, I have a couple listener follow-ups on questions from other listeners. One is on freshwater drum from James at the Orvis store in Royal Oak outside of Detroit. The other is from gentleman in Canada who relates his experience with using loop knots on dry flies (hint—don’t). And I answer some questions on obtaining feathers for tying soft hackles, best boxes for large bass flies, how to rig for tightline nymphing, leaders for smallmouths, and whether a graphite rod can fatigue after a day catching more than 10 carp from 10 to 20 pounds in weight (no one is feeling sorry for that guy).
I don’t know why redfish have the reputation of being easy to catch. Every one I have ever cast to was spooky and suspicious. I’ve also found that when casting to redfish, especially in the fascinating times when they’re tailing in shallow water, accuracy is key. And I don’t mean in the general area. You need to place the fly in exactly the right spot based on which direction the fish is facing. Want to find out more about gaining accuracy on redfish? You’ll have to listen to this week’s podcast, where I interview Orvis Saltwater Guide of the Year Lucas Bissett of Slidell, Louisiana. In the Fly Box this week, I try to answer questions on tides and currents in salt water, color of leader material, an old fly dressing formula, the Hopper Twitch, feather clippings, and how to reconcile the feeling of getting skunked (my wife and fishing buddies will tell you I don’t do this well).
In this week’s podcast I have the pleasure of chatting with John Gierach, probably the most popular fly-fishing writer in the world (based on the fact that all 18 of his books are still in print!) It’s likely that most fly fishers have read John’s work, but it’s a pleasure to hear his voice and some of his thoughts on today’s fly-fishing world. In The Fly Box, we have some thought-provoking questions this week: whether it makes sense to use a loop knot on a dry fly, whether a three-turn blood knot is enough, how to keep a bass leader from twisting, another cool trick with a rubber band, how to keep your emergers floating properly in the surface film, how to catch freshwater drum, and what kinds of fly lines you need for fishing a Canadian lake in midsummer.
This week’s podcast is a tour of the wonders of the Midwest’s Driftless Region, where small trout streams abound, trout are plentiful, and public access abounds. What could be better? Guide Mat Wagner tells all in this podcast that helped me vicariously enjoy his region (it’s at the top of my wish list). In the Fly Box, we had some particularly interested questions this week: Using night vision goggles for trout fishing, how to keep a record of streamside insects you find, disappearing brook trout, fighting big fish, catching sea trout on a fly, and the effectiveness of fishing bait using a fly rod.
In the fly box this week we have questions on making your own braided leaders, boorish behavior on trout streams, the effect of melting snow on fishing, how to test a new fly, the ethics of using a guide to find a spot and then fishing it on your own (don’t do it), and a mystery caller at the end.
This week I also share an interview with Jeff Skelding, executive director of the Friends of the Upper Delaware River (FUDR). This is a very effective regional conservation organization that after years of difficult relations with local public officials, state and regional water authorities, and highway departments, has gradually formed very effective partnerships with them. We can all learn from their advice and experience when it appears that conservation and property seem to be at odds. It does not have to be a zero-sum game.
This week I interview Chris Dombrowski, author, poet, and fishing guide. Chris's book Body of Water is one of my favorite fly fishing books--even though it is more about people than fishing. Learn how a guy with the rough hands of a fishing guide and the soul of a poet thinks about our crazy world.
We have all listener email this week as the phone calls I had were not the types of questions I can answer in this podcast (where should I fish, etc). WE do have some great questions on rod and reel maintenance and weather, nymphing, how much are "collectors'" flies worth, chemicals in fly-tying material and more.
This is a bit different from regular shows. This is the audio from a Facebook LIVE video show Tom did last week about Orvis' new snips and he also takes questions on various topics.
The sound quality is not as high as other shows.
