This episode was originally published on January 14th, 2021.

My guest this week is Rachael Leinweber [39:38], general manager of The Angler's Covey fly shop in Colorado Springs. One in a series of podcasts about winter fly-fishing tips, Rachael has some great ones for us, and it's been interesting to see how each guide we've talked to has a slightly different take on effective winter tactics.

In the Fly Box this week, we have the following questions and tips: Is there an easier way to balance a fly rod than buying a heavier reel? How can I get my parents to approve of my fly-fishing passion?

My guest this week is Mike Tayloe [33:07], who is a fishing guide, EMT, and wilderness medicine trainer. Tayloe (he prefers this to Mike) has trained many Orvis-endorsed guides and lodges on emergencies that you'll encounter on the water. Basically, they're the same emergencies you'll find at home but without the ability to get a rescue squad or ambulance quickly. The bad news is that we can't give you training on wilderness medicine on a podcast. The good news is that Tayloe will tell us how to get training for these emergencies (an online course is not the recommended way to go) and how to put together your own first aid kit so that you are prepared to deal with common medical problems. He goes into great detail on what to include in your kit, and recommends places to either get a complete pre-made kit or where to buy the right components—and the best course is not to buy a cheap kit in a big box store. This podcast, with proper training and a good kit, could save your life or that of a fishing buddy.   In the Fly Box this week, we have a number of questions that may answer questions you have had, such as:

• When should I use split shot as an "in-line" rig as opposed to the drop shot method?
• Is it better to use fewer big split shot or a number of smaller ones?
• What can I do with egg yarn other than make egg flies?
• Mayfly nymphs look flat.  Why don't we use more flies with a flattened shape?
• Should I cast my streamers upstream, across-stream, or quartering down and swinging?
• Where should I look for striped bass along a marshy shoreline?
• How important is color on emerger flies.  Most of the patterns I see imitate the color of the duns but shouldn't we be more concerned with the color of the nymph?
• Why are high-end fly rods more expensive than high-end conventional rods?
• When tying flies, should I tie every size in the right range or should I skip sizes?

Dave is one of the best young voices in fly fishing [38:14]. He's the real deal—he is a fishy guy and can handle a fly rod with the best of them, but he's also a teacher of writing at the college level and a published author. (His new book is terrific and the title is Calling After Water.) Dave gives us what I consider a mini master class on how to write about fly fishing so that your stories are engaging, concise, and fun. I know you will find many useful tips in this podcast.

In the Fly Box this week, we have an assortment of great questions from listeners, including:

What are the benefits of tube flies?

Can I nymph fish for steelhead with a Spey rod?

Is there a benefit from using UV fly-tying materials?

What is the best way to attach pre-made droppers to my leader?

Tippet ring, surgeon's knot, or blood knot?

Why do people look down on swinging wet flies for trout?

How can I fish a bigger river without wasting my time trying to fish it all?

Is it better to go to a smaller streamer when fish are just bumping the fly?

How can young people help to improve our environment?

Many of our trout waters run through agricultural areas. We need food and clean water and we'd like to fish for trout in these waters, but sometimes these things don't play well together.  It's when all user groups get together and come up with solutions that we have the best of both worlds. Cameron Aker [39:29] is the Outreach Coordinator for the Driftless Region of Iowa, and in this week's podcast he tells us how farmers, landowners, Trout Unlimited, and various government agencies have worked together to manage the land for food production while protecting sensitive coldwater fisheries. You'll learn how they do this, who funds the work, and how you can look into starting a similar initiative in your area.   In the Fly Box this week, we have the usual roundup of basic questions, good tips, and more advanced questions, including:

• How do I know when it's appropriate to use resin instead of head cement?
• I am very new to fly fishing and want to keep my initial fly selection simple. Do you think that's a good idea?
• Is it a good idea to tie a sacrificial mono loop at the end of my fly line to preserve the loop?
• What size dry flies do you use in the East for dry/dropper rigs?
• Are there more "vintage" Orvis reels that you still use?
• Are there notable distinctions between the various kinds of dubbing?
• I saw a single caddisfly on the snow recently.  Is this unusual?
• I had something snap my 12-pound fluorocarbon tippet in a clean break while fishing in salt water. What could have caused this?
• What do you keep on your fly tying desk, other than the typical tools and materials?
• What should I bring for a traveling fly-tying kit?
• Great tips from a listener on how to lessen backache when tying flies.
• How do you target cold, high rivers?

