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: 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.