If you want to skip the snips presentation, skip ahead about five minutes. You can see the video version and other videos at https://www.facebook.com/pg/orvisflyfishing/videos
In this week’s podcast, I was honored to have Felipe Rodriguez in the studio. Felipe is the head guide for the Orvis trips to Cuba, and is one of the most highly respected guides in Cuba, both for his knowledge of the fishery and for his education efforts with the younger generation of Cuban guides. He had never seen snow before, and arrived in Vermont and New York City in the middle of our biggest snowstorm of the winter. It was an exciting time for us and for Felipe.
Also this week, in the Fly Box, we talk more about Mop Flies, basic saltwater patterns, wrist braces for fly fishers with tendonitis, UV and fluorescent materials, and advice for the younger generation of fly fishers.
In this week’s podcast, our guest is the very savvy guide and writer Landon Mayer from central Colorado. Landon is the author of four books on fly fishing, numerous magazine articles, and you may have caught one of his presentations at a fly-fishing show. He’s also a hard-working guide. Landon gives us his special tips for taking advantage of the high water of spring runoff—something most of us try to avoid but with Landon’s guidance you might welcome these conditions. In The Fly Box, we talk about casting practice, the use of two indicators, fishing for landlocked salmon in lakes, Woolly Buggers for steelhead, and a heartwarming story about catching a steelhead despite adverse conditions.
In this week’s podcast, I have the pleasure of picking Pat Dorsey’s brain on winter and early spring midge fishing in tailwaters. Pat is one of our foremost experts on small fly fishing, and is known far and wide as a guide, writer, fly tier, and presenter. Plus he’s just a cool guy. In the Fly Box this week, we have a surprise guest talking about an infamous bumper sticker, the difference between tippet material and regular fishing line, estimating how big trout get in small streams, a couple of dubbing techniques, how to find seam leaks in waders, avoiding tangles in two-fly rigs (don’t expect any brilliant ideas), and using stripping baskets with Spey rods.
Hi- This is Jamie Hathaway. I produce both the Orvis fishing and hunting podcasts. I thought you might like to hear Reid Bryant's interview with Tom over on the Orvis Hunting and Shooting Podcast.
Subscribe to the Orvis Hunting and Shooting Podcast on iTunes or at www.orvis.com/podcasts!
Reid Bryant shares the booth with Orvis legend and avid hunter Tom Rosenbauer. Best known for his fly-fishing books, fly patterns, and host role with the Orvis Fly-fishing Podcast, Tom is a wealth of knowledge about Orvis and the sporting resources of southern Vermont. Reid and Tom discuss, dogs, ducks, and the symbiotic nature of being a fly angler as well as a bird hunter.
Orvis CEO Perk Perkins gave Tom an important job and Tom is excited to show him the results.
This week’s podcast interview is with John Rickard, Orvis-Endorsed Guide with Wild Waters Fly Fishing in Shasta, California. Our main topic is winter steelhead in California, but John also gives us some helpful insights on California trout fishing as well. In The Fly Box, we ramble through topics like when to anchor a drift boat and when to keep moving, packing your gear for trips, weighting flies, Softex vs. epoxy, the difference between switch rods and long single-handed rods, and the importance of white nymphs. We also get a stern warning on road-killed songbird feathers—spoiler—even possessing them is a federal felony. Yikes!
One of the most common questions I get on this podcast and in person is "how can i take my fishing to the next level?".
My new book, "Fly Fishing for Trout--The Next Level" is out and I'm really proud of it.
I made this video to tell you why I wrote the book and how it can help you have more fun on the water.
I hope you check it out!
I am betting that this week’s podcast will be one of the most popular of the year. Entitled “Rare, Unusual, and Under-Utilized Fly Tying Materials” it’s an interview with superb videographer and fly tier Tim Flagler of Tightline Productions. As typically happens with us, we go off on some crazy tangents but it’s all about fly tying and it gets a bit geeky. Which I have found that lots of our listeners enjoy. And if that’s not enough, the Fly Box covers carrying a second rod on the river, picking hackle capes, DT vs. WF lines (again!), fall-spawning rainbows, casting leaders with heavy flies and weight on them, midging trout during the winter, night-fishing tips, and fluoro vs. nylon for tippets.