 

I often get questions about the proper way to play and release trout and I invited Jim McClennan [42:51] to talk about his tips and his philosophy on bring trout to hand. Jim has been a guide, fly shop owner, writer, and star of fishing films for as long as I have been in the business. He gives his tips on how to play trout quickly, how to land them, and shares a new trick I hadn't heard about for releasing fish without ever touching them with minimal stress to the fish. You'll have to listen to the podcast to find out this trick.   In the Fly Box this week, we have some unusually great tips from listeners as well as some interesting questions, including:

• Is there a performance difference between a hand-tied knotted leader and a knotless leader?
• A tip from a listener on the best way to begin your life as a fly tier.
• Do trout lose the rods and cones in their eyes when they get to be about 17 inches long?
• Are there any colors you would avoid when fishing a Sparkle Minnow?
• As a beginning fly tier, what tools and materials should I get first?
• What is the effect of major floods on small brook trout streams?
• A great tip from a listener on exactly what type and size of nitrile gloves are best for winter fishing.
• Can you give us a history of Superfine Graphite rods, and what is the new release like?
• If I use a 12-foot leader with a 9-foot rod, how can I easily land fish?
• If my waders end up frozen, will that hurt them?
• How can I fish in a river where everyone else is fishing indicators?  I don't like fishing indicators.
• Can I keep my fly rods in the trunk of my car over the winter?
• A listener has a hard time wrapping his head around the fact that trout can learn and that trout in rivers with a lot of fishing pressure have learned to avoid certain flies.  Is there any scientific research on this topic?

Well, maybe we're not creating new trout streams, but we are creating waters that now support trout and cold, clean water by mitigating abandoned mine runoff.  These are streams have been lifeless in some cases for over 100 years.  There are hundreds of thousands of abandoned mines leaking acids and toxic metals throughout the country, and until a recent law was passed if an independent organization went in to clean these up, they could be held liable for any damages.  The technology is there but the law prevented them from helping.  With recent passage of a Good Samaritan law, a number of test cases will be established to prove that independent organizations can work to clean up these mines without legal risk.  Chris Wood, president and CEO of Trout Unlimited, [41:35] walks us through what has been done and what can be done in the future to ensure cleaner water for fishing, drinking, and swimming.  Chris is always an articulate and interesting guest and we know you'll enjoy this podcast.   In the Fly Box this week, we have some great new questions and tips including:

• What is a good chair for fly tying?
• What is a good light for fly tying?
• How do you organize your tying desk?
• What setup should I use to fish streamers in a narrow, brushy piece of water?
• A piece broke off the jaws of my fly-tying vise.  How can I prevent this from happening in the future?
• Why don't they make polarized sunglasses with clear magnifying inserts?
• A tip from a listener to always pack an extra pack with dry clothes in case you fall in.
• Should I recycle my hooks after all the dressing has fallen off a fly?
• I want a rod for pike and musky fishing.  What is the difference between the 10-weight and 11-weight Clearwater rods?
• Is it bad a stretch a leader by hanging a pair of forceps on it?
• For small stream trout, should I get a Battenkill Disc or Battenkill spring-and-pawl reel?
• If I want to practice casting to my "off" side prior to a float trip, should I practice casting with my left hand or use my right hand to cast over my left shoulder?

What benefits do you get when you upgrade from a $40 Big Box store rod to a Clearwater or Encounter?  How much better is a Recon rod, and will you see and appreciate the performance improvements?  And what are you missing out on by getting a Recon instead of a Helios?  This is a common podcast question, and I've asked Shawn Combs [44:53], Orvis rod and reel designer, to walk us through the various price points of Orvis rod and how the rods differ.  There is a true price/value equation in Orvis rod models, but is the difference important to you?  We hope to guide you through those questions.   In the Fly Box this week, we have some terrific questions.  No phone calls this week so they are all e-mail questions, including:  

• Which river types are richer in insect life, and does that affect your success with dry flies?
• Why is there so much shame about fishing around brown trout redds but not the same with brook, rainbow, and cutthroat trout?
• How do you set up your leaders for striper fishing?
• Why don't we go through the eye of the hook twice on every knot, as we do for the Trilene Knot?
• Why is there so much spot burning with social media?
• A listener who had a life-threatening experience in a kayak gives us some great tips on being safe on the water.
• Any thoughts on organizing fly boxes?
• A listener tells us that washing CDC feathers will not let them float properly but I respectfully beg to differ.
• A tip from a listener on how to lessen line tangles when fishing from a pedal kayak.
• What is meant by "nervous water"?

