We both got our early fly fishing chops from slinging flies into the bigger rivers in the inter-mountain West - the Madison, Gallatin, the Yellowstone, the Missouri, the Boulder, and others. In mid-life, we both moved to the Chicagoland area and had a rude awakening when fishing the spring creeks of the Driftless region. We caught fewer fish, and the rivers were not really rivers but small creeks. In this episode, we discuss the differences between the two regions to help fly fishers prepare for fishing either one.

Our Fly Fishing Book for Beginners

The Fly Fisher's Book of Lists

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https://2guysandariver.com/

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There's no greater thrill than catching a trout on a dry fly. We love to fish streamers and nymphs, but when push comes to shove, we'd rather tie on a dry. In this episode, we recall a bunch of terrific days (or, in some cases, minutes) catching rainbows, cutthroat, or browns on a dry fly. We also layer in some key takeaways from each story to provide some practical help.

Our Fly Fishing Book for Beginners

The Fly Fisher's Book of Lists

Website

https://2guysandariver.com/

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https://www.instagram.com/2guysandariver/

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https://www.facebook.com/2guysandariver

It takes a village to raise up a fly fisher. The first person of the village is likely a parent, friend, or acquaintance who walked beside us in the early, awkward days of learning to cast, read the river, and tie a basic knot. Next are the fly shop owners and guides who drip insight into us as we buy flies and purchase float trips. Then there is the army of Trout Unlimited volunteers who spent weekends improving our rivers and streams. And then there are the industry pundits and legends who publish books, videos, podcasts, and other helpful resources.

An unheralded person of the village is the conservation warden. He or she is in many ways quietly responsible to maintain order and even safety while we enjoy the outdoors. In this episode, we interview Michael Burns, a Driftless conservation warden out of Dodgeville, Wisconsin. While our listeners come from all places in North America and even Europe, Australia, and New Zealand, we thought Mike's perspective as a Wisconsin conservation warden applies to everyone everywhere.

Our Fly Fishing Book for Beginners

The Fly Fisher's Book of Lists

Website

https://2guysandariver.com/

Instagram

https://www.instagram.com/2guysandariver/

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https://www.facebook.com/2guysandariver

You've set the hook. Now what? In this episode, we offered up some of the best practices for netting and releasing your fish. One of the most important reminders is to monitor the interval between the time you hook the fish and when you release it - the shorter (obviously) the better.

Our Fly Fishing Book for Beginners

The Fly Fisher's Book of Lists

Website

https://2guysandariver.com/

Instagram

https://www.instagram.com/2guysandariver/

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https://www.facebook.com/2guysandariver

“Trout do 80% of their feeding underwater.” We've repeated that platitude often over the years. In a recent issue of TROUT magazine, a publication of Trout Unlimited, Tom Rosenbauer labels that platitude a  "trout myth.” In this episode, we discuss seven points that Rosenbauer makes in the article and apply them to our fly fishing experience.

Our Fly Fishing Book for Beginners

The Fly Fisher's Book of Lists

Website

https://2guysandariver.com/

Instagram

https://www.instagram.com/2guysandariver/

Facebook

https://www.facebook.com/2guysandariver

New resolutions are often tied to the new year. We've decided to release our resolutions near the beginning of the real fly fishing year - spring. We love fishing in winter, but we catch most of our fish and spend most of our days on the water in spring, summer, and fall. In this episode, we each offer up four resolutions for upcoming fly fishing season.

Our Fly Fishing Book for Beginners

The Fly Fisher's Book of Lists

Website

https://2guysandariver.com/

Instagram

https://www.instagram.com/2guysandariver/

Facebook

https://www.facebook.com/2guysandariver

We hit the river a couple weeks ago and discovered once again that winter fly fishing is not like fishing in the other three seasons. A recent fly fishing newsletter helped put winter fishing into perspective with a few tips. We thought you might benefit from these as much as we did. Spring is coming!

Our Book for Beginners

The Fly Fisher's Book of Lists

Website

https://2guysandariver.com/

Instagram

https://www.instagram.com/2guysandariver/

Facebook

https://www.facebook.com/2guysandariver

Just like every other craft, a fly fisher must occasionally return to the basics of the art and skill of fly fishing. In this episode, we identify several key elements of fly fishing that we've had to relearn or remember. Just like writing or playing a sport, the veterans return to the essential skills again and again.

Our Book for Beginners

The Fly Fisher's Book of Lists

Website

https://2guysandariver.com/

Instagram

https://www.instagram.com/2guysandariver/

Facebook

https://www.facebook.com/2guysandariver

Steve spent some time in Alaska this summer, breaking his fly rod, catching a few rainbows, and netting a silver. Listen in as Dave interviews Steve about his Alaskan fly fishing experience while on a trip to visit family. Some things about fishing are always true, no matter where you fish: Some days are diamonds, some days are stone.

Our Book for Beginners

The Fly Fisher's Book of Lists

Website

https://2guysandariver.com/

Instagram

https://www.instagram.com/2guysandariver/

Facebook

https://www.facebook.com/2guysandariver

Steve screaming after almost stepping on a rattlesnake, Dave in his underwear, and buying bear spray at closing time - these and other crazy fly fishing stories make our last trip to Montana memorable. This is not a practical episode. Hopefully, it makes you recall some crazy memories of your own from a recent trip.

Kindle Version of Our Book for Beginners

The Fly Fisher's Book of Lists

Website

https://2guysandariver.com/

Instagram

https://www.instagram.com/2guysandariver/

Facebook

https://www.facebook.com/2guysandariver