A listener named Ben recently sent in a great question about one of the most debated topics in fly fishing: line weights. He shared his own experience of buying a high-end 5-weight rod, only to find out a year later that it performed best with a heavier line—essentially making it a 6-weight setup. His frustration? The industry’s blurred definitions and the confusion it causes for anglers trying to match rods and lines correctly.

To dig into this topic, I invited three experts who know rods and lines better than just about anyone—Tim Rajeff, Jeff Wagner, and Simon Gawesworth.  In this episode, we break down the line weight system and discuss why manufacturers push the boundaries.

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In this episode of Into the Backing, we discuss the advantages of both the single and double handed rod. From swinging flies for steelhead to using them for something as niche as fly fishing for musky, we cover it all in this month’s session.

Join me to sit down with author and former sales rep Jerry Darkes, guide and instructor Jeff Liskay, and BackPacker’s Fly Shop manager Jake Wright for a friendly jousting on why one method may be preferred over the other. 

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In this episode of Into the Backing, we tackle a complex and polarizing issue: native fish vs. introduced fish. That phrase has always sounded odd to me, so I figured there must be more to the controversy. As it turns out, much of the online debate stems from miscommunication and assumptions about region-specific fisheries that are close to our hearts. Sometimes, though, it’s a clash of science, philosophy, and policy.

I sit down with Bob Mallard from the Native Fish Coalition, writer Kirk Deeter, fluvial geomorphologist Dr. Doug Thompson, and journalist Tom Bie to explore why this divide exists.

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Today, we're kicking off season two with a relatively light-hearted conversation about Euro Nymphing and its perception in the fly fishing industry. A hot topic around the fly-tying counter, Euro Nymphing is viewed by some as the most effective form of fly fishing, while others argue it’s not fly fishing at all. I thought it would be interesting to invite some of fly fishing's strongest personalities for a friendly discussion on why this controversy exists.

In this episode, I sit down with Kelly Galloup, George Daniel, and Nick Taransky to hear their thoughts on whether Euro Nymphing is truly fly fishing.

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It can be a tricky task trying to balance fly fishing and ethical marketing. And while it’s nothing new, the conversation has never been quite as polarising as it is when it involves influencers. Right, wrong, or otherwise, there’s a stigma around this new-age marketing tactic that pops up in comment sections and tackle shops around the world.

In this episode of Into the Backing, I sit down with Kirk Deeter, Tom Larimer and Bridget Fabel to weigh out why there’s so much contention around the topic.

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A recent change in government regulations has made fishing for steelhead from a boat illegal in Washington State. The change is the result of poor steelhead returns and an attempt to find a compromise between the guides, anglers and fish. A substantial amount of guides and anglers are upset about the new law and how it was implemented, so I asked longtime salmon and steelhead guide and spokesperson, Bob Kratzer to sit down with steelhead biologists John McMillan and Bob Hooton to sort through some of the facts and controversy. 

We cover a lot of ground in this episode, so be sure to listen until the end and let us know your thoughts on the Anchored Outdoors Facebook and Instagram pages.

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It’s hard to ignore the contention that follows any conversation about fishing on redds. In this episode of Into the Backing, I sit down with Dr. Andy Danylchuk, photographer Adam Barker, and Howard Horton from Colorado Parks and Wildlife to see if we could get to the bottom of why it’s frowned upon. We discuss the science behind fishing on redds, why it isn’t illegal in many parts of North America, and why the topic is such a hot one for the fly fishing community. Be sure to listen until the end and let us know your thoughts on the Anchored Outdoors Facebook and Instagram pages.

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As a relatively new hunter, I was curious to learn more about the grip and grin debate that I often see surface on social media. In this episode of Into the Backing, I sit down with experienced hunters Britt Longoria, Tyler Freel and Mark Hall to hear their thoughts. We discuss how and why our photos matter, if the hunting industry is unnecessarily inflammatory, and if something as simple as a social media post can shift regulations and legislation.

Be sure to listen until the end and let us know your thoughts on the Anchored Outdoors Facebook and Instagram pages.

Into the backing is an Anchored Outdoors production.

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This month’s episode has been brewing since the conception of the Anchored podcast in 2014. Over the last six years, we’ve discussed various concerns about the impact of hatchery fish in wild systems. Every time such an episode airs, it stimulates debate between "pro-hatchery" and "anti-hatchery" anglers. So, for years I've been asking hatchery advocates to give me the name of someone they wanted to hear from. The name they gave me was biologist Ian Courter. 

I'd arranged to meet with Ian, as well as the Wild Fish Conservancy’s Dr. Nick Gayeski and past Anchored guest and biologist John McMillan earlier this year. Flights were booked and conference rooms scheduled before Covid inevitably pushed this episode back. While we couldn’t get Nick on the call, John and Ian agreed to sit down for the first time to publicly share their viewpoints. 

Outline of this Episode 

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My guests today include big game specialist and Sportfishing captain Vic Levett, Australian fishing guide Justin Duggan, and steelhead guide and photographer Adrienne Comeau, who also happens to be a life-long vegetarian. In this episode of Into the Backing we tackle the argument of whether catch and release fly fishing is truly beneficial to fish, or if it’s unnecessary torture for our own fun. 

Outline of this Episode:

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