 

Peter Laurelli [40:07] is a film-maker and fly fisher, and specializes in fly fishing from a paddleboard.  And not in just any place—Peter fly fishes off the northeast coast for striped bass and false albacore, and if you can fish from a paddleboard in these conditions you can do it anywhere.  Peter shares his tips on launching and landing a paddleboard, as well as tips for rigging a paddleboard for fly fishing, and of course approaching fish and playing and landing them.  If you want to see a sample of his fishing and filming in salt water you can see it here: Surf & Inshore Fly Fishing - SIFF18: Four Years For Life  It includes some spectacular drone footage of striped bass and false albacore schools feeding on baitfish. In the Fly Box this week we have some interesting questions, including the inevitable queries about what rod and reel to buy and how to handle issues with leaders.  Questions include: Can I replace the tippet ring I use in my leader setup with a Perfection or Surgeon's Loop? Can I use 6X or even 7X when hanging a size 14 nymph from a larger dry fly? Can you recommend a quality reel for the fiberglass rod I own that won't break the bank? What is your take on fishing tandem streamer setups? I'm planning on taking my first tarpon fishing trip to Florida in June.  Is a 10- or 11-weight rod suitable or do I need to go to a 12-weight? Can I use my Mirage LT IV for bonefish? I want a rod for midwest trout and bass.  Can you help me pick one? I typically modify my knotless leader back and forth.  But at what point should I replace my leader with a fresh one? What are your thoughts on glow-in-the-dark fly lines for striped bass at night? Which species does Tom always go barbless for, and which does he stick with a barbed hook? What is your take on the no-targeting regulation proposed for striped bass?

This episode was originally published on January 27th, 2022.

This week, my guest is Orvis casting guru Pete Kutzer [47:31], and we talk about casts for difficult trout. Often you don't need great casting skills or special casts to catch trout, but there are times when a little razzle-dazzle will make the difference. Pete talks about those situations and what to do--and he also introduces a new way of making a Bow-and -Arrow cast that was new to me. I think anyone can benefit from Pete's advice.

In the Fly Box this week, we have these great questions and tips from listeners:

What do you think about tying on eyeless hooks and making eyes out of silk bead cord?

What do you mean by the term "swinging flies"?

Can I target grass carp on a fly?

Can you ice fish with flies?

How do I fish a lake for trout from my kayak?

What do you think of the electric socks that are controlled by an app?

A great tip from a listener on avoiding spooking trout in small streams.

Can a figure-8 knot be used in fly fishing?

What do you recommend for a rod for fishing larger eastern rivers?

How can I correct a casting issue where my fly gets caught on my line-to-leader connection?

Do I need to buy a specific saltwater outfit for Belize or will my current steelhead rod work?

Do you recommend weed guards for fishing in Belize?

How much do brown trout move in the fall?

Do you think it's possible that a stocked tiger trout could have moved 30 miles from where it was stocked?

Can I overline my 3-weight rod by two line sizes for really short casts?

My wife has problems with glare on the water. Do you think there is something wrong with her eyes?

Which precautions should I take releasing trout in subzero weather?

This week's show is a Backcast episode from January 8th, 2021.

This week, we're continuing our series on winter fly fishing for trout.  I interview Antonio Rodrigues [42:50] manager of Front Range Anglers in Boulder, Colorado, and he has a different take on winter fly fishing, and some different methods.  I've found it fascinating to see how each guest approaches this differently and hope you pick up some tips as well.

In the Fly Box this week, we have these questions and tips from listeners:

What do you use for a fly box when surf fishing?

I have not had good luck with guide trips and want to know what you recommend so I get a better trip next time.

Are fly rods built on continuous blanks and then cut into sections, or is each section made separately?  And are sections interchangeable from one rod to another?

What is the purpose of adding flash to nymph patterns?

A tip on using special flies for casting practice.

What do I do about fishing places where lots of swimmers have been?

Are wire bite guards worth it?Can I tie a 3X tippet to a 3mm tippet ring?

Are all Orvis leader lengths built to the same basic taper or are they different?

Another suggestion on where to donate flies you don't want.

What uses do you have for magnets when fishing?

What do I use huge streamer patterns like the Manbearpig for, and how should I fish them?